What are the main rules for food in Judaism?

Answer 1

They call this "Torah" or "The Torah," a Hebrew term meaning; teaching, instruction or law. Some call this loosely the law of God. See also the attached Related Link.

• Answer 2

All the hundreds of mitzvoth (commands), principles and beliefs of the Torah. Though it may have an associated culture and one or more associated languages, the traditional definition of Judaism is the observance of the Torah, which is why dictionaries define Judaism as "the religion of Moses." In this sense, the word "Torah" is meant in its wider meaning, which includes the Tanakh, the Talmud, and other classical Jewish texts.
The philosophy of Judaism is that this world is a purposeful creation by God, in which all people are tested concerning their use of free-will. We possess a soul which lives on after the body dies and is held responsible for the person's actions.

Answer 2

There are many rules, but these are the highlights:

Meat and milk are not allowed to be prepared or eaten together.

Fish and meat is not cooked together or eaten on the same plate.

For meat: Only animals that have split hooves and chew their cud are kosher. Only milk from a kosher animal may be eaten (as opposed to milk from not kosher animals). All animals must be ritually slaughtered, and some parts of the animal (even if it is kosher) may not be eaten.

For birds: The bird must not be a scavenger or a predator, and must have a local tradition as a food animal

For fish: must have fins and scales

For insects: Although there are several species of kosher locusts, the species names are lost, so most Jews will not eat locusts. Other insects are forbidden.

All utensils must be ritually clean, and only used for kosher items, and no meat utensils with milk and vice-versa.

Answer 3

Religiously observant Jews will not eat any food that is not kosher. The core rules of kashrut (dietary laws) are:

* Land animals must have split hooves and chew their cud.

* Fish have to have scales and fins.

* Birds cannot be amongst those listed as forbidden in the Torah and cannot be hunters/scavengers

* Animals must be killed in a specific manner and must be free of all disease

* As much blood as possible must be removed from meat as consumption of blood is forbidden

* Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one then the other.

* Orthodox Jews and some Conservative Jews will not eat certain fruits and vegetables because it's too difficult to guarantee that all bugs have been washed away (cauliflower, asparagus, and the like).

Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut. Any food that does not meet these requirements cannot be eaten by those who are religiously observant.

Answer 4

No mixing meat with dairy, and no shellfish and pork.

Answer 2

"Kashrut" refers to the Jewish dietary laws. There are many kosher laws. Here are a few highlights:

• Meat must be from those land animals which have split hooves and chew their cud (such as beef, venison and mutton).
  
• Fish have to have scales and fins. Shellfish are not kosher.
  
• Birds cannot be among those listed as forbidden in the Torah (Deuteronomy ch.14) and cannot be hunters/scavengers. In actual practice, today we eat only those species concerning which we have a tradition that they're permitted, such as domestic chicken, geese, pigeons and turkey.
  
• Animals must be slaughtered in the manner specified by Jewish law and must be free of all disease. In actual practice, those who keep kosher purchase meat which is certified as having been prepared in the kosher manner.
  
• As much blood as possible must be removed from meat before cooking, since consumption of blood is forbidden (Leviticus ch.17). This is done at home or by the kosher butcher, through salting, soaking and rinsing.
  
• Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one and the other. After dairy: 1/2 hour. After meat: 6 hours for most Jewish communities.
  
• Fruits and vegetables should be checked to be sure they're free of bugs. Some Jews avoid cauliflower, asparagus, and the like, because of the difficulty in checking them.

In addition, there are rabbinic laws governing the production and consumption of all foods such as milk, bread, wine, cheese and other cooked and raw foods that they must be prepared/cooked or have their preparation/cooking supervised by a religious Jew.
Most prepared foods must carry certification that their production is supervised, so as to ensure that they comply with these rules. Kashrut certification is generally indicated by an identifiable symbol, in addition to the word dairy or pareve, which means the food is neither dairy nor meat, but rather neutral. (If a package has just the letter 'K' on it, this is not a valid kashrut symbol as the letter K cannot be trademarked.)
Although dairy and meat cannot be served together, fish may be eaten with dairy. This gives rise to the popular and kosher bagel, lox, and cream cheese combination. All fruits and vegetables are kosher.
Meat and dairy dishes and utensils can't be washed together. Kosher kitchens must maintain two sets of utensils, pots, pans, and dishes.
Contrary to popular misconception, rabbis or other religious officials do not "bless" food to make it kosher. There are blessings that observant Jews recite over food before and after eating, but these blessings have nothing to do with making the food kosher. Food can be kosher without a rabbi ever becoming involved with it: the vegetables from your garden are undoubtedly kosher (as long as they don't have any bugs, which are not kosher.)

Answer 5

There are hundreds of kashrut laws. The core rules of kashrut (dietary laws) are:

* Land animals must have split hooves and chew their cud.

* Fish have to have scales and fins.

