Consumer Kosher Articles
The Continuing World-Wide Adventures Of Phyllis Koegel: Stranded In Germany —Who Am I Going To Call?
Leo “Zeidi” Bleier, father of the author. Growing up, my father always used to tell me that I had to learn to take care of myself. If I was ever in trouble, he explained, no one would help me. His attitude wasn’t a surprise: my late father survived Dachau. Known to all as Zeidi Leo, […]
Night Of Jewish Unity And Record-Breaking Challah
ON THE NIGHT of October 21, Brooklyn’s Grand Prospect Hall came face to face with a phenomenon it had never seen before: Yid-lock. 2,200 Jewish women from all walks of life streamed into the building for Project Inspire’s Great Big Challah Bake, causing a one-hour bottleneck in the lobby. “Our goal was to create an […]
Bitul Of Milk
REMA (Y.D. 99:6) writes that if a kezayis of milk fell into sixty k’zeysim of water, and then some of that water fell into a pot of meat, the meat would be permitted. Shach (Y.D. 99:22) quotes Rema in Toras Chatas that in this case, since the milk became batul unintentionally, one may even lichatchila […]
Bishul on Shabbos Part IV: Sweet ‘N Low and Equal
In a previous issue of the Daf HaKashrus (Vol. 23, #9, p.41) we explained that Splenda, a mixture of sucralose, dextrose, and maltodextrin, can be added to coffee in a kli sheni on Shabbos based on the principle of ein bishul achar bishul. Sucralose, the actual sweetening agent, is cooked during the manufacturing process. Dextrose […]
Bishul on Shabbos: Flavored Nescafe Coffee
WHEN I PREPARE NESCAFE INSTANT COFFEE ON SHABBOS, I POUR HOT WATER FROM AN URN DIRECTLY INTO A CUP, AND THEN ADD THE COFFEE. I’VE TAKEN A LIKING TO NESCAFE VANILLA AS WELL AS NESCAFE HAZELNUT. DOES THE PRESENCE OF THE FLAVOR COMPLICATE MATTERS? It is permitted to cook on Shabbos a dry food that, […]
What is Yoshon?
The source for the laws pertaining to Yoshon are found in Vayikra (23:9-14). These laws are applicable to the Chamishas HaMinim of barley, oats, rye, spelt and wheat.
These grains are Yoshon if they took root prior to Pesach. If the grains did not take root prior to Pesach then they are chadash until the subsequent Pesach. There is a halachic dispute if the hashrashah (grain taking root) must be 3 days or two weeks prior to Pesach. The laws of chadash do not apply to other grains such as rice, corn and buckwheat.
What could be wrong with… ? – Part I
When I was a child, shopping for a kosher candy bar was a simple matter. In those days, a candy bar was only a nickel. We would carefully review the ingredients printed on the back label. If there was no gelatin in the candy, we wisely concluded that the product was unquestionably kosher. No matter […]
OU Kosher Presents FAQ’s on Cheese in honor of Shavuos…
How is cheese made kosher? As with any food, all of the ingredients in the cheese as well as the equipment used during the manufacturing process must be kosher. However, a special prohibition makes kosher certification of cheese a bit more challenging: the ban on gevinat Akum, which means that cheese not made under special rabbinical […]
The Halachot of Waiting Between Meals
A overview and discussion of the laws of waiting between meat and milk