Why do jewish people eat kosher

Each part must be soaked and salted individually. If the meat or poultry was sliced during the salting process, the newly exposed surfaces of the cut must now be soaked for a half hour and salted as well. The salted meat is left for an hour on an inclined or perforated surface to allow the blood to flow down freely. The cavity of the poultry should be placed open, in a downward direction. After the salting, the meat must be thoroughly soaked, and then thoroughly washed to remove all of the applied salt.

According to Jewish law, meat must be kashered within 72 hours after slaughter so as not to allow the blood to congeal. If meat has been thoroughly soaked prior to the 72 hours limit, an additional seventy-two hours time stay is granted to complete the first step of the salting process. Liver may only be kashered through broiling, because of the preponderance of blood in it.

Both the liver and meat must first be thoroughly washed to remove all surface blood. They are then salted slightly on all sides. Subsequently, they are broiled specifically on a designated liver-broiling perforated grate over an open fire, which draws out the internal blood.

When kashering liver, slits must be made in the liver prior to broiling. The meat or liver must be broiled on both sides until the outer surface appears to be dry and brown. After broiling, the meat or the liver is rinsed off. The Kosher Butcher: Years ago, salting of meat and poultry was performed in the home of the consumer.

More recently, the kosher butcher performed salting in the butcher shop. Today, the entire process of slaughtering, bedika , nikkur and salting has shifted to the slaughterhouse. This allows for uniform consistency of high standards. Nonetheless, the kosher butcher plays a critical role in distributing the product. The butcher must be a person of integrity and the store should be under reliable Rabbinic supervision. Packaging: From the time of slaughter, kosher meat and poultry must be properly supervised until it reaches the consumer.

A metal tag called a plumba , bearing the kosher symbol is often clamped on the meat or fowl to serve as an identifying seal of supervision. Alternatively, the meat or fowl is packed in tamper-proof packaging with the kosher logo prominently displayed.

Kosher Costs: Because kosher meat and poultry have many processing requirements shechita , bedika nikkur and salting , which must be performed by specially trained individuals, the labor costs associated with kosher meat and poultry are significantly greater. This accounts for the higher cost of kosher meat and poultry.

Unfortunately, this is a prevalent misconception. Even those food items that are kosher in their raw states could be rendered non-kosher when prepared on equipment used for non-kosher food. For these reasons, reputable kosher supervision is required. Meat and Milk in the Kosher Kitchen The Torah forbids: 1 cooking meat and milk together in any form; 2 eating such cooked products, or 3 deriving benefit from them.

As a safeguard, the Rabbis extended this prohibition to disallow the eating of meat and dairy products at the same meal or preparing them on the same utensils. Furthermore, milk products cannot be consumed after eating meat, for a period of time.

There are different traditions for how long to wait between meat and dairy, but the most prevalent custom is to wait six hours. Meat may be eaten following dairy products with the one exception of hard cheese that is aged 6 months or more, which requires the same waiting time as that of dairy after meat. Unless one is a vegetarian and meat is totally excluded from his kitchen, a kosher kitchen must have two different sets of utensils, one for meat and poultry and the other for dairy foods.

There must be separate, distinct sets of pots, pans, plates and silverware. Ideally, it is best to have two kitchen sinks, one for meat and the other for dairy. If this is not feasible, and one uses one sink for both meat and dairy, dishes and utensils should be placed and washed on a rack, so as not to touch the sink.

Separate racks are to be used for meat and dairy use. Care must be taken to make sure that the water should not be allowed to rise to reach the level of the rack, and dishes cannot be soaked in a sink used for both dairy and meat.

Eggs The eggs or other by-products of non-kosher birds or fish are not kosher. Caviar, therefore, must come from a kosher fish and this requires reliable supervision. Commercial liquid eggs also require supervision. Eggs of kosher fowl that contain a blood spots must be discarded, and therefore eggs should be checked before use.

