Kashrut

The laws of Kashrut are the Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with Jewish law is termed kosher, from the Hebrew term kasher, meaning "fit" (in this context, for ritual purposes). Food not in accord with Jewish law is termed "treif" or "treifah," meaning ritually unclean. ( Also spelled "trayf" or "treyf")

The basic laws of kashrut are in the Torah and their details are explicated in the oral law, contained in the Mishnah and the Talmud. A common misunderstanding is that the Jewish dietary laws have to do with cleanliness; this is incorrect. The laws have to do with Levitical laws of ritual purity and holiness, sanctification.

Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism hold that Jews should follow the laws of Kashrut. Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism hold that these laws are no longer binding. Most Jews in Reform Judaism have considered these laws a hinderence, rather than a facilitator, of piety; this is still the mainstream Reform position. Some parts of the Reform community have begun to move towards a more traditional position. This tradition-leaning faction agrees with mainstream Reform that the rules concerning kashrut are no longer binding, but holds that keeping kosher is an imporant way for people to bring holiness into their lives. Thus Jews are encouraged to consider adopting some or all of the rules of kashrut on a voluntary basis. The Reconstructionist movement advocates that its members accept some of the rules of kashrut, but does so in a non-binding fashion; their stance on kashrut is the same as the tradition-leaning wing of Reform.

In English, the term "kosher" is frequently used in a metaphorical sense to mean "acceptable" or "approved" (it is its conventional meaning in Hebrew. It is also part of some common product names. For example, "kosher salt", which is a form of salt in large crystals that makes it particularly suitable for preparing meat in accordance with Kashrut law, and is not meant to imply that the salt itself is kosher in the original sense (although it is, as is normal table salt, sea salt, and just about any other form of salt).

Types of foods

Meat

Kosher mammals must both have cloven hooves and chew their cud. All kosher mammals are artiodactyl herbivores that can be domesticated, such as cows, goats, deer and sheep. The Torah specifies birds that are not kosher; in general, scavengers are considered non-kosher. The modern Halakha on kashrut classifies the flesh of both mammals and birds as "meat".

Jewish law states that kosher animals must be slaughtered in with a strict set of guidelines, the slaughter (shechita) being designed to minimize the pain inflicted. A professional slaughterer, or (shochet), uses a large razor-sharp knife with absolutely no irregularities, nicks or dents. A single cut is made across the throat, severing both carotid arteries, both jugular veins, both vagus nerves, the trachea and the esophagus, usually causing death in 3-4 seconds. (If done improperly the death could take minutes; this is true for any method of slaughtering.) If the knife catches even for a split second, or is found afterward to have developed any irregularities, the animal is not kosher and is sold as regular meat.

Once killed, the animal is opened to determine whether there are any irregularities or growths on its internal organs, some of which can render the animal non-kosher. The word "treif" -- derived from the Hebrew "treifah", meaning "torn", originally referred to animals which had not been properly slaughtered and prepared.

Removing blood

Large blood vessels must be removed, and all blood must be removed from the meat, as Jewish law prohibits the consumption of the blood of any animal. This is most commonly done by soaking and salting, but also can be done by broiling. An interesting fact, little-known outside of Jewish communities, is that the hindquarters of a mammal are not kosher unless the sciatic nerve and the fat surrounding it are removed (Gen. 32:33). This is a very time-consuming process demanding a great deal of special training, and is rarely done outside Israel, where there is a greater demand for kosher meat (all meat sold in Jewish towns being required to be kosher by law). When it is not done, the hindquarters of the animal are sold for non-kosher meat.

Dairy

Milk and milk-derived products derived from kosher animals are always kosher. All milk from cows is kosher. In practice, many Orthodox Jews use only "Cholov Yisroel" milk and dairy products; this label means that the milk that has been under constant rabbinical supervision from milking to bottling, to make sure that it is not adulterated with the milk of a non-kosher animal. In the past this was a serious issue; today this is not a practical concern in the USA or in most western countries. As such, most Modern Orthodox rabbis and all Conservative rabbis hold that FDA supervision is sufficient for milk and dairy products to be considered automatically kosher.

No mixing of meat and dairy

Milk products and meat products may not be eaten together in the same meal, much less cooked together. Jewish law thus mandates a set of fence laws that prevent this from happening. Jewish homes have two sets of silverware cookware, cups, and dishes. One is for milk (Yiddish milchig, Hebrew halavi) dishes, and one is for meat (Yiddish fleishig, Hebrew bsari) dishes. Foods that contain neither milk nor meat are considered "neutral" (Yiddish parev, Hebrew parve).

Jewish law considers glass (and some say Pyrex) to be non-absorbent; thus, one could use one set of glass plates and dishes. In practice, this is rarely done because both of the cost, but also because it is held that it would weaken the traditional system of kashrut observance. However, it is common even within the most religiously observant households to allow drinking glasses to be used for both dairy and meat meals, as long as they are throughly washed.

Various customs are observed for how long it is necessary to wait after eating meat before eating dairy foods again. Waits of three hours and six hours are the most common practices, though some communities wait one hour.

Produce

All fresh fruits and vegetables are kosher. Jewish law requires that they be carefully checked and cleaned to make sure that there are no insects on them, as insects are not kosher (except Orthoptera, see below). In the last century the laws of kashrut have become much stricter in theUltra-Orthodox Jewish community; they refuse to eat many vegetables, such as broccoli, because they hold that such vegetables are too difficult to remove tiny insects from.

