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DIREC TORY OU INTERNATIONAL

OU ISRAEL

Mitchel R. Aeder President

Stuart Hershkovitz President

Yehuda Neuberger Chairman, Board of Directors

Esther Williams OU Israel Chair

Rabbi Moshe Hauer Executive Vice President

Rabbi Avi Berman Executive Director

Rabbi Dr. Joshua M. Joseph Ed.D. Executive Vice President & COO

Natan Kendler Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Josh Penn Chairman, Joint Kashrut Commission

David Katz Chief Financial Officer

Rabbi Menachem Genack CEO/Rabbinic Administrator OU Kosher

Chaim Pelzner Director of Programing

Rabbi Moshe Elefant COO/Executive Rabbinic Coordinator OU Kosher

Rabbi Sam Shor Director of Programing, OU Israel Center

Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski Director, OU Kosher Israel Department

Rabbi Dovid Bistricer Rabbinic Coordinator for Israel

Rabbi Ezra Friedman Director, The Gustave and Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education/Deputy Director, OU Kosher Israel Department

Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rabbi Asher Weiss, Rabbi Mordechai Gross Halachic Consultants

Rachel Stewart Kashrut Office Manager

ISRAEL GUIDE

CONTACT INFORMATION

Rabbi Ezra Friedman Editor

OU KOSHER ISRAEL DEPARTMENT Tel: 02-5609122 Fax: 02-5630061 Email: kashrut@ouisrael.org

Yocheved Lavon Assistant Editor Andréia Brunstein Schwartz Graphic Designer

OU ISRAEL GUSTAVE & CAROL JACOBS CENTER FOR KASHRUT EDUCATION Tel: 02-560-9121, 050-200-4432 Fax: 02-5630061 Email: efriedman@ouisrael.org

About the OU Israel Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education

T

he Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education was established in the fall of 2019 in loving memory of Gustave and Carol Jacobs z”l by their loving children Aviva & Joseph Hoch and Judy & Mark Frankel. Gustave and Carol were active lay leaders of the Orthodox Union and numerous other Jewish organizations for many decades.

Working with the OU, they became pioneers of kashrut in North America, ensuring that for generations to come Jews in America, and subsequently around the world, have easy access to quality Kosher food.

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The goal of the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education is to help English-speaking olim and tourists understand the complexities of kashrut in Israel. Directed by Rabbi Ezra Friedman, a graduate of Yeshivat Ohr Etzion, a close disciple of Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, and Rav of the Musar Avicha Shul in Maale Adumim, the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education educates tens of thousands of people on a weekly basis about Kashrut observance through: Weekly kashrut Shiurim & community Shiurim Engaging videos l Weekly kashrut column in Torah Tidbits l Kashrut Guides l Kashrut hotline (including more than 18 WhatsApp groups) l Workshops l l

In addition to the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education, the OU has a very active Kosher Israel Division. Our 180 Kosher certified companies in Israel include Osem, Strauss-Illit, Tenuva, and many more.

We have numerous mashgichim providing guidance and service for importers, hotels, and restaurants.

Current initiatives include a new OU Shechitah as well as expansion into the Israeli market. All this is done in close coordination with global OU Kashrut.

We are here to provide our communities with kashrut education, in addition to the highest standards of kosher food.

We take great pride in our work with educational institutions and communities. Interested in learning more? We are happy to arrange shiurim and hands-on workshops for yeshivot, seminaries, kollelim, schools, and shuls.

Contact us We can be contacted here in Israel at 02-560-9122 or kashrut@ouisrael.org Specific Kashrut questions?

Call or WhatsApp Rabbi Friedman on our Kashrut hotline at 050-200-4432.

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LET TER FROM CEO OU KOSHER The OU symbol is the “gold standard” for kashrut and is found worldwide. With over a million products in over a hundred countries, it is the largest and the most trusted name in kashrut.

OU Kosher has been involved in kosher certification in Israel almost since the founding of the state in 1948. In recent years, OU Israel has expanded greatly, and now certifies over 180 companies. In addition, as a result of the global kosher market, over fifty percent of raw materials imported to Israel carry the OU certification. The OU is certainly considered a mehadrin kashrut for Israeli standards as well.

First and foremost, the OU is a Torah institution, integrating education, youth activities, and communal organization, as well as providing kashrut supervision. The Jewish nation’s strength is closely bound by our educational efforts. With “‫ולמדתם‬ ‫“( ”אותם את בניכם‬You shall teach your children”) as our motto, we are proud to present this guide for the Englishspeaking public in Israel.

The OU has always had a special connection to the State of Israel, as part of our responsibility to the Jewish nation as a whole. OU Israel, under the leadership of Rabbi Avi Berman, is involved in numerous communal activities, including teens at risk, countrywide education programs, Birthright, support and absorption for new olim and Israeli Torah endeavors. The OU wishes to be part of the achievements of the State of Israel, and help it succeed in its role as a “Light unto the Nations.”

The OU Israel guide is an opportunity for us to fulfill this special mitzvah and acknowledge Hashem’s gift of our cherished land. At OU Kosher, the special sensitivity of the kashrut laws concerning Eretz Yisrael presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Therefore, this year’s OU Kosher Israel Guide will address terumot and maasrot, as well as other special kashrut issues relating to Israel, such as imported products, milk products in Israel, food service and consumer kashrut.

This guide is intended for both beginners and seasoned learners, who wish to gain knowledge and practical advice in dealing with the unique kashrut environment in Israel.

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This publication is the fruit of the OU Israel Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education, an initiative of OU Israel and the Hoch and Frankel families. Gus and his wife were dear, lifelong friends of the OU. Gus was dedicated to kashrut as a regular personality in the kashrut office, always encouraging strong shemirat kashrut. The Center is a true continuation of his legacy.

Headed by Rabbi Ezra Friedman, the Center answers thousands of halachic questions a year. Most questions are answered within minutes. Through the center’s hotline, educational kashrut videos, shiurim and weekly halachic articles, we have brought kashrut education in Israel to a new level. We are proud that the Center has produced such an important and thorough guide.

We are tremendously proud of our dedicated kashrut staff in Israel: Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski, Rabbi Ezra Friedman, Rabbi Mati Cohen and Rabbi Yehonatan Korach.

The OU hopes to continue our strong connection with Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael, and will continue to raise the bar of Torah, kashrut and education for many years to come.

Sincerely Yours,

Rabbi Menachem Genack CEO OU Kosher

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LET TER FROM COO OU KOSHER

Dear Rav Ezra Shlita, It was wonderful to hear and see that you are planning to update the Kosher Guide.

As in your previous publication, the information is presented in a clear lucid fashion.

We at the OU are most proud of our achievements in the world of kosher supervision. Certainly, a crown jewel in this success is our certification program in Eretz Yisroel where we have been able to establish a mehadrin hashgacha staffed by a group of talmidei chachamim and yirai shamayim with Rabbi Krakowski, yourself, Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Korach.

The OU is proud that we continue to enhance our Kosher programs in Eretz Yisroel, constantly striving to satisfy the high standards the Israeli consumer expects of us.

R.Ezra, we look forward that you continue to have success in your avodas hakodesh, and in the zchus of our observance of the mitzvos of kashrus, we should be zoche to be together in Eretz Yisroel with the binyan bais hamikdash bimheara.

Thank you for all that you do!

Sincerely yours,

Rabbi M. Elefant Executive Rabbinic Coordinator, COO

Kosher supervision in Eretz Yisroel comes with its unique set of requirements because of mitzvos hatluyos baaretz. However, we have B”H succeeded in building a program that properly deals with all those issues. With the creation of the OU Kashrut Education Center dedicated in the memory of a very special friend, Mr. Gus Jacobs A’H we are now able to disseminate important information about kashrus.

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LET TER FROM EXECUTIVE DIREC TOR, OU ISRAEL

Welcome to the OU Israel Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education Kashrut Guide.

Chances are that if you are reading this you are one of many thousands of individuals interested in better understating Kashrut in Israel, a complex topic. Before coming to Israel, many people logically assume that keeping Kosher in Israel will be simple. After all, if you can find the OU symbol on Kosher food around the world, shouldn’t being in the Jewish State be even easier?

We all know that the answer to that question should be yes, but the reality is quite different. Food packages in Israel often have multiple Kashrut symbols unfamiliar to the average person. Many Olim and visitors wonder what the difference is between Rabbanut, Mehadrin, and different levels of Mehadrin. “If it says it’s Kosher, shouldn’t I be able to eat it? And what’s this I heard about X Mehadrin not being equivalent to the level of Kashrut I kept in North America (or elsewhere in Chutz La’Aretz?). The reality is that Kashrut in Israel is very complex. Yes there 8

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are politics involved, but there is also history and opportunities as the population in Israel is Baruch Hashem growing significantly and importing and exporting food is expanding. In Israel we are also blessed with the Mitzvot Hatluyot BaAretz.

This Kashrut Guide is a direct result of thousands of requests and inquiries we have received from Olim and visitors who want to better understand and thereby keep Kashrut in Israel. This was made possible thanks to the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education. The Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education was established in the fall of 2019 in loving memory of Gustave and Carol Jacobs Z”L by their children Aviva & Joseph Hoch and Judy & Mark Frankel. Gus was a dear friend of mine, and he is sorely missed. He and Carol were active lay leaders of the Orthodox Union and numerous other Jewish organizations for many decades. Working with the OU, they became pioneers of Kashrut in North America, ensuring that for generations to come Jews in America, and subsequently around the world, have easy access to quality Kosher food. It is very fitting that this Center for Kashrut Education was established in their memory, expanding Gus’s vision for Kashrut into our Homeland.

Directed by Rabbi Ezra Friedman, a

graduate of Yeshivat Ohr Etzion and a close disciple of Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, the Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education educates tens of thousands of people on a weekly basis about Kashrut observance through Shiurim, videos, a Torah Tidbits column, and publications such as this. Our Kashrut Hotline answers over 6,000 questions annually.

The OU prides itself on the importance of Kashrut education. Our goal is that this Kashrut Guide will provide you with a greater understanding of the nuances and the Zechut to keep Kosher in Israel.

B’vracha,

Rabbi Avi Berman Executive Director, OU Israel

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Keeping Kosher in the Holy Land

11 Kashrut of Alcoholic Beverages Imported to Israel

Making Decisions about Kashrus in Israel

A Guide to Hagalah

Insects and vegetables: The Basic Facts

Vegetable Chart

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The Coveted Group-One Status Amid Modern-Day Complexities

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Schechitah in Israel

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23 Our Vigilant Ingredients Department:

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The Mishnah on Factory Equipment and Kitchen Containers

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Eating Out in Israel

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Terumot and Ma’asrot, A Unique Opportunity in the Holy Land

Imported Kosher Food

51 51 Enjoying the Milk of Eretz Israel

62 OU Kosher: Myth and Fact

70 Glossary of Israeli Kashrut

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KEEPING KOSHER IN THE HOLY LAND s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

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elcome to Eretz Yisrael!

Eretz Yisrael, our homeland, is a place where a Jew can experience tremendous spiritual growth. Many of us send our children to learn here. We spend Yomim Tovim in Israel, quite often we vacation, and many have merited to settle here in the holy land. And, as in all aspects of life, with great potential comes great challenges. This is

especially true regarding the topic of kosher food in Israel. There is no question that there is an abundance of kosher food in Israel, something we could only dream of in the Diaspora. Items we had to steer clear of overseas are suddenly kosher with strict supervision here in Israel. Yet at the same time, the challenges of the Israeli kosher market are in some respects more

difficult than we are used to overseas. There is such a wide array of certifications, there are additional concerns due to the mitzvot hateluyot ba’aretz, and unfortunately, politics can also complicate matters and obscure the actual issues of kashrut. All these factors combined can make us feel we are groping in the dark when trying to choose products we can rely on.

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Let’s try to shed some light on the issues and establish a degree of clarity here. Although it would be impossible to explain all aspects of the Israeli kosher food system in a single, brief article, we will try to outline the imperative factors, the most common misconceptions, and the general underpinnings of the system, in order to provide the reader with a more enlightened ability to decide which certifications they will choose to rely on.

THE ISRAELI KOSHER CONSUMER Whenever a product is being sold or marketed, a company or service must ask itself, who is the target consumer? This fundamental question is especially important for the kosher food market in Israel. For the past 75 years, Jews overseas have faced many challenges in keeping kosher.

Communities were built around making sure there was a kosher butcher, bakery and food services. Even today, with so many kosher products and 12

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establishments available, keeping kosher can still be a challenge at times.

Any Jew who keeps kosher in the diaspora is making a conscience choice to do so. They are choosing to shop only from a limited selection of products and to spend more to purchase certified food in a country where nonkosher food is much more common and usually more affordable as well. Since such a lifestyle demands very obvious sacrifices, the profile of the consumer who consistently keeps kosher is either Orthodox or extremely traditional.

In Israel, the reality is quite different. On the one hand the kosher opportunities in Israel are almost endless: hotels with full kosher certification, malls with entire kosher food sections, and of course supermarkets where every single product must be kosher, period.

Yet this reality, for all its seeming ease and abundance, comes with a serious challenge.

Studies have shown that over 75 percent of

Israelis are interested in keeping kosher at some level or another; this, however, is in no way an indication of their religious observance.

On the contrary, out of this large percentage, a majority do not consider themselves religious, but rather see keeping kosher as a cultural tradition they wish to hold onto. In fact, since they don’t identify as “religious,” many of the Israel’s kosher consumers will eat nonkosher when traveling outside Israel.

This situation, with the market for kosher food in Israel consisting largely of not-fullyobservant Jews, greatly affects the way certifications are given.

Since the average kosher consumer is interested in having access to as many products as possible, standards are much more fluid. Often, the non-religious kosher consumer has little or no knowledge of the different certifications, and in fact, as long as someone claims that their product or establishment is kosher, even with no

certification whatsoever, a majority of kosher consumers in Israel will eat regardless of standards, supervision or reliability. For example, many European brand-named snacks and chocolates are not certified and are not consumed by the religious community in Europe, yet it is quite common to find these snacks certified in Israel as kosher with a symbol on a sticker and no apparent certification on the original label.

Because the Israeli public wants to eat this product, and since supermarkets that would like kosher certification are required by the Chief Rabbinate to have all products certified, Israeli importers will go to great lengths to get the product certified. In most cases the importer pays for some type of certification, while the facility changes nothing in their production or ingredients. This demand from the Israeli kosher consumer makes it hard for higherstandard certifications to meet their needs.

The consumer wants a

worldwide selection of all types of food, yet at the same time insists on some type of kosher certification, which naturally leads to a lowering of standards, sometimes to a drastic extent.

There is no question that any authentic kosher certifier has to have two things in mind: Of course, the religious to provide a kosher consumer takes a much different approach. transparent, Many certifications in professional Israel adhere to some of the highest standards. certification without These certifications are being politically often under the auspices of a “Badatz”— an biased, and to abbreviation for beit provide a large-scale din tzedek, a board of supervising rabbis. certification which Yet, certain social will benefit the concerns pose too many constraints for the broader Israeli public. regular kosher consumer or manufacturer. Certain certifications have political associations which would require them to use only their own or very specific kosher ingredients, even in cases where the basic products require little or minimal kosher supervision. In addition they might require extra mashgichim or pose other demands that might be considered beyond normal kosher

standards. On a market level, since different Badatzim serve different communities, there is pressure for manufacturers to hold multiple certifications, since some distributors require a certain certification for the population they serve, while others need a different symbol for their clientele.

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LOCAL PRODUCTION AND IMPORTED PRODUCTS Israel’s food market has shifted drastically over the last thirty years. Although local production still prevails in areas such as shechitah, dairy products, fresh produce and wines, most finished food products are now imported. There are various reasons behind 14

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this new phenomenon, and it, in turn, gives rise to various issues.

One might assume that since the country has a majority of Jews and an independent central Jewish authority (the Chief Rabbinate), the challenges of kosher supervision should be easier, but the contrary is true. A large percentage of raw ingredients are imported, and just as many finished products

are made overseas. This includes condiments, cereals, candies and frozen products. (See Rabbi Friedman’s article, “Imported Kosher Food,” for more information about the certification of food imports.)

UNIFIED STANDARDS The kosher system in Israel consists of two main tracks: the Chief Rabbinate (Harabbanut Harashit), which is a

state-owned enterprise, and the private certifications, which are formal business enterprises. (Due to numerous factors, the law does not allow kashrut organizations to be non-profit.) The Chief Rabbinate was built out of the vision of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook zt”l to initiate a unified system which he hoped would bring about the reinstitution of the Sanhedrin. Regarding kashrut, the system of the Rabbanut is quite complex. It is headed by two Chief Rabbis, Sephardi and Ashkenazi, and has an elected body called the Chief Rabbinical Council, consisting of twelve rabbis. This council, along with the Chief Rabbis, sets kosher standards for the entire country. From time to time, new issues must be addressed, such as new findings of bug infestation in vegetables or cultured meat. The council also sets standards regarding products and supervision.

The Chief Rabbinate has an extensive staff whose job is to apply the standards set by the Council. And therein lies a formidable challenge.

In essence, kosher supervision is in the hands of local rabbis and their staffs. Every city or municipal council has its own independent rabbinical body in conjunction with the municipality and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and sometimes there are gaps between the standards the Chief Rabbinate would like to apply, and those the local rabbis are willing to impose. There are cases where municipal rabbis would like to be more stringent than the Chief Rabbinate, and vice versa. Since the municipal rabbis have the sole license to give kosher certification to all establishments under their jurisdiction (restaurants, wedding halls, caterers) there can be large discrepancies between one city and another.

