Kosher Food

Nice question ... a lot like "Are you still beating your wife ?" in a way. The thesis of the question is debatable. Obviously, hundreds of thousands of people world wide who observe the kosher laws don't think it's so strict. In my mind right now, there are about 15 different ways I could go in response to this question, all fighting for the head of the line. But this really isn't the place for any of them. I'll just give you a few quick comments on the subject, and hope that either those will do it for you, or that someone else will jump in here and flesh out my response, or both. 1). If you own a bible or have access to a copy, have a look at Deuteronomy, chapter 14. Start at the beginning of the chapter, take it slow, pace yourself, drink lots of water, and see if you can make it all the way to verse 21. This isn't the only place in the bible that deals with the kosher laws, but it's a good one. 2). While you're in the neighborhood, turn back to chapter 12 and have a look at verses 23-25. This is a remarkable passage ... one that I just noticed last week, as I studied it in preparation to render it in the synagogue. Here is a passage where the bible says "Don't eat blood !" four times in three verses. How much more emphatic can the bible be ? And how does anyone who puts any small stock in the bible read this and conclude that actually, it's OK. If you read this and decide that going without blood in your diet is too strict for you, then we don't have a whole lot more to discuss. 3). The section in chapter 14 wraps up by saying "... because you are a holy people ... ". Elsewhere in the bible, during another 'lecture' on the kosher laws, the same reason appears for all of this: " ... in order to be holy ...". What do we do when we read that ? Normally, we skim over it and don't dwell on it, and go on to see what else is coming up. Then, eventually, if the subject ever comes up, we say that we don't actually know the reason for the kosher laws, it must have been for health reasons what with trichynosis and all that, and so we don't have to worry about it in our modern time now that we have refrigerators. We read the reason right there on the page; but it was talking about "holy", and who knows what that's all about anyway, so we skimmed it, and forgot about it, and concluded that we don't know the reason. No, I can't tell you what it means to be holy. But I don't have a pass to discard everything in the bible that I don't understand yet. I don't know you, but I will guess ... because the odds are pretty good ... that there are a lot of little things that you still do, just because that's what your parents taught you to do when you were tiny. You may well have kicked and screamed at the beginning, and yelled that it's too strict and there's no good reason for it. But in the end, you really didn't have that much trouble working it into your way of life. One more quick comment and then I'm done: I have had the privilege of standing around inconspicuously and watching life in small villages in northern China, in nomadic family tents in Outer Mongolia, in voodoo settlements in the mountains of Haiti and the interior of Jamaica, and in the slums of Calcutta and the wilderness of modern Sinai. If you think that the kosher 'diet' is 'strict', then you must fervently hope and pray that you never come anywhere near poverty, famine, or diabetes.

1st of all, kosher are not people and people are not kosher. The Jewish people keep kosher, a set of dietary laws in the Torah (Jewish bible) People who keep kosher can only eat animals that have split hooves and chew their cud, that are killed in a certain way. They can only eat fish with scales and fins. Nowadays, if you are buying something in a store, kosher products will have a kosher symble on them-showing that they are indeed kosher.

No. Krill is not kosher. The criteria for kashrut in aquatic species is that they must have fins and scales. Krill are related to shrimp, and have segmented outer shells known as exoskeletons. Most fish with scales are kosher.

Mayonaise, which is made from egg yolk, oil, and either lemon juice or vinegar, is classified as 'pareve'. Pareve foods contain neither meat or dairy and can be combined with either. So yes, combining mayo with meat is perfectly fine according to the laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws).

Those are chocolate treats that all persons could consume.

In terms of kosher certification, it depends on the place of manufacture. Usually, European companies do not use kosher facilities while American companies do. If the toblerone is kosher it will be kosher-dairy and have a hechsher (symbol of kosher-ness). If it does not bare a hechsher, a religious Jew will not eat it.

A vegan can eat any food, as long as it's vegan.

Some kosher food is, some isn't.

If the food is marked "Kosher Parev" or Kosher Pareve" this means the food contains no meat or dairy ingredients, that might suit a vegetarian, but these products may contain fish, eggs that a Vegan would not be permitted. At the end of the day, you just have to check the ingredients list.

During sukkot there are no particular foods that must be eaten, but stuffed foods are extremely common. These may include stuffed peppers, eggplants, or cabbage, stuffed fruits and pastries, knishes, kreplach, main-dish pies, or even ravioli. They also eat some dairy products.

Basa fish, just like all other forms of catfish, is not kosher.

Oil has to be marked kosher for Passover.