Canned and frozen foods

Most such goods are usually permissible since manufacturers add only water and spices during the packaging process. Sometimes, however, fruits or vegetables are prepared with milk products or with non-kosher ingredients such as non-kosher meat broth. Orthodox Judaism thus holds that canned and frozen goods should generally not be consumed unless there is a heksher (mark of rabbinical certification of kashrut) on the product. Conservative Judaism often is more lenient, and holds that a careful reading of the ingredients is sufficient.

Grains and cereals

Unprocessed grains and cereals are kosher. Processed items (e.g. dry cereals, baked goods) often contain small quantities of non-kosher ingredients. As such Orthodox Judaism holds that these goods should generally not be consumed unless there is a heksher (mark of rabbinical certification of kashrut) on the product. Conservative Judaism often is more lenient, and holds that a careful reading of the ingredients is sufficient.

Grains and cereals during Passover

During the 8 days of Passover there are additional restrictions on what foods may be eatern. Jewish law forbids Jews from eating any leavened or possibly leavened product made from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and oats.

An Orthodox discussion of the kitniot controvery

An Israeli Conservative discussion of the kitniot controversy

Rabbinical Assembly Passover guide

Eggs

Eggs from kosher birds are kosher; they are also considered pareve (neutral; neither milk nor meat.) Eggs that contain blood may not be used. A partially-formed egg which is found inside of a slaughtered bird may be eaten, but it must undergo the same process of blood removal as the animal, and it is considered to be fleishig.

Birds

Kosher birds include: capon, duck (domestic), goose (domestic), chicken, turkey, guinea fowl and many others. As a general principle, scavenging birds such as eagles and vultures are not considered kosher, and others (generally) are.

Insects

With one exception, all bugs and insects are forbidden as treif (un-kosher). The exception is a type of locust from the Arabian peninsula; this type of locust encompasses four distinct species of locust. The tradition for identifying which species of locust were and were not kosher has been lost among all Jews except the Jews of Yemen.

Cheese

Cheese made from milk and non-animal enzymes is kosher. But much cheese is made from milk and rennet, and the kashrut of such cheeses is a matter of debate in the religious Jewish community.

Rennet is the enzyme used to turn milk into curds and whey; most forms of rennet derive from the lining of the stomach of an animal, and thus are classified by most religious Jews as meat products. A vegetable substitute for rennet can be used, in which case none of these restrictions apply. Other Jewish authorities maintain another long standing Jewish legal tradition: rennet is held to be a secretion of the stomach wall, and thus does not have the status of meat. Further, in its normal processing, rennet undergoes a chemical change and becomes inedible, this halakhically becoming a non-food; All foods in this category automatically lose any kashrut restrictions; They are considered to have changed so much from their original state that they are a "d'var chadash," "a new substance" with properties significantly different from those of their original form. All such substances are considered pareve (neutral and kosher).

Fish and Seafood

To be kosher, a fish must have both fins and scales. The lack of either characteristic renders that species of fish unclean. Examples of unkosher fish include shark and catfish.

All shellfish, such as crabs, lobster, and shrimp are not kosher. All sea mammals, such as dolphins, whales and seals are not kosher. All other sea animals, such as octopus, squid, jellyfish and eels are unkosher.

Seaweed and other sea plant life are all kosher.

There are two fish that are controversial: Swordfish and sturgeon. Both of these have scales as young fish, but lose them later in life. Most Orthodox rabbis rule that these fish are unkosher; many Conservative rabbis rule that they are kosher.

Gelatin

A controversial topic is the status of gelatin. This substance comes from the processed bones of animals. If the source of gelatin is a kosher animal that was properly slaughtered according to Jewish law, than such gelatin is considered kosher by all Jews. All other gelatin is usually considered treif (non-kosher). However, a number of prominent rabbinic authorities have noted that gelatin undergoes such extensive processing and chemical changes that it no longer has the status of meat, and as such may be considered pareve and kosher. Most Conservative Jews, and a significant minority of Israeli Orthodox Jews, accept that all gelatin is kosher.

Liberal Jewish denominations

The Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish movements do not mandate observance of the laws of Kashrut. Instead, they advise the study of Kashrut, and suggest that people follow those particular rules that the individual feels increases the sanctity of their life. As a result, there are some Reform and Reconstructionist Jews who do keep kosher.

Karshut and animal welfare

The method of slaughtering used in strict adherence to Jewish law has been criticized as being cruel by many animal rights organizations, in particular because animals are killed without the use of anesthesia. This has resulted in several restrictions or even an outright ban on kosher meat in a number of countries, though other countries grant ritualistic slaughter such as kashrut special exemption from the relevant regulations. However, some bans were in place before animal rights had become a general public concern.

Animal rights groups claim it can still take several minutes for the animal to die and thus would cause immense suffering. Jewish groups point to studies showing that the technique is no more painful than conventional techniques, and in most cases quicker and less painful; the conclusions of these studies are rejected by animal rights advocates. In addition, there are campaigns to have the practice of ritualistic slaughter globally banned ([1]).

Many Jewish organizations suspect that anti-semitism may also be an influence behind the efforts to ban kosher meat, partly because of a distinct anti-semitic element among the opponents of ritualistic slaughter, partly because of the age of some bans.

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