Kosher: An Overview
 

The following outline explains the basics of the very intricate set of laws that govern kosher food. Proper implementation of these rules is achieved only by close consultation with a kosher expert.




The laws of kosher food originate in the Bible, and have been observed by Jews for over 3,300 years. There are three categories of kosher food - meat, dairy, and parve.

1. Meat - For an animal to be kosher, it must have split hooves and it must chew its cud. (Examples: cow, goat, lamb.) Non-kosher animals include pig, camel, and rabbit. Fowl such as chicken, turkey, certain duck, and certain goose are kosher. Animals and fowl must be slaughtered by a specialist (a shochet) and then soaked and salted to remove the blood. All carnivorous (meat-eating) animals and fowl, and the blood of all animals and fowl, and any derivatives or products thereof, are not kosher.

2. Dairy - Milk and milk products (cheese, cream, butter, etc.) of a kosher animal are kosher and dairy. These may not be eaten in combination with meat or fowl.

3. Parve - Foods that contain neither meat nor dairy ingredients are termed "parve," which indicates a neutral state. All fruits, grains, and vegetables in their natural state are kosher and parve. Fish that have fins and scales are kosher and parve. Some examples are salmon, flounder, and halibut. Examples of non-kosher fish are shark, sturgeon, catfish, and swordfish. All reptiles, shellfish, and underwater mammals, and most insects, are not kosher. A parve item can become dairy when it is cooked together with a dairy food; it becomes meat when cooked with meat. (Example: vegetables produced together with meat may not be eaten with dairy and are no longer parve.)


MEAT AND DAIRY SEPARATION

The requirement to separate meat and dairy products applies not only to food, but also to the utensils used for storing, preparing, and serving these foods. Therefore, completely separate sets of pots, dishes, cutlery, etc., are standard in a kosher kitchen. There is a waiting period after eating meat before eating dairy, six hours in most communities. The waiting period also applies to foods that have been cooked with meat. A similar waiting period applies after eating hard cheese before eating meat. It should be noted that although fish is neither meat nor dairy, fish and meat may not be eaten together. Kosher food produced on machinery previously used for non-kosher food may be rendered non-kosher.


KOSHERIZING

The process of making vessels, utensils, dishes, ovens, and sinks kosher is called kashering, or kosherizing. It is sometimes possible to make non-kosher equipment kosher. This is done under the watchful eye of a rabbi who is versed in the procedure, the nature of which will vary depending on the kind of equipment that is involved.


PASSOVER

Passover, the eight-day holiday that commemorates the Exodus of the Jewish people from bondage in Egypt to freedom and nationhood, involves a unique set of kosher laws. No leavened products may be consumed on Passover. Certain grain products and their derivatives, although kosher the rest of the year, may not be consumed during Passover. In addition, in many communities, legumes are not permitted on Passover. The equipment used for production of Kosher for Passover items must also be Kosher for Passover.


WINE

A special rule governs the production of wine. Even if all the ingredients in wine are of kosher origin, it is kosher only if production was done exclusively by Torah-observant Jews. The making of kosher wine can involve a significant investment of time and expense, with equipment being kosherized from previous production runs and a trained team of Torah-observant Jews stepping in to supervise the production of the kosher wine.