Another important factor is the setup of each local rabbanut.

In far too many cases financial and political issues can affect the level of certification. For example, there are cities where the municipality is very generous to the local rabbanut and supports initiatives for better certification, such as more supervisors.

In other municipalities the budget is so low there can be one parttime supervisor on 170 establishments, with a minimal number of mashgichim. In such a case, maintaining an acceptable standard is very difficult. Then, there are many situations where government funding is held up. There have been instances in regional councils where the local chief rabbi or the kosher supervisor has retired, and instead of replacing this official, the council asks a rabbi or supervisor from an adjacent municipality (who is already flooded with work) to take over.

There are cases where one rabbi is in charge of two or even three regions at once, with no way of adding more personnel. No one is in favor of this situation.

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Obviously, in order to run a professional kashrut system, adequate staff and budget are critical. Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, is constantly advocating for additional funding for personnel to run the rabbinate system properly.

The lack of unified standards challenges the kosher consumer.

There can be a Rabbinate certification that runs smoothly, while others can barely function. This is one of the reasons why there is such a lack of clarity regarding rabbanut certifications.

MEHADRIN AND NON-MEHADRIN One of the most common questions related to kashrut in Israel is “Do you keep mehadrin?” This term has almost nothing to do with the actual laws of kosher supervision.

The term mehadrin is rarely found in the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries in regard to the laws of kosher food. The term is applicable to many other

halachic areas, such as arba’ah minim (the lulav and its accompanying species). Another example is with regard to Chanukah candles.

Our Sages discuss the basic requirement to fulfill the mitzvah of ner Chanukah and call higher levels of fulfillment “mehadrin” and “mehadrin min hamehadrin.”

Regarding kashrut, the term mehadrin, as used today, denotes a level of kashrut where, due to issues of dispute between different authorities, the higher standard is upheld. The term came into use in Israel over 40 years ago, when there was a need for a unified, basic level of kashrut without subjecting the less religious public to constraints. Kasher Lemehadrin is supposed to represent a level of kashrut which is undisputable. This, however, is impossible since every certification has its own stringencies and systems. In the “mehadrin” arena there is no way for consumers to discern if the hechsher is truly up to everyone’s

standards, as each individual rabbinate can decide what is and isn’t considered mehadrin.

Another issue for the consumer who truly wants to keep kosher in Israel is that once there are two levels, then an organization or establishment that does not keep mehadrin standards can be completely subpar, since, as explained above, a majority of kosher consumers would be satisfied with a rubber stamp.

There are, however, certain standards that have become universal in Israel, which differentiate mehadrin from non-mehadrin. All dairy products labeled mehadrin are Chalav Yisrael (an observant Jew witnessed the milking, as opposed to the American Chalav Stam ruling), all baked goods are Afiat Yisrael (a Jew lights the oven), and all products containing any of the five grains are Yashan. Restaurants will have only Jews cooking to abide by the opinion of the Beit Yosef that a Jew has to take an active 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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part in the cooking process in order to prevent transgressing the prohibition of Bishul Akum. Israel has a large industry of nonglatt meat, something not available overseas today, and mehadrin establishments will only use glatt products.

It should be noted that not all mehadrin standards are equal even for these specific issues. For example, certain standards of Chalav Yisrael in Israel do not meet the OU’s requirements, and therefore we do not accept every product labeled Chalav Yisrael.

OU KOSHER IN ISRAEL Our Sages in Masechet Ketubot teach that the Holy Land is “acquired through tribulations.”

To truly flourish in Eretz Yisrael and gain all the spiritual wealth that our Land offers, one must be sufficiently committed and willing to suffer some difficulty and inconvenience. The kosher system in Israel presents an amazing opportunity to acquire a spiritual footing in the 18

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Holy Land. Fifty years ago, anyone living here who wanted to keep to an uncompromising standard of kashrut had access only to a very limited range of products, and had to forgo certain foods altogether for lack of an acceptable hechsher.

Today, one can enjoy gourmet cuisine while adhering to a high standard of kashrut. But to do so, one must be an educated consumer.

There is no question that any authentic kosher certifier has to have two things in mind: to provide a transparent, professional certification without being politically biased, and to provide a large-scale certification which will benefit the broader Israeli public.

OU Kosher in Israel is constantly busy with these issues. We are seriously involved in the world of imported foods for the broader public, thanks to our strong ties with the Chief Rabbinate, and this relationship is only growing stronger. OU kosher in Israel feels for numerous reasons

that the mehadrin style system here is to be preferred. All facilities, caterers, and restaurants we certify in Israel adhere to Bishul Yisrael (according to the opinion of the Beit Yosef), Chalav Yisrael, Afiat Yisrael and Yashan. To make this more convenient for the consumer in Israel (both Israeli and Anglo) we have a mehadrin symbol which will help clarify the distinctions.

Rest assured, however, that anything with the regular OU symbol coming from overseas is certainly kosher, as are any of our products sold around the world.

Let us bask and thrive in the holiness of Israel, while realizing we must keep our eyes open as we make our way through the complex maze of kashrut. The Gustave and Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education was created to serve as a compass for anyone wants to learn more about the world of kashrut in Israel. We are here at your service for all your kosher education needs.

MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT KASHRUT IN ISRAEL s

By Rabbi Dovid Bistricer

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earning in yeshiva or seminary away from home can be a very uplifting and exciting experience. The same is of course true when making aliyah.

However, studying or living abroad also brings independence and a sense of responsibility.

Part of the responsibility that comes with being on your own is maintaining proper kashrut standards.

Although to some this may seem obvious and simple, there are certain gray areas that can sometimes be confusing.

Nevertheless, with a little research, knowledge, and preparation, these situations can be easily manageable.

Whether buying groceries in a supermarket or going out to eat, we are accustomed to checking for the siman kashrut (sign of kosher certification) or hashgachah. However, what many do not realize is that no two hashgachot are necessarily the same. Each one may have different halachic standards or policies as

to how they administer their supervision. It is therefore important, before choosing to rely on any supervision, to confirm that it meets one’s personal standards.

The first point that needs to be considered is family minhag. If one’s family has a particular minhag regarding kashrut, any supervision that one may possibly rely on should meet that same standard. Even someone who doesn’t have a specific family minhag per se, but is nevertheless accustomed to relying 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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on a certain level of supervision, should make sure that they are maintaining the same level of kashrut abroad as they would at home.

Both these points relate to not only relying on a particular hechsher of a product or restaurant, but eating in someone else’s home as well.

personal restriction, halachically it is still appropriate to tactfully inquire of one’s host whether the food served meets that requirement.

This responsibility should also extend to inquiring as to what are the specific halachic standards of a hashgachah.

There is a concept in halachah of “Eid echad ne’eman be’issurim.” This means that in realms of issur ve’heter, such as kashrut, we may rely on the testimony of a Torah-observant Jew. With kashrut specifically, this generally means that if a religious Jew who adheres to the mitzvot vouches that something is kosher, we can accept that it is kosher with no questions asked. This is so even in a case where one person serves another who has different minhagim and standards of kashrut.

The reason behind this is the assumption that a shomer Torah u’mitzvot will not serve something to another Jew that the recipient would consider problematic, even if the one providing the food considers it fine. Nevertheless, if someone has a particular

It is not uncommon to find differences in kashrut standards in Israel vis-à-vis what one may have been accustomed to in North America and other communities abroad.

For example, in Israel, chicken livers are a common delicacy and are sold in supermarkets fresh, to be kashered by the consumer, whereas the common practice in North America is to allow only pre-kashered livers to be sold as certified. Moreover, whereas beef sold in North America under any reliable hechsher is glatt kosher, it is very common to find non-glatt meat sold and certified in Israel.

Furthermore, while in chutz la’aretz the concept of mitzvot hateluyot ba’aretz is foreign and only rarely needs to be addressed, in Israel

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these issues pose many questions and concerns, especially during a shemittah year.

There is a school of thought which holds that certain hechsherim may be relied upon for dairy products but not for meat. It is quite possible, however, that in some situations there are more kashrut concerns with dairy than with certain meat products.

Although it is true that the hashgachah needed for meat is unique in many respects and highly complicated, one should reflect on whether it is appropriate or possible to assume that a hechsher can be considered reliable in some areas, but not others. Some aspects of the argument in favor of this approach have their merits, but whether or when it should be put into practice needs ample consideration.

Distinctions between hechsherim can stem from differences in halachic opinion, differences in minhag, or simply from the quality of the supervision provided. This means that two hechsherim might have similar halachic standards, but 22

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There is a concept in halachah of “Eid echad ne’eman be’issurim.” This means that in realms of issur ve’heter, such as kashrut, we may rely on the testimony of a Torah-observant Jew.

still be very different.

The mere fact that one hechsher may require a mashgiach on premises at all times, while another does not require onsite supervision at all, vastly distinguishes one from the other.

To navigate the kashrut scene in Israel, one must first establish what his or her particular standards are. This can be determined by one’s family or family rabbi.

One should also feel free to consult with one’s roshei yeshiva, rebbeim, or teachers, who can serve as valuable sources of information

as to the standards of different hechsherim and also provide good, practical advice on how to deal with sensitive situations that might arise. The Gustave and Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education is an excellent resource, particularly helpful in guiding newcomers to Israel through the often-confusing maze of kashrut issues they face as they adjust to their new environment. Feel free to reach out to the center’s Director, Rabbi Ezra Friedman, on any kashrut issue.

IMPORTED KOSHER FOOD s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

I

mports of kosher food to the Israeli market have increased greatly over the past twenty years.

Studies show that over fifty percent of food sold in Israeli supermarkets is imported, and that number continues to climb each year.

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel certifies thousands of facilities around Israel and uses substantial manpower in order to provide this service.

The Rabbinate never intended to certify

products and facilities outside of Israel, as its purpose is to certify kosher food for the local Israeli market.

The term “B’ishur HaRabbanut Harashit” (authorized by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel) appears on every kosher imported product that passes through the Rabbinate system. As opposed to the certification of local products, the Rabbinate has neither the manpower nor the finances to check

and certify factories worldwide. This being the case, a number of years ago (when the import market was much smaller than it is now), the Rabbinate decided it would permit kosher products with foreign certifications to be imported, as long as the standards of the imported products more or less coincided with the standards of the Chief Rabbinate.

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foreign hechsherim and relies on written testimony only.

Unfortunately, there are many irregularities in the realm of kashrut supervision, particularly when huge numbers of products are being manufactured abroad and then imported to Israel.

Some kashrut agencies are making use of extreme leniencies, based on minority opinions that have been rejected by virtually all poskim over the generations.

We are not referring merely to issues of, for example, Chalav Stam or Chadash. There have been documented cases of lenient kashrut organizations granting certification by phone/ fax, without kashering any equipment or even showing up in person to supervise. In addition, there were cases in which ingredients were not checked properly and no regular visits took place. In other cases, specific products were labeled “Chalav Yisrael” or “Kosher for Passover” when in fact the halachic standards of these categories were not met 24

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in the factories. One should note, however, that even if bediavad (ex post facto) these products might not “treif” one’s dishes, one should choose to avoid relying on weak, flimsy leniencies.

Unreliable hechsherim are particularly widespread in the house brands of Israeli supermarkets as well as with large Israeli food companies marketing imported items under their own labels. Unfortunately consumers mistakenly assume that B’ishur HaRabbanut Harashit on the label signifies that the Rabbanut has properly checked the product and approves its supervision.

The OU Israeli office has made great strides in the last few years regarding imported products.

We have built a strong connection with the import division of the Chief Rabbinate, and importers have taken interest in OU products.

For the consumer’s part, when choosing imported products, one should always confirm that there is a reliable

certification (a hechsher that you would trust if you were living overseas).

This policy is familiar to kosher consumers living abroad, but less so in Israel. Upon seeing an unfamiliar hechsher, one should ask a rabbi who is knowledgeable in modern kashrut (and preferably involved with kashrut certification overseas).

If stores and importers were to realize that reliable and genuine kashrut is a priority for so many consumers, they would be more inclined to change their policies. We must strive as kosher consumers to demand products with reliable certification, both in Israel and around the world, and to reject products of questionable status.

When we do this, we gain merit not only for our own good deeds, but in addition, we are doing a true chesed (helpful deed) for the kosher consumer in Israel. By improving the kashrut standards of imported foods, we help those in Israeli society who truly want to keep kosher.

KASHRUT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IMPORTED TO ISRAEL s

By Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz

I

n recent years, the Israeli government has created favorable conditions for alcohol imports. One need only visit a local wine and liquor retailer to see the impact, the abundance of global varieties available on store shelves. The selection of imported alcoholic beverages rivals or surpasses that of any developed western marketplace.

From a kashrut perspective, the most obvious problem with

imported alcohol occurs when it is derived from grapes. Without reliable kosher certification, grape wines and grapebased liquors must be considered unequivocally non-kosher. Other, non-grape alcohol is a far more complicated, if nuanced, kashrut discussion.

Historically, in many Jewish communities, many beer and liquor products were considered inherently kosher.

While, in some cases,

arguments are still made in support of that idea, it is essential to recognize the limits of that position and to be aware of the counterarguments.

For example, in some instances today, one can determine the source material for the beverage, but in other cases it is not at all clear what ingredients are used to make the product. It is even more difficult to establish where the product is processed, stored and bottled — all 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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of which can impact the kosher status of the product.

HOW IS ALCOHOL MANUFACTURED? Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is the only type of alcohol that is safe for human consumption.

The raw material for ethyl alcohol is always a carbohydrate — either a sugar or a starchy substance from which sugar may be derived.

As one might imagine (and as many attempting low-carb diets are keenly aware), the list of carbohydrates is seemingly endless.

Naturally occurring sugars – cane, beet and fruit (most prominently grape) sugars often serve as raw material for the production of alcohol.

Additionally, grain starch can be converted to sugar, often with the help of added enzymes, and then to alcohol. In some countries with an abundance of dairy products, alcohol may also be derived from lactose (the sugar found in milk). It is important to note that lactose-derived alcohol 26

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remains, from a kashrut perspective, a dairy product. An additional concern is that many alcohol products are inherently chametz (leavened grain or its derivatives) or share equipment with chametz products, making them non-kosher for Passover.

Sugar undergoes a natural fermentation process with yeast that converts it into alcohol.

The fermentation will normally stop when the alcohol reaches the level of about 14% (though it can sometimes go slightly higher), at which point the alcohol itself kills the alcohol-producing microorganisms.

Wine and beer are the direct result of this fermentation process.

Some processing aids and additives used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages are inherently kosher, but others require kosher certification (e.g., yeast, enzymes, defoamer, and glycerin).

alcohol by volume) liquor, there is an additional step: the distillation of the fermented material.

Distillation occurs in a still which boils off part of the fermented liquid, separating it from the other components through evaporation to produce a higher concentration of alcohol.

The high-alcohol vapor is then cooled and condensed back into liquid form.

The resulting product is often aged in wood barrels or flavored to achieve the desired flavor profile. Most commonly, the alcohol is cut with water to reach the chosen bottling strength.

WHISKEY

DISTILLED ALCOHOLS

Whiskey is a grain-based alcohol which is aged in barrels. Many countries produce whiskey, most notably the US (with its famous bourbon subset), Scotland (Scotch whisky is spelled without the ‘e’), Canada, Ireland and Japan.

To produce a higher proof (a measure of

Some countries permit the addition of flavors

to whiskey, including grape-based flavors.

In Scotland (and more recently in other countries as well) whiskey often finishes aging in casks previously used for wine.

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL From Mexico and based on the agave fruit, tequila and mezcal are distilled liquors that are sometimes aged in wooden casks. On occasion, former wine casks may be used.

Sometimes flavors or other additives may also be used.

VODKA AND GIN Whereas whiskey and other more flavorful alcohols are distilled to varying alcohol levels, leaving non-alcohol “impurities,” products like vodka, or neutral spirits, are distilled to almost complete alcohol purity (more than 95%) and then diluted for marketing. Most US vodkas are cornbased. Many European vodkas are wheat-based.

There are also vodkas made from rye, barley, potatoes, or grapes.

Flavored vodkas and gin are vodka with the addition of flavoring agents. Sometimes these may be natural

herbs added and left to macerate in the alcohol, or compound flavors manufactured by the flavor industry.

BRANDY: COGNAC AND GRAPPA Brandy is fruit-based alcohol, often from grapes. Slivovitz is an eastern European plum brandy, often kosher certified. Cognac is a grape wine-based brandy from the region of that name in France. Grappa is an Italian grape-based brandy.

Like wine, any grapebased alcoholic beverage should be considered non-kosher unless it is 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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verifiably and reliably kosher certified. In addition, as is the case with wine, some brandy manufacturers produce limited runs of kosher product. One must be careful to distinguish between the product that is clearly labelled kosher and the standard product, which is definitely not kosher.

LIQUEUR Liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that also includes sweeteners and flavors. The alcohol origin is typically undisclosed, and the kosher status of flavors is also unknown, unless the finished product is reliably kosher supervised. There are also cream liqueurs that include dairy cream, in addition to the aforementioned ingredients. Therefore, liqueurs always need reliable certification in order to be considered kosher.

CONGLOMERATION OF THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY In a bygone era, manufacturers of 28

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liquor products were typically independent producers operating in one site and with a limited line of products.