Shortening and Oil: Government regulations concerning the labeling of food ingredients have undergone strict changes. Not only must the label specify the type of shortening, i. Thus, it is commonplace to find mention of cottonseed oil, lard, coconut oil, and other oil sources. The result of this explicit label display is that the consumer can easily detect what is blatantly non-kosher.

However, it is important to be aware that the kosher status of a product containing even pure vegetable shortening can only be verified by reliable kosher certification. The reason for this is that manufacturers of vegetable shortening often process animal fats on common equipment.

Pure vegetable products may satisfy USDA guidelines for purity, however, in terms of Jewish law, vegetable oil may be non-kosher because it is processed on non-kosher equipment. Emulsifiers: Emulsifiers are complex substances that are used in many types of food production.

They can perform a number of critical functions, among them acting as a surfactant reducing the surface tension of a liquid thus making oil and water soluble. Emulsifiers are critical components in many food items, such as margarine, shortenings, cream fillings, toppings, coffee creamers, whiteners, prepared cake mixes, donuts, puddings, ice cream, frozen desserts, instant mashed potatoes, peanut butter, breakfast cereals, chocolates and candies. Emulsifiers may be listed on the ingredient label as polysorbates, glycerides, mono and diglycerides, sorbitan monostearates, etc.

Emulsifiers are produced from either animal or vegetable oil, and emulsifiers require reliable kosher supervision. Flavors: A critical sector of the food industry is manufacturers of flavors. Flavors, whether artificial or natural, are components of nearly every product. Flavor production is highly complex and uses raw materials from every imaginable source. Keeping kosher is also a reminder of gratitude to the Almighty for taking the Jewish people out of Egypt, and a symbol of the holy covenant.

You are what you eat. Kosher is God's diet for spirituality. Jewish mysticism teaches that non-kosher food blocks the spiritual potential of the soul.

Kosher animals properly slaughtered and prepared have more "sparks of holiness" according to the Kabbalah which are incorporated in our being. Kashrut requires that one must wait after eating meat before eating milk products and we may not eat certain animals or combinations of foods. Even when you're hungry! All of this instills self-discipline. If you disagree with these understandings and benefits, that's okay, too. Because the real reason we eat kosher is that God commanded us to do so in the Torah, and the Jewish people are bound to God in a covenant to keep the commandments of that Torah.

Which begs another question: How do we know there is a God, and how do we know that God gave us the Torah? To learn more about kashrut, read "The Kosher Kitchen" by Rabbi Ze'ev Greenwald, a user-friendly, practical and illustrated guide that eliminates the mystery and confusion of keeping kosher.

All three books are available from your local Jewish bookstore, or by calling toll-free , or online at www. Of course, the Almighty does not want us to become neurotic. If one wants to upgrade his observance of Torah, it should be done in intelligent, calculated steps. Just as a parent loves the first steps of a toddler, the Almighty treasures our steps toward fulfilling His Torah.

Do what you can, with thoughts of doing even more. This is the sane approach to coming closer to the Almighty, fulfilling His mitzvot, and gaining benefits, too. A long time ago I learned that shellfish can aggravate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. I never really cared about eating this type of fist, but I suffer from eczema and was glad to learn of this fact.

However, I have not eaten them for several decades and do not miss them at all. My kitchen is not yet kosher because my husband has resisted taking that step.

There are plenty of good Kosher foods that are readily available. The problem lies in the details Is it an all-or-nothing decision? It makes you think about G-d! I know that some mostly Orthodox will say that it is not OK to only be partially Kosher, but for many of them, I wonder if it is the connection to HaShem that motivates them or is it just there unbending and strict observance to virtually everything in their lifestyle that drives them?

I do agree with everything you have said. I don't agree with so many of these celebrity chef's who yell how Jewish they are, while they're forking pork and shellfish down their throats. Otherwise that's just having your cake and eating it too. A famous brand of kosher hot dogs got me thinking.

