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Kashrut: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Kashrut
Kashrut is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish religious law. The term itself comes from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew word meaning fit, while the Sephardi or Modern Hebrew pronunciation is kashér. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher, whereas food that may not be consumed is deemed treif, also spelled treyf. In the case of objects, the opposite of kosher is pasúl, a Yiddish term meaning unfit. Although the details of these laws are numerous and complex, they rest on a few basic principles that have guided Jewish life for millennia. Only certain types of mammals, birds, and fish meeting specific criteria are kosher, and the consumption of the flesh of any animals that do not meet these criteria, such as pork, frogs, and shellfish, is forbidden. The only exception to the rule regarding invertebrates is locusts, which are the only kosher invertebrate, though most communities lack a clear tradition regarding which specific species of locusts are permitted today.
Blood and The Slaughterer
The most basic eating rule in the Torah is that blood is not to be consumed, and this prohibition drives the entire process of ritual slaughter known as shechita. A certified ritual slaughterer, called a shochet, must sever the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, and jugular veins in a single, quick cut using an ultra-sharp instrument called a chalaf. This process causes rapid and massive blood loss, ensuring the animal dies instantly without unnecessary suffering, though many animal rights activists view the process as cruel and claim the animal may not lose consciousness immediately. The body of the slaughtered animal must then be checked to confirm that it had no medical condition or defect that would have caused it to die of its own accord within a year, which would render the meat unsuitable. These conditions include seventy different categories of injuries, diseases, and abnormalities. As much blood as possible must be removed through the process of koshering or kashering, which is usually done through soaking and salting the meat, but the liver, being very rich in blood, is grilled over an open flame. The meat must still go through this process to be considered fit for consumption, and the three approved methods are broiling, roasting, and soaking and salting.
The Wall Between Meat and Milk
Meat and meat derivatives may never be mixed with milk and milk derivatives, a rule that requires separate equipment for the storage and preparation of meat-based and dairy-based foods. Observant Jews have separate sets of dishes, and sometimes different kitchens, for meat and milk, and they wait anywhere between one and six hours after eating meat before consuming milk products. The Shulchan Aruch, a code of Jewish law, recommends a six-hour waiting period, during which it is generally advised to abstain from brushing and rinsing the mouth. This strict separation was not always the norm; Shelomo Dov Goitein writes that the dichotomy of the kitchen into a meat and a milk section is never mentioned in the Geniza, suggesting that in the early Middle Ages Jewish families kept only one set of cutlery and cooking ware. According to David C. Kraemer, the practice of keeping separate sets of dishes developed only in the late 14th and 15th centuries. Before that time, it was possible that observant Jews waited overnight for the meat or dairy gravy absorbed in a pot's walls to become insignificant before using the pot for the other foodstuff.
What is the definition of kashrut in Jewish religious law?
Kashrut is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish religious law. The term comes from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew word meaning fit, while the Sephardi or Modern Hebrew pronunciation is kashér. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher, whereas food that may not be consumed is deemed treif.
How does the Torah define which mammals are kosher?
Mammals that both chew their cud and have cloven hooves can be kosher, but animals with one characteristic but not the other are specifically excluded. The camel, the hyrax, and the hare are excluded because they have no cloven hooves, and the pig is excluded because it does not ruminate. In 2008, a rabbinical ruling determined that giraffes and their milk are eligible to be considered kosher, as the giraffe has both split hooves and chews its cud.
What is the process of shechita in Jewish dietary laws?
The most basic eating rule in the Torah is that blood is not to be consumed, and this prohibition drives the entire process of ritual slaughter known as shechita. A certified ritual slaughterer, called a shochet, must sever the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, and jugular veins in a single, quick cut using an ultra-sharp instrument called a chalaf. This process causes rapid and massive blood loss, ensuring the animal dies instantly without unnecessary suffering.
When did the practice of keeping separate sets of dishes for meat and milk develop?
According to David C. Kraemer, the practice of keeping separate sets of dishes developed only in the late 14th and 15th centuries. Before that time, it was possible that observant Jews waited overnight for the meat or dairy gravy absorbed in a pot's walls to become insignificant before using the pot for the other foodstuff. The Shulchan Aruch, a code of Jewish law, recommends a six-hour waiting period, during which it is generally advised to abstain from brushing and rinsing the mouth.
What are the requirements for fish to be considered kosher?
Fish must have fins and scales to be kosher, and shellfish and other non-fish water fauna are not kosher. The only exception to the rule regarding invertebrates is locusts, which are the only kosher invertebrate, though most communities lack a clear tradition regarding which specific species of locusts are permitted today. Insects are not kosher, except for certain species of locust or grasshopper that, according to most, cannot be identified today.
How did the term kosher style emerge in the 1920s?
This flexible practice emerged in the 1920s amongst Jews assimilating into American society, who sought connection to their heritage without fully observing dietary laws. Hasia Diner, a professor of American Jewish history at New York University, suggests that kosher style represents a balancing act between tradition and assimilation, providing a sense of Jewish identity through food without strict adherence to kashrut. The term is broad and encompasses foods that could be kosher, like chicken noodle soup or pareve meals, even if they don't meet halakhic standards.