* Birds cannot be amongst those listed as forbidden in the Torah and cannot be hunters/scavengers

* Animals must be killed in a specific manner and must be free of all disease

* As much blood as possible must be removed from meat as consumption of blood is forbidden

* Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one then the other.

* Orthodox Jews and some Conservative Jews will not eat certain fruits and vegetables because it's too difficult to guarantee that all bugs have been washed away (cauliflower, asparagus, and the like).

Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut. Any food that does not meet these requirements cannot be eaten by those who are religiously observant.

Answer 6

The rules regarding food in Judaism are called the laws of kashrut. The basics are:

1. Land animals must both chew their cud and have split hooves.

2. Fish must have both scales and fins.

3. Birds must not be listed as forbidden in the Torah and cannot be hunters.

4. Dairy and meat are kept strictly separate.

5. The consumption of blood is strictly forbidden.

Answer 7

Religious Jews live by the Torah, by obeying its commands and beliefs.

Link: Jewish beliefs
Some examples of the commands:

• Putting on Tefillin (phylacteries) in the morning
  

Link: The Tefillin

• Saying the Shema-prayer

Link: The Shema

• Sitting in the sukkah during Sukkot
  

Link: The Sukkah-booth

• Avoiding leavened products in Passover
  

Link: Passover

• Keeping kosher
  

Link: Kosher-laws

• Not eating on Yom Kippur
  

Link: Yom Kippur

• Not working on the Shabbat
  

Link: The Shabbat

• Paying workers on time
  
• Marital rights for one's wife
• The Ten Commandments

Link: The Ten Commandments

• Helping someone who is in danger
  
• Counting the days of the Omer
  
• Returning lost objects when feasible
  
• Wearing the tzitzith-garment
  

Link: What are Tzitzith

• Affixing a mezuzah to the door
  

Link: What is a mezuzah

• Learning Torah
  

Link: The Torah

• Keeping our rules of ethics

Link: Jewish ethics

• Marrying and having children
  
• Educating one's children in Judaism
  
• Giving tzedakah (charity)
  
• Honoring one's parents
  

And many more.

The laws have various reasons. Some (such as the Passover) serve to reenact or remember events of our history.
Some (such as saying the Shema-prayer) serve to reiterate our belief in God.
Some of the laws (such as those of ritual purity and kosher food) serve to sanctify us.
Some (such as the laws of torts) serve to maintain an orderly and just society.
Some (such as the law against breaking a vow) serve to prevent bad character traits.
Some (such as the command to offer help) serve to engender good character traits.
And all of the commands serve to subjugate us to God's will (especially those commands for which no explanation is easily apparent).

Note that the Torah "as is" isn't exactly what Judaism observes. Rather, it's the Torah together with the details provided in the Talmud, which is the Oral Law that was handed down together with the laws of Moses. Otherwise, the verses of the Torah often lack enough detail to be fulfilled as is.

See also the other Related Links.

Link: What are the teachings, practices, principles and beliefs of Judaism?

Link: What is life like for Jews?

Link: More about the Hebrew Bible

Link: More about the Talmud

Answer 8

In order to be kosher, food has to be prepared according to the kosher-laws (see Deuteronomy ch.14). These are explained in detail in the Talmud-volume of Chullin.
* Meat must be from those land animals which have split hooves and chew their cud (such as beef, venison and mutton).
Fish have to have scales and fins. Shellfish are not kosher.
Birds cannot be among those listed as forbidden in the Torah (Deuteronomy ch.14) and cannot be hunters/scavengers. In actual practice, today we eat only those species concerning which we have a tradition that they're permitted, such as domestic chicken, geese, pigeons and turkey.

* Animals must be slaughtered in the manner specified by Jewish law and must be free of all disease. In actual practice, those who keep kosher purchase meat which is certified as having been prepared in the kosher manner.
As much blood as possible must be removed from meat before cooking, since consumption of blood is forbidden (Leviticus ch.17). This is done at home or by the kosher butcher, through salting, soaking and rinsing.

* Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one and then the other. After dairy: 1/2 hour. After meat: 6 hours for most Jewish communities.

* Fruits and vegetables should be checked to be sure they're free of bugs. Some Jews avoid cauliflower, asparagus, and the like, because of the difficulty in checking them.

Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut-laws and with kosher ingredients only. Processed foods should be labeled as having had kosher supervision during their processing. Any food that does not meet these requirements cannot be eaten by those who are religiously observant Jews.

See also the Related Links.

Link: Could you give me a list of kosher and non-kosher types of fish?

Link: Why do some Jews not keep kosher?

Link: The use of rennet

Answer 9

The rules are spelled out in the Hebrew Bible and expanded on by the Rabbis.

Answer 10

first off in Israel they don't sell pork, ham,or shellfish. so that is how they maintain the kosher part. and every friday night they close their shops and pray for a good shabbat to start.