Kashrut

The Jewish dietary laws ( kashrut Hebrew כַּשְרוּת in Ashkenazi pronunciation Kashrus = ritual safety ) are religion statutory requirements governing the preparation and consumption of food and beverages. Under these rules, foods are divided into those which are permitted for consumption ( Yiddish: "kosher " ), and foods that are not allowed for consumption: are ( Yiddish "non- kosher " or " treife "). Today's dealing with the Jews of kashrut is very diverse and includes a range of the strictest compliance by Orthodox Jews to complete non-observance by secular Jews.

The Jewish dietary laws have their foundation in the Torah, the five books of Moses, and were further developed in Rabbinic Judaism and one of the pillars of Halacha, Jewish religious law. The following aspects are fundamental for the Kashrut:

Declarations of Kashrut

1 Physical damage

The medieval scholar Maimonides explained, for example, that all forbidden in the Torah food harm the human body. With the kashrut rules, the Torah was given to the Jews therefore a key with which they can distinguish the good from the bad.

2 Mental injury

However, Nachmanides explained, other peoples ate the forbidden foods without having suffered damage thereby. The forbidden foods harm the Jews, not physically but mentally. In his view, it is significant that all the Torah prohibited for consumption birds birds of prey ( eagle, falcon, hawk ... ), while for consumption allowed (chicken, pigeon, duck, goose ... ), however, none are. Something from the raptor coloring onto which verspeise him. In this way, the prohibition of eating blood is understandable: The consumption of blood getting used to cruelty and promotes murderous, destructive habits.

3 holiness

However, the principal motive of the dietary laws is required in Lev 19.2 EU ideal of holiness, not as an abstract idea, but as a dominant principle in the daily lives of men, women and children. " The dietary laws educate us to rule our appetites, they get used to it, to suppress burgeoning desires, as well as the inclination, the joy of eating and drinking to be regarded as the purpose of human existence " ( Zohar ).

Human attempts to explain

Jewish scholars often reject interpretations and reasoning as "human attempts at interpreting the divine will " and will simply rely on the definition of God that a man can neither interpret nor explain or can. These rules were transmitted according to Jewish tradition, the Israelites after the Exodus from Egypt through Moses.

Kosher animals

The Torah is different ( Ch. 11) for human consumption imaginary animals allowed ( kosher ) and not allowed ( non-kosher ) animals in the third book of Moses. Under this scheme are from the animals only such as kosher look at, the two have split hooves and ruminants (eg cattle, sheep, goats, deer etc ). Thus, for example pork as treife, that is, as not kosher to classify because, although pigs have cloven hooves but do not chew the cud. Even camels are not kosher because they chew the cud, but have not ( completely ) split hooves. Accordingly, all other land animals ( horses, donkeys, rabbits, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, etc. ) to the category of forbidden fall because treifen, animals.

Poultry is then kosher if the animal species domesticated and no birds of prey (ie, for example, are chickens, geese, etc. allowed). About turkey has long been rabbinic discussed ( today is widely recognized as kosher). Ostriches, however, are not allowed.

Of the aquatic animals are those kosher that have fins and scales. Most freshwater fish are therefore allowed, but the eel ( which according to the Jewish view has no scales ) or the catfish are treife and therefore prohibited. Also not allowed by the marine animals all those who are not fish, for example, lobster, crayfish, mussels, squid, crocodiles and snails. Also as " treife " are all reptiles, reptiles and insects. Locusts were, however, permitted in the Torah, but later banned by rabbinic Judaism (because the only allowed grasshopper could not be determined with certainty ).

According to rabbinical rules is that all the products of kosher animals is likewise considered a kosher food. Thus, the milk of a kosher animal ( cow, goat ) itself is kosher, while that of a non-kosher animal (eg, horse) are not allowed. An exception is the honey, which is considered kosher even though it is produced from a non-kosher animal ( bee).

Also on the Torah based the prohibition of eating blood. Although it has been found in the so-called Noahide laws input and is credited in the 1st book of Genesis, it is later in the Torah frequently repeated ( as in the third book of Moses ). Rabbinic Judaism has deduced from this ban far-reaching regulations that may prepare the ( kosher ) meat. Thus, the ( kosher ) animal must be geschächtet under those provisions, so that the animal's blood flows out as completely as possible. Similarly, the ( kosher ) meat is to water before cooking, add salt to rinse and to substantially minimize the residual blood in the meat. According to biblical notion is the blood of the seat of the soul and therefore may not always be consumed. See also: Cultural history of the blood.

