Charting the Course of Shemita

By: Rabbi Sholom Tendler

Kashrus Kurrents, Summer 2022

Eretz Yisroel is known worldwide for its high-quality produce.
During non-Shemita years, a wide selection of Israeli produce items – among them: carrots, citrus fruits,
herbs, peppers, and radishes – are exported to North American markets. The
typical concern is to ensure that
proper terumos and maasros are taken. During Shemita, terumos
and maasros are not typically applicable[1],
but there is significant concern that the produce may be from Shemita.
If someone purchased Israeli produce from Shemita and paid cash (as
opposed to by check
or credit card), returning it to the store may also potentially violate the
prohibition of doing business with Shemita produce. If this happens by mistake, a rav
should be consulted.[2]

While it can be assumed that all vegetables currently on the
market are from the Shemita year,not all Israeli fruits yet on the market are from
the Shemita year. The Halacha is that the Shemita status of
fruits is determined by when they […]

A Consumer’s Guide to Shevi’is Produce

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents, Summer 2022

The
Torah commands us to refrain from working the land of Eretz Yisroel during Shemita.
The possuk states that a person may work the land of Eretz Yisroel for
six consecutive years but must allow it to lie fallow during the Shevi’is
(seventh) year.[1]
This seventh year is known as Shemita.[2] The mitzvah applies to both
men and women.[3]
Even though time-bound positive commandments generally do not apply to women,
this mitzvah is an
exception and is equally incumbent upon them.[4]

The
Torah also commands us to sanctify every fiftieth year as Yovel.[5] However,
the Yovel year does not occur nowadays. This is due to the fact that Yovel
is sanctified only when the majority of Jews live in Eretz Yisroel.[6] By
the time of the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash, the majority of Jews
had been exiled from Eretz Yisroel and Yovel no longer occurred. Although
Jews returned to Eretz Yisroel at […]

A Profile of Courage and Inspiration: A Trip To a Yerushalmi Otzar Beis Din

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents, Summer 2022

Anyone
who has had the opportunity to visit Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh, as
I recently did, will tell you that a must-see experience is a trip to the Geula
neighborhood on Erev Shabbos.

Rechov
Malchai Yisroel could very well be dubbed the commercial heart of the Chareidi community.
The stores pulsate with energy and electricity, while the streets teem with
traffic tie-ups, both on and off the sidewalks. It could be termed a
businessman’s dream or nightmare, depending on one’s ability to handle the
sheer crush of consumers. The side streets, on the other hand, are a labyrinth
of quiet residential apartments. One such quiet street is Rechov Yonah.

For six
out of seven years, the Stern family’s mirpeset (balcony) on Rechov
Yonah looks like any other mirpeset, but this year is not like the
others. During this year, shnas haShemita, the Stern’s mirpeset undergoes
an amazing transformation. Welcome to the Otzar of Bnei Brak – Jerusalem
Branch!

In brief,
the Otzar […]

The Otzar Beis Din: Shemita’s Treasure Trove

Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff, Rav & Rosh Kollel in Neve Yaakov, Jerusalem | Guest Contributor

Kashrus Kurrents, Summer 2022

An Otzar Beis Din is literally ‘a storehouse operated
by Beis Din.’ Why would Beis Din operate a warehouse? Before
explaining more fully the true purpose of an Otzar Beis Din, which is a halachically
approved method of distributing Shemita produce, we must first review
the halachos of Shemita. These rules fall under two general
categories:

(1) Laws of the Land

The Torah teaches that every seventh year is Shemita,
and we are prohibited from working the land of Eretz Yisroel. One may not plow,
plant, prune, or harvest one’s grapevines as an owner, or perform most other
agricultural work. Furthermore, one may not allow one’s land to be worked
during Shemita, even by an aino Yehudi.[1] One
may perform activities whose purpose is to prevent loss, such as watering
plants and trees so that they do not die.[2]

The landowner may not treat […]

The Intriguing World of Jewish Time

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Listen here.

Listen to host Rabbi Zvi Goldberg and his guest, Jewish time expert Rabbi Dovid Heber discuss Jewish time (10/6/21). They answer your questions in addition to discussing:

• a ‘behind the scenes’ review of Rabbi Heber’s new book, The Intriguing World of Jewish Time

• how time affects kashrus certification

• the “World Calendar” and how it would have affected Jewish life

• why a girl cannot become bas mitzva in Adar 1

The Jewish calendar is complex, but Rabbi Heber makes the topic clear and easy to understand. In addition to his newly published work which includes 150 questions and answers on Jewish time, he previously authored Sefer Shaarei Zmanim.

