KASHRUT What you need to know The origin & nature of dietary laws The meaning of the terms Kosher & Tereifah The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating animals The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating poultry, fish, fruit & vegetables The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating meat and milk products The impact of dietary laws on Jewish lifestyle When it is permitted to break the dietary laws Different emphases on Kashrut by different Jewish groups Food prepared by others
The origin & nature of the kosher dietary laws and the meaning of the terms Kosher & Tereifah Source: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaism/kashrut.html Kashrut is the Jewish law dealing with what foods can and cannot be eaten and how those foods must be prepared. The word "Kashrut" comes from the Hebrew meaning fit, proper or correct for use. The word "kosher," which describes food that meets the standards of kashrut, is also often used to describe ritual objects that are made in accordance with Jewish law and are fit for ritual use e.g. a Sefer Torah. Food that is not kosher is referred to as treifah (literally meaning torn ). Kosher is not a style of cooking. Any kind of food - Chinese, Mexican, Indian, etc. - can be kosher if it is prepared in accordance with Jewish law. At the same time, traditional Jewish foods like bagels and chicken soup can all be treifah if not prepared in accordance with Jewish law. No explanation for the Kashrut laws is given in the Torah. They come under the category of Chukim laws that have no human logic to them. We are given no reason why camel or rabbit meat (both treif) is spiritually different than cow or goat meat. The short answer to why Jews observe the laws of kashrut is because the Torah says so. The Torah does not specify a reason for these laws but for an observant Jew there is no need for a reason - Jews show their belief and obedience to G-d by following the laws even though they do not know the specific reason. The Torah explains the laws of Kashrut in many places. We will look at them in more detail as we work through these laws. You should be aware of the main references: Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 11 identifies what can and cannot be eaten. This is repeated and added to in Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 14 Kosher slaughter is mentioned in Devarim chapter 12 The law of not eating blood is mentioned in Vayikra Chapters 7 & 17
The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating animals The basic rules about which animals, birds and fish are kosher are set out in Leviticus, chapter 11. A land animal is only kosher if all the following apply: The animal must have two outward signs - chewing the cud and split hooves. Examples of animals that have both these signs are sheep, cows & goats. Pigs are not kosher because they have split hooves but do not chew the cud. Once the animal is seen to have the two outward signs, it must then be killed in the correct way (see Shechitah below). If a potentially kosher animal e.g. cow dies in any other way then it is treifah. Once the animal has been slaughtered correctly, it must be inspected for signs of disease or injury. The lungs and intestines are checked particularly carefully. If the animal is found to have been diseased in a way that would cause a premature death, it is considered treifah, even if it was slaughtered correctly. At this stage, forbidden fats and veins are removed from the animal. If the lungs are completely free of adhesions it is called glatt (smooth). If there are adhesions, it may still be kosher, but not glatt kosher. All the blood must be drained from the animal. This is done by putting coarse salt to draw up the blood (called melicha ), and then thoroughly washing the meat. The exception to this rule is liver, which cannot be fully drained of blood. The solution to this is to roast the liver, as this changes the nature of the blood. Once the above has been completed, the meat is kosher. However, there are still parts of the animal that cannot be eaten, generally the hindquarters, as these contain many veins that cannot be eaten.
Shechita Shechita is the name given to the ritual slaughter by Jews to make meat kosher. There is no nice way to kill an animal but there are a variety of rules that need to be kept in order to ensure the Shechita is correct. The shechita is designed to cause the death of an animal in the most painless way possible. The shochet must be a trained, G-d fearing person The knife that is used must be razor sharp. Any notches will make the knife & shechita invalid. It is checked by running a thumbnail down the blade, as this is extremely sensitive to notches and bumps The shechita is done by cutting the animal in the neck at a place where the carotid arteries are cut. This causes an immediate blackout (since blood pressure to the brain falls to zero) and the animal will bleed to death rapidly. The animal will not feel anything as it is not conscious. Shechita has been the subject of a lot of debate in modern times, with concerns raised by groups about whether it fits with the modern interpretation of what is humane. Suggestions about pre-stunning (where the animal is stunned before slaughter) or drugging the animal have been put forward. Judaism rejects these ideas as they do not conform to the Torah s method (there are also differing studies as to whether these modern methods lead to an easier death anyway, and concerns about drugs that might get into the human body through the meat).