The pkg shows only part of the cow being used. I wondered why. As the digestive system is essentially closed off from the muscle as is the excretory system why is there a prob with hind end meat?

And, does a non kosher group make use of this leftover meat or does it go to waste? I think of Native Americans using almost every part of the buffalo. I love that. So I figured I would ask you in case u had an answer.

I am aware that the answer may be reserved for the company in question and the books u recommend. If so, just indicate that in your response and I will move on to those sources.

I appreciate your article above. Thank u for writing it and providing some education on this topic. I found it very informative. I think it is wonderful when people can ask questions of others in a friendly format. The other day I learned how some Jewish ppl are Zionists while others are not. Very interesting. And lately I have been reading about Christian treatment of others in the world wars May we all find common ground and lasting peace.

Best wishes to u. RR , September 18, AM. Kosher companies generally sell the non kosher meat to meat processing facilities that are not kosher, so no food needs to be wasted. I have always been intrigued by the Jewish faith and wanted to learn more. The article opened my eyes to a better understanding of what "kosher" means. I plan to do more research on it and maybe implement a "kosher" life style. Thank you. I never knew or understood what kosher was n this was such a great article n really full of knowledge.

It really helped me better understand the Jewish culture and their belief n closeness to God. Thank u for helping me understand this topic!

I thought this article was very interesting and a great explanation of why people choose to live kosher lifestyles. I bet it would be hard to stay kosher all of the time in a country that doesn't exactly follow kashrut.

It would be hard to trust which places were actually kosher and which ones weren't. This article definitely helped me gain a better understanding of why people decided to follow kashrut. Good job! I am a Jew who used to keep a Kosher home. I don't keep a kosher kitchen and eat kosher food, more out of practical reasons , i live far away from where i can get kosher food and yes , too much assimilated in certain ways, I'm the only one of my family who is very serious about returning home in the spiritual sense, so i have to teach myself the jewish way of life As a non Jewish person, I thank you for the explanation.

I have much respect for you culture In any case, these categorizations simplify food shopping for many vegetarians. If a product is certified kosher pareve, it is free of meat and dairy and is suitable for vegetarians. Similarly, lacto-ovo vegetarians , those who eat dairy and eggs, can purchase kosher dairy foods without worry that they might contain meat products. Though not identical, there are many similarities between the Jewish dietary laws and halal dietary laws observed by Muslims.

Both observant Jews and Muslims refrain from eating pork, blood, and dead animals that died of natural causes, illness, or attack. And, for both groups, proper ritual slaughter is necessary to render an animal fit for consumption.

In recent years, there's been growth in halal certification, but particularly in the U. While not all kosher products are suitable for observant Muslims—for example, products containing wine or alcohol would be off-limits—many Muslims seek out kosher meat or other kosher products if halal-certified foods are not available. French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin famously asserted "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are. There are many traditional foods that resonate as specifically "Jewish," and their preparation and consumption are vital to the creation and preservation of family traditions, holiday celebrations, and day-to-day life.

Keeping kosher is not just about the foods you do or do not eat. There are many rules concerning preparation and consumption. There are waiting periods of varying lengths between meat and dairy food consumption. There are blessings to be said both before and after dining. In other words, keeping kosher is a detail-oriented endeavor and one that requires discipline. But the structure can promote mindfulness and heightened awareness about what, how, and where one eats.

And for many, that mindfulness can promote more appreciation, joy, and deeper spiritual insight as you partake in eating a meal. This is actually one of the simplest, most straightforward reasons that observant Jews keep kosher.

For all of the philosophical, ideological, even quasi-scientific reasons people put forth to help explain Jewish dietary laws, at heart, the mitzvah commandment by God to keep kosher is considered a law that cannot be explained by logic alone. That is not to say that keeping kosher is a matter of blind faith, but, rather, that embracing these dietary laws signifies an affirmation of God's wisdom and a willingness to accept the laws set forth in the Torah.

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