Kashrut means “fitness” and refers to the dietary laws governing what is permitted and forbidden for consumption. These laws further prescribe how kosher food should be prepared and by whom. While the Torah dictates which animals may be consumed and under what conditions, the rabbis further derived principles to ensure that one does not violate the Torah and discuss the value of these practices.
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Holy DistinctionsTANAKH
Holy Distinctions
TANAKH
The biblical dietary laws of kashrut serve as a means for the Jewish people to maintain their sanctity. In the book of Leviticus, God commands the Israelites to distinguish between pure and impure animals and to consume only the pure ones.
Maintaining the Body’s SanctityJEWISH THOUGHT
Maintaining the Body’s Sanctity
JEWISH THOUGHT
Kashrut, according to most interpreters, is not a path to better physical health but a means of spiritual discipline. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, a leader in the 19th-century movement for a modern Orthodox Judaism, offers an explanation for Jewish dietary laws in his book Horeb.
The Key to Health?JEWISH THOUGHT
The Key to Health?
JEWISH THOUGHT
Some interpreters argue that the laws of kashrut have tangible physical health benefits. Rambam, in his 12th-century philosophical work Guide to the Perplexed, argues that the benefits of a kosher diet to health and hygiene account for Jewish food restrictions.
The Metaphysics of KashrutKABBALAH
The Metaphysics of Kashrut
KABBALAH
The Jewish dietary laws of kashrut function as a way to maintain spiritual purity and holiness. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, explores the metaphysical distinction between kosher and nonkosher animals, suggesting that consuming the latter could lead to spiritual impurity.
Ethics of Kosher SlaughterHALAKHAH
Ethics of Kosher Slaughter
HALAKHAH
The laws of kashrut dictate specific methods for the slaughter of animals in order to consume their meat. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, in his contemporary presentation of Jewish law, Peninei Halakha, argues that these rules are designed to minimize the pain and distress of the animals.
Social Boundaries through FoodTALMUD
Social Boundaries through Food
TALMUD
The laws of kashrut, which prohibit many types of food produced and consumed by gentiles, can create boundaries between Jewish communities and those who surround them. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Avodah Zarah explains how social considerations have shaped some such laws.
The Symbolic Meaning of Food TaboosCHASIDUT
The Symbolic Meaning of Food Taboos
CHASIDUT
The Chasidic tradition ascribes symbolic significance to many of the laws of kashrut. In his 19th-century work Likkutei Halakhot, which explains Jewish law in light of the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Rabbi Nathan Sternhartz suggests an allegorical significance for the prohibition of mixing meat and milk.
“And This You May Eat”MIDRASH
“And This You May Eat”
MIDRASH
Many of the laws of kashrut are explicitly outlined in the Torah, which names certain animal species, parts of animals, and methods of slaughter that are prohibited and permitted. The Sifra, an ancient work of legal midrash on the book of Leviticus, explicates some of these biblical dietary restrictions.
Kosher SlaughterMISHNAH
Kosher Slaughter
MISHNAH
The laws of kashrut include specific requirements for the slaughter of animals, or shechitah. The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law, from the early third-century land of Israel, details the process and conditions that validate or invalidate the slaughter.
Mixing Meat and MilkMIDRASH
Mixing Meat and Milk
MIDRASH
The prohibition of mixing meat and milk, a major component of the laws of kashrut, comes from a biblical verse that states “you shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.” Tuviah ben Eliezer, in his 11th-century Midrash Lekach Tov, offers different interpretations for the repetition of this verse three times throughout the Torah.
The Mark of a Kosher MammalHALAKHAH
The Mark of a Kosher Mammal
HALAKHAH
Kosher and nonkosher animals are distinguished by their physical features. Rabbi Joseph Karo, in his authoritative 16th-century legal code, the Shulchan Arukh, provides detailed guidelines on identification of kosher animals and inspection of those features that are not visible or recognizable.
The Mystery of Kosher BirdsHALAKHAH
The Mystery of Kosher Birds
HALAKHAH
Rather than offering criteria by which to determine whether a bird is kosher, the Torah offers a list of which may be eaten. Rashba, in his 13th-century legal work Torat HaBayit HaKatzar, enumerates principles that rabbis have used to determine the kashrut status of various birds.
Marks of Kashrut in Insects and BirdsTOSEFTA
Marks of Kashrut in Insects and Birds
TOSEFTA
Some insects and fish are kosher, as determined by various physical features that they do or do not bear. Tractate Chullin of the Tosefta, an ancient collection of rabbinic laws and teachings, delineates the various rabbinic opinions about these features.
The First Food TabooTANAKH
The First Food Taboo
TANAKH
The prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve, or gid hanashe, first appears in the biblical story of Jacob’s wrestling match with an angel. The book of Genesis recounts this showdown and the subsequent injury to Jacob’s hip, which serves as the rationale for this dietary law.
For Blood is LifeTANAKH
For Blood is Life
TANAKH
The Torah’s laws of kashrut forbid consumption of animal blood, directing instead that it be discarded (as much as reasonably possible) before eating the animal’s meat. The book of Deuteronomy offers a justification for this prohibition.
Keeping Kosher in ExileTANAKH
Keeping Kosher in Exile
TANAKH
Since biblical times, observance of the laws of kashrut has demanded sacrifice and demonstrated commitment to God’s word. The biblical book of Daniel recounts how Daniel, a Jew living in the Babylonian exile, observed the laws of kashrut under difficult circumstances.
Honing the Skill of Kosher SlaughterMUSAR
Honing the Skill of Kosher Slaughter
MUSAR
In far-flung areas of the world, it can be difficult to find meat slaughtered in accordance with the rules of kashrut. In light of this reality, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, known as the Chafetz Chaim, advocates that Torah scholars gain proficiency in kosher slaughter.
Ethiopian Jewish Kashrut HALAKHAH
Ethiopian Jewish Kashrut
HALAKHAH
The Ethiopian Jewish community developed dietary restrictions that differ from those of the rabbinic traditions that developed in other parts of the Jewish world. Rabbi Sharon Shalom, in his account of the history and customs of Ethiopian Jewry, From Sinai to Ethiopia, outlines some of the practices of the Beta Israel community.
The Politics of Kashrut CertificationHALAKHAH
The Politics of Kashrut Certification
HALAKHAH
Today, it has become common practice that people who keep kosher look for kosher certifications on food packaging to determine whether a product may be eaten. In his multivolume work Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Rabbi J. David Bleich explores the political and social implications of the kashrut certification industry.
Mixing Kosher with Non-KosherTALMUD
Mixing Kosher with Non-Kosher
TALMUD
When prohibited food is mixed with kosher food, Jewish law dictates different methods for determining whether the mixture is or is not kosher. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Chullin describes the different ways to determine whether the mixture has taken on the flavor of prohibited food.