The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating poultry The Torah does not list the birds and poultry that can be eaten. Instead, there is a list of birds that cannot be eaten. These include birds of prey. Again, there is no reason given for what is listed. Since there is no list of what birds can be eaten, Jews rely on a tradition that has been in place for many centuries about what they can eat. Some birds that are permitted include chicken, duck and goose. Most Jews will also eat turkey, although that is a bird native to North America and has only been part of the tradition for around 300 years. Like animals, birds need to be slaughtered through shechita. Eggs from a kosher bird as considered kosher. However, eggs need to be checked for bloodspots before being used. Question: What have the Jewish delicacies of chopped liver, egg & onion, chicken soup, and roast chicken got in common? Answer: They all come from or are part of a chicken. They have become a part of Jewish food because, sadly, Jews throughout history have always had to be ready to move place very quickly and it was important to be able to take possessions easily. Chickens are relatively small and low maintenance and so can be moved from place to place fairly easily and, unfortunately for them, provide a lot of different types of meal.
The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating fish Similar to animals, any creature that lives in the water must have two outward signs to be kosher. These signs are having fins and scales. Any water-based creature that does not have both signs is treifah. There are many kosher species of fish including cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and plaice. Non-kosher fish include any shellfish, shark and whale. There is no prescribed method of killing fish. This is because they do not have the same nervous system as warm-blooded animals.
The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating fruit and vegetables All fruit and vegetables are permitted to be eaten. However, insects are not permitted to be eaten (the Torah mentions not eating insects more times than not eating non-kosher animals), so fruit and vegetables must be thoroughly cleaned to rid them of insects. Some fruit and veg are easy to clean. This includes fruit with a skin e.g. oranges, or potatoes etc. However, fruit and veg with leaves may be harder e.g. lettuce or strawberries, because insects can be found in the folds of the leaves. Someone who keeps the laws of kosher will not eat in a vegetarian restaurant because there is no guarantee that the vegetables have been cleaned to the criteria of Jewish Law.
The mitzvot and traditions regarding eating meat and milk Milk is permitted from any kosher animal. Whilst many people who keep kosher will rely on government guarantees that the milk labelled and sold in supermarkets as cow milk is actually cow milk, those that are particular will buy milk that has been supervised from the moment of milking to packaging. This milk is called cholov Yisrael. There is a further law regarding milk. It is not permitted to mix milk with meat. Like all the laws of kashrut, the law about not eating meat and milk is a Chok a law that cannot be understood by human logic. This particular law is mentioned three times in the Torah twice in Shemot (Exodus) and once in Devarim (Deuteronomy). As it is mentioned three times, the Rabbis deduced that there are three forbidden elements of meat and milk: Not permitted to cook meat & milk together Not allowed to eat meat and milk together, even if you don t cook it Not allowed to get any benefit from it at all e.g. selling it In a practical sense, this means that Jewish people who observe the dietary laws of kashrut will have separate cutlery, cooking utensils and tablecloths for meat and milk dishes. They will wash meat and milk utensils separately. There are also different customs about waiting between eating meat and milk. Some people will wait 6 hours after eating meat before eating milk products. Many others will wait 3 hours. Jews with a Dutch origin will wait only 1 hour. Foods that do not contain any meat or milk are called parev meaning neutral. They can be eaten with either meat or milk foods. Parev foods will typically include things such as eggs, vegetables, fruits, and water-based drinks. However, if they are mixed with a meat or milk substance, they will become meaty and milky e.g. vegetables in a meat casserole.
The impact of Kashrut There are a few ways in which keeping kosher can impact on the life of a Jewish person. Here are some of them: Finance Kosher foods will usually cost more than their non-kosher equivalent e.g. bread. People who keep kosher will be prepared to cover the increased costs. Socially Keeping kosher will limit what & where people can eat. This might restrict who they socialise with, and what restaurants they might go to. Convenience Keeping kosher may mean that some Jews need to go to specialist shops to buy kosher food. Nowadays, many Supermarkets stock kosher food, which makes it easier. Kitchen Those who keep kosher will need to organise their kitchen accordingly. Not only will the kitchen only have kosher food in it, it will also need to have different cutlery and plates stored for separate meat and milk meals. Belief in G-d As mentioned above, keeping kosher cannot be explained by human logic. A Jewish person who does keep kosher is therefore making a statement about their faith in G-d. Being prepared to stand up for beliefs In recent times, shechita has come under attack as being inhumane (see above). It is important that Jews are able and prepared to defend their ritual practices. Awareness Sometimes keeping kosher isn t as straightforward as choosing to buy meat at a kosher butcher shop. There may be non-kosher ingredients in items such as medicines or sweets, and it is important to someone who keeps kosher to be able to know what is kosher at all times. In the UK, the United Synagogue produces an annual booklet guide to what is kosher amongst popular items.
