STAR-K Guidelines for Purchasing Fresh Fish

Updated August 19, 2022

STAR-K
receives many questions about purchasing fresh fish from non-kosher stores or
sources. We hope this brief article will help clarify some of the confusion regarding
this topic.

For a fish to be kosher, the Halacha is that it needs to have fins and scales.[1] Furthermore, there is a rabbinic prohibition[2] to consume fish that has had the simanei kashrus (scales)[3] removed (e.g., a skinless fish fillet) without a Yehudi having confirmed that it was a kosher fish.

Stores
with Kosher Supervision

In
stores or companies that are under STAR-K supervision, the fish are filleted
with a mashgiach present, and therefore one may buy any fish fillet without any
further concerns.

Skinless
Fillet from a Non-Kosher Store or Source

Purchasing
skinless fish either from a store that is not kosher supervised, or that was
not sealed in a package bearing a reliable kosher symbol, is not permissible. STAR-K
does not consider the color of a fish alone (e.g., […]

Wireless Security: A Mezuzah Primer

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2022

Many people install alarm systems in their
homes to provide a sense of security. These systems, which may be wireless or
hard-wired, are dependent on a number of factors to operate properly: all contacts
need to be intact and connected to one another; all batteries in wireless
systems must be fully charged; the codes need to be properly set; and the entire
unit must be in good working order. All it takes is one faulty connection to
negate the whole system.

While installing man-made security systems on
our property is a reasonable act of hishtadlus, our true feeling of
security comes from the recognition that we have a Protector in heaven. The
Torah provides us with a spiritual security system: the
mezuzah attached to our doorpost. The Ribono
Shel Olam watches over our homes if we do His will, and our mezuzah is a direct
link to the ultimate ‘Central Station.’

Our
homes are protected, however, only if the mezuzah […]

Sushi: The Birth of a Yiddishe Meichel

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2022

Our numerous sojourns through Galus not
only defined and influenced the minhagim emerging from those foreign
lands, but also infused our cuisine with bursts of ethnic diversity – pierogi and cholopshkes from
Poland, couscous and harira from Morocco, goulash and strudel from Austro-Hungary,
and gravlax from Scandinavia. Our seudos feature dips from around the
world – schug from Yemen, hummus from the Levant, guacamole from Mexico,
and matbucha from Morocco. As our migration advanced to the shores of the goldene
medina, kosher restaurants sprang up that offered consumers a bevy of
ethnic choices, from Chinese won ton soup and Italian calzones to Persian
kebabs and Lebanese shawarma.

The latest entry to that diverse menu is the
proliferation of sushi – a traditional dish from Japan – that has been wildly
embraced by Jewish communities everywhere and is now nearly as popular as apple
pie (or potato kugel). It has found a place of prominence in virtually every
kosher restaurant, wedding […]

The Mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Reviewed February 2023

Click HERE for a convenient summary of tevilas keilim guidelines and a handy chart.

Introduction:
In His infinite wisdom, Hashem Yisborach has spiritually elevated the mundane activity of eating and has vested it with special sanctity, kedusha. The food we eat must be kosher, the table upon which we eat our meals represents the holy altar, the mizbeach. Similarly, the vessels and utensils (keilim) used for preparing food and for dining must be given special holiness. When these dishes and/or utensils have been previously owned by an aino Yehudi, we have to immerse these keilim, in a mikvah before their first use.

Keilim (vessels/utensils) can be categorized into three halachic groupings; utensils requiring tevila (immersion) with a brocha: utensils requiring tevila without a brocha; and utensils not requiring tevila at all. Utensils require tevila with a brocha when they have direct contact with food during preparation or meal time, […]

Kitniyos – What They Are, What They Aren’t

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Reviewed February 2023

View / Download PDF of Article Here

View / Download STAR-K Kitniyos Chart Here

As is commonly known, the Torah prohibits chometz on Pesach, and the consequence of chometz consumption on Pesach is very severe. In order to distance us from the possibility of violating Torah precepts, Chazal with their supreme insight, instituted a minhag as a protective fence. The minhag to guard us from chometz violations is to refrain from consuming kitniyos on Pesach.

What are Kitniyos?

