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Meat, or foods that contain meat products, are not kosher unless the animal the meat comes from is kosher, and is prepared with specific methods. Kosher animals must have cloven hooves and chew their cud, so beef, for example, is kosher but pork is not. They must also not eat dead things (like vultures or catfish). Kosher fish must have both fins and scales, so shellfish are trayf as well. There are also strict laws forbidding the mixing of foods such as meat and dairy products. |
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Kosher animals must have both cloven hooves and chew their cud. All kosher animals are herbivores that can be domesticated, such as cows, goats, deep and sheep. Jewish law states that kosher animals must be slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law, large blood vessels must be removed, and all blood must be removed from the meat; This is most commonly done by soaking and salting, but also can be done by broiling. The internal organs must be free of major defects. Meat products are never mixed with dairy products in the same meal. |
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Milk, and milk-derived products, from kosher animals is itself kosher. In theory, then, 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 and Centrist Orthodox rabbis, and all Conservative rabbis, have ruled that FDA supervision is sufficient for milk and dairy products to be considered automatically kosher. |
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Milk, and milk-derived products, from kosher animals, is always kosher. In theory, then, 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 and Centrist Orthodox rabbis, and all Conservative rabbis, have ruled that FDA supervision is sufficient for milk and dairy products to be considered automatically kosher. |
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Jewish law considers glass (and some say Pyrex) to be unabsorbent; thus, one theoretically could use one set of glass plates and dishes. In practice, this is never done because both of the cost and impracticality, but also because 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. |
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Insects With one exceptions, all bugs and insects are forbidden as trief (un-kosher). The only 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 ksoher has been lost among all Jews except the Jews of Yemen. |
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The Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism 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. |
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Fish and Seafood |
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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. |
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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. |
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/Talk? |
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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 may be kosher. |
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Gelatin Another 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. 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. Further Reading James M. Lebeau "The Jewish Dietary Laws: Sanctify Life" United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, NY, 1983 Samuel Dresner, Seymour Siegel and David Pollock "The Jewish Dietary Laws" United Synagogue, New York, 1982 Isidore Grunfeld "The Jewish Dietary Laws" London: Soncino, 1972 Isaac Klein "A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice", JTSA, 1992 /Talk? |
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