When it is permitted to break the practices of Kashrut As with most of the Torah s commands, there is a general overriding idea of vechai bahem meaning and live with them. This means that in normal conditions, Jews are expected to live lives that are compatible with Jewish law, and do whatever it takes to do this. The general exception to this rule is when a life is in danger. At these times it may be permissible, or even expected, not to keep to the kosher rules. Although, where possible, a Rabbi s opinion should be sought, in general some life-threatening situations where it would be permissible to eat non-kosher food are: If someone is literally starving to death If someone is given an ultimatum to eat non-kosher under pain of death If someone had to take a medicine that is life-saving
Different emphases on Kashrut by different Jewish groups Emphasis on Kashrut Keeping kosher is, of course, very important for Jews who wish to identify with the traditional Jewish teachings and way of life, and there are many technological advances, shops and restaurants that make keeping kosher easier in many ways than it ever has been. As mentioned above, since kashrut is seen as a chok, it is also seen as an ultimate expression of faith. However, there are also groups of Jewish People for whom traditional teachings are not something they want to identify with. In particular, some non-orthodox Jewish people have tried to give a logical suggestion that the kashrut laws were related to a time when food preparation was connected to primitive life in a desert, or to serving G-d in an ancient Temple. They argue that since we do not live with either of these two realities the kashrut laws are therefore unnecessary for modern life. The original Reform position on kashrut was stated at the Pittsburgh Platform 1885. It said, We hold that all such Mosaic and rabbinical laws as regulate diet, priestly purity, and dress originated in ages and under the influence of ideas entirely foreign to our present mental and spiritual state. They fail to impress the modern Jew with a spirit of priestly holiness; their observance in our days is apt rather to obstruct than to further modern spiritual elevation. As time has gone on, the Reform position has modified, but it still suggests that Reform Jewish families and congregations fully learn about the laws of kashrut in order to decide if they can enhance their spiritual connection to G-d. There are varying emphases on keeping kosher amongst non-orthodox groups - some may keep the laws about what animals should or should not be eaten, and keep the meat and milk laws, but may not worry about shechita, or food that is prepared with non-kosher utensils.
Food prepared by others Someone who keeps the kashrut laws will need to be certain they can trust that the food they do not prepare themselves is kosher. There are two main areas where this applies. Restaurants & Caterers How does someone know that a restaurant or caterer is kosher? The answer is that they will need to look for a certificate that states it is a kosher restaurant. A certificate of kashrut called a hechsher is given to restaurants and caterers that keep kosher. These places will generally have people who work there that check the food. A person who does this is called a shomer from the Hebrew meaning guard. These people are trained in the laws of kashrut and oversee the food preparation to make sure that everything is done correctly. Food that is prepared by a non-jewish person can still be kosher in many circumstances. However, it would be important that a shomer is present when the food is prepared. There are times when food prepared by a non-jewish person is automatically considered non-kosher, but that is either when there is obviously forbidden food involved, or when the person involved is not overseen by a shomer, or for other reasons, such as that involving wine. Food shopping Someone who keeps kosher would also need to be sure that the ingredients they buy to prepare their own food is kosher too. In many cases it might be possible to buy food in a supermarket just like anyone else e.g. fruit and vegetables. Some products have a hechsher label printed on their wrappings. These will identify that the food is kosher, even if it has been produced by non-jews. Of course, some products need to be bought from an exclusively kosher place. This would mainly be for meat products, as it would be almost impossible to have kosher and non-kosher meat prepared side by side. Many foods today include additives, colourings & preservatives that may have a non-kosher ingredient in them, even if the food itself doesn t seem to be non-kosher. For example, vegetarian cheese contains rennet which is a fat from an animal to solidify it so that it can be made from milk into cheese. Whilst the amount contained is small enough for it to be classed as vegetarian by law, it is not kosher by the standards of Jewish law.
Questions & Useful links 1a. Describe what is meant by the word kosher [3] 1b. State three ways in which the kosher laws are kept by Jews [3] 1c. What is meant by the term treifah? [3] 1d. Explain the religious significance of the laws of kashrut for Jews [6] 1e. Keeping kosher is to be considered one of the most important laws in Judaism. Discuss this statement. [15] In your answer you should: Analyse and evaluate the importance of common and divergent views within Judaism Refer to sources of wisdom and authority 2a. State three parts of meat preparation that are important in ensuring it is kosher [3] 2b. Describe when it might be appropriate to break the laws of kashrut [3] 2c. Why are the laws of kashrut important in Jewish life? [3] 2d. Explain how a Jewish person might ensure the food they get outside their home is kosher. [6] 2e. Everyone should be free to eat whatever they like. [15] In your answer you should: Analyse and evaluate the importance of common and divergent views within Judaism Refer to sources of wisdom and authority London Bet Din - http://www.kosher.org.uk/article/what-kosher Chabad - http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard_cdo/aid/113425/jewish/what-is- Kosher.htm Australian website on keeping kosher - http://bje.org.au/course/judaism/kids/keeping-kosher/ Aish - http://www.aish.com/jl/m/mm/48958906.html