Last updated 8:10 a.m. ET on 23 June 1998.

Kashruth, or Keeping Kosher

We are not going to pretend to offer an comprehensive discussion of what kashruth is, or how to keep a kosher home. There are plenty of existing resources available for that information. And, most importantly, if you really want to observe the laws of kashruth, you should consult a rabbi.

Instead, what we want to offer is a personal perspective on kashruth, how we do it, how we feel about it, and some of the issues we face in a community where different people do things different ways.

What Does Kosher Mean?

Kosher means fit, or right, or correct. Almost any item that is subject to Jewish law can therefore be described as being kosher or not kosher. When we talk about "keeping kosher" or observing kashruth, we are referring to the complex system of laws that govern the way observant Jews prepare and eat all their food and drink.

What Does it Mean to "Keep Kosher"?

At its most basic, the idea of kashruth, or what people often refer to as "keeping kosher", boils down to two basic ideas:

  • Some animals may not be eaten. Animals that can be eaten must be killed in a humane manner. Kosher animals are defined by lists in the Torah. We can make some generalizations about the types of animals that are forbidden -- for example, many of the forbiden animals are predators or scavengers. But in the end, the only rationale for not eating these forbidden animals is that they are forbidden.
  • Milk and meat, or any of their by-products, must not be consumed at the same time. The separation of meat and milk is a peculiar concept in some ways. It is predicated upon the Biblical injunction not to "boil a kid in its mother's milk". Yet chickens and other fowl, whose mothers have no milk, are also considered meat for purposes of kashruth.

In practice, observing kashruth involves special care in purchasing, storing, and preparing food.

  • If you eat meat (we don't), you buy only meat from kosher animals that have been ritually slaughtered and then specially prepared so as to extract as much of the animal's blood as possible.
  • Everything grown from the earth is permitted -- fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, etc.
  • Eggs from kosher fowl, milk from kosher animals, and many types of fish (again, defined by lists in the Torah) are permitted.
  • If these foods are processed in any way, including canning or freezing, care must be taken that forbidden mixtures do not contaminate the food. Since most processing is done in factories, we rely on rabbinical supervision in these factories. Rabbinical supervision is guaranteed by a hechsher that appears on the food packaging.
  • At home, some separation is kept between items that contain meat or milk by-products. Separate containers used only for those products are generally adequate, though if in doubt one should always consult a rabbi.
  • Besides meat and milk, there is a third category of food products known as pareve. Eggs, fish, fruit and vegetables, grains and legumes are all considered neither meat nor milk and may be used for both meat and dairy meals. Some communities do not allow mixtures of meat and fish. This practice is minchag, or custom, rather than a matter of Jewish law, or halacha.
  • Separate sets of pots, utensils, and dishes are used for preparing and eating meat and dairy foods. This separation generally carries through to washing and storing the dishes.

We must emphasize that this list is not a complete list of the laws of kashruth, but only a brief description of some of the main considerations. For complete information and guidance in observing kashruth, there is no substitute for consulting your local rabbi.

What is a Hechsher?

A hechsher is a service mark or trademark used by a kashruth supervising group to indicate that the food or product has been prepared according to Jewish law. The American/Asian Kashrus site has a list of many hechshers along with the names of the supervising agencies.

Is There Only One Way to Observe Kashruth?

You would probably get different answers from different Jews on this one. My opinion and observation is YES - there are many different ways to have a kosher home. Here are some of the ways that people we know observe some level of kashruth:

  • Some eat a standard diet, except that they avoid eating animals (like pigs) and fish (like shellfish) that are forbidden in the Torah.
  • Some avoid the forbidden animals and also refrain from eating meat and milk at the same meal.
  • Some eat only kosher meat when they eat meat, but do not use separate dishes.
  • Some buy only kosher meat, maintain separate dishes for meat and milk, and have a waiting period between eating the two, but look at the ingredients on packages to determine whether processed foods are okay for consumption.
  • There are those who do all of the previous things but require all processed foods to carry a hechsher.
  • Finally, there are vegetarians like us, which also has its levels of observance -- especially as regards buying only items with a hechsher.

How Does Beit HaChautlim Observe Kashruth?

Oooooh, I was afraid you were going to ask that.....

Since as a family we don't eat meat, our observance is simplified in some respects. We don't have to keep a separate set of dishes for meat foods. We do have one small cabinet with a pan and some utensils used for meat because one of our children occasionally likes a piece of chicken (usually bought pre-cooked) or a roast beef sandwich. We also have a complete set of meat dishes for camping, since we often go camping in the company of carnivores.

Other ways in which we stay mindful of kashruth on a daily basis:

  • We check for a hechsher when buying processed foods.
  • We crack eggs into a separate dish and check for blood spots before we use them.

Kashruth and the Purim Basket

There are families we know and like who will not eat anything prepared in our kitchen. We want to acknowledge those families at Purim with mishloach manot, therefore we purchase items that will not cause kashruth problems for them. These items may include:

  • Whole fruits, nuts in the shell
  • Packaged goods that have a hechsher

Special Kashruth Considerations for Pesach

For Pesach, we remove every pot, utensil, storage container, serving dish, and so on from our kitchen and replace them with items that are used only for Pesach.

What's the Point?

What About Eating Out?

So If You Don't Eat Meat Anyway, Why Bother?

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