Published Fall 2008
What do Plano, Texas; Thornhill, Ontario; and Olney, Maryland have in common? They are just some of the hometowns of STAR-K’s fifth annual Kashrus Training Seminar participants.
STAR-K’s 5th Annual Kashrus Training Program
Does Bishul Akum Apply to Foods Cooked in a Microwave | Does a Bike Shed Need a Mezuzah
Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2008
Q: Does bishul akum apply to food cooked in a microwave?
Profiles of Courage and Inspiration
Published Fall 2008
Part I – A Trip to the Otzer Bais Din
Dateline: Erev Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Balak, 8 Tammuz
Place: Geula, Yerushalayim
Charting the Course of Shmitta
Published Fall 2008
The mitzvah of shmitta poses many challenges for those who live in Eretz Yisrael. The main challenge, of course, is for the farmers. However, the consumer has his challenges, as well. It is always preferable to purchase produce from stores that have reliable kosher certification to ensure that there are no halachic problems. If there is no such store available, one must be certain not to transgress the laws of shmitta in the purchase, consumption, or interaction with shmitta produce. These are the different categories of halachos that one has to take into consideration:
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Heating & Cooling – Using Ice from an Ice Maker on Shabbos | Using an Electric Hot Water Heater on Yom Tov
Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2008
Q: My freezer has an ice making machine, which has an arm that rises as ice is produced and lowers when ice is removed. I generally turn the machine off before Shabbos by lifting the arm until it is fully raised. If I forget to do this, can I remove ice on Shabbos from the ice maker?
A: There are various types of ice maker machines available, and they do not all work in the same way. However, many of the commonly available models employ the following mechanism. The ice making process begins when the ice maker signals the water valve to open, and a specified amount of […]
Birchas Hachama 5769
Published Winter 2008
To hear a comprehensive shiur on Birchas Hachama, click here.
Listen to a teleconference interview about Birchas Hachama, click here.
To see Sefer Shaarai Zmannim referenced in this article, click here.
Bayamim Haheim Bazman Hazeh: Olive Oil – The Contemporary Industry of Antiquity
Published Winter 2008
Olive oil, the liquid gold of the ancients, was touted for its nutritional, medicinal, and cosmetic value. As a fuel, olive oil illuminated the home; as a food ingredient, it was a feast to the palate. Olive oil production is one of the world’s oldest industries. Interestingly, much of this ancient industry has not changed over the millennia.
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Maris Ayin When Entering Non-Kosher Venues
Kashrus Kurrents Summer 2009
Q: May one enter a non‐kosher restaurant to get a drink of water, use the restroom or attend a business luncheon? If a person does enter such an establishment, may he eat kosher items such as whole fruit? May one buy a cup of coffee at a non‐kosher facility, such as a highway rest stop or Starbucks?
The Drinks of a New Generation
Published Summer 2009
Those of us who remember the famous marketing jingles of years past certainly recall the memorable multitudes of people locking their arms together while singing the praises of a soft drink, “What the world wants is the real thing!” Today, that exclamation resounds throughout the beverage industry while most of the world is looking for the healthy, natural, nothing artificial, real thing … others just want something yummy.
Raising Cane: The Kashrus and Other Halachic Issues of Cane Sugar
Published Summer 2009
It is noteworthy that in both Jewish and secular sources, the first recorded references to cane sugar are attributed to Jewish kings. In Shir HaShirim1, Shlomo Hamelech writes “Yaari Im Divshi,” “My forest with my honey.” Some commentators2 deem this to be referring to cane sugar and deduce that sugar canes are considered trees. Secular sources indicate that cane sugar was first used by man in Polynesia, and from there it spread to India. Darius of Persia invaded India, where he found “the reed which gives honey without bees”. Darius was the son of Achashveirosh and Esther[...] Read More
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When Non-Mevushal Wine Becomes Stam Yeinom | Shipping Packages for Shabbos Delivery
Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2009
Q: I had a bottle of wine stored in the shelving unit on the door of my refrigerator. I was in the kitchen, and I saw my non-Jewish hired help open the refrigerator. She knows that she is not allowed to touch my wine, but did not pay attention to the fact that opening the refrigerator moves the wine on the door. Can I still drink the wine?
Drinking Responsibly: Taking stock of the Star-K Liquor List
Published Fall 2009
Introduction:
Since the appearance of the first Star-K approved liquor list over 12 years ago, the liquor industry has become visibly spirited, sophisticated and very high profile. As society moves in that direction, so has the kosher consumer. Whether or not this is meritorious is not for us to editorialize. However, baruch Hashem, life cycle simchos continue to abound, and a hearty l’chaim is still an integral part of sharing in one’s simchos. Briefly, Kashrus Kurrents wants to update its readership concerning the past and current trends that have taken place, as well as how we arrived at our conclusions, under the direction of our esteemed Rav Hamachshir, Harav Moshe Heinemann, shlita.
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The Reviews are In:
STAR-K’s Mashgicha Enrichment Program is a Big Hit
Using a Warming Tray on Shabbos
Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2009
Q: I would like to buy a warming tray that has been manufactured for the Shomer Shabbos community. It is a glass covered warming tray and has a variable temperature dial with a removable knob. It can be set at a minimum temperature of 110 0F and a maximum temperature of 230 0F. It has a sticker on it stating that it is intended solely for the reheating of cooked foods and is not intended to be used for cooking. How may this tray be used on Shabbos?