Food Service Mashgichim (ongoing need)

06 | 07 | 2022

STAR-K has multiple full- and part-time Food Service Mashgiach positions available in restaurants and other establishments in the Silver Spring/Rockville, MD, and Washington, DC, areas.

Qualified candidates must be able to commit to a schedule, take responsibility for kashrus compliance and other duties, and work well with others. Experience is preferred but not necessary.

Compensation: $20/hour plus overtime.

Complete our online application form to apply and mark it to the attention of Rabbi Zvi Holland. Be sure to include your resume with your application.

For more information, contact [email protected].

STAR-K Webinar Audio: Medical Devices Certified for Shabbos

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Medical Devices Certified For Shabbos

The Audio for this episode can be found here.

Good to Go With Shabbatto!

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Spring 2022

People look forward to Shabbos as a day to daven in shul and enjoy
the company of other Shomer Shabbos members of the community. Unfortunately,
there are people with mobility issues who are housebound on Shabbos and, for
them, Shabbos is a lonely day. But thanks to newly developed technology by
Movinglife, an Israeli firm, the housebound now are afforded a new opportunity
to rejoin the tzibbur and to enhance their enjoyment of Shabbos. We are
very excited to announce STAR-K certification of the Shabbatto folding scooter,
a new personal mobility device with a Shabbat Mode option.

The road to certification began with Movinglife contacting STAR-K
to discuss their project. After approaching STAR-K to seek certification, the
Movinglife management team met with Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a, STAR-K’s
posek and Rabbinic Administrator, at his home. This initial meeting
lasted a good few hours, during which Rav Heinemann explained in detail what he
would permit and what he would forbid for Shabbos use.

Movinglife […]

Going Down Smooth: A Kosher Primer to Halachic Blending

By: Rabbi Sholom Tendler

Spring 2022

There are few things as synonymous
with summer as a fresh, cold fruit smoothie, a classic hot weather staple for
many. During the summer months, the STAR-K hotline gets inundated with calls
from consumers requesting guidance to ensure their smoothies are as kosher as
they are delicious. While plain fruits and vegetables are often inherently kosher,
several of them do have a major kashrus nemesis: bugs! Those perfect looking
strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries frequently host several
common insects, like thrips, aphids and mites.

Another item that has been gaining
popularity are juiced vegetables. Kale, cilantro and spinach are among the more
popular vegetables that are juiced and then enjoyed as a drink. These, too, can
present a significant challenge to ensure that they are insect free.

The following is a short guide to
assist you in preparing your favorite kosher juiced or blended beverage.

No Checking Required

There are many delicious fruits and
vegetables that do not present any issue of infestation […]

It Depends Where They Stem From

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2022

There
is a basic principle in Halacha: kol hayotzei m’tamei tamei, kol hayotzei
m’tahor tahor. The crux of that principle is that a product derived from a
non-kosher animal will be deemed not kosher (e.g., pig milk or ostrich eggs),
while a product derived from a kosher animal will be kosher (e.g., chicken eggs
and goat milk). This definition needs more investigation when it comes to stem
cells.

Before
we proceed with this discussion, let’s first step back to the Beginning, to the
Source of all that ‘stems.’

In the Beginning … There Was Change

Change
is sometimes beneficial, at times detrimental, frequently challenging, and often
intriguing. If we take a closer look, change is actually the underlying
force behind brias ha’olam (creation).

The
Ramban offers a riveting insight into unlocking the secret of brias ha’olam
when he draws us close and says, “and now, let me tell you the secret of
creation. The Ribono shel Olam created the world yesh mi’ayin – ex
nihilo […]

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 […]

STAR-K Webinar Audio: Chocolate Production in Peru

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Peru Visit – Chocolate Production

The Audio for this episode can be found here.

STAR-K Webinar Audio: Passover Products 2022

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Passover Products 2022

Audio for this webinar can be found here.

Pre-Purchase Advice – for Dishwashers

STAR-K does not certify dishwashers. Dishwashers may not be used on Shabbos and Yom Tov. The recommendations provided below are meant only as guidelines for consumers who wish to purchase a dishwasher that can be opened and loaded on Shabbos and Yom Tov without a worry that doing so will violate any aspects of shmiras Shabbos.

NOTE: Some dishwasher manufacturers include a “Sabbath Mode” or “Kosher Consumer-Friendly Mode” in their devices. While this mode does not allow the device to be used on Shabbos or Yom Tov, it will disable other controls and allow it to be opened and loaded on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

Opening the Dishwasher Door

Should not activate any tones or digital readouts (e.g., ‘door ajar’ icons, settings).

Should not trigger an interior light.

