I'm conflicted about this, actually. My current practice is to not eat obvious kitniyot (like rice and beans) and to not worry about all of the implications (like some spices). I haven't asked my rabbi about his practice; our associate rabbi feels strongly that we should not abstain from kitniyot because it distracts us from the real issue of chameitz. The associate rabbi is not my rabbi, but my rabbi hasn't spoken against that argument either.
Mind, "the usual suspects" in kitniyot aren't that much of a hardship for me; I can go without rice, beans, and even soy for a week (though I'd rather have soy back). I think if I were to follow Sephardi custom in this then I'd be obligated to follow Sephardi custom in other things too, and it might not be worth the trouble, especially with a congregation that does Ashkenazi liturgy and with a rabbi of Ashkenazi background. I haven't really studied how to be a Sephardic Jew, and I don't think I get to pick only the good bits.
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Mind, "the usual suspects" in kitniyot aren't that much of a hardship for me; I can go without rice, beans, and even soy for a week (though I'd rather have soy back). I think if I were to follow Sephardi custom in this then I'd be obligated to follow Sephardi custom in other things too, and it might not be worth the trouble, especially with a congregation that does Ashkenazi liturgy and with a rabbi of Ashkenazi background. I haven't really studied how to be a Sephardic Jew, and I don't think I get to pick only the good bits.
Long-winded answer to a short question; sorry.
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