The Mitzvah of Shatnes

By: Dr. Avrom Pollak

This article is an attempt to provide a review of some of the pertinent details of the mitzvah of shatnes, to educate consumers so that they avoid purchasing garments containing shatnes, and to dispel many of the myths about certain types of clothing and textiles that do or do not contain shatnes. We hope to reduce the all too frequent instances in which the joy one naturally experiences upon purchasing a new garment is diminished when shatnes is discovered.

It’s Takke a Taco

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Those tried and true N.Y. subway travelers of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s remember the memorable poster of the smiling Indian holding a delicious corned beef sandwich with the caption, “You don’t have to be Jewish to Love Levy’s Real Jewish Rye.” Today, with the virtual explosion of ethnic foods, you don’t have to be Japanese to enjoy Sushi, you don’t have to be Italian to enjoy ravioli or minestrone, and you don’t have to be Mexican to enjoy tacos and burritos. However, the common link between all these ethnic foods is that today the kosher consumer can sink his teeth into a delicious enchilada or schwarma that bears reliable kosher certification.

She Sells Sea Shells – But Are They Kosher? The Kashrus Status of Glucosamine and Other Arthritis Remedies

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

As the kosher consumer crosses Maryland’s spectacular Chesapeake Bay Bridge, it is hard to imagine that glucosamine, one of the most widely used arthritis remedies is derived from the seafood shells found deep in the waters below. Sea shells are not the only surprising source of muscle and joint remedies. The l’vona (frankincense) used in the Bais Hamikdash, deer antlers, and an array of animals including sharks and bees, also contain the raw materials of over-the-counter arthritis supplements.

Kashrus Guide for the OB/GYN Patient

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

October 2016

When visiting an obstetrician/gynecologist, a patient may be given prescriptions or recommendations for an array of products by her physician. The patient may be confused about whether a particular product is kosher. The following guide was prepared to help clarify the kashrus issues regarding these products.1

Ideally, one should purchase medicinal products and vitamins with a reliable kosher certification. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. In the event a product is not kosher approved, one should consult her rav, as one does with any halachic question.

The following guidelines in this regard are the halachic ruling of Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K Rabbinic Administrator.

NOTE: The following are general halachic guidelines and cannot possibly cover all scenarios. Under no circumstances should an individual forgo taking a prescribed medication without first consulting her physician and rav.

Choleh Sheyaish Bo Sakana – Someone who is ill and whose life may be in danger. […]

Fall