Lo Basi Ella L’orer – Chametz: Heteira Bola Or Issura Bola
The Gemara Avoda Zara (76a) differentiates between kailim used to roast kodshim and those used to roast other issurim. For the former, it is sufficient to kasher with hagalah, because when they had absorbed ta’am it was still heter (heteira bola), while the latter requires libun because when they absorbed ta’am it was already issur (issura bola).
Lo Basi Ella L’orer – Grape Purée And Vinegar
The Gemara (A.Z. 55b) says that wine becomes susceptible to mageh akum only after hamshacha. Before this point mageh akum will not make this wine assur. Hamshacha takes place when some amount of clear juice is separated from the peels and pits. Even if only a tiny amount of juice is separated, all the remaining juice that is still mixed with the peels and pits is now susceptible to mageh akum. This is brought in Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 123:17). Even if we are uncertain as to whether hamshacha took place, Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 123:19) rules that we must be machmir and assur the wine. Therefore, a full barrel of crushed grapes although it appears that hamshacha did not take place, if left in the possession of a non-Jew, becomes assur. We must suspect that some clear juice was removed by the non-Jew, thus invalidating all the remaining wine.
Lo Basi Ella L’orer – Grape Juice Concentrate
Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 134:5) paskens that yayin nesech is batel in 6 parts water. Although bitul usually require 60 parts, wine is an exception. Wine that is diluted 6 times loses its status of wine, and is viewed as becoming nifgam. However, this is not true in all situations. The Gemara (Menachos 87a) relates that Rav Yosef had a vineyard which was so flavorful that standard meziga required dilution in 6 parts water. Likewise, grape juice concentrate can require many dilutions just to reconstitute to single strength, and will clearly not be batel in 6 parts water. Because grape juice concentrate is used so widely as an ingredient in both foods and drinks, it raises many questions regarding bitul and kashering kailim.
Lo Basi Ella L’orer – Kavush II
The Gemarah Chulin 111b tells us that כבוש הרי הוא כמבושל. The Chochmos Adam (58:4) explains that this is a הלכה למשה מסיני, and therefore in cases of safek one must be machmir, ספק דאורייתא לחומרא. Therefore great care should be taken when dealing with even possible situation of kavush, and in any situation of doubt shailos should be asked.
Dream Foods International Has All Products OU KOSHER Certification
Italian Volcano® Juices, Lemonade and Limeade , and Volcano Lemon Burst® and Volcano Lime Burst® have recently been OU kosher certified by the Orthodox Union. Dream Foods International is delighted to have the widely recognized OU kosher certification. Consumers will start seeing the OU symbol on the product labels in the first quarter of 2011
Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Creating Mirsas
The Gemara Avoda Zara 61b teaches that if one is מטהר יינו של עובד כוכבים ברשותו (produces kosher wine for a non-Jew in the non-Jew’s premises) even a double chosem is inadequate to protect the wine against possible tampering. The wine requires as an additional safeguard the presence of a mashgiach who sits and watches or who makes periodic unannounced visits ((שאינו בא לקיצין. Rav Belsky often quotes this Gemara as the basis for hashgacha today. We see how great was the view that Chazal had for unannounced visits that they equate it to having a mashgiach sitting and watching!
OU Kosher’s Rabbi Merzel To Present Seminar At October 26 Food And Beverage Show In Miami
Rabbi Mordechai Merzel, rabbinic coordinator for the Orthodox Union Kosher Division, will be a presenter at the 14th Americas Food and Beverage Show and Conference on Tuesday, October 26 from 3-4 p.m. at the World Trade Center Miami.
Orthodox Union Approves Placement Of Kosher Symbol On Old World Kosher Sausage
Old World Kosher Sausage today announced that it has been certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the world’s largest kosher certification agency. The new variety of kosher chicken sausage bearing the OU symbol will be distributed nationwide beginning in the next few weeks
Lo Basi Ella L’orer: Bitul issur Lechatchila
In general, one is not permitted to be mivatel issur lichatchila. There is a machlokes whether this is an issur d’oreisah (Ravad) or an issur d’Rabbanan (Tosfos). Though most poskim hold that it is only an issur d’rabbanan[1], yet many[2] (including Rav Belsky) feel that one should be choshesh for the opinion of Ravad.
OU Kosher Marketing Tips: If you’ve got it – flaunt it
It’s a textbook of sophisticated food technology that is utilized in refining oil, a compendium of kosher law, and therefore, a remarkable combination of centuries-old halacha and the most up-to-date developments. After a long production process, it is now available to set kashrut standards for the entire industry.