Do kosher foods have to be blessed by a rabbi?

Answer 1

No. Consider the following points:

• Blessing food doesn't make it kosher.
  
• There is no such thing in Judaism as blessing objects to change them.
  
• Pork is an unkosher animal and cannot be eaten according to Jewish law.
  

Answer 2

No. If a food item is not kosher (for example because it came from a non-kosher species, or was slaughtered improperly, or was found to be injured or internally deformed, or was incompletely drained of blood, or meat and dairy components were accidentally mixed, etc.) then there's nothing a rabbi can do to it to make it kosher.

Where there is a question, a rabbi may be able to TELL whether something is or isn't kosher, because of his extensive study of the subject. But nothing a rabbi does can MAKE it kosher or not. A rabbi is supposed to have superior knowledge. He has no special powers.

No foods need to be blessed by a rabbi in order to be kosher. Many non-Jewish people believe that for a food to be kosher it must undergo some sort of blessing, but this is a misconception - it simply needs to be acceptable according to laws known as kashrut.

According to Jewish law and tradition, food is split into two groups - treif (non-kosher, which includes the flesh of animals such as pigs, whales and Birds of Prey which are banned outright by kashrut, animals found already dead or animals killed by other animals) and kosher foods - the flesh of animals accepted by kashrut and slaughtered in strict accordance with the law of shechita (which demands that the animal does not suffer and certain parts - ie; chelev fats, sciatic nerve and blood - be removed and that certain blemishes on the lungs are not present).

The system that guarantees food bought from shops is kosher is called hechsher. To display a hechsher stamp, a manufacturer will need to be regularly visited by a mashgiach, an inspector who ensures the product is being prepared in accordance with kashrut and as such is kosher (the mashgiach is paid for this, but the cost is low. Once the food is certified kosher, the manufacturer is able to sell it to a wider market and increase profits, thus off-setting the cost of the mashgiach and enabling the product to be sold at the same price as previously - you do not pay any extra for food with a kosher stamp, despite what some people may claim). Most mashgichim (plural) are also rabbis, since the job requires an extensive knowledge of Jewish dietary laws and rabbis are well-versed experts in Jewish law. This is probably why many people mistakenly believe that kosher food must be blessed by a rabbi.

Answer 3

Yes. Kosher food is defined in The Bible in Leviticus Ch 11 and Deuteronomy Ch 14 and other places. Some of these rules include: * Certain animals are Kosher, if killed in the proper way * Certain fish are Kosher * Fruit and vegetables are Kosher * Dairy from Kosher animals is Kosher * Meat and Dairy cannot be cooked not served together Following these rules makes the food Kosher. Jews make a blessing before eating food.

Answer 4

No. If a food item is not kosher (for example because it came froma non-kosher species, or was slaughtered improperly, or was foundto be injured or internally deformed, or was incompletely drainedof blood, or meat and dairy components were accidentally mixed,etc.) then there's nothing a rabbi can do to it to make it kosher.Where there is a question, a rabbi may be able to TELL whethersomething is or isn't kosher, because of his extensive study of thesubject. But nothing a rabbi does can MAKE it kosher or not. Arabbi is supposed to have superior knowledge. He has no specialpowers.No foods need to be blessed by a rabbi in order to bekosher. Many non-Jewish people believe that for a food to be kosherit must undergo some sort of blessing, but this is a misconception- it simply needs to be acceptable according to laws known askashrut.According to Jewish law and tradition, food is split into twogroups - treif (non-kosher, which includes the flesh ofanimals such as pigs, whales and birds of prey which are bannedoutright by kashrut, animals found already dead or animals killedby other animals) and kosher foods - the flesh of animalsaccepted by kashrut and slaughtered in strict accordance with thelaw of shechita (which demands that the animal does notsuffer and certain parts - ie; chelev fats, sciatic nerveand blood - be removed and that certain blemishes on the lungs arenot present).The system that guarantees food bought from shops is kosher iscalled hechsher. To display a hechsher stamp, a manufacturerwill need to be regularly visited by a mashgiach, aninspector who ensures the product is being prepared in accordancewith kashrut and as such is kosher (the mashgiach is paid for this,but the cost is low. Once the food is certified kosher, themanufacturer is able to sell it to a wider market and increaseprofits, thus off-setting the cost of the mashgiach and enablingthe product to be sold at the same price as previously - you do notpay any extra for food with a kosher stamp, despite what somepeople may claim). Most mashgichim (plural) are also rabbis,since the job requires an extensive knowledge of Jewish dietarylaws and rabbis are well-versed experts in Jewish law. This isprobably why many people mistakenly believe that kosher food mustbe blessed by a rabbi.

Answer 5

No. Kosher food cannot be made kosher through blessings. Consider the following:

• Rabbis can't bless objects, including food. They're not priests.
  
• Judaism doesn't believe in transsubstantiation (blessing of objects)
  
• When a rabbi says a blessing over food, they're actually blessing God, who gave us the food. They are not blessing the food itself. A jewish blessing is more accurately described as a "thanking".
  
• Kosher meat is slaughtered and processed according to very specific rules, and blessing the meat is not part of the process.
• Certain animals can never be kosher. Animals commonly eaten in the west that are not kosher include pigs and shellfish.

Answer 6

No. Kosher food cannot be made kosher through blessings. Consider the following:

• Rabbis can't bless objects, including food. They're not priests.
  
• Judaism doesn't believe in transubstantiation (blessing of objects)
  
• When rabbis (or any Jews) say a blessing over food they're about to eat, they're actually blessing God, who gave us the food. They are not blessing the food itself. A jewish blessing is more accurately described as a "thanking".
  
• Kosher meat is slaughtered and processed according to very specific rules, and blessing the meat is not part of the process.
• Certain animals can never be kosher. Animals commonly eaten in the west that are not kosher include pigs and shellfish.

Answer 7

They're expected to, but this depends on how religious they are.

Answer 8

No, because blessings aren't how things become kosher. Also, pork is NOT a kosher species of animal.

Answer 9

No. In order for food to be kosher it must be prepared according to the laws of kashrut. If food is not prepared following these laws, there is no way to make it kosher.