Consumer Kosher Articles
OU KOSHER Returns To Brooklyn With Program At Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin Featuring Rabbis Genack, Elefant and Fuchs: Bedikas Toyloim Guide to be Distributed
Orthodox Union kashrus experts will return to Brooklyn on Sunday evening January 3, 2016 to provide an expected large crowd of men and women with a high-level shiur on various aspects of kashrus. The program, one in a continuing series of Harry H. Beren ASK OU OUTREACH sessions, will be held at 8:00 p.m. at […]
What Could Be Wrong With… The “K”?
WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THE “K”? A number of years ago, an OU-certified company requested authorization to use “Charlie’s Bread Crumbs” in their product. Since a “K” was prominently displayed on the bread crumb label, I called the Charlie company to inquire which rabbi provided their kosher supervision. Mr. Johnson politely advised me that […]
What Could Be Wrong With…The Supervision of Rabbi So-and-So?
Many people believe that all rabbis who provide supervision can be presumed to be equally reliable. This great leap of faith is not rooted in reality nor is it a reasonable assumption to make. We would not entrust our physical well-being to any surgeon who is licensed to perform operations. Why should we entrust our […]
Ten Interesting New OU-Certified Products From Kosherfest 2015
I meant to save a bit of the brownie for my husband, but I had eaten the whole thing before I realized. Before I had even eaten breakfast. I tried to rationalize it was okay to give in to my chocolate craving because these were made with black beans and cocoa. Made by Pure Genius—a […]
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.