A: In order to answer this question, one must have an understanding of the Rabbinic prohibitions of shehiyah and chazarah. The parameters of these two prohibitions differ for Ashkenazim and Sefardim. This response will explain the halachah as it applies to Ashkenazim.
Shehiyah: Shehiyah is the act of placing food on an open flame before the onset of Shabbos […]
The Halachic Guide to Kiddush
Published Winter 2009
One of the most beautiful scenes in Yiddishkeit is the family gathered around the table for Kiddush, a special moment for which we wait all week. On Yom Tov, the beautiful melody1 ushers in each of the Shalosh Regalim with much excitement.
Star-K Side Bar Spring 2010
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The Grape Seeds of Worth
Published Spring 2010
Webster defines oil as any greasy substance that does not dissolve in water. There are many different categories of oil, which are obtained from numerous sources i.e. animal, vegetable and mineral. Edible oils are typically derived from animal and vegetable sources. These can be broken down into two categories: fixed and volatile. Fixed oil refers to oil that does not evaporate under normal conditions, while volatile oil or essential oil evaporates easily. Essential oils are used in flavors; fixed oils are used in cooking and baking. This article will discuss fixed oils, vegetable oils and seed oils. More specifically, we will explore grape seed oil, including how it is manufactured, its halachic ramifications, and the brilliance of Chazal.
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Star-K 7th Annual Kashrus Training Program
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Relying on a Koton to do Mitzvos | Bishul Akum Question
Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2010
Q: Can a child who is under bar mitzvah or bas mitzvah check eggs for blood spots or check lettuce for insects?
Kosher Certification-Food Safety Quality’s Eyes and Ears
Published Summer 2010
Earlier this year, a couple of items in the secular media caught my attention. I was particularly interested in them because they brought to mind how those who are not kosher observant view Kosher.
Opening Up A Can of Worms: The Anisakis Controversy
Published Summer 2010
Toloyim – the name strikes fear in the hearts of the G-d fearing balabusta. It seems that toloyim abound in the supermarket produce section in romaine lettuce, broccoli florets, fresh dill, cilantro, strawberries, and raspberries; the list is seemingly endless. From nuts to flour and from pasta to raisins, kinim in Mitzrayim seems to pale in comparison to what the kosher consumers are confronting today. The presence of insects in leafy greens, fruits, grains, and flour is nothing new. In fact, there is a complete section in Shulchan Aruch dedicated exclusively to the halachos of parasites found in produce and other food items a/k/a Hilchos Toloyim.1
Eating in a Canvas Sukkah that Sways in the Wind
Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2010
Q: I have been invited to eat out on Sukkos. The sukkah has canvas walls which shake in the wind. Is this a problem?
A: The Mishna1 states that a person can use the trunks of trees as a sukkah wall. This Mishna is referring to a scenario where the tree trunks are very close to one another, or the space between them has been filled with some other material, and the overhang of the tree branches will not invalidate the schach. The Gemara2 states that this is true only if the tree trunks do not sway. If the tree trunks are supple and sway in a normal wind, the sukkah wall is not valid. The Shulchan Aruch3 codifies this halacha, and adds that if the tree trunks are supple one can tie them to each other in such […]
Starting the New Year Right: A Guide to the Simanim on Rosh HaShana
Published Fall 2010
Introduction
On Rosh HaShana, everything we do is imbued with extreme significance. We stand in judgment before the Heavenly Court while each of our actions, words, and thoughts are scrutinized. To assist our efforts in currying Divine mercy, we employ various customs transmitted by our ancient mesorah. Among them is the regimen of the simanim, literally signs or omens. These are the foods that we bring to the table at the beginning of the evening meal as auspicious indications of a propitious year to come. What are the origins of this unusual custom? How can we be meticulous in its performance? How do we harness its power to usher in a year of prosperity?
Drinking Responsibly II
Published Fall 2010
There has probably never been more oversight in the food manufacturing arena than in the areas of consumer awareness, consumer protection and consumer advocacy. Most notably, this has been evident in nutritional labeling, HAACP, ISO, QAI Organic, allergen disclaimers, and salmonella recalls – the list goes on and on.
Do Bee Don’t Bee: A Halachic Guide to Honey and Bee Derivatives
Fall 2010
As we look toward the beginning of the new year, we turn our thoughts to teshuva, and the hope that our tefillos will be answered for a sweet new year. This request has been symbolized for hundreds of years on Rosh Hashana by eating challah and apples dipped in honey.1
The question regarding the kosher status of honey is older than the custom of dipping an apple on Rosh Hashana. There is a well known halacha that states that derivatives of non-kosher species are not kosher;2 this would include camel’s milk and ostrich eggs. Since a bee is a non-kosher insect, how can honey which comes from a bee be permissible to eat? Furthermore, if honey is kosher, are all products manufactured by the bee, e.g. royal jelly, beeswax, bee venom, and propolis (described below) also kosher?
The Kashrus of Honey
A brief entomological review of this remarkable insect is necessary in […]
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