Consumer Kosher Articles
In Remembrance of Our Loved Ones
It is customary on Yom Kippur when Yizkor (the memorial service) is recited, as well as on the Shalosh Regalim (Passover, Sukkot and Shavuot), to light a candle in memory of loved ones who have passed away. This practice was referenced as far back as the Talmudic times when it was recorded in Tractate Ketubot […]
An Eruv Tavshilin Primer
by Rabbi Moshe Zywica, Executive Rabbinic Coordinator (Sign up for Eruv Tavshilin email reminders here.) What is the reason for Eruv Tavshilin? When the second day of Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, or if Shabbos falls immediately after Yom Tov, as it does this year, it is rabbinically forbidden to cook or prepare on Yom Tov for Shabbos. […]
Encyclopedia of Jewish Food: Matzah, Rugelach And A Whole Lot More
Communities can be defined by their food. American food — reflecting a penchant for accessibility, convenience, versatility, and portability -— reveals much about who we are and how we got here. Waves of various immigrants brought new dishes and ways of thinking about food to the repertoire. Beginning in the 1880s, two obscure German dishes, […]
Dont Look at the KARMA Cap – Look at What’s in it!
KARMA Wellness Water is a relatively new kosher line of products certified by the OU. These nutritional beverages come in several flavors. The driving force behind Karma is the fact that water-soluble vitamins lose their potency while sitting in water or when they are exposed to moisture. Additionally, those vitamins suffer degradation when they are […]
Eating Dairy on Shavuos
The Rama on Orach Chaim 494:3 quotes a widespread minhag to eat dairy foods on Shavuos. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid. s.k.12) proffers the famous explanation for this custom: Bnei Yisroel, upon receiving the Torah on Shavuos, were unable to eat meat right after the Torah was given. There was no time to prepare and check […]
Are All Fromages Created Equal? Waiting Between Cheese and Meat
“You mean that I have to wait SIX HOURS after I eat cheese before I can eat meat??” Well, often yes. The Remo (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 89:2) states that the minhag is to wait after eating hard cheese before partaking of meat, just as one waits after meat before dairy; this minhag has become accepted practice for Ashkenazim. (See Chochmas Adam 40:13.)
Didn’t get your questions answered at the Pre-Passover Webinar? Rabbi Gersten answers them here – audio
The Pre-Passover Webinar which was broadcasted live from OU Headquarters on Wednesday, March 22 was a great success and watched by over 3400 live viewers. Due to the large amount of requests submitted, we were not able to address all questions. Rabbi Gersten, RC Recorder of OU Psak and Policy, addresses some of those additional Passover questions […]
Uncorking the Secrets of Kosher Wine
Wine plays a central role in Jewish religious life. In the days of the Temple, whenever one brought a korban, it had to be accompanied by wine. Furthermore, the Levi’im only sang shirah while wine was being poured on the mizbayach (Berachot 35a). Of course, every Shabbos we commemorate the creation of the world over […]
OU Kosher’s FAQ’s for Purim
Ta’anit Esther this year will be Thursday, March 9th. What time does the fast begin and when does it end? The fast begins when one goes to sleep at night, unless one plans to wake up early to eat before the fast begins. If one planned to wake up early, he can eat until alot […]