11:51 AM
Gil Student
From R. Chaim Jachter, Gray Matter volume 1, p. 239 n. 1:
Some question exists regarding the identification of the Gemara’s “shibolet shu’al” as oats. Rav Yosef Efrati (Mesorah 13:66-71) notes Professor Yehudah Felix’s claim that shibolet shu’al could not possibly be oats, and Rav Efrati vigorously disputes this claim. He cites Rav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv as supporting the view that shibolet shu’al is undoubtedly oats (the view accepted by almost all Rishonim). Ezra Frazer reports that Rav Aharon Lichtenstein does not flatly reject Professor Felix’s claims, but he believes that one should continue to treat oats as shibolet shu’al, absent absolute proof that shibolet shu’al is something else. Rav Hershel Schachter has told this author that in case of great need one may use oat matzah at the Pesach seder. In general, Rav Schachter wrote this author that one should try to eat other mezonot foods together with oat products to avoid any doubt regarding the berachot before and after oats.
