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[[Image:OUKosher.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU).  The word "Pareve" indicates that this product contains neither milk- nor meat-derived ingredients.]]

[[Image:OUKosher.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU).  The word "Pareve" indicates that this product contains neither milk- nor meabt-derived ingredients.]]

'''''Kashrut''''' or '''''kashruth''''', or "'''kosher'''" is the name of the [[Judaism|Jewish]] dietary laws. [[Food]] in accordance with ''halakha'' (Jewish law) is termed '''kosher''' in English, meaning fit for consumption by Jews according to traditional Jewish law; in Yiddish it also generally means, authentic, acceptable, permissible, genuine or legitimate.

'''''Kashrut''''' or '''''kashruth''''', or "'''kosher'''" is the name of the [[Judaism|Jewish]] dietary laws. [[Food]] in accordance with ''halakha'' (Jewish law) is termed '''kosher''' in English, meaning fit for consumption by Jews according to traditional Jewish law; in Yiddish it also generally means, authentic, acceptable, permissible, genuine or legitimate.

The basic laws of ''kashrut'' are in the [[Torah]]'s Book of [[Leviticus]], with their details set down in the [[Talmud]]. Numerous reasons have been offered for these laws, ranging from philosophical and ritualistic, to practical and hygienic. According to some Biblical scholars, God's command to [[Noah]] to take seven pairs of each "clean" animal into the Ark meant seven pairs of each kosher animal. Most Christians believe that these rules became obsolete with [[Jesus]]'s sacrifice.  

The basic laws of ''kashrut'' are in the [[Torah]]'s Book of [[Leviticus]], with their details set down in the [[Talmud]]. Numerous reasons have been offered for these laws, ranging from philosophical and ritualistic, to practical and hygienic. According to some Biblical scholars, God's command to [[Noah]] to take seven pairs of each "clean" animal into the Ark meant seven pairs of each kosher animal. Most Christians believe that these rules became obsolete with [[Jesus]]'s sacrifice.  

According to the laws of Kashrut, a Jew may eat a land animal, if it chews it cud and has split hooves, animals which live in the water must have a skeleton and fins, blood is forbidden even from kosher animals, insects are forbidden, and vegetables must be checked for insects, milk and meat derived foods must not be mixed, Also, animals must be killed in a specific way by a shohet, milk and poultry derived foods must not be mixed, seperate silverware must be used for fleshig (meat and poultry) and milchig (milk) foods. Although, glass is considered not to transfer milchig and fleshig status, as long as there is no visible specks of food or drink on the glassware, and the glassware is clean. Jews must wait 6 hours after eating fleshig to eat milchig, the reverse is not true though. Foods which are not milchig or fleshig are called pareve. Fish is not considered milchig and is considered pareve. Fish does not need to be killed by a shohet. Amongst poultry, birds of prey are considered treyf. Also wine can only be considered kosher if made by a Jew, because of the importance wine plays in Jewish holidays, rituals, and services, the exception is if the wine is baked. Nowadays, many Jews who keep kosher do not have to constantly remind themselves of these laws because they simply have to look for products with a U in a circle, known as OU, or a K in a circle, known as OK.

According to the laws of Kashrut, a Jew may eat a land animal, if it chews it cud and has split hooves, animals which live in the water must have a skeleton and fins, blood is forbidden even from kosher animals, insects are forbidden,

 

and vegetables and fruits must be checked for insects,<ref name="k"/>

 

milk and meat derived foods must not be mixed, Also, animals must be killed in a specific way by a shohet, milk and poultry derived foods must not be mixed, seperate silverware must be used for fleshig (meat and poultry) and milchig (milk) foods. Although, glass is considered not to transfer milchig and fleshig status, as long as there is no visible specks of food or drink on the glassware, and the glassware is clean. Jews must wait 6 hours after eating fleshig to eat milchig, the reverse is not true though. Foods which are not milchig or fleshig are called pareve. Fish is not considered milchig and is considered pareve. Fish does not need to be killed by a shohet. Amongst poultry, birds of prey are considered treyf. Also wine can only be considered kosher if made by a Jew, because of the importance wine plays in Jewish holidays, rituals, and services, the exception is if the wine is baked. Nowadays, many Jews who keep kosher do not have to constantly remind themselves of these laws because they simply have to look for products with a U in a circle, known as OU, or a K in a circle, known as OK.

Jewish people who do not keep kosher often complain that keeping kosher is difficult.<ref name="k"/> Actually, keeping kosher is not particularly difficult in and of itself; what makes it difficult to keep kosher is the fact that the rest of the world does not do so.<ref name="k"/> In fact, the basic underlying rules are fairly simple.<ref name="k"/> If you buy only kosher certified products at the market, the only thing you need to think about is the separation of meat and dairy.<ref name="k"/>

Jewish people who do not keep kosher often complain that keeping kosher is difficult.<ref name="k"/> Actually, keeping kosher is not particularly difficult in and of itself; what makes it difficult to keep kosher is the fact that the rest of the world does not do so.<ref name="k"/> In fact, the basic underlying rules are fairly simple.<ref name="k"/> If you buy only kosher certified products at the market, the only thing you need to think about is the separation of meat and dairy.<ref name="k"/>