Kitniyos are popularly defined as legumes. But what are legumes? The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 453, defines kitniyos as those products that can be cooked and baked in a fashion similar to chometz grains, yet are not halachically considered in the same category as chometz. Some examples are rice, corn, peas, mustard seed, and all varieties of beans (i.e., kidney, lima, garbanzo, etc.). The […]

Feeding Your Pet: Barking Up the Right Tree

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Updated April 2023

Click HERE for the Pesach 2023 Pet Food List.

To some people, the concept that there are restrictions regarding what can be fed to animals may seem amusing. They wonder, “Really now, must dogs also eat kosher?” Of course, animals don’t need to eat kosher food. However, Halacha clearly instructs people regarding what, how and when to feed them.

The Talmud Yerushalmi1 states that before acquiring an animal, one must be sure he will be able to properly provide for it. Certainly, the owner must also know the applicable halachos. The following is a discussion of some of these halachos, including the subjects of meat and milk mixtures, Pesach, buying and selling non-kosher pet food, feeding animals on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and feeding animals before you eat.

STAR-K is not necessarily recommending ownership of pets; rather, we are providing information for those owners who require it. We […]

Halachos of Taking Medicine on Pesach

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Reviewed January 2023

For many years, Rav Gershon Bess prepared a Guide for Pesach Medications and Cosmetics which was published and distributed by Kollel Los Angeles. A partnership with STAR-K and the Kollel to make this information more widely available to the general public is still going strong after more than a quarter century. The Medications and Cosmetics Guide, available in Jewish bookstores nationwide, serves as an invaluable resource for kosher consumers seeking to purchase these items for Yom Tov.

Sefer Kovetz Halachos (Hilchos Pesach 12:4) states in the name of HaRav Shmuel Kamenetzky, shlit”a, that lechatchila one should take a medication approved for Pesach and mentions the availability and use of reliable Pesach lists and guides (see Hilchos Pesach, ibid., footnote 5).

The halachos pertaining to medication and cosmetic use on Pesach are based on the joint psak of Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, shlit”a, and Rav Gershon Bess, shlit”a.

THE MEDICINE LIST DOES NOT […]

The Kashrus, Shabbos, and Pesach Guide to Cosmetics

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Updated January 2023

Ezra Hasofer established ten takanos (laws) covering a wide spectrum of Jewish life.1 The purpose of these takanos was to enhance Torah study, Shabbos, the Jewish communal court system, and the sanctity of the Jewish home and marriage. One of the takanos was that salesmen should travel from town to town to supply perfume and fragrances to the women of each community.2 It is clear that these items were important in Jewish life since ancient times.

The STAR-K hotline receives numerous inquiries relating to cosmetics and halacha. One must know the answers to questions regarding these products that are commonly used. Does lipstick require kosher certification? During Pesach, may one use perfume or makeup that contains chometz? Are any cosmetics permissible for use on Shabbos and Yom Tov?

Because these halachos are complex, it is important for consumers to have a clear grasp of the numerous issues and […]

The Guide To Halachic Food Measurements

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Reviewed January 2023

Conscientious observance of kashrus goes beyond the identification of kosher symbols on your supermarket shelf and the separation of meat and dairy foods and utensils in your kitchen. There are many food related halachos, in addition to those involving preparation and serving. Amongst them are the halachos of shiurim, measurements. They encompass a wide range of issues relevant to food consumption, and have important halachic ramifications.

How much must one eat to recite a bracha acharona, the blessing after eating? How much bread must one eat to be obligated in netilas yadayim, hand washing, or to fulfill one’s obligation of seudas Shabbos? The answers to these and other questions relating to shiurim have been addressed by gedolei haposkim, but are often not well known. There are many age old opinions regarding shiurim and it is often difficult to translate the measurements […]

Using an Oven on Shabbos & Yom Tov

By: Rabbi Avrohom Mushell

Reviewed February 2023

Cooking in the modern kitchen is a whole new experience. Technological advances have taken the old stovetop and oven and upgraded them to be safer, more efficient, and “smart” for today’s lifestyle. They are also far more complicated. With these transformations, the observant Jew is faced with challenges that did not confront him in the past.

To understand how these changes affect the halachic use of ovens and cooktops on Shabbos and Yom Tov, it is worthwhile to review some laws and concepts as they relate to cooking on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Before proceeding with our discussion, it is important to review some basic terms and concepts.