Fleshy and milky

Especially rabbinic origin is the fundamental distinction between fleshy ( basari ) and milky ( chalawi ) food. Then meaty dishes are not only meat products, but all foods in which meat products are processed while milky foods are all those in which milk or milk products are included. This distinction is for the kashrut important because the simultaneous consumption of fleshy and milky food is forbidden and dairy dishes are named after the consumption of fleshy only after a fairly long time (depending on tradition different); the reverse sequence is less rigorously because of the faster digestion milky food. Especially in Ashkenazi Judaism, the distinction between milky and meaty dishes has also enforced so that meaty foods must not be eaten by the milky dishes and vice versa. For this reason, a kitchen of observant Jews, so those who follow the strict rabbinical interpretation of biblical laws, usually twice Cookware, dishware, and utensils, as well as the ability to separate dishwashing (two ranges of Spülgeräten or even two dishwashers ).

Neutral foods

In addition to this distinction ( " meaty " and " milky " ) but there is also a third category of foods that are called parve, neutral. This includes not only all the fruit, vegetables and cereals, but also eggs, honey and fish. These neutral foods can be eaten with the exception of fish, both together with fleshy and milky with food. Although fish is considered parve, but may not be prepared or eaten along with fleshy according to the regulations.

Certification

Since the dietary laws in Orthodox Judaism are strictly adhered to, the products must, most foods are certified to make such guarantee that they comply with these regulations. The certification, Hebrew hechsher is hung like a seal attached to Israel and the United States of America on the packaging or in the corresponding transactions ( eg bakeries, delicatessens ). The monitoring of the religious rules is performed by a Mashgiach and supervised by a rabbi. Hechscharim awarded by numerous Rabbinates and can make competing with each other. In Germany and other countries where little observant Jews live, the food is often not specially provided with a hechsher, but are foodstuffs that comply with Jewish dietary laws and their consumption is safe for religious Jews, in a list. Only kosher butcher shops or bakeries, to the extent they exist in these countries, are under special supervision and are certified.

Special

Wine

Although grape wine is a herbal product and is therefore subject to any specific provision kashrut, it is still necessary for Orthodox Jews to drink only grape wine with a kosher certificate. The reason for this lies in the fact that grape wine in other religions had a ritual significance and has and is therefore subject to the risk of being used in the context of idolatry. Therefore, it has become customary that only the wine from grapes, which is accompanied in the production of this commissioned Jews, is considered kosher wine and is certified accordingly. The same is true for grape juice and any food that grape wine or grape juice contain. Even kosher wines and juices should not be using gelatin ( so-called " gelatin - tannin fining " ) clarified.

Milk

Since milk could be in earlier times quite well milk from animals not allowed, it has become that even milk regarding the kashrut is closely monitored and only milk is considered to be kosher, which has a corresponding certificate. As it is, however, become quite uncommon today to stretch cows' milk mare ( mare's milk is now much more expensive ), certified milk is common only in ultra-Orthodox circles.

Cheese

Also, cheese is considered a sensitive product in view of the kashrut. However, this has less to do with the problems of milk (see above), but rather with the production process. Cheese required for coagulation lab, which was formerly always beastly. This poses the problem that when using animal rennet, the separation of meat and dairy products is not complied with. Today, hard cheese but is often made ​​with microbial rennet.

Eggs

Eggs from kosher animals (eg chickens ) in principle be considered kosher, but only if the whipped raw egg is examined for traces of blood and none are available. When a trail of blood inside the chicken egg is present, the egg may not be eaten.

Dietary laws for Passover

A very different quality of kashrut brings the Jewish Passover with them. Because according to the second book of Moses is not allowed to enjoy during the seven- day long festival " leavened " or even to possess. Rabbinic Judaism has also deduced a whole system of rules, so that today all foods in which the grain has been processed, are banned for this time (alone matzo meal, properly processed cereals, may be included). In Ashkenazi Judaism not only grain of all kinds is prohibited aggravating, but also legumes, rice and corn. Moreover, even the dishes and kitchen utensils, of which during this festival are exercised and which are previously come into contact with grain, either separated or specifically " gekaschert ", ie made ​​suitable for Passover.

The importance of dietary laws

Even if today are not at all or only partially complied with the Jewish dietary laws of many Jews either, so should not be forgotten that the kashrut, like the Shabbat, was an identity for Judaism and is. Judaism had since AD 70. not a religious center and not have its own state more. The rabbis created solely with the Halacha, the religious law, the requirement that Jews, no matter what country they lived, no matter what language was their mother tongue, could be understood as a matched "people". In this context, the Halacha Kashrut formed an important pillar. This has changed fundamentally since the modern era and with the rise of Reform Judaism, since both the assimilation had become important to the non-Jewish majority society ( emancipation of the Jews ), and the binding nature of halacha was questioned. In this respect, today the kashrut is left to the Reform Judaism of the private exercise, but by no means become meaningless.

General use "kosher "

The Yiddish word kosher has been found in a figurative sense input in the general language. In German, "perfect", it means " safe ", not kosher, and often not quite kosher, according to " questionable " " not safe ".

Others

The the term "kosher " comparable Islamic term for regulating the Islamic dietary laws is " halal ". However, "kosher " and " halal " not congruent.