Oils that are fine for all groups:

Olive

Nut (macadamia, almond, walnut, etc)

Cotton Seed

Grape Seed

Kitniyot

Canola

Sunflower Seed

It really depends on the individual. To clarify a point though, eating pork is no different than eating any other non-kosher food. The is no special significance regarding pork in Judaism, it's just one of countless meats that aren't allowed by Jewish law. For those Jews who aren't religious and choose to eat pork, it's just another aspect of non-observance.

For those who are religiously observant, there are two circumstances where they might eat pork. The first is intentionally choosing to eat pork, in this case, the individual has to apologise to God and not repeat the act. The second circumstance is where an individual unknowingly eats pork, in this case, the individual is not responsible for eating the pork.

Yes. The substance itself is intrinsically kosher. The only question might arise if the sea salt is processed or packaged on machinery, or in a facility, where it could come in contact with non-kosher ingredients of other products.

In many, many ways.... it's part of the concept of Judaism as a way of life, not "simply" a religion. So for instance most people think of kosher as just not eating pork or shellfish because they are dirty animals. But it has so much more to do with food -- it is the idea of respect for life -- in acknowledgement that we humans include other animals in our diet and must kill things generally in order to survive, the rituals surrounding those activities are regulated by Jewish laws and commentaries so that respect is given both in the taking of life as well as how the food is to be prepared, and was expanded into how it was to be stored as well, and other things. But it also goes beyond food -- Torah requires that when Jews make material for clothes, they are not to mix certain kinds of sources (linen & wool, for instance), and men and women are not supposed to wear clothing that is designed for the other. And at the corners of the clothing there are supposed to be "fringes" -- you see these on tallit (prayer shawls) in particular, and Orthodox Jews in particular wear special garments with them at all times they are awake and dressed. The finges are at once to distinguish Jews from other peoples (not unlike peasant costuming varies throughout Europe for example) but is also a gentle reminder that God is present. There are fundamental health reasons why "kashrut" was mandated too -- take eating of shellfish like clams or oysters as an easy example: they live in many places on the bottom of seabeds or riverbeds. That's where sewerage went in the old days, and in some places still does. So people would get sick from eating certain kinds of marine life that fed on those wastes. In the end the concept of "kashrut" is the idea that one incorporates the mandates of God that were spoken in Torah and commentaries, in one's everyday life.

Those Jews who like chicken soup eat chicken soup. Religiously observant Jews would require that the chicken soup be kosher.

Kosher pizza is a pizza that contains only Kosher ingredients and is baked according to Jewish law.

"Unclean" is actually a mistranslation of the Hebrew word taref (טרף), from the King James Bible. The word should actually be translated as "unusuable" or "unkosher".

In other words, Jews believe that some animals are not food animals. It's as simple as that.

Dietary restrictions are listed in the Hebrew Bible, but Jews believe these laws only apply to Jews.

These days there are kosher for Passover pastas, usually made from potato. I don't know of any brand of mac and cheese that are certified kosher for Passover though.

A practicing Jew (someone who observes the Jewish faith, rather than someone born to a Jewish mother) will only eat kosher food.

What is and isn't kosher also changes depending on the time of year (for example, wheat products such as bread and beer are not kosher during Passover).

Kosher rules can be very complex, and depending on their tradition someone may follow a few, some or all of them. Someone who wishes to eat kosher as part of their Jewish identity will likely not live as strictly as an orthodox Jew.

For example, someone may avoid eating pork and shellfish (both non-kosher foods) but will not worry about mixing meat and milk products in a single dish (which would rule out, for example, any pizza with a meat topping).

Yes. Ice cream can be prepared in a kosher way and is often certified kosher.

However, Jews who observe the laws of kashrut (kosher) do not eat dairy products (including ice cream) with or right after meat products. There is a minimum waiting period, which is, depending on your tradition, 1, 3 or 6 hours long.

There's no reason it shouldn't be, but of course it depends on the specific brand. Check the label for a hechsher.

More and more places are helping religious Jews keep kosher while on vacation.

You need to call a Jewish travel agency, request kosher airline food, and stay at a place that keeps kosher.

Unfortunately, Best's Kosher hot dogs are no longer being made.

Some soft drinks contain glycine as a flavor enhancer. Glycine can be made from animal byproducts, including pigs. Mono- and diglycerides can also be made from animal products and don't always have to be listed in the listing of ingredients.

You would have to find corn flour that has been certified kosher for Passover. Outside of Israel that is very unlikely as corn belongs to the category of kitniyot and is not eaten by Ashkenazi Jews during Passover.

Vanilla extract is vegan and a wonderful ingredient for satisfying your sweet tooth with dairy alternatives.

There are brands of kosher for Passover cranberry sauce. You would have to check the packaging for kashrut certification.