Definition of Basic Terms Pertaining to Food Preparation on Shabbos and Yom Tov

Melacha
A melacha is a Torah prohibited act derived from the constructive acts performed in erecting the Mishkan. These forbidden acts are known as melachos. There are 39 categories of prohibited […]

Kosher Consumer Misconsumptions

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents, Fall 2021

STAR-K’s
consumer Kosher Hotline is constantly abuzz with kashrus inquiries. Close to
5000 consumer calls were logged between Purim and Pesach 5781 alone. Questions
range from product information to complex kitchen shailos, from reliable
kosher airline caterers to wines whose kosher certification symbols are so
small you need a high-powered magnifying glass to read the rav hamachshir’s
name.

Even
with all the available information, consumers still get confused or make incorrect
assumptions that could lead to severe halachic consequences. The following
examples of kosher consumer misconceptions are based on real Kosher Hotline
inquiries. Hopefully, this article will help clarify some common errors.

Misconception 1: Putting an oven into Sabbath Mode allows
one to cook on Shabbos.

Chas v’shalom! The Sabbath Mode does not allow one to cook on Shabbos. The
Sabbath Mode makes a modern oven halachically compliant so that it may be used on
Shabbos and Yom Tov. The purpose of the Sabbath Mode was to address new
technological and computerized features that […]

The Basics of Tzaar Baalei Chayim

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2021

The prohibition to gratuitously cause pain to an animal is known as tzaar baalei chayim. The Gemara presents a debate as to whether this is a Torah or a Rabbinic obligation.1 Most Rishonim pasken that it is forbidden mideoraissa,2 although some Rishonim pasken that it only prohibited midrabonon.3 The Nimukei Yosef suggests that the Torah forbids one to cause an animal significant pain, and the rabonnon extended this and forbade causing less substantial pain as well.4

There is some uncertainty as to the view of the Rambam. The Kesef Mishna states that the Rambam considers tzaar baalei chayim to be a Torah command,5 whereas the Ohr Sameach opines that the Rambam regards it to be a Rabbinic prohibition.6 The Netziv offers a unique resolution of the Rambam’s position. He suggests that the Rambam paskens that it is asur […]

Halachos of Pet Neutering

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

February 2021

Q: May one ask a vet to spay a pet?

A: I frequently get asked this question. People who have pets often prefer to have them neutered, as this makes the animals more docile. However, there are serious halachic issues associated with this. Poskim differentiate between whether a male or female animal is being neutered. The neutering of a male animal is known as castration, whereas neutering a female animal is called spaying.

The Torah (Vayikra 22:24) states that castrating men and male animals is forbidden. This prohibition is known as sirus.1 It is also forbidden to remove a woman and female animal’s reproductive organs. The Gr”a is of the opinion that this is a Torah prohibition. The Taz, however, feels that causing a female animal to become infertile is permitted. According to the Taz, the reason it is forbidden to remove a female animal’s reproductive organs is solely due […]

Navigating the Pizza Paradox: Pas or Pas Nisht

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2021

If you ask any out-of-town kiruv professional involved in outreach, “What are the two most important community ‘must-haves’ needed to attract baalei teshuvah or create growth in a particular Jewish community?”, nine times out of ten the answer you will get is 1) an eruv and 2) a kosher pizza shop! I can bear witness to this fact. At the beginning of my tenure as executive director of the Vaad Hoer of St. Louis 35 years ago, I sent out a questionnaire to the frum kehilos and the community at large asking what they think would enhance the St. Louis frum community. Believe it or not, the overwhelming response was a kosher pizza shop. Soon thereafter, a kosher pizza shop opened. Subsequently, two community eruvim were also built.

Similarly, over 40 years ago in my shul in Birmingham, Alabama, where the community was too small to support either […]

Sous-Vide Cookers on Shabbos

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Some pronounce it ‘sue vee’, while others pronounce it ‘sue veed’. Either way, it is a French phrase which translates to “vacuum”. It is a method of cooking that was first described by the inventor Sir Benjamin Thompson, aka Count Rumford, who is also credited with the invention of thermal underwear. The techniques of modern sous-vide cooking were perfected in the 1970s and have become increasingly popular over the past twenty years. Sous-vide is a method of cooking in which food is vacuum-sealed in a plastic pouch and cooked in a bath of water at an accurately controlled temperature. The water is typically held at 125° – 175°F, which is considerably cooler than standard cooking temperatures in an oven. While the vacuum packing is achieved by removing any excess air, the food will not float but rather sink and be completely submerged underwater.

