Question about Kosher food.

[dawny0826]

I was just wondering if most practicing Jews eat only Kosher foods. And if so, how do you know that food in grocery stores is Kosher? I had a friend once to give me a spiel about how there's a symbol on labels that represents that the food has been blessed.

Is this true?

 

[jewscout]

those jews that keep kosher only buy from kosher butcheries that are known to be kosher, i find that if there is any question they tend to the "better safe than sorry" route.
There are many symbols on products and if you want a quick reference for the symbols look here:
http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Certification
the food hasn't really been "blessed" it's just that an organization of rabbis oversees the process in which the food is made. For example for a hamburger to be kosher the animal has to be slaughtered in accordance w/ kashrut law.
also if you are koshering a home a rabbi might come by to blow-torch your stove.

just the image of my rabbi w/ a blow torch is too funny:biglaugh:

 

[dawny0826]

those jews that keep kosher only buy from kosher butcheries that are known to be kosher, i find that if there is any question they tend to the "better safe than sorry" route.
There are many symbols on products and if you want a quick reference for the symbols look here:
http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm#Certification
the food hasn't really been "blessed" it's just that an organization of rabbis oversees the process in which the food is made. For example for a hamburger to be kosher the animal has to be slaughtered in accordance w/ kashrut law.
also if you are koshering a home a rabbi might come by to blow-torch your stove.

just the image of my rabbi w/ a blow torch is too funny:biglaugh:

Thanks. Actually, my pal pointed some of those symbols out to me and I thought he was just pulling my leg.

 

[Deut 13:1]

One reason they are more cautious w/ food is that it stays with you forever. If you eat pork, that will always be there, while if you steal, you can do teshuva (repentence). It's why, Jewscout stated, "better safe than sorry". Although some things can't be helped, I have been tricked by people who I assumed were shomer shabbas and eat some non-kashrut food in my life.

I was just wondering if most practicing Jews eat only Kosher foods.

It depends how you define practicing. I would say most observant Jews eat only Kosher foods. But some Jews might consider themselves practicing because they go to service on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur... can't forget the Pesach Sedar either... But I'm more then confident they see themselves as practicing. Now...An Observant Jew would observe the laws and in general keep Kosher. Although Kosher is something hard to explain: Dairy, Parev,Meat

If I eat meat, I have to wait 6 hours to eat dairy, if I eat dairy, I have to wait an hour to eat meat. Parev is like neutrel and can be eaten w/ either. Of course this extends to dishes as well. For exampel, I have a dairy dishes, and meat dishes. 2x ovens, 2x microwaves, 2x dishwashers, ect... When I have people eat at my place, I ALWAYS do the dishes. If you're ever at an observant Jews house, NEVER OFFER TO DO THEIR DISHES. Don't even clear the table. Last thing we need is to go get new dishes after our dinner guest. I could go on for hours about kosher laws and kosher things, but I have a feeling this is more then you wanted to know.

And if so, how do you know that food in grocery stores is Kosher?

Well, there are Kosher symbols that tell us if it has had Rabbinic Supervision.

I had a friend once to give me a spiel about how there's a symbol on labels that represents that the food has been blessed.

Close enough I guess...

 

[dawny0826]

One reason they are more cautious w/ food is that it stays with you forever. If you eat pork, that will always be there, while if you steal, you can do teshuva (repentence). It's why, Jewscout stated, "better safe than sorry". Although some things can't be helped, I have been tricked by people who I assumed were shomer shabbas and eat some non-kashrut food in my life.

It depends how you define practicing. I would say most observant Jews eat only Kosher foods. But some Jews might consider themselves practicing because they go to service on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur... can't forget the Pesach Sedar either... But I'm more then confident they see themselves as practicing. Now...An Observant Jew would observe the laws and in general keep Kosher. Although Kosher is something hard to explain: Dairy, Parev,Meat

If I eat meat, I have to wait 6 hours to eat dairy, if I eat dairy, I have to wait an hour to eat meat. Parev is like neutrel and can be eaten w/ either. Of course this extends to dishes as well. For exampel, I have a dairy dishes, and meat dishes. 2x ovens, 2x microwaves, 2x dishwashers, ect... When I have people eat at my place, I ALWAYS do the dishes. If you're ever at an observant Jews house, NEVER OFFER TO DO THEIR DISHES. Don't even clear the table. Last thing we need is to go get new dishes after our dinner guest. I could go on for hours about kosher laws and kosher things, but I have a feeling this is more then you wanted to know.

Well, there are Kosher symbols that tell us if it has had Rabbinic Supervision.

Close enough I guess...

Wow...if I never asked...I would probably have gone to a Jewish friends house AND offered to do the dishes and cleared the table and not thought twice about it. I also would have offered icecream for dessert. (If they were visiting me.)

Thanks for the information. Truly, I never would have had a clue about any of this.

 

[Deut 13:1]

Wow...if I never asked...I would probably have gone to a Jewish friends house AND offered to do the dishes and cleared the table and not thought twice about it. I also would have offered icecream for dessert. (If they were visiting me.)

Thanks for the information. Truly, I never would have had a clue about any of this.

Again that's from the observant point of view... A reformed/conservative might view ti drastically different.

 

[dawny0826]

Again that's from the observant point of view... A reformed/conservative might view ti drastically different.

So, the reformed or conservative is a bit more liberal in their "practice"?

 

[jewscout]

So, the reformed or conservative is a bit more liberal in their "practice"?

sorta, some reformed and conservative jews i know ARE shomar shabbas and observe kashrut (such as Rabbi Creditor who tightened up the practices of the members of Temple Beth El)

it's just not "enforced" per se....

 

[standing_on_one_foot]

Plus, we tend not to follow every rule to the last detail. Lots of us keep kosher, say, but we don't have seperate plates and utensils. Or we drive to shabbat services. So...feel free t'do my dishes if you come to my house But perhaps leave the pork chops at home.