In today’s industry, oftentimes dozens of liquor brands are owned by large international public conglomerates with production and bottling all over the world. A product may be produced in one location and then bulk shipped for bottling elsewhere.

This new reality has altered the kashrut landscape in various ways.

For example, because these corporations are not considered Jewish owned, this reality has somewhat simplified concerns related to chametz liquor that was kept in Jewish possession over Pesach.

On the other hand, products today are more likely to be produced in larger distilleries or bottling sites that may process non-kosher or dairy products on shared equipment.

Overall, kashrut concerns today regarding alcoholic beverages are more

complex than in the past, and the need for reliable supervision is greater.

WHAT DOES THE HECHSHER ON THE LABEL MEAN? There are fortunately many liquors sold in Israel with reliable kosher certification, such as the OU, which is always predicated on onsite supervision and contractual agreements with the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, as we have come to learn, there may also be certifications that are based on nothing more than the assumptions that our grandparents relied upon during much simpler times.

EATING OUT IN ISRAEL s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

F

or some of you this may be your first time in Israel; for others Israel may be a familiar place. One of the things that excite many people upon their arrival in Eretz Yisrael is the multitude of restaurants that are labeled “kosher.” As we have pointed out elsewhere in this guide, there are various levels of kashrut in Israel. It is certainly an experience to walk into a mall and see that almost all restaurants and food stands have kashrut

certificates displayed.

While the OU cannot decide for you which hashgachot are reliable and which aren’t, we can offer you the knowledge of our standards in OU-certified eateries, as well as an outline of the issues involved relating to other certifications.

In addition, we will discuss some of the concerns that might arise at food services in Israel specifically. While it may be impossible to enumerate every scenario that might conceivably take place,

we will make this brief outline as comprehensive as possible.

MEHADRIN AND NON-MEHADRIN As explained previously (see “Keeping Kosher in the Holy Land”), there are two general standards of kashrut in Israel: mehadrin and regular rabbanut.

Most regular rabbanut certifiers will accept anything approved by the import division of the Chief Rabbinate, as well anything produced 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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locally and certified by other local rabbinates.

In practical terms, this means that dairy products with nonmehadrin certification are not Chalav Yisrael and meat products are not glatt. Regarding the issue of Bishul Yisrael, there is a dispute between the Rema and the Beit Yosef about the minimal requirement to remove the prohibition of Bishul Akum (certain kosher foods that are nevertheless prohibited because they were cooked by non-Jews).

According to the Rema, it is enough if a Jew performs a small act in the cooking process such as lighting the fire or throwing a match into an existing flame. The Beit Yosef requires more hands-on participation in the cooking process, such as putting the food into the oven to be cooked or flipping the food during cooking.

Sefardim generally adhere to the Beit Yosef ’s opinion, while Ashkenazim rule like the Rema. All mehadrin certifications, however, are supposed to uphold Bishul Yisrael according to the more stringent standard of the Beit Yosef. To summarize, the 30

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three main differences that are almost universal between mehadrin and non-mehadrin establishments are in the realm of Bishul Yisrael, Chalav Yisrael and glatt meat.

Another unfortunate difference among restaurants which can be contentious is the

certification. In such a case the importer has to deal with whatever is available.

Often, importers exert tremendous pressure to get ingredients certified here in Israel without requiring any changes in production or supervision abroad, and this leads to what is essentially a rubberstamp procedure.

HASHGACHAH

issue of ingredients.

The OU, as well as other kashrut organizations, does not approve all “mehadrin” ingredients in Israel. This is because of the complexity of Israeli certifications, as explained elsewhere in this guide. Many ingredients are imported, sometimes from countries where kosher certification is difficult, or where the manufacturer is not interested in

For obvious reasons, supervision is an essential part of the certification process.

Many Anglos are shocked when they enter an establishment in Israel with no mashgiach.

In many cases they are told that the mashgiach does not spend full days at the establishment.

This is an essential difference that should be understood. According to Israeli standards, especially in a case of Jewish owners, the idea of a full time mashgiach is non-existent. It is not clear how this came about, but in Israel even certifications with the highest standards don’t require a full-time mashgiach. There are certifications that require very little presence of a

mashgiach — he might show up once a day for an hour, or only once or twice a week. It is very important when deciding to dine at a restaurant to understand how often the mashgiach is present and how much he is really involved with the kosher program of the establishment.

Some establishments have mashgichim that come in for a few hours a day, and in addition they have an employee who works as a ne’eman kashrut (that is, someone who is reliable according to

halachah to ensure that the food being served meets the requirements of the restaurant’s hechsher). Restaurant patrons should consult their own rabbis as to what standard they would require regarding supervision in a restaurant.

LEAFY VEGETABLES Over the last few decades, the issue of infestation in leafy vegetables has surfaced as a major concern.

Visible insects in products like basil,

broccoli and spinach are prevalent. The Israeli kosher supervisions (more often the mehadrin ones) have made a drastic change in this area and require monitored growth in greenhouses for any leafy produce that has a high chance of being infested. Facilities with these standards are unlikely to have infestations, but it is important to know that certain certifications are more reliable on this issue than others.

Unfortunately, some establishments try to 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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undercut this issue and bring in regular produce that is at serious risk of being infested.

The Chief Rabbinate has made it their mission to prevent this phenomenon. It should be noted, however, that supermarkets are allowed to sell fresh produce that is highly infested regardless of the fact that nobody can certify such products, and in certain cases washing will not remove the infestation.

TERUMOT AND MA’ASROT We are Baruch Hashem blessed with the mitzvot hateluyot ba’aretz which include shemittah, terumah, ma’aser and other special mitzvot that apply only to the produce of the Holy Land. Many organized establishments purchase their produce from large storage facilities where a mashgiach is present to take the appropriate tithes (this is also true with large supermarket chains). Certain specialty restaurants or “chef ” restaurants purchase directly from special growers; in such cases terumot and ma’asrot must be taken by an 32

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on-site mashgiach. This would of course require closer supervision and attention to detail.

OU ISRAEL STANDARDS In order to provide our customers with a level we feel comfortable with, we have created a system for our restaurants. We will define all of our

While the OU cannot decide for you which hashgachot are reliable and which aren’t, we can offer you the knowledge of our standards in OU-certified eateries, as well as an outline of the issues involved relating to other certifications. standards to the best of our ability: In order to guarantee the consumer a kosher meal from a caterer or restaurant we must be certain that all the raw ingredients that went into making the final l

product are kosher.

Therefore only our mashgichim are allowed to accept products upon their arrival to our foodservices. This means that products that are delivered to a restaurant cannot be brought into storage rooms or food preparation areas until the mashgiach checks their kosher status and approves them.

After being approved for use by the mashgiach, most products can then be stored without many issues. Meat and fish, however, require extra precautions.

Our Sages were extra stringent with regard to meats, mandating that they require constant supervision.

Therefore, OU Kashrut has been very firm on our position that all meat restaurants must have complete fulltime supervision from opening until closing.

Additionally, all areas where unsealed meat and fish are kept must be locked by the mashgiach before he leaves, and only mashgichim can have the keys to these areas. Alternatively, the mashgiach must make sure to place seals on containers and/or l

plumbas (special metal clamps embossed with a hechsher) on pieces of unpackaged fish and meat. (We have all sorts of specially designed, tamperproof seals for different types of containers and products.)

checked, they must be stored in a freezer until used. Certain greens that are too fraught with problems are ruled out from use, as we cannot be sure of properly checking and cleaning them.

Although we are in Eretz Yisrael, many of the workers in food services are non-Jews.

In order to insure Bishul Yisrael we do not allow any non-Jews in cooking areas. Non-Jewish workers are allowed in other areas of the kitchen designated for other stages of food preparation. Therefore, all restaurants and caterers under OU supervision are Bishul Yisrael establishments, not only by Ashkenazi standards, but also for l

Lettuce and greens must be clean of bugs and supplied from mehadrin growers that are considered to be reliable. Nonetheless, OU Kosher policy also requires all greens to be soaked in soapy water and then to be rinsed and checked by our mashgichim.

Rice and legumes must be checked by our mashgichim on a light box with a screen prior to use. After grains and legumes have been l

Sefardim, who hold by the Beit Yosef ’s stricter definition of Bishul Yisrael.

In Eretz Yisrael, where the special mitzvot linked to the Holy Land must also be observed, all agricultural produce must be properly certified. Produce must come from special mehadrin suppliers.

Produce can only be accepted by the mashgiach after the mashgiach makes sure that all the products received match those on the delivery slip and that the slip is stamped and signed by the mehadrin mashgiach. l

To ensure that our mashgichim are present on site at all times, our mashgiach must card l

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in and out. The OU Kashrut office can then check the mashgiach’s hours against the hours of the other workers to ensure that at all times that there are workers in the restaurant, there is also a mashgiach.

We have a special kashrut supervisor who makes unscheduled spot checks at all OUcertified restaurants and foodservices about once a week to l

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ensure all is running smoothly. Additionally, various other rabbis from the OU Kashrut offices check up on the restaurants regularly.

While we certainly recommend our certified establishments, we understand that this issue can be very sensitive, especially when it comes to family simchas. When differences of opinion or preference arise,

with potential for acrimony, a trusted rabbi should be consulted on how to cope with the situation. We hope that education in this area will bring about a general upgrade of standards. If restaurant patrons constantly ask questions and show that they take matters of kashrut seriously, we have no doubt that this knowledge will improve the world of dining out in Israel.

OUR VIGILANT INGREDIENTS DEPARTMENT: The Coveted Group-One Status Amid Modern-Day Complexities s

By Rabbi Gavriel Price

A

small but vital organ in the kashrut division of the Orthodox Union is the Ingredients Department. This department is tasked with evaluating the acceptability of each ingredient used in OU certified products. In many cases the assessment is straightforward and involves determining which certification agency supervises its production, and whether that agency shares the

same standards as the OU. In other cases, however, the research involves not whether the ingredient is preapproved by a solid certification agency, but whether the ingredient needs certification at all.

Raw, unprocessed vegetables are entirely innocuous (provided there is no issue with insects), and an OU company that processes French fries, for example, is not restricted in sourcing potatoes.

This category of

ingredients, in the OU’s classification system, is called “Group One,” and the company knows it is basically unfettered in purchasing a Group One ingredient. It is essential that the OU have such a classification to enable OU certified companies to function with a reasonable degree of latitude in the food ingredients supply chain, while still maintaining strong standards of kashrut.

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unrestricted. A typical example is agricultural products grown in Israel. In such cases, adjacent to the status, “Any Source” is the following stipulation: “Not from Israel without certification of tithed status.” (In our classification system, “tithed status” is actually a code term, used for brevity in the database listing. There are many Israel-specific agricultural halachot, stemming from the mitzvot hateluyot ba’aretz, and the term is meant to cover them all.)

A recent example arose with rosemary, a pure, unprocessed agricultural product, generally used as an herb. Although Israel is not a top exporter, there are, nonetheless, producers of rosemary in Israel, such that it is appropriate that the OU database limit rosemary from Israel only to products which have been verified by their supervising agency for conformance to the special requirements pertaining to the Holy Land.

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This situation put a certain US-based OU company in a bind. The company, which was founded in the 1950s, has developed a very deep knowledge of botanical extracts and, along with that knowledge,

an understanding of how those extracts are useful in the food ingredients industry.

An entire department is devoted to a class of ingredients called natural antioxidants.

An antioxidant provides no flavor but, rather, it functions as a preservative—as its name implies, its presence inhibits

oxidation, the phenomenon that leads to deterioration of a range of ingredients. It is precisely due to their naturalness that these extracts have found their niche; in a food industry eager to have a “clean label”—a label as little populated with artificial ingredients as possible— it is highly desirable to be able to list “natural antioxidants” rather than “preservatives.”

The company had identified a specific chemical, carnosic acid, that functions as an antioxidant when added to certain foods.

Rosemary is an excellent source of carnosic acid. Most pertinent to our topic is that a certain farm in Israel had developed a breed of rosemary with a high concentration of carnosic acid, such that their rosemary is an exceedingly good source of the prized natural antioxidant.

Pay attention to the process of manufacture, which will be critical to understanding how this narrative unfolds: The US company buys

the rosemary, crushes it, and places it in a solvent chosen specifically to tease out the carnosic acid. Through a series of separation steps, the carnosic acid is purified; it is this purified product that is sold to the food companies as a natural antioxidant.

As we were in a shemittah year, it appeared that the relationship between the US company and the farm in Israel, which is also under OU supervision, would have to be put on hold. There seemed to be no way that the OU could give kosher certification to rosemary farmed during the shemittah year, due to potential concerns of sefichin. Furthermore, the produce of the shemittah year, even if not sefichin, would have kedushat shevi’it.

There is a halachic prohibition against preparing produce with kedushat shevi’it in a nontypical way. Since rosemary is generally used as an herb, it would be problematic to subject it to the processing required to

produce carnosic acid.

It seemed, therefore, that the US company would be forced to source rosemary from another country, which would necessitate buying a larger amount of rosemary (due to lower carnosic acid content) with less predictable results.

solely for its use as an industrial ingredient, and not as a food crop, and since the crushing of the rosemary precedes its use—the biur precedes the hana’ah—the product is not subject to kedushat shevi’it and therefore could be OU certified.

A thought occurred to the supplier, however, and he suggested that the buyer ask the OU: Could it be that the particular process they were engaged in, the extraction of carnosic acid from the rosemary—would permit the use of the rosemary, without any concern of kedushat shevi’it?

***

On the face of it, this seemed like a strange question: why should there be an exception?

Still, there was no harm in asking. The OU Israel office is staffed with talmidei chachamim, who were able to ask a world-class posek, Rav Asher Weiss shlita, for a halachic decision. He ruled that that since the rosemary crop in question was raised

Another OU company recently applied for the use of pea protein isolate; its supplier is not kosher certified, and the company wanted to know whether this ingredient required certification.

The application was not surprising. Demand for pea protein isolate, which is marketed as a plant-based alternative to meat and dairy proteins, has been rising rapidly over the past few years.

Fortunately, previous experience provides the OU with a body of knowledge it can tap into when determining the sensitivity of a given process. In the case of pea protein isolate, the OU was already familiar 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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with the process due to previous experience certifying one of the largest manufacturers of ingredients, ADM. The certification of the process is, for the most part, straightforward: Yellow peas are delivered to the site of processing. Physical separation removes hulls. According to Mike Odland, Operations Manager at ADM’s Edible Beans site, the hulled peas, whose main components are pea starch, pea fiber and pea protein, are sent through a series of physical and chemical processing steps to isolate the starch.

The pea starch is dried and reserved for an independent processing stream.

The next step toward isolating pea protein from the remaining pea sugars and fibers is where the complexity comes in. This step typically involves a separation process called spray-drying.

Spray-drying is often outsourced. The manufacturer sends the product to a third 38

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party for further processing, because the technology and know-how needed to spray-dry an ingredient is intense and costly, and generally, companies are not large enough to run their own spraydrying equipment. The outside manufacturing site is called a toll-drier.

The toll-drier makes its equipment available to any company interested in processing their product there, and this leads to concerns about non-kosher substances absorbed in the equipment.

Because of this production step, the OU does not allow pea protein isolate as a Group One ingredient; it may only be sourced from a supplier with suitable kosher certification. *** A general issue that the Ingredients Department is focused on is food ingredient adulteration, which is the illicit substitution of another ingredient for the ingredient that the manufacturer is naming. In the times

of the Shulchan Aruch, for example, flour was sometimes added to honey as a thickening agent, with the result that honey could not be used for Pesach.

Sporadic reports of olive oil adulteration, fruit juice adulteration, milk and fish adulteration, and more recent concerns of honey adulteration have prompted the OU to review and monitor specific industries to ensure that a commodity being sold is in fact what its producer claims it is. Generally, quality standards, the scale of production, and improved analytical methods used in the contemporary food industry are noticeably superior to the standards and practices of earlier generations.

THE MISHNAH ON FACTORY EQUIPMENT AND KITCHEN CONTAINERS s

By Rabbi Chananel Herbsman

M

y wife likes to keep things at home in storage containers, especially foods like cereal or other dry grains. What if the cereal in a container was dairy, and now you want to use it to store pareve cereals? Can this be done and if so, what is required in order to ensure the pareve status of the new contents?

This type of question is not only relevant at home but also arises

regularly in industrial food production.

is a need to kasher the equipment using heat.

One of the most common issues that arise in modern kashrut is the shared use of food production equipment between kosher and non-kosher, or between dairy and pareve. If the equipment is used at a temperature above yad soledet (there are different opinions on how to convert this into degrees; the consensus is that above 50°C is yad soledet) then there

What is done when there is no heat involved? Of course, the equipment must be cleaned of the prior material. What are the rules and how are they applied today?

The discussion of this topic begins with several mishnayot at the end of Masechet Terumot.

There (11:6) it discusses what a farmer needs to do when switching out grains of terumah and 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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replacing them with grains which are chullin.

The Mishnah teaches that it isn’t necessary to remove every last grain from the storage area, but rather sweep it out as is normal, and then the farmer can bring in the new grains even though we know some grains of the terumah will remain behind. Similarly, mishnah 11:8 discusses a jug containing oil which is terumah. A person can pour the oil out until it drips out the last few drops and then put in oil, which is chulin, again, even though a small amount of terumah remains.

Why is this allowed? The commentators explain (see Rash, Bartenura and Tosefos Yom Tov) that since the terumah which is left behind will be batel (nullified) and the intent isn’t to nullify it, since the amount is insignificant, it can be allowed, although traces of terumah will be left behind.