Mammals that both chew their cud and have cloven hooves can be kosher, but animals with one characteristic but not the other are specifically excluded. The camel, the hyrax, and the hare are excluded because they have no cloven hooves, and the pig is excluded because it does not ruminate. In 2008, a rabbinical ruling determined that giraffes and their milk are eligible to be considered kosher, as the giraffe has both split hooves and chews its cud. Findings from 2008 show that giraffe milk curdles, meeting kosher standards, yet the giraffe is not slaughtered today because the process would be very costly and giraffes are difficult to restrain. Non-kosher birds are listed outright in the Torah, but the exact zoological references are disputed, and some references refer to families of birds. The Mishnah refers to four signs provided by the sages, including that a predatory bird is not kosher and that kosher birds possess an extra toe in the back, a crop, and a gizzard with a peelable lumen. Fish must have fins and scales to be kosher, and shellfish and other non-fish water fauna are not kosher. Insects are not kosher, except for certain species of locust or grasshopper that, according to most, cannot be identified today.
The Hidden Insects and The Passover Bread
Although plants and minerals are nearly always kosher, vegetarian restaurants and producers of vegetarian foods are required to obtain a hechsher, certifying that a rabbinical organization has approved their products as being kosher. This is because the rabbis usually certify that certain vegetables have been checked for insect infestation and steps have been taken to ensure that cooked food meets the requirements of kashrut. Vegetables such as spinach and cauliflower must be checked for insect infestation, and the proper procedure for inspecting and cleaning varies by species, growing conditions, and views of individual rabbis. Passover has stricter dietary rules, the most important of which is the prohibition on eating leavened bread or derivatives of this, which are known as chametz. Utensils used in preparing and serving chametz are also forbidden on Passover unless they have been ritually cleansed. Observant Jews often keep separate sets of meat and dairy utensils for Passover use only, and some groups follow various eating restrictions on Passover that go beyond the rules of kashrut, such as not eating kitniyot or garlic.
The Modern Certification Industry
Over the past century, many certification agencies have started to certify products, manufacturers, and restaurants as kosher, usually authorizing the use of a proprietary symbol or certificate, called a hechsher, to be displayed by the food establishment or on the product. These symbols are known in Judaism as hechsherim, and due to differences in kashrut standards held by different organizations, the hechsheirim of certain Jewish authorities may at times be considered invalid by other Jewish authorities. One of the most commonly used symbols in the United States is that of the Union of Orthodox Congregations, which uses a U inside a circle, symbolizing the initials of Orthodox Union. In Britain, commonly used symbols are the KLBD logo of the London Beth Din and the MK logo of the Manchester Beth Din. Food producers often look to expand their markets or marketing potential, and offering kosher food has become a way to do that. The uniqueness of kosher food was advertised as early as 1849, and in 1911 Procter & Gamble became the first company to advertise one of their products, Crisco, as kosher. In 2014, the Israeli Defense Forces decided to allow female kosher supervisors to work in its kitchens on military bases, and the first women kosher inspectors were certified in Israel.
The Cost of Compliance and Identity
In the United States, the cost of certification for mass-produced items is typically minuscule and is usually more than offset by the advantages of being certified. In 1975, The New York Times estimated the cost per item for obtaining kosher certification at 6.5 millionths of a cent for a General Foods frozen-food item. However, re-engineering an existing manufacturing process can be costly, and certification usually leads to increased revenues by opening up additional markets to Jews who keep kosher, Muslims who keep halal, Seventh-day Adventists who keep the main laws of Kosher Diet, vegetarians, vegans, and the lactose-intolerant who wish to avoid dairy products. About a sixth of American Jews or 0.3% of the American population fully keep kosher, and many more of them do not strictly follow all of the rules but still abstain from some prohibited foods, especially pork. Surveys conducted in 2013 and 2020 found that 22% of American Jews by religion claimed to keep kosher in their homes, while nearly three times as many Israeli Jews reported that they commit to keeping kosher in their homes and 84% do not eat pork.
The Evolution of Kosher Style
Kosher style allows for variation in adherence to kashrut, reflecting different practices within the Jewish community. For some, kosher style implies abstinence from non-kosher animals, like pork and shellfish, and the avoidance of mixing meat and dairy in meals, but these individuals may consume meat from animals that are kosher but not necessarily slaughtered according to kashrut standards. The notion of kosher style serves individuals and communities navigating between strict religious observance and cultural identification with Jewish culinary traditions. Hasia Diner, a professor of American Jewish history at New York University, suggests that kosher style represents a balancing act between tradition and assimilation, providing a sense of Jewish identity through food without strict adherence to kashrut. This flexible practice emerged in the 1920s amongst Jews assimilating into American society, who sought connection to their heritage without fully observing dietary laws. The term is broad and encompasses foods that could be kosher, like chicken noodle soup or pareve meals, even if they don't meet halakhic standards. Over time, the meaning of kosher style has evolved and expanded, reflecting changes within Jewish communities and broader society, and the term also relates to products marketed as kosher style, prompting some regions to establish legislation to clarify labeling and prevent consumer misunderstanding.