Pesach: Canola Oil
Question
I am Ashkenazi and avoid eating kitniyot on Pesach. I would like to find out if the prohibition against eating legumes applies to canola oil. My understanding is that this oil is produced from rapeseed (liftit). Also: if canola oil is permitted, then would it also be permitted to eat chocolate when it says on the package "includes rapeseed" (מכיל לפתית)?
Answer
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel
See my answer in Ohala Shel Torah, part II §67. In short, it seems that canola oil is not included in the decree against kitniyot, but there are those who are stringent and avoid eating it and its derivatives on Pesach.