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What are the central beliefs of Judaism?
The Shema is the most important confession of faith in Judaism. It sums up the Jewish Scriptures, or the Tanakh: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one" Deuteronomy 6:4
What is Kosher/Kashrut?
Kashrut is the body of Jewish law dealing with what food we can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten
Kashrut comes from the Hebrew root Kaf-Shin-Reish, meaning fit, proper or correct
it is the same root as the more commonly known word, Kosher!
Kosher Misconceptions?
contrary to popular misconception, rabbis or other religious officials do not 'bless' food to make it kosher
food can be kosher without a rabbi or priest ever becoming involved with it
in our modern world of processed foods, it is difficult to know what ingredients are in your food and how they were processed, so it is helpful to have a rabbi examine the food and its processing and assure kosher consumers that the food is kosher (labels on food help)
there is no such thing as 'kosher-style' food
Chinese food can be kosher if it is prepared in accordance with Jewish law
traditional Jewish foods like bagels can all be non-kosher
Why Follow Kosher?
many modern Jews think that the laws of kashrut are simply primitive health regulations that have become obsolete with modern methods of food preparation
there is no question that some of the dietary laws have some beneficial health effects
for example, the laws regarding kosher slaughter are so sanitary that kosher butchers and slaughterhouses have been exempted from many USDA regulations
also, there is some evidence that eating meat and dairy together interferes with digestion and no modern food preparation technique reproduces the health benefit of the kosher law of eating them separately
the short answer to why Jews observe these laws is: because the Torah says so
the Torah does not specify any reason for these laws, and for a Torah-observant, traditional Jew, there is no need for any other reason
many OT Jews suggest that the dietary laws are designed as a call to holiness
it brings a religious ritual factor to any meal: a Jew who observes the laws of kashrut cannot eat a meal without being reminded of the fact that he/she is a Jew
Is it Difficult to Keep Kosher?
keeping kosher is not particularly difficult in and of itself; what makes it difficult to keep kosher is the fact that the rest of the world does not do so
if you buy your meat at a kosher butcher and buy only kosher-certified products at the market, the only thing you need to think about is the separation of meat and dairy
keeping kosher only becomes difficult when you try to eat in a non-kosher restaurant, or at the home of a person who does not keep kosher
some commentators have pointed out, however, that this may well have been part of what God had in mind: to make it more difficult for OT Jews to socialize with those who do not share the faith
General Kosher Rules…
Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden animals.
Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law.
All blood must be drained from the meat or broiled out of it before it is eaten.
Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten.
Fruits and vegetables are permitted but must be inspected for bugs.
Meat cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy.
Utensils that have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not be used with kosher food.
Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten.
Animal details - KOSHER RULES
Animals that may not be eaten:
you may eat any animal that has cloven hooves and chews its cud
any land mammal that does not have both of these qualities is forbidden......for example, a pig....it does not chew its cud
sheep, cattle, goats, deer and bison are kosher
of the things that are in the water, you may eat anything that has fins and scales
shellfish (lobsters, oysters, shrimp, clams) are forbidden
tuna, carp, salmon and herring are all permitted
approved birds are: chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys
rodents and reptiles are forbidden
hard cheese is forbidden because rennet, an enzyme used to harden cheese, is often obtained from non-kosher animals....thus kosher hard cheese can be difficult to find
Animal slaughter - KOSHER RULES
animals cannot be eaten that died of natural causes or that were killed by other animals
the animal must have no disease or flaws in the organs at the time of slaughter
ritual slaughter is known as shechitah, and the person who performs the slaughter is called a shochet, both from Hebrew which mean to destroy or kill
the method of slaughter is a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a perfectly sharp blade with no nicks or unevenness
this method is painless, causes unconsciousness within two seconds and is widely recognized as the most humane method of slaughter possible
another advantage of shechitah is that it ensures rapid, complete draining of the blood
blood is not eaten because the life of the animal is contained in the blood (Leviticus 7:26-27 and 17: 10-14)
the shochet is not simply a butcher; he must be a pious man, well-trained in Jewish law, particularly as it relates to kashrut
depending on the size of the community, the rabbi and shochet is the same person
Fruits and Vegetables - KOSHER RULES
all fruits and vegetables are kosher
however, bugs and worms that may be found in some fruits and vegetables are no kosher
all fruits and vegetables should be inspected very carefully
Meat and Dairy - KOSHER RULES
the Torah says not to 'boil a kid in its mother's milk
the separation includes the utensils, pots, pans with which they are cooked, the plates and flatware from which they are eaten, the dishwashers, or dishpans in which they are cleaned, and the towels on which they are dried
a kosher household will have at least two sets of pots, pans and dishes....one for meat and one for dairy
one must wait a significant amount of time between eating meat and dairy
opinions differ and may range from three to six hours
from dairy to meat however, one need only rinse one's mouth and eat a neutral solid like bread
the Yiddish words fleishik (meat), milchik (dairy) and pareve (neutral) are commonly used to describe food or utensils that fall into one of those categories
What are the central beliefs of Islam?
The Shahadah
"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" is the central belief of all Muslims
a person need only to say it allowed with a sincere heart aloud before two witnesses to be legally considered a Muslim
islamic diet guidelines
For Muslims, certain foods are allowed(halal) and others are
forbidden (haram)
• Milk is allowed, but alcohol is forbidden
• Muslim dietary laws are similar to Jewish dietary laws, except
that shellfish are permitted for Muslims
• Meat must be slaughtered in a prescribed ritual way (permitted
meat must be slaughtered while the name of Allah is being said)
• Muslims may eat Kosher food when allowed foods are not
available, because Kosher standards are even stricter than the
rules governing allowed foods
• As with Jewish people, Muslims observe these dietary laws as
an act of obedience to the will of Allah
• Allowing sacred rules to govern life reminds people that
meaning in life is to be found outside of one's own desires
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