Should not trigger a change in door icons. (e.g., Some dishwashers display the word Clean at the end of a cycle. Opening the door to unload […]

Passover In Brief

February 2024

Passover, an eight-day springtime festival, commemorates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage. Based on the injunction against eating or possessing leavened bread for eight days, Passover involves a unique set of kosher laws. Kosher consumers are most careful about what they eat on Passover. In fact, many people who do not observe kosher year-round may do so on Passover. According to some accounts, 40% of the kosher market revolves around the Passover holiday.

Passover’s strict prohibitions guard against eating food products containing any edible fermented grain products known as chometz. Included in this category are wheat, barley, oats, spelt or rye which have been leavened due to contact with water. Jews are expected not to derive any pleasure or benefit whatsoever from chometz. Furthermore, a Jew may not own chometz or have chometz in his possession.

Ensuring that foods are kosher for Passover is even more […]

The 10 Commandments for the Prudent Passover Consumer

I. Thou Shalt Read Product Labels Carefully
– Make sure a reliable Kosher for Passover certification appears on the package. Don’t assume the product is kosher for Passover just because it is in the Passover section of the supermarket.

Global Brands Team Up with STAR-K in Israel

By: Avrom Pollak

Recognizing
the high demand for popular brand name food imports with a Mehadrin hashgacha
in Israel was the impetus three years ago for opening our STAR-K Israel office.
We felt uniquely qualified to begin working with Israel’s largest food
distributors due to our reputation of always maintaining a high degree of
professionalism, our food technology expertise, and worldwide presence in the
global marketplace.

STAR-K
was fortunate in teaming up with Rabbi Ahron Haskel who, with his many years of
experience, accepted our offer to become director of STAR-K Israel[1].
Along with his keen understanding of the intricacies of the Israeli food market
and the high regard that both kashrus professionals and food distributors have
for Rav Haskel, he was the perfect choice for this newest STAR-K venture.
Distributors such as Israel Beer Breweries Ltd (IBBL)/Coca-Cola, Osem/Nestlé, Strauss,
and Tnuva were equally pleased with the new opportunities to import Mehadrin
products for the Israeli public.

Something to Drink To!

STAR-K
has also been very active in providing the […]

From the STAR-K BMG Chabura: First Aide – Addressing the Halachic Challenges of Domestic and Special Needs Aides in the Home

By: Rabbi Yaakov Heinemann

Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2022

Many
families find themselves caring for aging parents or a special needs child and require
additional assistance. Hiring a live-in, an aide, or full-time cleaning help who
is an aino Yehudi can create many real halachic concerns. Here
are some of the issues we address in this article:

Basar Shenis’aleim
Min Ha’ayin: Meat which has been left out of the watch of a Yehudi.Yichud Keilim and Bishul
Akum: Kosher utensils which have been left unattended with an aino
Yehudi and their change in status when used by an aino Yehudi.Stam Yeinum: Wine which may
have been handled by an aino Yehudi in a way that would forbid a Yehudi
from drinking it.Yichud: If a Jewish
man or woman is left alone with a person of the opposite gender.

Basar Shenis’aleim Min Ha’ayin

The Gemara addresses a concern called basar shenis’aleim min ha’ayin about a bird that may have switched a piece of kosher meat which was not being watched […]

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 […]

Preparing/Kashering the Pesach Kitchen

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Updated February 2024

Download PDF of Article Here

As the Yom Tov of Pesach nears, and the diligent balabusta begins to tackle the challenge of preparing the kitchen for Pesach, undoubtedly the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to shine. Although moving into a separate Pesach home sounds very inviting, such luxuries are often not affordable and definitely not in the Pesach spirit. Among the basic mitzvos of the chag is the mitzvah of tashbisu se’or mibateichem, ridding one’s home and possessions of chometz. However, if we are to use kitchen equipment, utensils, or articles that can be found in our kitchen year-round, it may be insufficient to just clean them thoroughly. One is forbidden to use these items unless they have been especially prepared for Pesach. This preparation process is known as kashering.

The Torah instructs us that the proper kashering method used to […]

Kashering for Pesach According to Sephardi Minhagim

By: Rabbi Emanuel Goldfeiz

View / Download PDF of Article Here

מקצת הלכות הגעלת והכשרת הכלים לפסח לפי מנהגי ספרדים

Utensils that are used during the year with chometz are forbidden to be used during Pesach without kashering them according to Halacha. From the time it is prohibited to eat chometz on Erev Pesach, it is forbidden to use the utensils without kashering them according to Halacha. The proper kashering method used to rid a vessel of chometz is dependent upon the original method of food preparation through which chometz was absorbed into the vessel.1We do not recite a bracha when kashering an item since it is a negative commandment not to consume the taste of non-kosher food.2Sephardic custom is that the method of kashering depends upon the most common usage of the vessel. Therefore, it is sufficient to pour boiling hot water […]