One of the key points in the Mishnah is that is the farmer sweeps (cleans) it out in the normal way. What is normal for 40

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one product will not be the same for another.

Thus, the Mishnah gives one example for grains and another for oil. Similarly, today, each industry has its own issues with unique pieces of equipment.

Consequently, each industry will have its own approach to

One of the most common issues that arise in modern kashrut is the shared use of food production equipment between kosher and nonkosher, or between dairy and pareve. achieving a standard or normal cleansing.

In the snack industry, it is common to use a tumbler to apply seasonings to plain chips (think potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips etc.). A tumbler, in this context, is a spinning vessel that distributes seasoning in liquid or powder form. Tumblers

come in various shapes and sizes. It isn’t unusual for a company to have pareve and dairy seasonings processed in the same tumbler. After running a dairy item, the tumbler must be cleaned to the industry standard to remove the prior seasoning. There is no one correct way to clean; the resulting cleanliness just needs to be validated to ensure it meets industry standards.

Today, companies are very sensitive to the issue of allergens, and most will take a swab sample to test if any known allergen remains.

These tests measure in parts per million. This scenario is perhaps even better than the Mishnah’s case, as there we know some terumah remained, while here it is safe to assume that no tangible trace remained after an appropriate cleaning.

Even if the cleaning wasn’t perfect, it is still acceptable for kashrut purposes, assuming it was performed in the normal manner.

In some industries, water cannot be used on the equipment, or

the equipment includes closed pipes, so there is no way to verify their cleanliness with the human eye. In such cases, companies will flush the line with an abrasive substance to remove the prior materials. Salt or sugar are common items used for this purpose. Many companies may choose to waste a small portion of the next product to guarantee that the prior allergen (or non-kosher substance) was removed.

Here, they didn’t clean as we normally think of it, but they did remove the prior material to the standard required by the Mishnah. There is no requirement of a

wet wash, but only of a standard cleaning. In such industries, flushing with another material is the standard.

Another application of this concept is where a company will use scrapers to prevent unwanted materials from making their way to the conveyor belt where the product lies.

For example, a company had bread dough moving down a conveyor belt, where it was cut into the desired shape. Part of their cleaning system, to remove the dough or other materials which could stick to the production line, was to place scrapers

at different points on the underside of the conveyor belt, so that as the belt circled around, residues would be removed, and when the belt came back around it would be clean. Here, a major part of the cleaning system was built into the production line itself to prevent the surface where the product was moving from becoming soiled.

This, too, is acceptable for kashrut purposes, as it is the normal method of cleaning this type of equipment.

What about the use of an electronic eye that is able to sort between different items based on

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size and color? Could this be used instead of cleaning the line, as the electronic eye would catch any product of a color that didn’t match the specific product identity? In other words, it could be used to verify that nothing remained on the line from prior production. Seemingly, there is a requirement for some level of 42

OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

cleaning according to the industry standard, and the electronic eye doesn’t clean. Nonetheless, it is a useful tool to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning.

Based on these examples, and from the Mishnah itself, it is clear that at home one could switch storage containers used for dairy cereals to pareve. One would

simply need to clean the container in the usual manner for such containers (in this case, by washing it).

Cleaning between different categories of food items has been an issue since ancient times, and even in modern food production, the teachings of the Mishnah are still highly relevant.

A GUIDE TO HAG’ALAH s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

W

hether kashering year-round or in preparation for Pesach, knowing how to perform hag’alah is essential. Hag’alah, whereby a utensil is kashered with hot water, can usually be done at home. The process is relatively simple, yet attention to detail is important in order to perform hag’alah properly. This article will explain the entire process of hag’alah from start to finish.

PRIOR TO KASHERING Before beginning the hag’alah process, one should confirm that hag’alah is the appropriate method of kashering for that utensil.

There are two main methods of kashering utensils for Pesach and year-round: hag’alah, through hot water, and libun, through open flame. Halachah states (Avodah Zarah 75b) that the proper method of kashering depends on

how flavor was absorbed into the utensil. Thus, a pot used with waterbased liquids, to cook soups, sauces, pasta, etc. would be kashered by hag’alah. In contrast, libun is used when the form of absorption is through open flame or dry heat, for example kashering broiler, oven or barbecue racks. This rule that defines the method of kashering based on the form of absorption is called kebol’o kach polto—“The way it is absorbed is the way it 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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is released” (Avodah Zarah 76b). Based on this principle, the Rashba (Torat Habayit Hakatzar 34b) rules that a utensil that requires libun but was kashered with hag’alah must be rekashered through libun, as the first kashering was not effective. The Ran (Avodah Zarah 39b) adds that even if someone planned to change the form of cooking with this utensil after kashering, from open fire to hot water, hag’alah would still not suffice. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 121:5) clearly rules that a utensil that requires libun cannot be kashered through hag’alah. It is best to consult a qualified rabbi as to whether hag’alah is the correct kashering method in each particular case.

24 WAITING TWENTY-FOUR HOURS As explained in previous articles, only flavor that is less than twenty-four hours old (ben yomo) can prohibit other foods cooked in that utensil.

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OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

Early authorities discuss whether it is possible to perform hag’alah on utensils that have been used within the previous twenty-four hours. The Ra’avia (see Tur YD 121) maintains that it is best to kasher a utensil only after leaving it unused for twenty-four hours.

He explains that in order to kasher a utensil that has been used in the last twenty-four hours, the flavor must be nullified in the water used for hag’alah, which would mean having a ratio of 60 times more water than the volume of flavor in the utensil. This is based on the rule that flavor is nullified de facto when present in a proportion of 1:60 (see Shulchan Aruch 98:2). When kashering utensils, it is very hard to measure the exact volume of absorbed flavor. In certain instances when a large amount of flavor exists, it may exceed the ratio of 1:60 which would automatically nullify it.

Therefore, the Ra’avia rules that hag’alah should only be performed once the utensil’s status is eino ben yomo. Other early authorities bring alternative reasons

why one should wait twenty-four hours before kashering by hag’alah (Rashba, Responsa 1:263; Rosh, Avodah Zarah 5:7).

The Rema (YD 121:2) and all later authorities (see Mishnah Berurah 452:1) rule that utensils should not be used for twenty-four hours prior to hag’alah.

HOW SHOULD WATER BE HEATED? Orchot Chaim (Chametz U’matzah 92) discusses the heat source which is used to heat water for hag’alah. The author rules that water from the Tiberian Hot Springs may not be used for hag’alah. (The Tiberian Springs are naturally occurring geothermal springs available for bathing to this day. They maintain a constant temperature of 60° C. The source of their heat is obviously not fire. The Sages used the Tiberian Springs as the archetype for all such springs.) The logic of this ruling is that if a utensil absorbed flavor

in water that was heated by fire, the hag’alah must be done in the same fashion. It would seem that this is an additional ramification of our Sages’ principle kebol’o kach polto. Orchot Chaim adds, however, that if a utensil absorbed nonkosher flavor or chametz from water heated in the Tiberian Springs (or any natural hot spring), then it may be kashered in the same fashion since the rule of kebol’o kach polto applies. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 452:5) cites the ruling of Orchot Chaim. Contemporary poskim debate the status of modern heat sources to heat water for hag’alah.

Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (Shevut Yitzchak 6:9) and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (ibid.) agree that electric coils that become red hot may be used to heat water for kashering a utensil used with fire-heated liquid.

The logic is that the hot electric coil is equivalent to actual fire.

However, an electric element that creates heat without becoming hot and red should not be used to kasher such utensils (see Halichot

Shlomo, Nissan 3:3).

Authorities also debate whether water that was heated by the sun or microwaves can be used for hag’alah. Rav Moshe Feinstein seems to be lenient on this issue based on various sources (see Rav Shimon Eider, Sefer Hilchot Pesach p.

156). Many later poskim disagree and rule that utensils heated with water from fire should not be kashered with microwave-heated or solar-heated water (see Ohel Yaakov, 452:5 footnote 27). It should be noted that this discussion is only regarding utensils that were heated with actual fire; however, utensils used with solar heat or in a microwave can surely be kashered in the same fashion, based on kebol’o kach polto.

CLEANING THE UTENSIL One of the verses pertaining to kashering with hag’alah is from Sefer Bamidbar (31:22): ‫ת־ַהָּכָ ֶ​ֶסף � ֽ​ֶֽאת־‬ ַ ֶ‫ת־ַהָּזָ ָ​ָהב ְוְ ֶא‬ ַ ֶ‫ַ​ַאְך ֶא‬ ‫ת־ַה ְ​ְּב ִ​ִדיל‬ ַ ‫ת־ַה ַ​ַּב ְ​ְרֶזֶ ל � ֽ​ֶֽא‬ ַ ֶ‫ַ​ַהְּנְ ֹח ֶֶֹׁשת ֶא‬ ‫ת־ָהֹע � ָֹֽֽפֶרֶ ת‬ ָ ֶ‫ְוְ ֶא‬

Only the gold and silver, copper, iron, tin, and lead…

Our Sages (Sifre Zuta) learn from this verse that the material must be without any foreign substances on the surface of the utensil (“only the gold” meaning the kashering will only suffice for the gold of the utensil and not for foreign matter.) Based on this, early authorities (Rosh, Pesachim 2:7) rule that before hag’alah, the utensil be cleansed of any foreign matter, such as dirt, food residue, and rust. If the rust is merely a minor discoloration that has no substance, hag’alah may be done on the utensil as is (Mishnah Berurah 451:22).

Our Sages were concerned that nonkosher food may still remain in the utensil under the rust.

Accordingly, rust that is found only on the outer part of the utensil should be of no consequence.

Some authorities recommend removing the handles of pots and cleaning the area where they are attached before kashering (see 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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Kovetz Beit Halevi 1:34).

However it is clear from Shulchan Aruch Harav (451:15) and Mishnah Berurah (451:43) that there is no need to do so, since the concern of nonkosher residue under rust is only where food normally is used, i.e. the inner part of the utensil.

However, visible food residues must always be removed.

Narrow areas of utensils need to be cleaned as well. In a case where cleaning cannot be done, hag’alah is ineffective. In such a case a competent halachic authority should be consulted on how to proceed.

performing hag’alah (Rema 451:4).

Regarding cooking devices with fans and other mechanical parts, there is a concern that even libun kal won’t be effective. This is due to the fact that certain areas cannot be reached, and one might not clean or kasher properly due to concern about ruining the device (see Mishnah Berurah 452:31). After reviewing sous-vide machines, for example, the OU poskim concluded that they should not be kashered, since the heating mechanism has a fan and narrow areas that are difficult to kasher. The same is true regarding industrial deep-fryers.

CREVICES AND NARROW SPACES If a utensil has crevices, such as in between the handle of a knife and the blade, the crevices must also be cleaned from foreign matter before kashering through hag’alah (see Shulchan Aruch OC 451:3). If the crevice cannot be cleaned, libun kal must be done on the area of the crevice before 46

OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

HANDLES The Mordechai (Avodah Zarah 577) and Terumat Hadeshen (132) write that handles of utensil also require kashering, and must be immersed in the hot water. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 451:12) and Rema (ibid) concur that handles require kashering.

The Taz (OC 451:17) and Mishnah Berurah (451:68) explain that this ruling is according to all opinions, even those who are lenient regarding partial or spot kashering, since quite often there are spills of hot food on the handles. Because of this likely possibility, the handles also require kashering.

KASHERING IN STAGES The Shulchan Aruch (YD 121:6) rules that even if only part of the utensil was used, hag’alah must be done on the entire utensil; the Rema (ibid) disagrees with the Shulchan Aruch.

Later authorities discuss the issue at length. The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 121:24; see also Darchei Teshuvah 121:77) rules that ideally, the stringent opinion should be followed, i.e., no matter how much of a utensil was used, hag’alah must be done on the entire utensil.

In a case where hag’alah cannot be done in one shot, kashering may be done in stages. For

example, if a pan or pot cover is too large to submerge completely, halachah permits immersing one side in the boiling water followed by immediately immersing the other side (Shulchan Aruch OC 451:11; see also Shulchan Aruch Harav 452:17). It should be noted that this is not true when performing the mitzvah of tevilat keilim (immersing new utensils in the mikveh).

Immersing new utensils in the mikveh in stages does not fulfill the mitzvah under any circumstances.

THE “HAG’ALAH POT” A large pot should be used for hag’alah. When kashering to remove a non-kosher flavor, a kosher eino ben yomo pot (which has not been used for twenty-four hours) for preparing the boiling water (see Rema OC 452:2). When kashering to convert a utensil from milk to meat use (or when a mix up between milk and meat has occurred) the

pot should preferably be of the type of the utensil being kashered, i.e., a dairy pot for kashering a dairy utensil and vice versa. However, if any minor difficulty arises (such as availability) an eino ben yomo milk pot can be used to kasher a meat pot, and vice versa.

BOILING WATER Pure water should be used for hag’alah. The water should come to a boil and remain so throughout the kashering process.

If after numerous immersions the water has stopped boiling, one should wait for it to reboil before continuing.

If the water had not yet come to a boil when the utensils were immersed, the kashering must be repeated (Mishnah Berurah 452:8). In a case where hag’alah was done in water that had stopped boiling, the process must be repeated.

THE UTENSILS Utensils must be clean before hag’alah. In order to facilitate immersing cutlery and other small items in the boiling water, a metal strainer basket may be used. One should take care that the utensils are not piled densely in the basket, since that might prevent the water from reaching all surfaces. If utensils are too long or too wide to fit into the hag’alah pot, kashering may be done in stages, as explained above (see Tur YD 121).

HAG’ALAH PROCEDURE Once the water has boiled, one should submerge the utensil so that its entire surface comes in contact with the water. When performing hag’alah on a cup or small pot, one should take care that the water completely fills it. That is, one must ensure that any air in the utensil has bubbled to the surface before removing the utensil 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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from the water. Utensils should not be left in the boiling water too long, so as not reabsorb the flavor. While poskim offer various time limits (see Pitchei Halachah, appendix 29), it is common practice to leave the utensil in the water for only 3-4 seconds. (See Sha’ar Hatziyun 452:4.) There is no concern if the utensils stay slightly longer in the boiling water (see Taz 452:2 and Levush 452:2).

After removing the

utensil, it is customary to immediately rinse or immerse it in cold water (Shulchan Aruch 452:7).

Since rinsing in cold water is only a custom, if this was not done, it does not invalidate the kashering (Mishnah Berurah 452:34).

KASHERING A LARGE POT When kashering a large pot, the same procedure applies. An even larger

hag’alah pot is needed so that the pot being kashered can fit inside.

In most homes, it is hard to find such a large pot. Alternatively, one may completely fill the pot being kashered and allow the boiling water to overflow over the sides.

This method is valid for hag’alah (see Shulchan Aruch 452:6). The same process can be done to the “hag’alah pot” used to kasher utensils, in order to subsequently use it for Pesach.

SUMMARY: HOW TO PERFORM HAG’ALAH • Hag’alah is the process of kashering with hot water and can be done at home.

• A utensil that requires kashering through libun may not be kashered through hag’alah.

• All utensils should be eino ben yomo before performing hag’alah.

• Crevices must be cleaned before performing hag’alah. If this is not possible, libun kal must be done on those areas.

• Utensils that absorbed non-kosher flavor or chametz from liquid that was cooked using a microwave or solar heat may be kashered by hag’alah with water heated in the same fashion.

• The policy of the OU is not to kasher sous-vides.

• Utensils that absorbed non-kosher flavor from liquids cooked on a flame may not be kashered with hag’alah from water heated by solar heat or a microwave. However, electric coils that become red hot may be used to heat the water.

• Hag’alah may be done in stages, such as when utensils are large and cannot be entirely submerged in one immersion.

• All utensils need to be cleaned before kashering with hag’alah. This includes dirt, food residue, and rust.

48

• Rust in the form of minor discoloration as well as rust found on the outer part of the utensil need not be removed before hag’alah.

OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

• The entire utensil requires hag’alah, even in a case where only a part of the utensil was used.

• The handles of utensils also require hag’alah.

• The hag’alah pot should be an eino ben yomo (not used for 24 hours).

PLEASE NOTE! Since hag’alah involves very hot water, it is imperative to ensure the safety of everyone engaged in the process, and any children who may be on the premises. Precautions are essential!

• The pot should preferably be of the same type as the utensil being kashered, i.e., a milk pot for a milk utensil, etc.

• The water should maintain a continuous boil.

Breaks should be taken to allow the water to re-boil if necessary.

• The utensils being kashered need to come in complete contact with the boiling water, including their inner surfaces.

• The utensils should be removed from the boiling water after a short immersion of a few seconds.

It is customary to then rinse or immerse them in cold water to prevent re-absorption of flavors.

• Large utensils can be kashered in stages. For a large pot, an alternative is to fill it with water to maximum capacity, causing the water to boil over and come in contact with the whole pot.

UTENSILS MADE FROM THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS MAY BE KASHERED: • All metals including silver, iron, copper, tin and lead. Aluminum can also be kashered.

• Wood and stone utensils can be kashered.

UTENSILS MADE FROM THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS CANNOT BE KASHERED: • Ceramics: this includes bricks, china dishware, coffee mugs and enamel.

• Glass: All types including Corningware, Corelle, fiberglass, porcelain, enamel and Pyrex.

Regarding Plastic, poskim disagree as to whether it is possible to kasher plastic and other synthetic materials (see Igrot Moshe OC 2:92, 3:58) this includes Teflon, synthetic rubber and Formica. A Rabbi should be consulted on a case by case basis.

