Before continuing, I would like to clarify one point. One often hears, especially in non-Orthodox circles, the term "Biblical Kashrut", meaning observing only those parts of the dietary laws that are clearly specified in the Torah. We must bear in mind that one of the main functions of the Oral Torah is to give the definitions of Torah commands, as handed down to Moses. For example, the Torah only lists as prohibited on Shabbat the making of fire, and gathering sticks. Beyond that, it simply says that we are to do "no manner of work". We have received by tradition that the term "work", refers to a specific thirty-nine activities. Those who claim that it is for each person to decide what he or she considers "work", how do we explain that violation of Shabbat is (theoretically) a capital offense? Each person could say, "I did not consider that activity as work". So in kashrut, an improperly slaughtered cow is every bit as non-Kosher as a pig. It is Biblically prohibited. First, let's take a look at permitted and prohibited species. (Only a few laws apply to fruit and vegetables, which I hope to cover later in this series). The Torah permits mammals that are ruminants, and have split hooves. The Torah enumerates four species that meet only one of these conditions (or appear to) and warns us not to make a mistake. The Torah likewise makes a distinction between domesticated (behemah) and wild (hayah) animals. In the former, certain areas of organ fat are forbidden. These would be those fats that in a sacrifice were burned on the altar. In the latter, the fats are OK (as there were never sacrifices of wild animals), but the blood requires burial, as is also the case with fowl. We are also forbidden to eat the sciatic nerve, and its adjacent fat and flesh. (First fiction dispelled: It is not true that Jews do not eat the hindquarters of an animal. Rather, after the sciatic nerve and surrounding flesh have been removed, the hindquarters would look like hamburger. This is also very labor-intensive. Therefore, in most places, the hindquarters are sold to a non-kosher meat plant. Where this is not practical, the carving (nikur in Hebrew, treibering in Yiddish) is done, and the hindquarters are eaten). For fowl, the Torah gives us no sign of what is kosher, but lists the names of twenty-four birds that are forbidden. All of them are birds of prey. All other birds are permitted. However, the identification of these forbidden birds is, in many cases, doubtful. Therefore, most Sepharadim will use a bird that has signs that it is not a bird of prey. Ashkenazim, on the other hand, will not use any bird that we do not know has been consumed by Jews from time immemorial. A dispute came in several centuries ago about turkey. It was not known before the discovery of America, and some rabbis therefore considered it non-kosher. Others pointed out that it is so close to the chicken, that it is illogical to say that it is a forbidden species. Today, nearly all do consume turkey. Fish must have fins and scales. However, only scales that can be removed from the fish without breaking the skin are considered valid scales. Bony coverings are not accepted as scales. (So no catfish). Two controversial points here: First, sturgeon. It has scales that are difficult to remove, but it can be accomplished with harsh chemicals. Second, swordfish. It has no scales when caught, but, ichthyologists (fish scientists) claim that they do when they are young, which would render them kosher. The Conservative movement has accepted that. Orthodox rabbis have opined that until we see with our eyes such a young fish, that loses its scales when grown, we cannot declare it kosher. The Torah forbids all insects, except certain species of locusts. Most communities have lost the tradition of which species are kosher. Yemenites have maintained the tradition. Most non-Yemenite rabbis are not willing to accept the Yemenite tradition. A few do. There is an annual banquet in Jerusalem where foods that are normally considered to be non-kosher, but actually are, are served, with the goal being to perpetuate the laws of the Torah, over customs based on "we don't know". Some oppose this, preferring to maintain what they consider to be tradition. In my next post, I will examine kosher slaughter (shehitah) and examining the carcass for defects that may render the animal not kosher.
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