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, […]

Understanding Kitniyos: What They Are, What They Aren’t

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Reviewed March 2024

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 […]

Kosher for Passover Foods According to Sephardi Minhagim

By: Rabbi Emanuel Goldfeiz

Rice and all different types of legumes are permissible to eat on Pesach according to the custom of most Sephardim, as long as they are careful to check rice three times to ensure there is no wheat or barley mixed in.1
Care needs to be taken that no dust of flour came into contact with the rice (or any kosher food for Pesach). Therefore, one may use only natural, unenriched rice for Pesach, ideally a rice with a reliable Kosher l’Pesach L’ochlei Kitniyot hechsher.2
Those who refrain from eating legumes on Pesach are permitted to keep them at home; there is no need to sell legumes to a non-Jew.3
It is the Sephardic custom to use egg matzah (מצה עשירה) during Pesach. This type of matzah cannot be used to fulfill the obligation of eating matzah on the first two nights of Pesach. The bracha recited […]

Quinoa, the Grain That’s Not: Then Why the Need for Passover Certification

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

February 2024

Tired of potatoes, potatoes and more potatoes on Pesach? Maybe give quinoa a try.

Quinoa is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet – cooked like rice, is gluten-free and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Even NASA has considered quinoa for its long-duration planetary space flights. Quinoa has become increasingly popular in the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Japan, where the crop is not typically grown.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced kin-wa) is a species of seeds of the Chenopodium (or “goosefoot”) family, which includes sugar beets and beet root, and is botanically related to spinach. It was first brought to the United States from South America in the 1980s. Seeds range in color from pink and orange to blue-black, purple, and red. However, once their natural saponin coating is washed off, the seeds are pale yellow.

Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes Mountains for thousands of years, growing […]

Feeding Your Pet: Barking Up the Right Tree

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Reviewed February 2024

Click HERE for the Pesach 2024 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 2024

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 History of Passover Medicine Lists in Pre-War Germany

In the 1920s, the Jewish community in Germany numbered close to half a million people. They were made up mostly of professionals in finance and retail trade. German Jewry thrived within the general culture of the Weimar Republic. As an influx of approximately 70,000 East European Jews flocked to Germany to escape political oppression and violent anti-Semitism, Berlin soon became the center for Hebrew culture, reaching its peak between 1920 to 1924. It had become a safe haven for Hebrew and Yiddish speaking intellectuals, mostly Russian Hebrew writers. Although some Jews emigrated during this time, mostly to America or Palestine, many more did so after the rise of Nazism in 1933. Unfortunately, the majority of Jews remained in Germany, with catastrophic results.

During this inter-war period, many German Jews assimilated, thereby distinguishing themselves from their observant Eastern European brethren. However, there remained a strong element of […]

Advice for People with Celiac, Food Allergies and Gluten-Free Restrictions on Pesach

Updated February 2024

Yomim Tovim are synonymous with food—and lots of it! During Pesach, the temptation to eat and overeat, perhaps the wrong things for eight straight days, is extra challenging. The good news is that you don’t have to resolve to store away those extra pounds which you will regret just as you store away your Pesach dishes for next year. STAR-K is grateful to Sarah Klugman, RD, for sharing her Pesach nutrition advice on which this article is based. They include tips for gluten-free and celiac individuals, as well as those with various food allergies.

Sarah Klugman suggests, “Always make Kiddush in the morning. It’s the key to a successful day! Use light grape juice 1 and have a starch or fruit and milk. Regarding when to make Kiddush and how to fulfill Kiddush b’makom seuda, consult your rav. Good ideas are: starch/fruit and milk; fruit and yogurt; […]

Pesach Shiurim for Matzah & Wine – For Healthy Individuals and for Diabetics / Those with Food Allergies

By: STAR-K staff - adapted from Jewish Diabetes Association article by Nechama Cohen

Updated February 2024

The challenge of diabetes seems ten-fold when it comes to Pesach. There are a whole new set of considerations – among them, four cups of wine at each Seder; a many-hour wait until Shulchan Aruch; and knowing the carb content of a single hand matzah.

These are real concerns for people with diabetes and related health issues who wish to fulfill the requirements of Pesach al pi halacha without compromising their health. STAR-K has turned to the Jewish Diabetes Association (JDA) for answers, and the JDA has kindly provided the following guidelines to help you prepare your matzah and wine.

NOTE: The following are guidelines for achilas matzah and arba kosos for both healthy individuals and for those challenged with diabetes or food allergies. When in doubt, consult with a rav.1a

I. Matzah

The stipulations for minimum shiurim for matzah, which follow, are based on the psak of Rav Moshe […]

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