KEEPING KOSHER

part one

WHAT'S NOT KOSHER?
1. BIBLICALLY
2. RABBINICALLY

biblical prohibitions 1

• non-kosher (טמא) animals / birds / fish / insects
• Animals or birds killed improperly (נבילה), those that are sick (טריפה), limbs from live animals (אבר מן החי)
• meat & milk cooked together (בשר בחלב)

Biblical prohibitions 2

• Certain parts of animals (blood, certain fats & sinews)
• less common: חדש, כלאים, יין נסך
• Certain fruits and vegetables from israel (טבל, ערלה, שמיטה)

rabbinic Extensions

• milk cooked with fowl or undomesticated animals (חיה , עוף)
• milk and meat not cooked together
• unsupervised milk (חלב עכו״ם)

rabbinic restrictions

• non-jewish wine (סתם יינם)
• non-jewish food (בישול עכו״ם)
• non-jewish artisanal bread (פת עכו״ם)
• dangerous foods (fish + meat)

part two

transfers of taste

• heat + liquid = cooking (בישול)
• roasting (צלי)
• salting (מליח כרותח)
• aroma (ריחא)
• steam (זיעה)
• soaking (כבוש כמבושל)

cooking: what's hot?

• your hand recoils (יד סולדת בו) / between 110-160 fahrenheit (43-71 C) - pot on the stove
• primary cooking vessel (כלי ראשון) - pot off the stove
• pouring from a primary vessel (עירוי כלי ראשון) - kitchen faucet
• solid piece of food (דבר גוש) - sizzling steak
• solid piece of food (דבר גוש) - sizzling steak

STEAM CONCERNS

• steam is food - if it’s hot, it transfers taste!
• a milk lid on a steaming meat pot makes everything not kosher (pot/food/lid)
• ladles hanging above the stove absorb taste
• condiments / spices used for hot foods absorb taste
• keurigs and hot water dispensers absorb taste

AROMA CONCERNS

• aroma is only a problem in the first case (לכתחילה)
• dry foods should not be roasted together, but may be eaten if necessary
• if either food is covered, no issues

PART THREE

TRANSFERRING PROHIBITED FLAVOR

• נ״ט בר נ״ט דאיסורא
• non-kosher food is cooked in a kosher pot
• the pot is now not kosher
• any food cooked in the pot is not kosher

TRANSFERRING PERMISSIBLE FLAVOR

• pasta is cooked in a *clean* meat pot (נ״ט בר נ״ט דהתירא)
• it cannot be mixed with cheese intentionally, but may be eaten if mixed accidentally.
• this leniency is not true for sharp foods (onions, radishes)