There are a number of benefits to sous-vide […]

Medicine on Shabbos: Questions and Answers from Rav Moshe Heinemann

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents, Fall 2019

In the times of Chazal, people would grind up medicine as needed. Grinding is forbidden on Shabbos; therefore, Chazal enacted a gezeira that a person should not take medicine on Shabbos for a minor ailment. Even though it is not common nowadays for a consumer to crush his own medicine, the gezeira remains in full force. In general, it is forbidden for a person with a minor ailment to do anything on Shabbos which an observer would realize is being done for refuah. I asked Rav Heinemann, shlit”a, twenty questions regarding treating minor ailments on Shabbos. Below are the questions and his answers. Following that, I have added source material for those who wish to further understand these pesakim.

Q1: How bad does a headache or an allergy such as hay fever need to be in order to take medicine on Shabbos?

A person is generally not allowed to […]

When You Can Drink and Drive: The Halachic Implications of Drinking Coffee on the Road

By: Rabbi Baruch Beyer

Spring 2019

Happy Fact: Unflavored roasted coffee beans, whole and ground, are considered kosher without a hechsher (kosher certification). Bearing this in mind, buying a cup of unflavored regular, decaf, or High-Octane coffee (my usual choice) should not present any kashrus issues, right?

Not so fast fellow caffeine heads; life is never so simple.

The Problem: Some coffee vendors sell kosher and treif (non-kosher) items, like the Bacon & Gouda Breakfast Sandwich and the Pepperoni & Tomato Savory Foldover.1 The keilim (utensils) used for coffee and treif can at times be washed together, causing blios, absorbed tastes, from the treif kli to enter the coffee equipment. In Starbucks, for example, it’s been established that the brew basket that holds the coffee grounds while the coffee is being made is sometimes washed with keilim that may have come into contact with treif. If we have a “perfect storm” situation in which the wash water […]

Mezuzah Guidelines for a Walk-in Closet

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2019

Q: Does a walk-in closet in my house need a mezuzah?

A: Many of the doorways of the various rooms in a person’s house are required to have a mezuzah on the doorposts; however, not every doorway is halachically obligated to bear one. Whether or not a particular room needs to have a mezuzah will depend upon the location of the doorway, the intended use of the room, and other factors. A complete exposition of all relevant halachos is beyond the scope of this article. We will limit ourselves to one specific question: What are the specific measurements that a walk-in closet would need to meet in order to halachically be considered a “room”? In other words, when is a walk-in closet large enough to require a mezuzah and when is it small enough that it does not?

A large walk-in closet is halachically considered to be a room […]

A Halachic Guide to Sheva Brachos

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Chazal tell us that Moshe Rabeinu established the “shivas y’mai hamishteh”, the seven days during which the choson and kallah rejoice together following their wedding.1 During this time, family and friends come together and prepare beautiful seudos, followed by the recitation of the “Sheva Brochos” at the conclusion of Birchas Hamazon. Such seudos are quite common, and it is important to review the various applicable halachos.2

What is Necessary For Sheva Brochos

If a choson and kallah are at a meal held in their honor during the first seven days of their marriage, and there is a minyan present, including a panim chadashos, Sheva Brochos are recited. The following is an explanation of what is required:

1. Minyan – At least seven adult males over the age of Bar Mitzvah eat enough bread that requires Birchas Hamazon,3 and at least three others eat enough food (e.g., cake, fruit, etc.) or […]

Petting an Animal on Shabbos

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2018

Q: May one pet an animal on Shabbos?

A: Chazal enacted a takanah designating certain types of objects as muktzah, thereby limiting a person’s freedom to move those items on Shabbos. There are various categories of muktzah with differing degrees of limitation of movement. For example, a utensil which is generally used for an activity prohibited on Shabbos is muktzah. A naturally occurring object such a stone is also muktzah unless it has been designated before Shabbos for a specific purpose. Similarly, the Talmud states that an animal is muktzah.

