Difference between revisions of "Kosher"

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Food products that are not in accordance with Jewish law are called ''treyf'' ( "torn" or "damaged");<ref name="k">http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm</ref> the Hebrew word refers to animals (from a kosher [[species]] such as [[cattle]] or sheep) which had been either incorrectly slaughtered or mortally wounded by wild animals and therefore were not fit for [[Jewish]] consumption. Among ''Sephardim'', it usually only refers to meat that is not kosher.  
 
Food products that are not in accordance with Jewish law are called ''treyf'' ( "torn" or "damaged");<ref name="k">http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm</ref> the Hebrew word refers to animals (from a kosher [[species]] such as [[cattle]] or sheep) which had been either incorrectly slaughtered or mortally wounded by wild animals and therefore were not fit for [[Jewish]] consumption. Among ''Sephardim'', it usually only refers to meat that is not kosher.  
  
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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.  
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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.  
  
 
==Rules of Kashrut==
 
==Rules of Kashrut==

Revision as of 00:08, July 8, 2008

File:OUKosher.JPG
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.

Kashrut or kashruth, or "kosher" is the name of the 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.

Food products that are not in accordance with Jewish law are called treyf ( "torn" or "damaged");[1] the Hebrew word refers to animals (from a kosher species such as cattle or sheep) which had been either incorrectly slaughtered or mortally wounded by wild animals and therefore were not fit for Jewish consumption. Among Sephardim, it usually only refers to meat that is not kosher.

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.

Rules of Kashrut

1. A land animal, may be eaten if it chews it cud and has split hooves.[2]

2. Animals which live in the water must have a skeleton and fins.[2]

3. Blood is forbidden even from kosher animals.[3]

4. The sciatic nerve and its adjoining blood vessels may not be eaten[4]

5. Insects are forbidden.[2][5][6]

6. Rodents, reptiles, and amphibians, are all forbidden. [2]

7. Vegetables and fruits must be checked for insects.[5][6]

8. Milk and meat and or poultry derived foods must not be mixed.[7]

9. Also, animals must be killed in a specific way by a shohet (the exception being fish).[8]

10. Seperate silverware must be used for fleshig (meat and poultry) and milchig (milk) foods.[7]

11. Utensils (pots, pans, plates, flatware, etc., etc.) must also be kosher. A utensil picks up the kosher "status" (meat, dairy, pareve, or treif) of the food that is cooked in it or eaten off of it, and transmits that status back to the next food that is cooked in it or eaten off of it.[9]

12. Jews must wait 3 to 6 hours after eating fleshig to eat milchig, the reverse is not true though.[7]

13. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat/poultry or dairy.[10]

14. Amongst poultry, birds of prey are considered treyf.[2]

15. Also wine can only be considered kosher if made by a Jew, because of the importance wine plays in Jewish holidays, the exception is if the wine is boiled.[11][12]

Keeping Kosher

Jewish people who do not keep kosher often complain that keeping kosher is difficult.[13] 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.[13] In fact, the basic underlying rules are fairly simple.[13] 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.[13] Keeping kosher only becomes difficult when you try to eat in a non-kosher restaurant, or at the home of a person who does not keep kosher.[13] In those situations, your lack of knowledge about your host's ingredients and food preparation techniques make it very difficult to keep kosher.[13] Some commentators have pointed out, however, that this may well have been part of what God had in mind: to make it more difficult for us to socialize with those who do not share our religion.[13] Products that have been certified as kosher are labeled with a mark called a hekhsher.[14] Approximately 3/4 of all prepackaged foods have some kind of kosher certification, and most major brands have reliable Orthodox certification.[14] The most controversial certification is the K, a plain letter K found on products asserted to be kosher.[14] A letter of the alphabet cannot be trademarked, so any manufacturer can put a K on a product, even without any supervision at all.[14] For example, Jell-O brand gelatin puts a K on its product, even though every reliable Orthodox authority agrees that Jell-O is not kosher.[14]

Further reading

  • Binyomen Forst, The Laws of Kashrus, Mozniam, 1999
  • Isidore Grunfeld, The Jewish Dietary Laws, London: Soncino, 1972
  • Isaac Klein, A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice, JTSA, 1992
  • James M. Lebeau, The Jewish Dietary Laws: Sanctify Life, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, New York, 1983
  • Yacov Lipschutz, Kashruth: A Comprehensive Background and Reference Guide to the Principles of Kahruth. New York:Mesorah Publications Ltd, 1989

References

  1. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Animals
  3. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Blood
  4. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Fats
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Fruits
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.skskosher.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=32
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Separation
  8. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Shechitah
  9. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Utensils
  10. ↑ http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Rules
  11. ↑ http://www.skskosher.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=32
  12. ↑ http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/kk-thirst-wine.htm
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Difficult
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Certification

External links

Resources on keeping kosher

Ritual slaughter

Miscellaneous

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