Checking Rice

Before I start the post, I would just like to say that if for whatever reason this post seems as if I am offending anyone, I am not.

Throughout the year there are many different forms of kitniyos in the house. Whether its rice, or beans we have it, in huge amounts, in many different varieties, and throughout the year, we find interesting other edibles in our kitniyos, which would be considered chometz (bits of barley). So, in HS, out of curiousity I asked one of my Sephardi classmates how they eat things such as rice and beans on pesach. So she told me that like Ashkanazie Jews have a Blumenkrantz, Sephardi Jews have something equivalent to guide them exclusively for kitniyos related goods that may have chometz associations. She assured me the book is not as thick as the Blumenkrantz, but she said that they can judge products based on that book. She told me, specifically for rice (I imagine it being the number one issue concerning the Sephardi community on pesach, after the actual chometz) they buy special "kosher for Passover" rice, which is checked already for them. I happened to have been interested in these things, so I found this idea of another industry exclusively to Sephardim in this wildly Ashkanaz driven community, to be fascinating. The fascination obviously didn't lead to much, afterall I'm Ashkanazie, so its not like I'm going to start concerning myself with which kitniyos is kosher for passover, but the fascination did help me remeber the story.

A few days ago, I don't remember why, I started discussing kitniyos with a family friend, specifically about rice. He was like "well, its not so easy for the Sephardim, they have to check the rice, grain by grain, three times before they're allowed to eat it on Pesach."

Remembering the discussion back in HS I said "umm, I asked one of my friends, and she said they have a book, and they just know which brands to buy, which are already checked."

And so he said "well, yes, but they have to check it three times also."

Admittingly, I know very little about Sephardi customs, but I do know what my friend told me, and I know the power of my own laziness.

1- If the rice is already checked. Why check it again? But ok, its Pesach and chometz IS a big deal, so I understand checking it once, so I'll give into the checking, but then there's

2- Imagine if one had a huuuuuge family, and before pesach they bought like 25 lbs of rice for Pesach, and now was required to spend hours checking it, while still taking care of the needs of kids, household chores and etc. I highly doubt she will find herself in the position to check her rice three times, grain-by-grain, if the package is already pre-checked for her, by some Rabbi that she trusts in a book. I would beleive its a chumra, or something people do if they buy unchecked rice.

If I'm wrong, and this really is the norm...I'm doing 2 things

1) calling up my few Sephardi friends and telling them they're nuts, and that I really respect them.

and

2) Thank Gd I'm Ashkanazie.