In former times, it was common for children to play with young birds and listen to them sing. Tosefos suggests that a bird should not be considered to be muktzah as it can be used as a distraction for a crying child. However, Tosefos rejects this and concludes that birds are muktzah. Similarly, the Shulchan Aruch paskens that animals […]

Halacha of Erecting a Fence Around a Roof

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2018

Q: Under which circumstances is a person obligated to erect a fence around the roof of his house?

A: The Torah in parshas Ki-Setze states, “When you build a new house make a railing for your roof, and you shall not bring blood on your house if someone falls from there”.1 The Torah requires one to build a maakeh – a fence – around a flat roof that people walk on, so as to protect them from falling. The mitzvah applies not only to someone who builds a house but also to someone who buys, inherits or is gifted a house.2 A person who rents a house is also required to build a maakeh if the owner has not already done so.3

A maakeh has to be strong enough that a person could lean against it without falling, and it has to be ten tefachim high.[...] Read More

Eating or Cooking Meat and Fish Together

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2017

Q: What are the halachos regarding eating or cooking meat and fish together?

A: Chazal tell us that it is unhealthy to eat meat and fish together, meat which was cooked with fish, or fish which was cooked with meat.1 The Magen Avrohom suggests the possibility that people are no longer sensitive to the combination of meat and fish, and that eating this is no longer unhealthy.2 However, common practice is to avoid eating meat and fish together and not rely on the Magen Avrohom.3 Regarding this halacha, chicken has the same status as meat.4
If a person ate fish and would like to eat meat, or if he ate meat and would like to eat fish, he is required to take certain actions. The Shulchan Aruch states that he must wash his hands, but according to the Rema it is not Ashkenzai practice to do […]

Hafrashas Challah: When Challah Separation Goes A-Rye

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Summer 2017

Q: I made some dough in order to bake bread and separated challah. When I wasn’t looking, someone inadvertently took that piece of separated challah and added it back into the rest of the dough. Now that the dough and challah are all mixed together, how should I proceed?

A: Before we discuss how to proceed, let us clarify one point. The word “challah” has two meanings. It is used as the name of a bread which is braided, baked and commonly eaten at Shabbos meals. It is also used to describe a small piece of dough that was separated from a larger batch of dough in order to fulfill the halachic obligation of hafrashas challah. We are using the word “challah” in that second sense.

Let us discuss the case where challah was mixed with dough and can no longer be recognized. If the batch of dough that […]

Shaimos Guidelines

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

The Torah forbids discarding holy objects by throwing them into the trash. Some objects always have kedusha and must be placed in shaimos. Other objects gain kedusha once they are used for a mitzvah and need to be treated with special care.

SHAIMOS
Objects which have innate holiness, kedusha, are shaimos. This means that, when discarded, they must be wrapped in plastic and buried. The following objects are included in this category:
1. A Sefer Torah.
2. Sefer Torah covers.
3. Tefillin, tefillin bags, mezuzos, and mezuzah covers.
4. Siddurim and bentchers.
5. Seforim, whether handwritten, printed, photocopied or downloaded and printed (e.g., chumashim, siddurim, machzorim, seforim, Gemara, Shulchan Aruch, etc.).
6. A quote from tanach, chazal, Rishonim or Achronim, that has been printed or written with the intention of explaining Torah, or to teach us how to conduct ourselves according to hashkafos haTorah.
7. Invitations from organizations and individuals that […]

Do Potato Chips Require Bishul Yisroel?

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2016

Q: Do potato chips need to be bishul Yisroel (cooked by a Jew)?

A: The Shulchan Aruch states that there is a rabbinic obligation that food be cooked through bishul Yisroel if both of the following conditions are met: (i) The food is generally not eaten raw, and (ii) The cooked food is something that would be served at a shulchan melochim – a king’s table.1 Since we are no longer ruled by royalty, we cannot observe what is served at a king’s table. The modern-day equivalent to a king’s meal is an elegant meal, such as that served at a wedding.2  This second condition is met whether the food is served at a shulchan melochim as part of the main course or as the dessert. In either case, if the food is generally not eaten raw it needs to be bishul Yisroel.3

The Aruch Hashulchan proposes that potatoes […]

Terumos and Ma’asros

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

INTRODUCTION
Eretz Yisroel has the unique privilege of being the recipient of the Ribono Shel Olam’s brochos throughout the year. Its agricultural industry continues to grow and flourish. Some consumer products imported from Eretz Yisroel, such as Jaffa oranges and grapefruits, are very well known to the American marketplace while other products including clementines, carrots, red peppers, jams, jellies, tomatoes, olives, and pickled products are not as familiar. Finally, there are a host of industrial products like orange oil, lemon oil and parsley that provide a steady supply of raw materials.

