Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus, כשרות or כַּשְׁרוּת) is the set of Jewish dietary laws.
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Koshering granite
I have been told that a granite counter top is similar to glass in that it is not porous and does not absorb taste from food that touches it.
Is there a source in halacha for this concept? What other ...
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Is it OK to eat non-certified-as-kosher sushi?
I've heard the argument that since everything in sushi is raw (assuming there are no non-kosher ingredients), and that since the rice is cooked in a rice cooker that is used only for rice, it's OK to ...
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What makes something chametz?
Can I a recipe that uses flour but not water?
As kids, we all learned that if the water and the flour touch for more than 18 minutes, then the matzo is chametz.
When 20 ingredients are combined, ...
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Does instant coffee (regular - not decaffeinated) need a Hashgacha?
There are certain raw ingredients that do not require a Hashgacha (salt, water, eggs, etc.). Does instant coffee (regular - not decaffeinated) need a Hashgacha? If yes, why?
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Eating in less-religious homes
May one eat a meal in the home of one who attended yeshiva and who one considers trustworthy vis-a-vis making sure everything is kosher for their guests, however, one is reasonably certain they do not ...
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Zimun and Bentsching (Bircat Hamazon / Grace After Meals) with Jews who ate non-kosher food
I came across an interesting situation recently. I was eating with Jewish, non-observant friends. I brought over a hamburger from a local kosher take-out place. They had homemade, non-kosher food, ...
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Using a non-kosher toaster oven
What is the permissible way to use a non-kosher toaster oven? My thought process was that, when cooking milk in a meat oven, the covering of the dish and the rack makes it acceptable.
Would covering ...
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How big, and what exactly, is “Kedei Kelipah”?
{Kedei Kelipah is a term used in Kashruth for the amount of something that needs to be removed in order to allow one to treat the remnant as Kosher. (This only applies under certain conditions, which ...
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Is autocannibalism halachically prohibited?
I was wondering if sucking your own blood or biting at your own scab or otherwise consuming yourself was halachically permissible, since, as far as I can tell, humans are not kosher. Even so, it would ...
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At a non-kosher restaurant, is sliced raw fish kosher?
At a non-kosher restaurant, is thinly-sliced raw fish kosher?
Let's assume one sees the preparer clean the knife and cut from the whole fish.
Also, let's assume this raw fish is sashimi — ...
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Is Okapi meat Kosher?
Is the Okapi a kosher animal? According to its Wikipedia page, it is most closely related to the giraffe, which everyone seems to agree is kosher. A quick Google search tells me that it chews its cud. ...
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Bishul Akum: now what?
What is the kashrus status of a pot if the food cooked in it was Kosher, but cooked by Non Jew? Is the pot kosher or not?
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Would synthesized meat be Kosher?
Scientists are preparing synthesized meat for human consumption. See here for a excerpt, and two articles here and here.
My question is: Would this meat be considered Kosher? Might it depend on the ...
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Kosherizing Water using Distillation
Suppose I have water that was cooked with non-kosher food. I then take the water and distill it.
Would this water be considered permissible to drink?
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Issues with cooking meat and milk at the same time
What issues are there (either potential or inherent) in cooking meat dishes and milk dishes at the same time on the same stovetop (not in the same pot)?
Please also compare benefits and problems ...
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How to respond to “but he does”
I mentioned to my coworker that I can't eat Domino's pizza, not even without meat, as it's not kosher. He pointed out in response that a fellow coworker of ours, whom I'll call Josh, and who is ...
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Must I check the kashrut certificate every time I visit a bakery or restaurant?
Say I visit a bakery, restaurant, jail, hospital, or nursing home. And say I already know that the food there is kosher. Must I still check the kashrut certificate every time I visit?
(Gershon ...
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Seared Sushi Bishul Yisroel
Certain Sushi require the searing of the fish on the outside. Does this process require a Jew light the torch used to do the searing or is it not required? I have seen that some stores do and some do ...
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In a bulk food store, must I ask to see the original label every time I return and buy my favorite food?
I know that where I live, some foods don't need kosher certification. But most do.
Say I go to a reliable bulk food store, ask to see the original bucket that a certain food came in, see a reliable ...
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Knife sharpening - can it be done anywhere?
Can you take a Challa knife to any knife sharpener or would you have to Kasher it after it is sharpened? Would there be a difference if it is a meat or cheese knife?
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Is Japanese whisky kosher?
Here's an interesting article about whisky produced in Japan. Have any of the Kashrut authorities said anything about whether such whisky requires supervision? Do any such whiskies have supervision?
...
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If chicken eggs are parve, is caviar considered “fish”?
Chicken is classified as "meat" and cannot be eaten with dairy. Chicken eggs are considered parve and can be eaten with meat or dairy.
Fish and meat cannot be eaten together either. Does the same ...
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Purple/Red Cabbage kashrut issues
Funny thing happened to me tonight.
I was buying some falafel and noticed that they did not have any "purple cabbage" (a.k.a. red cabbage) as a side dish option. I asked if they had any in back, and ...
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Kosher Cheese without a posted hechsher
I live in a remote area of Canada and don't have access to a kosher market to buy cheese. There are many European imports in the local super, and I was wondering if there is a list of cheeses which ...
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Kashrus Book in Hebrew like Shemiras Shabbos k'Hilchasa
Does anyone know of a good book on kashrus (in Hebrew) that accomplishes for kashrus something similar to what Shemiras Shabbos k'hilchasa does for Shabbos?