5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

SHECHITAH IN ISRAEL s

By Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski

T

he world of kashrut is complex. Kashrut issues come up in the production process of nearly every food we put into our mouths. Many of these issues stem from Rabbinical ordinances, while some are Biblical in origin. In regard to kashrut, the Rabbinic enactments themselves frequently stem from concerns related to Biblical kosher laws.

The laws of shechitah, however, represent an

area of kashrut which is mostly Biblical. It is no wonder that so many people are so particular in this area of halachah.

What are the Biblical laws of shechitah?

The Mishnah at the beginning of Chullin states, “All may slaughter, and their slaughtering is kosher.” While the Gemara questions whether the Mishnah is discussing a scenario of l’chatchila or b’diavad (before the act or post facto), and while the

Gemara does exclude certain individuals from the precept that “all may slaughter,” nonetheless, many scrupulous Jews will only eat meat from animals slaughtered by a specifically defined type of person. Why are they so particular if Chazal seem so lenient?

The next mishnah lists all sorts of sharp items that may be used to slaughter.

The list is relatively long.

Why is it, then, that one of the main parts of kosher supervision 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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in slaughterhouses pertains to the checking of the knives used for slaughtering?

While we cannot discuss a whole tractate of Gemara in a single, brief article, and similarly we cannot explain intricacies that span over seventy simanim in Shulchan Aruch, we can explain the nature and sensitivities of ritual slaughter.

Once upon a time, society was significantly less industrial. Food manufacturing and distribution was much simpler and more local. Generally, one bought baked goods at a local bakery. The local bakery received its raw ingredients from local distributors, who in turn received their original ingredients from local growers. The community was familiar with the stores and sellers in their local markets. The slaughtering industry was no different. People would go to the market and buy a chicken from the chicken seller, walk over to the shochet’s stand, and have the shochet slaughter the 52

OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

chicken. They would take the chicken home, pluck its feathers and kasher it. Similarly, the local butcher would purchase from a local farmer a few animals (cows, lambs etc.) and have them slaughtered by the local shochet. If any questions arose, he would ask the local rabbi. People who lived in more rural settings would often raise their own livestock and slaughter it themselves.

Since shechitah was small-scale and local during the days of the Mishnah and Gemara, Chazal discussed one-off situations and circumstances.

Chazal told us that if one was travelling and chanced upon another religious Jew’s home, where one was offered hospitality, one could assume that the host’s meat was slaughtered in accordance with halachah.

During the days of the Mishnah, because of more limited commerce, people would improvise and create their own tools and utensils.

Often people would

fashion their own knives. Nowadays, in a large-scale commercial shechitah operation, such homemade knives would not be adequate; they would break and become problematic. To make a complex issue simple, many of the types of knives listed in the Mishnah just wouldn’t be practical to use nowadays.

Additionally, as an aside, we have progressed.

That is, we live much more pampered lives than the Jews of Chazal’s day. We are constantly using more advanced technology to improve everything in our lifestyles. It is thus only befitting that we perfect our standards in our performance of mitzvot.

It makes sense that, aside from all the practical halachic concerns arising from modern, industrialized shechitah, we should in any event take advantage of the availability of much more perfect knives.

It is with good reason, then, that people are very particular about having a good kosher certification on shechitah.

Proper hashgachah over the slaughtering process is only the beginning of ensuring that the meat and poultry we consume is kosher. It is Biblically prohibited to consume an animal that had a lifethreatening ailment or injury which was likely to cause its death, had it not been slaughtered.

If an animal is suffering from an injury or from an infection in a lung or other vital organ, this condition would render the animal itself not kosher, even if slaughtered in compliance with halachah. An animal with such ailments or injuries is called a treifah, and these ailments and injuries are referred to as treifot.

The first mishnah in the second chapter of Chullin describes eighteen types of treifot.

In the pursuant Gemara (Chullin 42), Ulla tells us that these eighteen treifot all belong to subsets of eight Biblically defined treifot. Rambam, in the tenth chapter of his Hilchot Shechitah, further divides them into seventy different

treifot. All the treifot are relevant to fowl and mammals respectively.

The Shulchan Aruch (YD 39:1) tells us that one does not need to check for any of the possible treifot, except for treifot of the lungs, because

We are constantly using more advanced technology to improve everything in our lifestyles. It is thus only befitting that we perfect our standards in our performance of mitzvot. they are frequent. The Shach there explains that we do not need to check anything else because the majority of animals are healthy; therefore, halachically we may assume any animal is healthy (with the exception of treifot of the lungs in

mammals). Just as we check lungs because there is a likelihood that treifot are present, we also check for any other specific treifah that might be present (see Rashba, Chullin 9a).

There is some debate regarding how common a specific treifah needs to be in order to make it mandatory to check for it. The Mishkanos Yaakov (Bava Basra, mishnah 6:2) maintains that an occurrence rate of ten percent is enough to require checking.

The Shevet Levi (4:81) explains that it is not so much a matter of an exact percentage, but rather it depends more on it being generally among the more prevalent treifot. Rav Elyashiv is quoted by many as maintaining that a rate of around six to seven percent mandates checking.

In Eretz Yisrael it is common to find treifot in chicken lungs, and in the sinews and tendons of chicken legs as well. In Eretz Yisrael, therefore, it is important to check for these treifot in chickens. The Chief 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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Rabbinate requires that a mashgiach check every chicken’s lungs and legs. In modernday industrial shechitot, over 30,000 chickens can be shechted in a day, such that the manual checking requires a lot of manpower and is quite time-consuming, and therefore quite expensive. The Rabbinate, therefore, requires only an external checking of the legs and a visual checking of the lungs. While this may rule out obvious treifot, it does not necessarily rule out these treifot entirely. To ensure the absence of treifot, many of the mehadrin kashrut organizations (badatzim) in Israel check every leg by making an incision in it and pulling out the sinews and tendons to examine them. This approach is obviously superior, although much more labor intensive than the system of the Rabbinate.

OU Kosher relies on the badatz-style system; however, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky ztz”l felt it was not perfect. Rabbi Belsky explained: if there is a 54

OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 5784

sufficiently significant percentage of treifot, we are required to check all the legs and lungs.

Once we are required to check, we must be certain everything that needs to be checked is

With modern-day industrial shechitot, melichah (salting) has also become industrialized.

We no longer see the proverbial Jewish mother meticulously kashering her own few chickens or cut of meat.

checked. In an industrial setting where tens of thousands of chickens are being slaughtered, it is nearly impossible not to inadvertently miss a few here and there.

We check leafy vegetables out of concern for bug infestation.

Nonetheless, there is no such thing as having every last leaf checked for bugs. Instead, we sample check every batch for infestation, and if a representative sample is found to be clean, we are permitted to assume that the whole batch is bug-free. In halachah, this is called creating a chazakah.

Based on this concept, thorough checking of a significant sample for treifot in the sinews and tendons is an acceptable way of establishing a chezkat kashrut for a given flock of chickens, i.e., a chazakah that this a healthy flock, free of treifot.

The issue with such a method is what to do if no chezkat kashrut can be established—that is, if a flock is indeed found to have a problematic percentage of treifot.

This is one of the biggest problems with lower standard shechitot.

On the other hand, this system presents a problem for the badatz shechitot as well. Most badatzim represent particular communities.

Additionally, most

badatzim have many caterers, restaurants and halls under their supervision. All the above will only use the shechitah of their certifying organization.

Therefore, even if a given flock has problematic percentages of treifot, they will still need to shecht chickens for their constituents and venues.

They are therefore forced into checking every chicken leg and fully evaluating every lung.

OU Kosher does not have this problem. We do not need to have any certain amount of chickens for our constituency or our venues. If there are not enough OU chickens available, our consumers can buy from some of the other high-end hechsherim. Therefore we sample-check the first few hundred of every flock. If we find even a very low percentage (two percent or more) we simply will not certify the flock. In certain instances, we might continue to shecht and certify those chickens that are found to be kosher, provided that

the slaughterhouse is equipped for us to check each chicken leg very methodically.

With modern-day industrial shechitot, melichah (salting) has also become industrialized. We no longer see the proverbial Jewish mother meticulously kashering her own few chickens or cut of meat.

Now the kashering of meat is done in the slaughterhouse en masse. There are both benefits and hurdles that come with this industrialization of kashering. The Pri Megadim (Yoreh Deah 69, Mishbetzos Zahav 15) quotes Beit Lechem Yehudah, who says one should ideally split the back of the chicken down the middle in order to access and clean out any remnants of internal organs (i.e. heart, liver and lungs).

The Pri Megadim also explains that by opening the chicken this way, one can better remove the chicken’s kidneys, which ideally should be removed, because they might otherwise not be

salted from all sides.

When one manually pulls out of the chicken’s inner cavity the heart, liver and lungs, one may partially pull out other inner organs such as the kidneys. If the kidneys get partially detached, they are viewed as a separate entity from the rest of the chicken, thus requiring them to be kashered separately. The Pri Megadim therefore recommends removing them entirely. In our modern, industrial shechitah and kashering, the hearts, livers, and lungs are removed by an automatic machine with precision. The chicken is vacuumed, sectioned, and power-hosed inside and out. The kidneys are fully intact and flush with the inner walls of the chicken, so that there is no concern about treating them as a separate entity. Likewise, the cavity is so clean that there isn’t any concern of parts of the lungs, heart or liver being left inside.

Many badatzim still split open the chicken and remove the kidneys.

Rabbi Belsky, however, would often point out that this creates 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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an unnecessary hurdle.

When the chicken is split open, there will inevitably be a pocket between the skin and the flesh of the chicken. Just like all parts of the chicken, these open pockets must be properly salted. This is an arduous task, and supervising it is extremely cumbersome.

Rabbi Belsky felt that the most ideal approach was to leave the chicken’s back closed and avoid creating these pockets. In the event that we work with another hashgachah that insists on opening the chicken, OU Kosher will insist on extra hashgachah to ensure that every nook and cranny is properly salted and kashered.

In shechitah, as in all areas of kashrut, nothing can compare with experience and the savvy it engenders.

The OU has a prodigious amount of experience in shechitah and brings it to bear in its attention to every detail involved in the production of kosher meat for today’s market.

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INSECTS AND VEGETABLES: THE BASIC FACTS s

By Rabbi Dovid Bistricer

U

ntil relatively recently, insect infestation in vegetables was not regarded as a serious concern in the United States. This was largely due to certain pesticides that were in use for several decades.

However, times have changed. Though effective in eliminating infestation, these insecticides have been banned, after authorities concluded that they present health risks to

humans. Unfortunately, the safer alternatives for deterring infestation are simply less effective and reliable.

According to environmentalists, global warming is another contributing factor to the increased levels of insect infestation we are seeing today. The purpose of this article is to separate fact from myth and provide some guidance about the kashrut of vegetables.

There are several myths associated with insects and vegetables. One popular misconception is that farmers and food companies are concerned about insects and take proper precautionary measures to ensure that their crops are bug-free. This assumption may seem reasonable, but it has proven to be untrue. The FDA tolerance levels of insect infestation in produce are far more permissive than proper 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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halachic standards.

For example, the US government allows averages of up to 60 insects per 100 grams in frozen broccoli, and up to 50 insects per 100 grams of frozen spinach (Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act 402 (a)(3)).

Another widespread myth is that frozen vegetables are not subject to insect infestation. Some contend that freezing removes moisture from insects and thus eliminates them through disintegration.

However, research and experience have proven this untrue. The freezing process simply kills insects found in the vegetable, while preserving them whole.

It is true, however, that vegetables that might be infested may be processed in a way that indirectly addresses the problem. This is true of pureed vegetables and dehydrated herbs, where any insects would indeed be eliminated through disintegration (since the halachic prohibition against consuming insects applies only to whole insects).

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There is a very popular and mistaken assumption that a highly advanced washing system will remove insects from vegetables.

Although it is true that many companies have such washing systems, the assumption that it removes all insects is untrue. The effectiveness

The FDA tolerance levels of insect infestation in produce are far more permissive than proper halachic standards. of a washing system will depend upon the level of infestation prior to washing. Moreover, vegetables with folds and crevices, which are also more likely to suffer from infestation, are very difficult to clean.

This is because there are so many recesses where insects can hide and become trapped. For example, when insects become embedded in

broccoli florets, it is nearly impossible to clean them sufficiently.

Israeli certifications, even though they use special techniques for growing or producing bug free produce, stipulate that these products require washing, and sometimes brief soaking in a special solution, before consumption.

Certifications specifically outline that they might allow a minimal number or bugs, based on the fact that they will fall off in a wash.

As such it is important to mention that even bug-free vegetables in Israel require a wash and should not be eaten straight from the bag.

According to Jewish law, vegetables that consistently contain insects require checking prior to use.

“Consistently” is usually assumed to be a 10% probability or higher.

The general rule of thumb is that if it is not surprising to find an insect in a certain type of food, it must be thoroughly checked beforehand.

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Checking vegetables properly for bugs requires sensitivity to detail. Insects could hide in hard-to-see places, and may also be very small. A miniscule insect, however, is prohibited only if it is recognizable to the naked eye. By 1674 the powerful microscopes of A. van Leeuwenhoek were able to detect tiny phenomena, too small to be discerned by the naked eye, and crude microscopes date to the mid-15th century.

However, the Torah was given at Har Sinai

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many centuries prior to these inventions.

Chazal in their great wisdom declared, “Lo nitnah Torah lemelachei hasharet—The Torah was not given to angels” (Berachot 25b). The position of most halachic authorities is that Torah observant, God fearing Jews should be capable of identifying insects without extraordinary means— assuming they have normal vision or are wearing their corrective lenses if needed. Any creature that is too small to be recognized under these

normal conditions has no halachic significance as far as the prohibition of insects is concerned.

Vegetables that consistently contain insects, as defined above, must be checked before use. If these vegetables are sold with a hechsher, a rav must be consulted to assess whether the hechsher is acceptable. The OU has published a vegetable guide to provide practical guidance on how to check vegetables.

Resources like this have proven to be very helpful to the public.

Thrip

Aphid Worm

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INSPECTION CHART 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE 6161

Fruit and Vegetabl

This is only a brief summary to serve as a quick refere Fresh Vegetables

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

ARTICHOKE

Aphids and thrips

Deep between the leaves

ASPARAGUS

Thrips

Under triangle parts along the stem and in the tips

BEANS

Worms, when stored prolonged or improperly

Can be in the middle of the bean

BROCCOLI

Aphids, thrips or broccoli worm; may appear brownish after parboiling

Lodged in inthe thefloret floret Lodged head,or oratatthe thebase base head, of area connecting of area connecting the floret to the stem the floret to the stem

CABBAGE

Thrips or cabbageworms

Most often in the outermost six leaves

* Aphids – size of a pin head, light-green, round insects; Thrips – size of a “1” in a dolla ** When checking leafy vegetables or herbs, both sides of each leaf must be checked.

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le Inspection Chart

ence guide. Please do not rely on this summary alone.

Method of Inspection** Artichoke leaves: Examine one by one.

Heart of the artichoke: Spread apart the artichoke leaves; carefully examine around and between the leaves. If no sign of insect infestation, wash thoroughly. Due to the difficulty involved in checking, they are not allowed in OU restaurants.

Solid artichoke bottom: No inspection. Rinse prior to using.

Green asparagus: Shave down the tips; remove the triangle parts along the stem and in the tips.

White asparagus: Wash thoroughly before using.

Soak for approximately 1/2 hour; remove wormy beans that float to top of water.

Fresh broccoli, stems: Wash thoroughly.

Fresh broccoli, whole: Parboil for no more than 1 minute. Segregate each head individually. Look carefully at the branched area of each floret, in the crevice formed by two branches forking out from a single trunk like a Y; spread apart each floret head and look through the florets, into the branch area; if 1 or 2 insects are found, continue examining the remaining sections of head; if 3 insects are found, the entire head should be discarded.

Green cabbage: Detach loose leaves; discard; core the cabbage and split head in half. Peel 3 layers; carefully check these 6 leaves under direct light; check both sides. If 1-2 insects are found, check an additional layer. If last three consecutive layers were clean and the remaining leaves are tightly packed together, the remaining leaves of the head may be used without further checking, but should be washed well before use.

ar bill serial number; linear, black or grayish insects.

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Fresh Vegetables

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

Thrips or cabbageworms

Most often in the outermost six leaves

CAULIFLOWER

Thrips or small orange insects

Inside or between small thin white branches

CELERY

Thrips, flies or worms

On inside and outside of stalk, especially close to base or on leaves

ENDIVES

Thrips

On leaf

HERBS

Aphids or thrips

On surface of leaves or stem

ICEBERG LETTUCE

Aphids or thrips

In the folds and crevices of the first four layers

MUSHROOMS

Small white or red worms

Imbedded in under part or in inner sections of mushroom

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t

Method of Inspection** If 3 or more insects are found, the remaining leaves must be washed and checked before use.

Red cabbage: Same as green cabbage.

Separate and remove florets from stem.

Examine the under part of the floret; wash thoroughly.

Remove all leaves; hold celery firmly under strong stream of water; brush down both inside and outside of stalk with finger or a vegetable brush; if a worm burrow is spotted, slit open celery stalk, remove worm, and wash thoroughly. Leaves must be washed with soapy solution.

Remove leaves and wash, no visual inspection needed.

