What is Yoshon?
Also spelled / known as: Yashan, Old grain, Chadash vs Yoshon
In brief
Yoshon (literally 'old') refers to grain that took root before the 16th of Nisan (Passover) of the previous year — permitted for consumption under a biblical prohibition that forbids new-season grain (chadash) until after the Omer offering.
Yoshon explained
Yoshon is one of the most technical standards in kashrut. Based on the biblical commandment in Leviticus 23:14, grain from the five species (wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt) that took root after the 16th of Nisan is called 'chadash' (new) and forbidden until the following year's Omer offering on the 16th of Nisan. Grain that took root before that date is called 'yoshon' (old) and is permitted. While historically many Jews relied on lenient rulings, observance of yoshon has grown significantly in recent decades.
Real-world examples
A bakery labeled 'Yoshon only' — all flour is confirmed pre-Nisan crop
Cereals and grain products with 'Yoshon' printed on the hechsher
Yoshon lists published by certifying agencies like the cRc and Star-K
Summer months are particularly important for yoshon observance as new crop comes in
Context & nuance
The chadash/yoshon issue primarily affects spring and summer months, when new-crop grain enters the market. Flour mills track their grain inventories, and kosher agencies publish lists indicating which products contain yoshon-only grain. In the US, wheat from the fall harvest (winter wheat, planted in fall) is typically yoshon, while spring-planted wheat becomes chadash until the following Pesach. Many Yeshivish, Chassidic, and stricter Modern Orthodox Jews observe yoshon year-round.
Frequently asked questions
- What does yoshon mean in kosher terms?
- Yoshon (Hebrew for 'old') refers to grain that took root before the 16th of Nisan (Passover) of the previous year. Per biblical law, grain that took root after that date ('chadash') is forbidden until the following year's Omer offering.
- Why is yoshon important?
- The chadash/yoshon distinction comes directly from the Torah (Leviticus 23:14). While many authorities have historically allowed leniency for various reasons, observance of yoshon has grown significantly in recent decades and is now considered standard in Yeshivish, Chassidic, and stricter Modern Orthodox communities.
- Which grains are affected by yoshon?
- Yoshon applies to the 'five grains' of halacha: wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt. Products made from these grains (breads, cereals, pasta, beer) are affected. Corn, rice, and other grains are not part of the yoshon/chadash concern.
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Related terms
Kashrut
Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law derived from the Torah, defining which foods are permitted (kosher) and forbidden (treif), how animals must be slaughtered, and how meat and dairy must be kept separate.
Pas Yisroel
Pas Yisroel (literally 'Jewish bread') is bread or baked goods where an observant Jew participated in the baking process — typically by lighting or adjusting the oven flame — elevating the product above standard kosher bread.
Kosher for Passover
Kosher for Passover products meet both regular kashrut standards AND the stricter Passover requirements — containing no chametz (leavened grain products) and, for Ashkenazim, no kitniyot (legumes, rice, corn).
Hechsher
A hechsher is the symbol printed on a kosher product or displayed by a kosher establishment indicating which rabbinic agency has certified it as meeting kosher standards.
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