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Who determines the kosher status of “new” foods?
Who determines the kosher status for "new" processed foods (e.g. Jell-O)? A few orthodox rabbis' approval? General consensus by the Jewish religious community? Certain kosher standards organizations? ...
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Is there such a thing as kosher perry?
This might be too obscure for most people, but I want to put it out there anyway. Perry is fermented pears (sort of a pear cider, if you will - from what I read in Wikipedia, perry produced outside ...
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Why do some people have a custom to boil only odd numbers of eggs?
I heard that some still have a custom to boil only odd numbers of eggs at a time. I heard that the reason is if there is a blood-spot in an egg, the egg will be Battel Berov. This only explains why ...
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Can I trust a non-kosher home's coffee pot?
I thought I heard that its ok to use a coffee pot in a non-kosher home, but I could be mistaken. Does anyone know?
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Reliability of the OKS
I dont know if this type of question is allowed but I was told to ask it here
The symbol is on some restaurants in the NY tri-state area (like Crumbs Bake Shop for example) and I have heard of quite ...
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Can jews eat unclean animals when blood is removed?
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0512.htm
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates,
after all the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of the
LORD thy God ...
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kashrus of mouthwash, toothpaste, lip balm
What are the halachic and factual issues involved in, and various rabbis' holdings on, whether flavored mouthwash, flavored toothpaste, and flavored lip balm need to be kosher, or need a hechsher ...
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Do you have to check boiled eggs?
Is it necessary to check hard or soft boiled eggs for blood spots?
I've never seen anyone do it, so perhaps it is not, but if so, why?
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Is there any reason (based on the laws of kashrut) that one cannot brine kashered meat?
On Seasoned Advice, there is a question regarding brining kosher birds. Is there any halachic reason that one cannot brine meat that has already been kashered?
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In what way is kosher chicken different from brined chicken?
Over on Seasoned Advice, there have been a number of questions related to the nature of kosher meat and the amount of salt absorbed by the meat. Most recently, In what way is kosher chicken different ...
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Can I kasher a ceramic mug? [closed]
I have a ceramic mug which may have been used for a non-kosher hot beverage. I'm really not sure, I'm thinking I used it for coffee made at my parents' house a while back, though I'm not entirely ...
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What is the basis for eating in someone's house without a kashrut certificate?
No one asks for a kashrut certificate to eat in someone's house; they just make a rough judgement based on the host's reputation (the way they dress or behave, the circles they move in, etc.). That ...
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Is there a problem with Triangle K? If so, what?
I want to know what the OU's or any other Orthodox kashrut agency's problem is with Triangle K. I have read about the Ralbag family which founded and runs the Triangle K and they are clearly Orthodox. ...
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What are the kashrut standards of the various nationwide (and regional) kashrut agencies?
I'd like to see a resource developed which transparently compares the standards of the various kashrut agencies. Just like I can retrieve an incredibly in-depth comparison chart from Wikipedia ...
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Does cheese without a hekhsher tref dishes?
I've heard that Rav Soloveitchik ztz"l used to eat non-hekhshered cheese. Can you explain how the creation of hashgachah agencies has changed whether things need hashgachah, and would it be reasonable ...
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Why do we use a tight heuristic for fish egg kashrut and not trust supervision?
I recently listened to this podcast from the OU Kashrut Division on the kashrut of Bowfin eggs in particular and of fish eggs in general, and I learned something interesting about the kashrut of fish ...
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If a product with a Hechsher doesn't say dairy does that mean it's pareve?
I'm not sure when this practice started, but I noticed that many/most/all Kosher Certifications indicate whether a product is dairy or not. Does a lack of such a marking indicate that the product is ...
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Which Kosher Certifications are trusted by all?
There are many hechsheirim in today's world, but unfortunately, not everyone considers all of them to be on par with their standards. Nonetheless, I am assuming (and you may correct me if I'm wrong) ...
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Unsupervised meat and closed restaurants/butchers
How does Basar SheNith'alem Min Ha'Ayin (meat that has disappeared from view) apply vis a vis restaurants/delis/supermarkets/butchers that have closed for the night/weekend/holiday? I was just ...
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Is Pork, Camel, and the like Fleishig?
If one somehow consumed meat of a non-kosher species such as camel or pork (e.g. life-threatening illness, or by accident), does s/he become Fleishig?
Why or why not?
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Can I use Bounty to drain my food? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Kashrus of Paper Towels
Using paper towels such as bounty can be very useful when on a diet for draining the oil off of foods.
However, I heard rumors that bounty is ...
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Animals vs. plants: kashrus
Why did God make all plants, but only some animals, kosher? Sources, please.
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Gentile owned and operated Kosher establishment
Are there any restrictions or limitations for a gentile owning and operating a kosher establishment? Are there any limitations or restrictions for Jews patronizing such an establishment?
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Does a pot that cooked food with a bug in it need to be kashered afterward?
If one were cooking a pot of pasta or a soup and later found a bug or many bugs in the pasta or soup, would the pot need to be re-kashered after it was thoroughly cleaned?
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Pharmaceuticals and Kashrut
To what degree does medicine need to be kosher (not regarding pesach)? Most medicines are a random series of active ingredients with little meaning to the non medical professional - but what about ...