Soak in cold water; add several drops of concentrated, non-scented liquid detergent or vegetable wash; agitate herbs in the water, removing all foreign matter and soap from leaf surface; alternatively, a vegetable brush may be used on both sides of leaf. Check each leaf on both sides under direct light. If one or two insects are found, rewash the herbs.

Detach loose leaves; discard; core lettuce; split head in half; peel 4 layers off the head; carefully check these leaves by holding the leaf under direct light; check both sides of each leaf. If 1-2 insects are found, check an additional layer.

If last three consecutive layers were clean and the remaining leaves are tightly packed together, the remaining leaves of the head may be used without further checking, but should be washed well before use. If 3 or more insects are found, the remaining leaves must be washed and checked before use.

Shiitake and Button: wash thoroughly.

Oyster: Break apart in several places, especially the base, examine inner sections. If insects are found, discard mushroom.

Portobello: remove stem, examine detached cap. Remove entire brown fan-like under-part. Wash thoroughly.

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Fresh Vegetables

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

OPEN LEAF LETTUCE (e.g., green/red leaf, Boston, chicory, bok choy, romaine, etc.)

Aphids or thrips

Found even in the inner leaves due to its open growth

ONION

Thrips

Tips or outer layers

SCALLION

Light-green or brown thrips

Mostly in inupper upper area of b Mostly also of between branches a area bulb, also occasionally on outside between branches and and inside of shoots occasionally on outside and inside of shoots

SPINACH & ARUGULA

Thrips or worms

In curls and inside of leaf

Frozen Vegetables

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

ASPARAGUS

Thrips

See “Fresh”

BROCCOLI (spears or florets only)

Aphids, thrips, or worms

Lodged in the floret head, or at base of area connecting the floret

CAULIFLOWER

Thrips

See “Fresh”

* Aphids – size of a pin head, light-green, round insects; Thrips – size of a “1” in a dolla ** When checking leafy vegetables or herbs, both sides of each leaf must be checked.

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Method of Inspection** Cut off lettuce base; soak lettuce in cold water with several drops of concentrated, non-scented liquid detergent or vegetable wash; agitate leaves using a strong stream of water to remove all foreign matter and soap from leaf surface or use a vegetable brush on both sides of the leaf; check leaves under direct light.

Cut off onion tips; peel off inedible and loose layers of skin; wash thoroughly

bulb, Cut scallion root from top to bottom of bulb; examine between and thin layers where they merge from the bulb.

Soak in cold water; add several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent or vegetable wash; agitate leaves in water to wash their surface; use a strong stream of water to remove all foreign matter and soap from surface of the leaf; check leaves under direct light.

Method of Inspection** Not recommended.

Allow to thaw completely; look carefully at branched area of each floret, in the crevice formed by two branches forking out from a single trunk like a Y; inspect inside the floret from the top into the branch area. If 3 insects are found, the entire package should be discarded. Frozen broccoli is difficult to check; it is therefore best to avoid uncertified product.

Same as fresh.

ar bill serial number; linear, black or grayish insects.

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Canned Vegetables

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Aphids or thrips

Deep between leaves

ASPARAGUS

Thrips

See under “Fresh Vegetable”

Fresh Berries

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

BLACKBERRIES

Thrips

On surface of berry, nestled in crevices

BLUEBERRIES

White maggots

Cultivated: Generally insect-free Wild: On surface or in center of berry

RASPBERRIES

Thrips

On surface of berry or in open cavity

STRAWBERRIES

Aphids or thrips

Under green leaf or on surface

Dried Fruit

Type of Insect*

Location of Insect

DATES

Worms

Inside of date

FIGS

Wasps or worms

Inside of fig

Dehydrated Herbs

* Aphids – size of a pin head, light-green, round insects; Thrips – size of a “1” in a dolla ** When checking leafy vegetables or herbs, both sides of each leaf must be checked.

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Method of Inspection**

Avoid completely.

Avoid completely.

Method of Inspection** Drop pint of berries onto white cloth or light box, then inspect one by one. If insects are found, do not use pint of berries.

Due to the difficulty involved in checking, they are not allowed in OU restaurants.

Cultivated: place in a strainer or colander and wash thoroughly under running water.

Wild: Cut open and carefully examine on white cloth after washing.

Gently drop raspberries onto a white cloth or light box to dislodge the insects, then inspect one by one. If insects are found, do not use pint of berries. Due to the difficulty involved in checking, they are not allowed in OU restaurants.

Remove tops. Carefully rotate and inspect each berry. Place in soapy solution. Agitate each berry and soak for several minutes. Wash each berry thoroughly under powerful spray of running water.

Method of Inspection** Slice lengthwise and examine.

No checking necessary when using pitted dates.

Cut fig horizontally and split in half; check for obvious signs of insect damage or dark colored worms.

All dehydrated herbs may be used without checking.

ar bill serial number; linear, black or grayish insects.

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ENJOYING THE MILK OF ERETZ YISRAEL s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

T

he Torah describes our land as, “eretz zavat chalav udvash”) Shemot 3:8), a land of milk and honey.

Most commentators understand that the Torah is referring to goat milk and date honey, (see Mechilta D’Rashbi 13:5). While the dairy industry in Israel is very accommodating to kashrut standards, various concerns remain regarding the kashrut of milk.

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CHALAV NOCHRI / MILK PRODUCED BY NON-JEWS Our Sages decreed that milk that was produced by a nonJew is prohibited out of concern that the non-Jew might mix in non-kosher milk. The Mishnah (Avodah Zara 2:6) explains that the only acceptable way for a non-Jew to produce milk for Jews is if a Jew was supervising the milking process,

or if a Jew was in close enough proximity that the non-Jew would be caught if he added nonkosher milk. According to halachah, even if the non-Jew was milking for a Jew and was aware of the prohibition of drinking non-kosher milk, the decree stands and the milk is prohibited (see Beit Yosef YD 115).

There is a debate among later authorities regarding the basis of

this decree. Does the decree apply if one is absolutely certain that no other milk was added? According to the Ridbaz (Responsa 4:75), there was no general decree. Rather, if there is suspicion that non-kosher milk was mixed in, the milk is prohibited. Thus, in a specific farm where there are no non-kosher animals, the milk is permitted. The Pri Chadash (YD 115:6) is even more lenient, ruling that in a city where nonkosher milk is expensive or rarely consumed, all milk produced by nonJews is permitted, based on the extremely low probability of other milk being mixed in.

Most poskim over the last two hundred years have completely rejected these opinions (Darchei Teshuva YD 115:6, Zivchei Tzedek YD 115:12). The consensus is that our Sages made a decree across the board, and that all milk that does not have some type of Jewish supervision is prohibited (see Aruch Hashulchan YD 115:5-6).

CHALAV STAM / “STAM” MILK Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote a number of significant responsa regarding milk under government regulation (Igrot Moshe YD 1:4749). He maintained that the strict government prohibition on mixing any unauthorized ingredients into milk and the severe fines if one were caught is enough to ensure that the milk is not chalav nochri.

Rav Moshe explains that in many areas of halachah, if one has an undoubtable proof of a certain scenario, it applies in all areas of that halachah. According to this perspective, there is no intrinsic need for a Jew to see the milking process, but only the requirement that the non-Jew would be fearful to add non-kosher milk.

In short, Rav Moshe argues that tightly monitored inspection is equivalent to Jewish supervision. Over the years, governmentregulated milk has been termed “chalav stam”, or “factory milk.”

Aside from those poskim who disagree with Rav Moshe’s ruling (Chelkat Yaakov 2:37, Minchat Yitzchak 2:21), there has been much subsequent discussion regarding what Rav Moshe practiced himself.

Rav Moshe writes in his numerous responsa (Igrot Moshe ibid and YD 4:5) on this subject that a “pious person” should be strict, despite the clear logic of his lenient ruling. Moreover, in other rulings, he states that institutions should try to serve students only chalav yisrael (ibid 2:35). On the other hand, students of Rav Moshe have been quoted as saying that Rav Moshe was himself lenient in many cases, and many of his great students drink chalav stam without concern, maintaining that Rav Moshe saw his ruling as completely correct even ideally (l’chatchila) . The OU, based on the rulings of Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Eliyahu Henkin and others, certifies chalav stam. It should be mentioned that based on research done by OU 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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rabbinical coordinators, it is clear that the standards of regulation and inspection over milk production have improved immensely in the last few decades.

(However not all countries have such strict supervision.

When purchasing milk products from other countries, a competent kashrut professional should be consulted.)

The Chazon Ish (YD 41:4) explicitly held a position similar to Rav Moshe. However, certain students of the Chazon Ish claimed otherwise (see Teshuvot Vehanhagot 1:421).

There are many halachic authorities who rule that there is still a firm halachic obligation or at the least an added stringency to only drink chalav yisrael products (see Pesakim Uteshuvot YD 115:5).

POWDERED MILK Powdered milk, a common ingredient in many chocolates and sweets, is essential in the food industry due to its long shelf life and may be easily transported. It 72

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is produced by a spraydrying process, in which the milk is dried into a solid powder using hot gas.

Halachic authorities discuss the status of milk powder in light of the prohibition of non-Jewish milk. If the milking process was carried out by a Jew or with Jewish supervision, it is considered chalav yisrael. What about powdered milk produced from chalav stam or even chalav nochri? Those authorities who follow the ruling of Rav Moshe Feinstein generally permit milk powder that was produced from regular milk in a place where there is strict government supervision over the milk industry.

An even greater leniency was put forth by the former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (18731960). Although he did not agree with Rav Moshe’s position regarding chalav stam, Rav Frank, in his responsa Har Tzvi (YD 103-4), permitted milk powder produced from non-Jewish milk. He

based his position on a number of arguments, one of them being that since the milk has been transformed from liquid to solid, it is not included in the decree of chalav nochri as instituted by our Sages.

While there are many authorities who disagree with Rav Frank’s ruling, his position has been adopted by the Chief Rabbinate to allow the import of non-Jewish milk powder in nonmehadrin products.

It is important to note that this discussion relates only to the milk itself. Since the spraydrying process uses complex and expensive equipment, it is common for this machinery to be shared by more than one factory or used in the production of other, possibly non-kosher products. Therefore, according to all opinions, the process of turning the milk into powder requires reliable kashrut supervision.

MODERN-DAY MILK PRODUCTION IN ISRAEL In Israel, milk is produced almost entirely

by Jewish companies.

All commercial milk is under kashrut supervision. When the milking is done by Jews, strict supervision is not required. When the milking is carried out by non-Jews, mashgichim spot check and monitor milking using remote surveillance in order to insure that everything is chalav yisrael.

A complex issue regarding milk production in Israel is that of cows milked on Shabbat. By law, all milk produced in the country must be purchased by the Israeli dairy cooperatives (e.g.

Tnuva, Tara). In many farms, systems have been

put in place to ensure that milk is collected in the appropriate fashion.

However, it is not uncommon for certain milk farmers to milk the cows in a prohibited fashion on Shabbat and then sell the milk to dairy companies.

According to an important minority opinion (Ktav Sofer OC 20), if a Jew intentionally violates Shabbat, others may not derive benefit from the violation.

There is much dispute among later authorities regarding milk that was milked on Shabbat.

Consequently, the policy of all the Israeli dairy companies is not

to allow milk that was collected on Shabbat for any mehadrin products. There has been tremendous progress over the years regarding milking on Shabbat, including many technological advancements that have helped avoid this issue.

However, milk that was produced on Shabbat is still quite common, and since it is mixed in with other permissible milk, it is a difficult process to track. OU products produced in Israel and shipped abroad do not contain Shabbatproduced milk. In OU establishments in Israel, Shabbat-produced milk is not allowed, and only

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TERUMOT AND MA’ASROT, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN THE HOLY LAND s

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman *

One of the special mitzvot that pertain only to Eretz Yisrael is the mitzvah of terumot and ma’asrot (tithes).

There are several tithes that must be set aside from all produce grown in the Land of Israel before the remainder may be consumed. By Biblical law, two tithes are set aside and given to a kohen, another to a Levi, another to the poor, and another is to 74

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be eaten by the owners of the fruit within the holy city of Yerushayalim.

Today, in the absence of the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) and consequently, our means of becoming ritually pure, this tithing is done differently, as we shall explain.

The laws of these tithes are complex; in this article we will give a general description of terumot and ma’asrot

and how this mitzvah is performed in the present, pre-geulah period.

Terumot and ma’asrot are taken from agricultural produce including fruits, vegetables and grains that are grown in the areas halachically defined as the Holy Land of Israel.

Produce that has not had terumot and ma’asrot taken is called tevel. Some basic rules regarding these laws are as follows:

1.

Only produce grown in Eretz Yisrael is obligated in terumot and ma’asrot (there are certain exceptions which will be discussed in a different forum).

2.

When performing the mitzvah one must be aware that he/ she is separating the tithes as an actual act of allocating. Taking terumot and ma’asrot is not a prayer or a request, but rather a physical act accompanied by a verbal expression of intent.

3.

The obligation of terumot and ma’asrot applies only to edible produce (see Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Ma’adanei Eretz: Terumot, p.147).

Terumot and ma’asrot are linked to the seven-year cycle which ends in the shemittah, or Sabbatical year. During the first six years of the cycle, three tithes are given: terumah gedolah, terumat ma’aser, and ma’aser rishon. There

is a fourth tithe, which varies according to the year of the cycle. From produce of the first, second, fourth and fifth years, ma’aser sheni is taken; in the third and sixth years, ma’aser ani is taken. From produce of the seventh year, the year of shemittah, no terumot and ma’asrot are taken.

(It is important, however, to know that not all produce that appears on the market during the shemittah year is defined

as shemittah produce, and conversely, some shemittah produce is still on the market after the end of the seventh year, sometimes long after.

For clarification, please consult a competent halachic authority.)

What follows is a brief summary of the laws of terumot and ma’asrot, as applied to the mitzvah in its original form and as applied today, when it is impossible to perform the mitzvah fully.

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SUMMARY OF THE LAWS OF TERUMOT AND MA’ASROT

O TERUMAH GEDOLAH

rginal Form: Terumah gedolah (the great offering) is set aside from all crops that grow throughout the six years receding shemittah. It is the first tithe to be taken from any type of crop. It is to be given as a contribution exclusively to kohanim. It may be eaten only by kohanim and their households, and only while in a state of ritual purity (taharah). One may not destroy terumah or treat it disrespectfully.

Today: A minimal amount of produce is set aside as terumah, but it is not given to a kohen. This is because kohanim today cannot become ritually pure, and as such they may not eat terumah. Instead, produce that has been designated as terumah must be respectfully disposed of.

Some bury it while others double bag it and place it in a garbage can.

O

riginal Form: Ma’aser rishon (first tithe) is a contribution to Levi’im. It may be eaten by any Israelite, even if ritually impure (tameh), with the permission of the Levite who owns the ma’aser rishon.

Ma’aser rishon is set aside from all crops that grow throughout the six years preceding shemittah.

Today: Ten percent of the produce is verbally declared to be ma’aser rishon. If there is a definite obligation of ma’aser rishon (such as when the crop is grown in one’s private yard), this portion is given to a Levite. If there is a doubt whether the produce was previously tithed (as is the case when buying fruits and vegetables at the market), ma’aser rishon need not be given to the Levite, but is merely declared.

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MA’ASER RISHON

O

riginal Form: Terumat ma’aser is the tithe given by the Levi’im to kohanim from the ma’aser rishon they received. The Levite gives a tenth of his ma’aser rishon to a kohen. It may be eaten only by the kohanim and their households, and only in a state of ritual purity. One may not destroy terumat ma’aser or treat it disrespectfully. Terumat ma’aser is set aside from all produce grown throughout the six years preceding shemittah.

Today: One percent of the produce is set aside as terumat ma’aser, but it is not given to a kohen, since kohanim today cannot become ritually pure and therefore may not eat terumat ma’aser. Instead, produce that has been designated as terumat ma’aser must be respectfully disposed of. Some bury it while others double bag it and place it in the garbage.

TERUMAT MA’ASER

O MA’ASER ANI

riginal form: Ma’aser ani (the tithe of the poor) is an additional tithe given to poor people. A tenth of the remaining produce (after all previous tithes have been taken) is given to the poor. It may be eaten by all Israelites, even if impure (tameh), with the permission of the poor person who owns the ma’aser ani. Ma’aser ani is given from produce of the third and sixth years of the shemittah cycle.

Nine percent of the yield is verbally declared ma’aser ani.

If there is a definite obligation of ma’aser ani (such as when the crop is grown in one’s private yard), it is given to the poor. Even if it is uncertain whether the produce was previously tithed (such as when buying fruit and vegetables at the market), ma’aser ani should preferably be given to the poor.

O

riginal Form: Ma’aser sheni (second tithe) is set aside but not given to anyone; rather it is meant to be eaten by the owners of the crop. In Temple times, it was eaten in Jerusalem while in a state of ritual purity. Ma’aser sheni (second tithe) is set aside from produce grown in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years of the shemittah cycle.

MA’ASER SHENI

Today: Nine percent of the yield is verbally declared ma’aser sheni. The sanctity of the ma’aser sheni is then transferred to a coin designated for this purpose. Once this is done, it is permissible to eat the ma’aser sheni. The coin assumes a sacred status.

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TRANSFERRING THE SANCTITY OF MA’ASER SHENI TO A COIN

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ransferring the sanctity of ma’aser sheni produce onto money of equal value would cause significant loss, since the money could then not be used. For this reason, the Sages instituted that the sanctity of ma’aser sheni may be transferred to a coin worth one perutah (currently worth approximately 7 agorot; the smallest American

coin that can be used for this purpose is a nickel). This coin may not be used afterwards.

