Food plays an important role in Judaism. This can be seen from the fact that food is one of the most important aspects of any gathering, and the Talmud itself states that "Food is important because it brings people together.".
For this reason, there are many laws related to food that are generally called laws of kashrut.
The word kosher means "fit" or "fit," in the context of food, fit for Jewish consumption. The laws of koshering are very extensive (and sometimes complex), and this short section wouldn't be enough to cover them all, but we will write about some of them week by week to help you learn about "our food.".
The first point to consider is that in Judaism all actions (including words and thoughts) must be directed toward God. It follows, then, that the very act of eating, from a Jewish perspective, is not merely a physiological or "animal" act, but becomes in itself an act of service to God.
The most basic level of this concept is that the food a Jew eats must be fit for consumption, that is, kosher. Meat, vegetables, fruits, beverages, etc., all must undergo a koshering process. Some processes are more complex (like that of meat) and others simpler (like that of vegetables and fruits), but everything must be inspected and approved for consumption.
That's great! While I knew some things, I didn't know others. It's good to keep learning more about our customs every day. Thank you!
It's good to learn a little about our customs, Rabbi Tuvia Serber
Glad to hear it!!
What about preservatives, flavorings, and other chemical additives in packaged foods? Perhaps these food adulterants didn't exist in other eras, but I'd like to know to what extent something with kosher certification is truly kosher. Thanks!
With Rabbi Silvia's permission, the additives used in "these times" serve to increase nutrients, add attractive flavors and preservatives that, to be used in Kosher productions, are authorized by Rabbinates with vast knowledge in Kosher food who know and analyze each halajot in its reference.
Bs"D These additives must have rabbinical supervision to be used, for example lactic acid used in the dairy industry with the OU seal.
Hi Silvia Stiberman, in practice, everything you eat requires rabbinical supervision. Not because the rabbi is important or not, but because he will tell you what God considers important.
There are foods that can be bought in any supermarket, and that is because the rabbi supervised the plant where it is manufactured and authorized the consumption of that food, or because, due to the way that food is manufactured, there are no kashrut problems, such as, for example, common wheat flour.
With spices, there are cases where they mix in other coloring products or preservatives; sometimes they cook or grind them together with others that are not kosher.
In practice, you have to check whether everything you put into your body is okay or not.
For you, as a pharmacist, it's easy to understand: just because a remedy is available for sale and people say it's good for you doesn't mean you should take it, because it can harm you for other reasons. We Jews have an incredible physician, Hashem, who prescribes in great detail what to put into our bodies and what not to, because He knows that some things will be good for us, spiritually speaking, and some things won't.
Here are the laws of kashrut regarding food...
Greetings!
What about medications? Do they not have any kosher certification? Or are they all considered safe for health reasons?
Silvia, medications are generally permitted, but there are situations where they must be supervised, such as during Passover, for example. This doesn't mean you can do anything for your health; there are many laws regarding this and many degrees of severity. Each case is analyzed individually, but in general, medications can be taken.