Besides all the general consumer kashrus concerns regarding ingredients, processing and certification, there are additional kashrus requirements that apply to foods grown and produced in Eretz Yisroel. For instance, one must be sure that terumos and ma’asros have been properly separated before consumption. Furthermore, one needs to ensure that the fruits do not come from trees that violate the conditions […]

When to Recite Hatov V’Hameitiv Over Wine

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2016

Q: When is the brocha of Hatov v’Hameitiv recited over wine?

A: Before drinking a cup of wine, one recites the brocha of Borei Pri Hagofen. Under certain circumstances, if a different wine is subsequently drunk one recites an additional blessing – the brocha of Hatov Vehameitiv.1 The brocha gives thanks to Hashem for blessing the person with a richness of wine. The Hebrew text of the brocha is 2ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם הטוב והמטיב

This brocha is recited only if a number of conditions are met:

If the second wine is of lesser quality than the first wine, Hatov Vehameitiv is not recited.3 There is one exception to this rule. If the first wine is red and the second one is white (but not the other way around), Hatov Vehameitiv is recited even if the second wine is known to be of slightly inferior quality. This […]

Correcting Al Hamichya Mistakes

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2014

Q:   When I say Al Hamichya and make a mistake, I don’t know what to do.  Could you give me some guidelines?

A:    There are three places in the brocha me’ein shalosh (colloquially known as Al Hamichya) where the text changes, depending on what was eaten:

(1)    The brocha starts with the words “ Boruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha’olamal …”, followed by either “ hagefen ve’al pri hagefen” if a person drank wine, “ ha’eitz ve’al pri ha’eitz” if he ate fruit from the shivas haminim, “ hamichyeh ve’al hakalkalah” if he ate food made from any of the five types of grain (wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt), or a combination of these phrases if he ate or drank a combination of items.1

(2)    Further on in the brocha , one says “… ve’nodeh lecha al ha’aretz ve’al …”, followed by either “ pri hagofen”, “ ha’peyros”, “ hamichya”, or a combination of these phrases.

(3)    The brocha concludes with the words “… Boruch atah Hashem al …”, followed once again by either “ hagefen ve’al pri hagefen”, […]

Does Using Early-Bird Discounts Create a Ribbis Issue?

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2014

Q:        I would like to send my young children to a backyard camp during the summer.  The camp is offering an ‘early-bird special’ if I register my children now.  If I wait until the summer to register, they will charge more.  Is there any ribbis issue with registering now and receiving the discount?

A:         Ribbis involves lending money to another Jew and charging interest.  Doing so may violate a Torah prohibition or a rabbinic prohibition, depending upon the situation.  If it is necessary to charge interest, the two parties may sign a document known as a “heter iska”, which converts the loan into a business investment, thereby avoiding the prohibition of ribbis.1  People are often unaware that a number of common transactions may violate the prohibition of ribbis.  Here are a couple of examples:

(1)   Reuven buys an item with Shimon’s credit card, and assures Shimon that he will pay the credit card bill.  However, Reuven forgets to pay the bill on time, and […]

Separating Challah When Giving the Bread Away

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Summer 2014

Q: I have heard that someone who bakes loaves of bread with the intention of giving them to other people does not separate challah with a brocha. Can you explain the parameters of this halacha?

A: One is obligated to perform the mitzvah of separating challah when kneading dough which will be baked into bread. The amount of flour one must knead in order to be obligated in this mitzvah is an asiris ha’aifa, which is equivalent to the volume of 43⅕ beitzah.1 The exact volume of a beitzah is a matter of dispute. L’halacha, one should separate challah without a brocha when kneading 2.6 lbs. of flour, which on average is equivalent to 8⅔ cups of flour. According to Rav Chaim Noeh, one can separate challah with a brocha when kneading 3.675 lbs. or more of flour (on average, 12¼ cups). Many follow the opinion of the […]

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