It is kept until the 14 th of Nissan (or in some opinions, the last day of Chol Hamoed Pesach) of the fourth and seventh year of the shemittah cycle, and then it is destroyed.

If the sanctity has not been transferred to the

coin, the ma’aser sheni produce may not be eaten. It is important to keep track of the number of times one transfers sanctity of ma’aser sheni to the same coin, because the number of transfers is limited to the number of perutot the coin is worth.

HOW TO TAKE

Terumot and Ma’asrot PRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS:

1.

Make sure you have a coin that is worth enough perutot for several chillulim (redemptions).

2.

Set aside a little more than one percent (1%) of each type of fruit or vegetable you are taking terumah and ma’aser from, and proceed as follows:

3.

The custom is to pour a small amount of water on the produce which will be terumah.

This is done in order to make the terumah ritually impure and suitable to be burnt or thrown away. >>>>>>>>>>>>

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THE BERACHAH: If the produce is definitely tevel (you are certain no one separated terumot and ma’aserot from it previously),1 say the following blessing before reciting the full text:

‫ֹלקינּו ֶמלֶ ְך ָהעֹולָ ם ֲאׁשֶר ִק ְּד ָׁשנּו‬ ֵ ‫ָּברּוְך ַא ָּתה ה’ ֱא‬ ‫ּומעַ ְׂשרֹות‬ ַ ‫ְּב ִמצְ ָֹותיו וְ צִ ּוָ נּו לְ ַה ְפ ִריׁש ְּתרּומֹות‬ The full text for setting aside terumot and ma’aserot: What I am about to say applies to each type of produce separately:

The 1% that is on the lower side of the produce I have set aside remains tevel for the time being. The rest of what I have set aside is terumah gedolah for all of the produce.

The 1% I mentioned and another 9% on the upper side of the produce is ma’aser rishon.

The 1% that I previously set aside is terumat ma’aser.

Another 9% on the lower part of the produce is ma’aser sheni, and if the year requires ma’aser ani, it is ma’aser ani.

MA’ASER SHENI: If the produce is definitely subject to ma’aser sheni and is undoubtedly tevel, recite the following blessing before redeeming the produce on a coin:

‫ֹלקינּו ֶמלֶ ְך ָהעֹולָ ם ֲאׁשֶר ִק ְּד ָׁשנּו‬ ֵ ‫ָּברּוְך ַא ָּתה ה’ ֱא‬ ‫ְּב ִמצְ ָֹותיו וְ צִ ּוָ נּו לִ ְפּדֹות ַמעֲ ֵׁשר ֵׁשנִ י‬

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What I have designated as ma’aser sheni, plus a quarter of its value, is now redeemed by transferring its sanctity to a perutah-and-a-quarter’s worth of my designated coin. This redemption applies to each type of produce in accordance to its level of obligation.

If I have fruit of neta revay (from a tree’s fourth year), the fruit plus a quarter of its value is now redeemed by transferring its sanctity to a perutah-and-a-quarter’s worth of my designated coin. This redemption applies to each type of produce in accordance to its level of obligation.

TO DISPOSE OF THE TERUMAH: Double bag the “1% plus” that you separated and place it respectfully in the trash.

This applies mainly when the produce is taken straight from the field or from one’s own garden. Produce sold on the market has often been tithed at some point before it reaches the market.

1

* Thank you to Rabbi Moshe Bloom for his contribution to this article.

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OU KOSHER: MYTH AND FACT s

Rabbi David Bistricer, Chief Rabbinic Coordinator for Israel, and Rabbi Ezra Friedman, Deputy Rabbinic Administrator for OU Kosher Israel, address some myths and facts about OU in Israel and around the world.

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here is no shortage of kosher symbols today, and consumers face the challenge of properly assessing which ones we can feel comfortable relying on. Often, however, when making this very important determination, we make certain assumptions which may or

may not be based on fact. Our goal here is to highlight some of the more commonly accepted myths, while also providing some additional perspective on these popular notions.

This article will focus specifically on the much-discussed topic of “smaller” vs. “larger” kashrut organizations.

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MYTH

The sheer size and scope of OU Kosher, spread throughout more than 100 countries, makes it impossible to maintain a unified standard while supervising so many products.

FACT

(Rabbi Friedman): It is true that the quantity of products and facilities under the supervision of OU Kosher is tremendous. And it is precisely OU Kosher’s large size, along with its vast experience, that enables it to keep a sharp eye on all those products and facilities. The OU has implemented comprehensive systems to maintain its standards and oversight to the minutest detail.

We have close to a thousand employees worldwide, including rabbinic coordinators, field representatives, administrative staff, and more. The hierarchy of the OU is built in such a fashion that there is always a senior representative in direct 82

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contact with rabbinic field representatives and mashgichim, wherever they are. In all areas of the world, we have senior mashgichim reviewing plants to maintain our standards consistently. Senior rabbis are constantly visiting their respective countries and areas of expertise (such as the milk department, ingredient review, oil production, etc.) in order to oversee and advise our rabbinic field representatives.

Our advanced kosher management system, OU Direct, is an amazing tool that helps OU Kosher run efficiently.

Through this system, our mashgichim can issue detailed reports and add ingredients to be evaluated, while at the same time rabbinic staff can review reports, request additional visits, and converse with the company regarding standards and regulations. To guarantee our standards, all information, certifications, and reports go through the OU Direct computer system. This central

coordination is the best way to maintain high standards of kosher certification and professionalism worldwide.

MYTH

Smaller hashgachot have an easier time giving Pat Yisrael or Chalav Yisrael hechsherim than larger hashgachot.

FACT

(Rabbi Friedman): It is perhaps true that since smaller hashgachot have a significantly smaller base of companies under their hechsher, it is therefore easier for them to require a Pat Yisrael or Chalav Yisrael standard across the board. Although larger food companies view kosher products as a small but significant part of their business, the Pat Yisrael or Chalav Yisrael markets are not on their radar screens.

This is simply because in the eyes of these companies, the kosher market altogether is not viewed as a primary part of their business, and therefore a subset of kosher consumers

who adhere to a stricter standard is not in their purview. Therefore, larger hechsherim that supervise large companies will often do so without requiring Pat Yisrael or Chalav Yisrael.

Nevertheless, larger hechsherim, including OU Kosher, often do give Pat Yisrael or Chalav Yisrael hashgachot when requested. In these instances, the large hechsherim will ensure that the proper standards are in place for Pat Yisrael and Chalav Yisrael.

MYTH

Smaller hashgachot may have an easier time focusing and giving attention to kashrut matters, whereas larger hashgachot are at a distinct disadvantage because of their scope.

FACT

(Rabbi Bistricer): Not correct.

But before we can explain why this is the case, it is necessary to first understand what all hashgachot

face when giving a hechsher, without exception. Kosher supervision nowadays is highly complex, and there are numerous challenges that kashrut agencies must address.

For instance, food chemistry has become very complicated, and it is therefore necessary to understand the sensitivity of a multitude of ingredients that are routinely used in industrial production.

This includes knowing what ingredients are comprised of, as well as how they are made.

Understanding the mechanics of equipment and manufacturing processes is also necessary to ascertain the correct kashering method to be used on the equipment.

Furthermore, in a setting that requires kashering before production can begin, let us not forget that there is a fair likelihood that nonkosher production might occur in the factory at the same time as kosher, or dairy at the same time as pareve.

It is therefore essential for a rav hamachshir

and a mashgiach to be thoroughly familiar with the plant. This means that he must understand the workings of the factory’s equipment and the production flow in order to determine whether there is adequate separation between simultaneous production lines, should they occur at the facility. Furthermore, we must also bear in mind that with Pesach certification, each of these already complex areas becomes all the more complicated. These issues are not unique to large hashgachot but apply to all equally, whether large or small.

The appropriate response to these challenges is to develop adequate resources and expertise in these areas.

A thorough knowledge of food chemistry and ingredients requires extensive study and research, while understanding equipment involves close attention to detail, as well as onsite experience. This combination of acquired knowledge and traits 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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also serves well in creating systems of hashgachah to ensure that productions are overseen in a properly controlled manner.

Food service environments also pose unique challenges that can only be met by a highly savvy team of kashrut experts. When giving hashgachah to food service establishments, a thorough knowledge of the kashrut industry and acceptable certified products, understanding the halachot of kashering keilim and equipment, and the necessary creativity to oversee a complicated setting are all essential.

Furthermore, competent and meticulous mashgichim are absolutely necessary to give hashgachah.

Now that we have generally outlined the challenges of kosher supervision and the tools necessary to deal with them, we can try to answer our original question. It is imperative that a hashgachah have the necessary resources to cover everything 84

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it is responsible for.

One might reasonably posit that the larger hashgachot could have that much greater capacity to develop and gather the appropriate resources or personnel capable of specializing and covering each of the vast and multifaceted areas mentioned above.

A properly run, wellstructured organization, even a large one, should be able to maximize its resources efficiently. The proper maximization of resources will allow the hashgachah to adequately take responsibility in its supervisory role. A larger hashgachah may also have more personnel at its disposal to oversee a highly challenging food service environment. This is not to denigrate smaller hashgachot; they may be perfectly capable of meeting the challenges of kashrut supervision as well. The basic point is that no hashgachah can afford to spread itself thin and take on responsibilities that it is clearly unable to handle. This is true of all hashgachot, big or

small. Since the same challenges and obstacles to meeting the goal of uncompromising kashrut apply to all hashgachot, each therefore needs to be judged on its own merit, regardless of the organization’s size.

MYTH

OU Kosher Israel is a separate entity from OU Kosher worldwide, and in Israel the standards of OU Kosher are not met.

FACT

(Rabbi Bistricer): OU Kosher Israel and its amazing team are just as much a part of OU Kosher as any rabbinical supervisor or coordinator in the New York office. Just as a kosher supervisor in India is overseen and reports to our main office, the same is true with OU Kosher in Israel. Rabbi Krakowski and Rabbi Friedman are tremendous assets to the OU, and they were handpicked by our senior executives to run the Israel office. The staff in Israel includes

numerous mashgichim who are loyal to the OU and are professionally trained in our standards.

In certain realms, based on its mere presence in Eretz Yisrael, the standards of OU Kosher Israel are slightly higher.

For example, OU Kosher Israel is stringent about only certifying goods that are yoshon as well as Pat Yisrael, a standard which is hard to attain in all OU factories around the world.

MYTH

Smaller hashgachot have greater leeway to rule strictly when a halachic question presents itself, whereas larger hashgachot consistently take the lenient path.

FACT

(Rabbi Bistricer): It is very common for halachic she’elot to be raised in the course of giving kashrut supervision, and obviously, each she’elah must be addressed with the utmost care. In fairness to any she’elah, each one needs to be examined and addressed

in its own right, without any preconceived notions, motives, or bias toward chumra or kula.

It is also important to bear in mind that just as there is no posek who is always machmir or always meikel on every issue presented, the same is true of all hashgachot.

MYTH

It is impossible to give an international hashgachah without facing difficult, potentially compromising situations. Smaller hashgachot are not faced with such challenges.

FACT

(Rabbi Bistricer): Not correct.

First, it is important to define exactly what an international hashgachah is. There is an assumption that only a large, internationally recognized organization that certifies productions around the world is identified as an international hashgachah. However, it is important to realize that nowadays most hashgachot, even those

perceived by the public as small and local, supervise productions in far-off locations all over the world. With the exception of local vaadei kashrut, most prominent hashgachot, whether large or small, oversee productions in foreign countries. This being the case, most prominent hechsherim could be classified as international hashgachot.

It is correct that hashgachah work in foreign countries can be very demanding, but that is true with all hashgachah work in general.

Productions in foreign companies can and should run smoothly.

Proper planning and organization in advance are always necessary to ensure that things will operate well.

The underlying lesson to be learned from the above discussion is that it is really not accurate to group hashgachot into categories and make generalizations. Each hashgachah faces the same challenges, and different organizations may respond in some 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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cases differently and in other cases similarly.

Therefore, when assessing whether a hashgachah meets your standards and expectations, it should be judged on its own merits.

MYTH

The mere fact that OU Kosher is based in the Diaspora, where its consumers adhere to different standards, makes it below par for any Israeli certification, including the Chief Rabbinate.

FACT

(Rabbi Friedman): The OU does not normally discuss the standards of other certifications, preferring to focus on its own responsibilities.

Briefly, there are actually certain advantages to international kosher certifications such as the OU. For example, production in Israel is minimal, such that over fifty percent of the food

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market in Israel consists of imported goods, and the percentage is much higher when it comes to raw ingredients. The OU has knowledge in all areas of production, from oil refineries to flavor companies and from complicated dairy production to shechitah.

In many instances, the Chief Rabbinate will reach out to the OU for advice and consultation on kosher productions worldwide. It should be mentioned that over 65% of raw ingredients imported to Israel, such as proteins, food acids and emulsifiers, are under OU Kosher certification!

The OU tries its best to work with the Chief Rabbinate, yet at the same time because the Chief Rabbinate has its own halachic positions, certain products under their certification are not accepted in OU certified products. In addition, many of the mehadrin hashgachot rely on the OU’s certification for raw ingredients from all over the world.

MYTH

OU Kosher has distanced from its original constituents and has become a completely haredi organization.

FACT

(Rabbi Friedman): Rav Moshe Elefant, the COO of OU Kosher, has said on numerous occasions that he believes the Mashiach should come from the OU since it exemplifies the special quality of achdut Yisrael, more than any other religious organization.

In OU Kosher we have representatives from all groups of religious Jews — Chassidim, Litvaks, and Religious Zionists.

Our rabbis come from yeshivas across the spectrum, from Mir and Lakewood, and from Kerem B’Yavneh and Shaalvim. No matter what the rabbi’s background, whether he is a Vizhnitzer Chassid or a rabbi in Maale Adumim, all OU staff are dedicated to providing the entire Jewish world with kosher food at the highest standard.

GLOSSARY OF ISRAELI KASHRUT

The following glossary includes additional terminologies relating to kashrut beyond the scope of this guide, to enhance the reader’s overall familiarity with kashrut related topics. This glossary has been updated to include Pesach terminology.

A ASHKENAZIM (‫ – )אשכנזים‬a Jewish ethnic group which originated from Western and Eastern Europe. The customs of Ashkenazim differ from SEFARDIM. ARAVA DROMIT (‫ערבה‬ ‫)דרומית‬, Southern Arava – A region in the southern Negev desert that is considered to be CHUTZ LA’ARETZ and thus exempt from certain MITZVOT HAT’LUYOT BA’ARETZ (TERUMAH, MA’ASER, SHEMITTAH).

Authorities dispute the exact location and borders of this area.

ACHRONIM (‫)אחרונים‬ The great rabbis in the era following the SHULCHAN ARUCH, from the fifteenth century to today.

ATZITZ NAKUV (‫עציץ‬ ‫ נקוב‬lit. “Perforated flowerpot”) – A flowerpot or planter with holes on the bottom. Halachically, such a receptacle is considered connected to the ground. All halachot pertaining to vegetation grown in the ground apply to produce grown in an atzitz nakuv.

Authorities debate how large a pot’s holes must be in order for it to be considered an atzitz nakuv.

ATZITZ SHE’EINO NAKUV (‫עציץ שאינו נקוב‬ lit. “non-perforated flowerpot”) – A flowerpot or planter that’s completely sealed on the bottom.

Our Sages decreed that anything growing in an atzitz she’eino nakuv is obligated on a rabbinic level in all halachot pertaining to produce grown in the ground. Authorities debate whether certain halachot don’t apply to atzitz she’eino nakuv.

B BADATZ (‫בד”ץ‬, acronym for ‫בית דין‬ ‫ – )צדק‬Private Israeli kashrut certification.

Not all badatzim have the same standards.

Not affiliated with the Chief Rabbinate.

BAYIT SHENI (‫)בית שני‬ The Second Temple, which stood in Jerusalem from 3622 (139 CE) to 3829 (69 CE).

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BEDI’AVAD ‫;)בדיעבד‬ “after the fact” – A less than ideal approach to a halachic issue, based on circumstances that have already occurred.

Jews. Only certain foods are included in the prohibition. Foods not included in the prohibition may be fully cooked by non-Jews.

BEIT DIN (‫ ;בית דין‬lit. “house of judgment”) – Court of three rabbis, certified as Torah judges, which rules based on halachah.

BISHUL YISRAEL (‫בישול‬ ‫ – )ישראל‬Kosher food cooked by Jews.

There is a dispute among authorities as to how much Jewish intervention is required in order to deem the food bishul Yisrael rather than BISHULEI AKUM. Not all food requires bishul Yisrael.

BERACHAH (‫)ברכה‬ – Blessing, usually referring to a prescribed text recited before or after performing various actions.

BESARI (‫ )בשרי‬Meaty, fleishig – This term appears on kashrut certificates issued to restaurants serving meat as well as on products which contain meat.

BISHULEI AKUM (‫בישולי‬ ‫ – )עכו”ם‬Kosher food cooked by a non-Jew which is prohibited for consumption by 88

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BIUR (‫ – )ביעור‬The act of removing SHEMITTAHsanctified produce from one’s possession.

C CHADASH (‫חדש‬ lit. “new”) – Grains wheat, barley, oats, spelt and rye) that have been planted after the fifteenth of Nisan and reaped before the fifteenth of Nisan of the next year is considered chadash and may not be consumed until the latter date passes.

CHALAV AKUM (‫חלב‬ ‫ – )עכו”ם‬Milk from a kosher animal which was milked by a nonJew without any Jew present or in close vicinity. Our Sages decreed that chalav akum is prohibited for consumption.

CHALAV STAM (‫חלב‬ ‫ – )סתם‬Milk that was milked from a kosher animal by a non-Jew in a place with government supervision. The governing body also fines companies that break such regulations and holds them accountable. This supervision protects against any tampering with the milk, including adding milk from other animals.

CHALAV YISRAEL (‫חלב‬ ‫ – )ישראל‬Milk that was milked from a kosher animal by a Jew, or alternatively, by a nonJew while a Jew was present or in close vicinity.

CHALAVI (‫ – )חלבי‬Milky, milchig, listed on certificates or labels to state that a restaurant or food is dairy.

CHALAK (‫ חלק‬lit. “smooth”) – Refers to the smoothness of the lungs of a cow. This term is used to define if beef is glatt kosher.

In Israel, not all meat is glatt. The term is also commonly misused regarding the kosher status of slaughtered chickens, although in certain circles it has become accepted as a term to define a higher standard for the SHECHITAH of chickens.

CHAMETZ- (‫ )חמץ‬Grains (wheat, barley, oats, spelt or rye) that have been mixed with water and not baked within 18 minutes.

Any chametz or product containing chametz is prohibited for consumption or benefit throughout the seven days of Pesach CHARAKIM (‫– )חרקים‬ Insects, see TOLAI’IM.

CHUMRAH (‫)חומרה‬ – Stringency in observing Jewish law within and sometimes beyond halachic requirements.

CHUTZ LA’ARETZ (‫חוץ‬ ‫ ;לארץ‬lit. “outside the land”) – Any location outside the land of Israel.

D DEMAI (‫ – )דמאי‬All fruit that carries a doubt as to whether halachic tithes were taken.

H HAGALAH (‫– )הגעלה‬ The procedure for kashering utensils using boiling hot water.

HANA’AH (‫– )הנאה‬ Benefit. It is forbidden to benefit (sometimes even indirectly) from certain prohibitions or transgressions.

HARABBANUT HARASHIT (‫הרבנות‬ ‫ – )הראשית‬Chief Rabbinate. In Israel there is a state rabbinate that oversees matters such as kashrut, to a minimum halachic standard.

HASGACHAH TZEMUDAH (‫השגחה צמודה‬ lit. “tight supervision”) -The term refers to production where a mashgiach is on site throughout the entire production.

HAVLA’AH (‫הבלעה‬, lit. “swallowing”) – Bundling, packaging, i.e., the practice of overpaying for one item or service in order to receive another as well.

HETER MECHIRAH (‫היתר‬ ‫מכירה‬, lit. “dispensation based on sale”) – Circumvention of SHEMITTAH observance by selling or leasing land in Israel to a non-Jew for the duration of the SHEMITTAH year.

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I ISUR VE’HETER (‫איסור‬ ‫ והיתר‬lit. “the prohibited and the permissible”) – The halachic expression pertaining to kashrut and dietary laws.

K KASHER LEPESACH LEMEHADRIN (‫כשר‬ ‫ )לפסח למהדרין‬-The term appears on restaurants or establishments during Pesach.

Normally the mehadrin term refers to products not containing kitniyot, although they may contain sheruyah products (gebrochts).

KEDUSHAT SHEVI’IT (‫קדושת‬ ‫שביעית‬,lit. “holiness of the seventh”) – SHEMITTAH sanctity.

The term applies to produce that grew in Eretz Yisrael during the SHIMITTAH year.

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KILAYIM (‫– )כלאים‬ Forbidden mixtures, such as the prohibition on planting certain different species together.

KITNIYOT (‫ קטניות‬lit.

Legumes) – many early halachic authorities rule that there is a binding custom not to consume certain types of legumes during Pesach. The custom is observed by Jews of Ashkenazic ancestry and certain Sephardi communities as well; other Sephardic Jews do consume kitniyot on Pesach.

L L’CHATCHILAH (‫לכתחילה‬, lit. “from the outset”) – In the most ideal manner, i.e., the way one should ideally approach an issue of halachah.

LIBUN (‫ )ליבון‬The method of kashering utensils using an open flame. There are two different types of libun: libun kal and libun chamur.

LELO CHASHAH KITNIYOT ‫ללא חשש‬ ‫קטניות‬lit. “Without any concern of kitniyot”).

The term appears on many foods that are certified kosher for Pesach. It testifies that those who keep the custom not to consume kitniyot may consume such a product.

LE’OCHLEI KITNIYOT BILVAD (‫לאוכלי קטניות‬ ‫בלבד‬lit. “only for those who consume kitniyot”). The term may appear on food certified kosher for Pesach. It testifies that only those who have the custom to eat kitniyot on Pesach may consume this product.

LIFTIT/ MECHIL LIFTIT (‫מכיל לפתית‬/‫ לפתית‬lit. “contains rapeseed”) - Later authorities dispute whether rapeseeds are included in the custom of those who do not consume kitniyot. The term appears on food that does not contain actual kitniyot yet contain rapeseed oil (more commonly known as canola oil).

M MA’ASER pl. MA’ASROT (‫ – )מעשרות‬Tithes that one is obligated by Jewish law to remove from produce grown in the land of Israel.

10

MA’ASER RISHON (‫מעשר‬ ‫ ראשון‬lit. “First Tithe”) – A tenth of what is left in the grain or produce after the distribution of TERUMAH. By Biblical law, the tenth is set aside and given to the Levites.

MA’ASER SHENI (‫ מעשר שני‬lit. “Second Tithe”) – A tenth of the crop remaining after the distribution of TERUMAH and MA’ASER RISHON, which in the times of the Temple would be brought to Jerusalem.

If the quantity of the ma’aser was too large to transport, it was redeemed monetarily on animals for sacrifices or on food consumed in Jerusalem. Today, all MA’ASER SHENI is redeemed through money. The money is not spent and remains “holy.”

MATZA MENUTAK (‫מצע‬ ‫ ;מנוטק‬lit. “separated surface”) – Methods of growing produce during SHEMITTAH in indoor greenhouses on raised surfaces and disconnected from the ground.

MASHGIACH pl.

MASHGICHIM (‫)משגיח‬ – Kashrut supervisors.

Normally mashgichim are on-site workers supervising kosher

production. The amount of time the mashgiach needs to be present depends on the type of food and production.

MATZOT CHAI DAKOT (‫ )מצות ח”י דקות‬- Kosherfor-Pesach matzah.

The process of mixing, kneading, shaping and inserting into the oven is completed within 18 minutes.

MATZOT CHAI REGA’IM (‫– )מצות ח”י רגעים‬ Another term for MATZOT CHAI DAKOT; see above.

MATZVOT AVODAT YAD (‫ – )מצות עבודת יד‬Kosher matzah made by hand.

MATZOT MECHONAH/ MACHINE (/‫מצות מכונה‬ ‫ – )מאשין‬Kosher matzah made using machinery.

There is doubt regarding whether every mechanical function, such as using an electric, rather than manual, grinder would define matzah as machine-made.

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MEHADRIN (‫)מהדרין‬ – Exceeding the minimum standards of halachah, generally associated with kashrut, although many standards and opinions exist regarding what exactly is considered “mehadrin”. The subject of mehadrin is very subjective and complex. One should consult with their rav.

MEHUDAR (‫מהודר‬, lit. “beautified”) – Exceeding minimum halachic standards or requirements.

MINHAG (‫– )מנהג‬ custom, normally refers to customs in the area of halachah.

MITZVOT HAT’LUYOT BA’ARETZ (‫מצוות‬ ‫ – )התלויות בארץ‬Torah commandments pertaining to the land of Israel, mostly referring to agricultural laws.

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N NETA REVAI (‫)נטע רבעי‬ – Produce of a tree in the fourth year of its growth, after the prohibited three-year ORLAH period has passed. The fruit needs to be eaten in a certain part of YERUSHALYIM or redeemed on a coin. Today all NETA REVAI is redeemed and not eaten in YERUSHALAYIM NOCHRI (‫ ;נוכרי‬lit. “stranger”) – non-Jew.

O OLEI BAVEL (‫עולי בבל‬ lit. “those who made aliyah from Babylonia”) – The territories of the land of Israel that were conquered by the Jews who moved from Babylonian at the beginning of the Second Temple and were sanctified by Ezra and his BEIT DIN. This conquest of the Jews is also called “second holiness” (Kedushah Sheniyah).

It is universally

accepted that this area is biblically obligated in the MITZVOT HAT’LUYOT BA’ARETZ. OLEI MITZRAYIM (‫ עולי מצרים‬lit. “those who made aliyah from Egypt”) – The territories of the land of Israel that were conquered by the Jews in the days of Yehoshua Bin Nun and were sanctified by Yehoshua Bin Nun and his beit din, and ended in their conquest in the days of King David and were sanctified in the time of the First Temple. The area wasn’t reconquered by the Jews during their return from Babylonia.

According to certain authorities, one may be lenient regarding the mitzvot of the land of Israel (TERUMA, MA’ASER, SHEMITTAH) in these areas.

ORLAH (‫ – )ערלה‬The Torah prohibition on eating fruit that grows from a tree during the first three years after it was planted.

OTZAR BEIT DIN (‫אוצר‬ ‫ בית דין‬lit. “a storehouse [operated by] beit din”) – A system in which the beit din takes control of the growing conditions and the distribution process of produce during the SHEMITTAH year.

P PACH SHEMITTAH (‫פח‬ ‫ שמיטה‬lit. “SHEMITTAH Bin”) – A special bin/waste basket for leftovers and edible peels of holy SHEMITTAH produce.

PAT AKUM (‫)פת עכו”ם‬ – Kosher bread from any of the five grains (wheat, barley, oats, spelt and rye) baked by a non-Jew. Early sources record a rabbinic prohibition against consuming pat akum. There is a dispute among early authorities and later poskim regarding the validity and extent of this prohibition.

PAT YISRAEL (‫)פת ישראל‬ – Kosher bread from any of the five grains (wheat, barley, oats, spelt and rye) baked by a Jew. It is sufficient for a Jew to have minimal involvement in the baking process in order to deem the bread pat Yisrael. For example, according to all opinions, if a Jew lit the oven and a nonJew placed the bread in the oven, the bread is considered pat Yisrael.

R RABBANUT MEHADRIN (‫ – )רבנות מהדרין‬A higher standard of kashrut from local rabbinates.

Not all local rabbinates have the same standard.

RABBANUT MEKOMIT (‫ – )רבנות מקומית‬Local Rabbinate, municipal rabbinate in charge of kashrut for different jurisdictions. The local rabbinate follows the standards of the chief rabbinate and is an extension of the larger government organization.

RISHONIM (‫;ראשונים‬ lit. “the First Ones”) – The great rabbis in the era preceding the SHULCHAN ARUCH, from the eleventh to fifteenth centuries

S SEPHARDIM (‫ספרדים‬ lit. “those from Spain”) – a Jewish ethnic group originating from Spain, North America, the middle east and western Asia.

This group has a wide range of customs regarding kashrut which varies from that of ASHKENAZIM.

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SAFEK (‫ – )ספק‬A halachic doubt or question.

SEFICHIN (‫ ;ספיחין‬lit. “herbs”) – A prohibition enacted by the Sages forbidding the consumption of all self-seeded (and purposely grown) produce that sprouts during the SHEMITTAH 5784 OU KASHRUT ISRAEL GUIDE

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year. Legumes, grains and vegetables are part of the decree.

Fruit is not included.

SHA’AT HABIUR (‫שעת‬ ‫ – )הביעור‬Deadline by which one must renounce ownership of all SHEMITTAHsanctified products.

SHABBAT HA’ARETZ (‫ – )שבת הארץ‬The sabbatical year of the land of Israel. Also a book on the laws of SHEMITTAH by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook zt” l (1865-1935) SHAMUR V’NE’EVAD (‫ ;שמור ונעבד‬lit. “guarded and worked”) – SHEMITTAH produce that was guarded and/or worked in a prohibited fashion.

SHECHITAH (‫– )שחיטה‬ Ritual slaughter.

SHEMIRAT HAMITZVOT (‫– )שמירת המצוות‬ Observance of the commandments. A non-observant Jew isn’t trusted in certain halachic areas.

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SHEMITTAH (‫)שמיטה‬ – The sabbatical year which takes place in the land of Israel according to Torah law (Vayikra 25:1–5).

SHEMITTAH occurs every seven years, based on an ancient cycle. In a leap year, SHEMITTAH lasts thirteen months.

SHE’ERIYOT (‫ שאריות‬lit. “leftovers”) – Leftover food or edible peels of holy SHEMITTAH fruit that may not be discarded in a regular manner.

8

SHEMINIT (‫ שמינית‬lit.

“The Eighth Year”) – The year following the SHEMITTAH year.

Certain halachot pertaining to SHEMITTAH apply to the eighth year as well.

SHEVI’IT (‫ ;שבעית‬lit. “the seventh”) – The seventh year of the seven-year SHEMITTAH cycle. See SHEMITTAH

SHERUYAH (‫– )שרויה‬ Commonly known as gebrochts. Matzah that was baked properly and placed in liquid is not considered chametz. However a widely-observed custom exists not to consume any matzah that was placed in any liquid after being baked. The term, which normally appears on foods or advertisement for programs refers, to the custom to either eat or not eat such matzah.

SHISHIT (‫ ;ששית‬lit. “the sixth”) – The sixth year of the seven-year SHEMITTAH cycle.

SHULCHAN ARUCH (‫ ;שולחן ערוך‬lit. “set table”) – The Code of Jewish Law. The Shulchan Aruch was written by Rabbi Yosef Caro in Safed in 1563.

The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) added in his comments to this work

T TE’UDAT KASHRUT (lit.

Certificate of Kashrut) – Certificate of kashrut for an establishment.

TOLAI’IM ‫ תולעים‬lit. “worms” – Non-kosher insects present in foods.

TERUMAH, TERUMOT (‫ ;תרומות‬lit. “Removed portions”) – A type of tithe given to the Kohen. Terumah can only be consumed by a (ritually) pure Kohen while the produce is still ritually pure.

TZIBBUR (‫)ציבור‬.

Community. The term is sometimes used in relation to a custom or practice of a certain group (see Avot 2:4

TERUMAT MA’ASER (‫ – )תרומת מעשר‬A tithe given from the Levi to the Kohen. A tenth of the MA’ASER RISHON the Levi received is given to the Kohen.

Terumat ma’aser can only be consumed by a (ritually) pure Kohen while the produce is still ritually pure.

TEVEL (‫ – )טבל‬Untithed produce grown in Israel. Such produce is prohibited for consumption until tithed.

Y YERUSHALAYIM (‫)ירושלים‬. Jerusalem.

Certain food-related mitzvot apply only in Yerushalayim, and even then, only on Har HaBayit (the Temple Mount) and in some sections of the Old City.

YEVUL CHU”L (‫יבול חו”ל‬ lit. “Diaspora Crop”) – Produce imported from non- Jewish farmers living outside ERETZ YISRAEL. According to all opinions there is no need to keep the sanctity of SHEMITTAH (KEDUSHAT SHEVI’IT) with yevul chul.

YEVUL NOCHRI (‫יבול‬ ‫ נוכרי‬lit. “Non-Jewish Crop”) – Produce marketed during SHEMITTAH from farms in Israel owned and controlled by non-Jews. In many cases, the non-Jewish produce is from Palestinian farmers in Judea and Samaria.

According to certain authorities, one should treat YEVUL NOCHRI with the sanctity of SHEMITTAH (KEDUSHAT SHEVI’IT).

YISHUV, the (‫;הישוב‬ lit. “settlement”) – In context, this refers to the modern-day Jewish settlement of Israel.

YITZUR MEYUCHAD (‫ יצור מיוחד‬lit. special production) – Special kosher production performed at times at non-kosher factories worldwide. In Israeli plants, it refers to a special production carried out by private certifications.

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YITZUR MEYUCHAD LEPESACH ‫יצור מיוחד‬ ‫)לפסח‬: Special Pesach production run, performed at times at non-kosher-forPesach factories worldwide and in Israel.

YASHAN (‫ ישן‬lit. “old”).

Grain (wheat, barley, oats, spelt and rye) harvested after the fifteenth of Nisan and therefore permitted for consumption.

YOVEL (‫ – )יובל‬The jubilee year which following seven SHEMITTAH cycles.

Authorities debate whether yovel is the forty-ninth year (coinciding with SHEMITTAH) or the fiftieth. Among the unique halachot of yovel, certain land purchases must be returned to their original owners, and Jewish slaves go free.

OU: Regular symbol you know and trust, always Pareve

OU PAREVE: Same as the regular OU symbol, sometimes has Pareve written

OUD: Symbol representing dairy (Chalav Stam)

OUD CHALAV ISRAEL: Dairy and Chalav Yisrael according to all opinions

OUP: Kosher for Pesach to the highest standards, no Kitniyot

OU KINIYOT: Kosher for Pesach for those who eat Kitniyot, contains Kitniyot

OU GLATT: OU Shechita symbol, for

both meat and chicken, highest standard of supervision

BADATZ OU: Symbol found in Israel

indicating there is no issue of Cholov Stam or Chadash which apply specifically in Israel

OU FISH: Symbol for fish, or products containing fish

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