Along with holidays and music, kosher food represents a key to Jewish faith and culture. Like the food practices of Hindus and Muslims, kosher food for Jewish people stems from their religious beliefs. "Keeping kosher" is not merely a cultural food practice; it is a way of life that symbolizes the Jewish people' devotion to God.
You can now find at least one kosher food store in any large American or European city. Loosely attributed to the migration and dispersion of Jewish communities, many shops are now set up to accommodate the unique dietary requirements of these people. Meatshops and groceries, along with delicatessens and food stores are now commonplace.
With much more to it than merely buying food from certain sources, those looking for kosher foods know how to search for the rabbinic seal - a symbol guaranteeing that the food has been prepared under the supervision of a rabbi. For a true adherence to the laws of kosher, everything; from the equipment, to the methods of slaughtering animals, to the workers who prepared the food must follow stringent requirements set forth by the Kashrut. Every country has a rabbinic association that ensures the adherence to the rules. They are the ones who check if the shops claiming to sell kosher food are really selling the real thing.
The Kashrut has several degrees to accommodate the different theological schools of the Jewish faith. As a consequence to this, kosher food shops and groceries offer several kinds of seals for essentially the same kinds of foods. Only the degree of adherence and strictness is changed - along with the price, of course.
For those who aren't practicing Jewish people, the matter of food can be confused by the expression "kosher style." Those who don't adhere as strictly to the Jewish food laws often eat kosher style food. However, even kosher-style foods must conform to certain basics, such as not including the meat of forbidden animals and not mixing dairy with meat.
All of this exacting practice is rooted on the Torah, the holy scripture of the Jewish faith. In it, it is forbidden to eat the flesh of forbidden animals and even if the animal is not forbidden, it must be prepared by way of "shechitah keshera." The shochet, a Jewish butcher, plays a huge role in a Jewish community's ability to eat according to kosher laws. Although the Torah allows any man to be a Jewish butcher provided a rituals is performed, in actual practice, a rabbi designates the role to a single person. A kosher meatshop is essentially kosher if the butcher is a practicing Jew. Gentiles, or non-Jewish people can never be kosher butchers.
These laws were explicitly contained in the Torah. What is practiced today came from the interpretation of countless rabbis through the centuries. This period encompassed the time when food was scarce and preservation was virtually nonexistent. This led to some practices that seem dated by today's standards. But no matter how old the practice is, keeping kosher is all about eating soundly. Appeasing the will of god by taking care of one's body cannot be argued - no matter what your religion is.
You can now find at least one kosher food store in any large American or European city. Loosely attributed to the migration and dispersion of Jewish communities, many shops are now set up to accommodate the unique dietary requirements of these people. Meatshops and groceries, along with delicatessens and food stores are now commonplace.
With much more to it than merely buying food from certain sources, those looking for kosher foods know how to search for the rabbinic seal - a symbol guaranteeing that the food has been prepared under the supervision of a rabbi. For a true adherence to the laws of kosher, everything; from the equipment, to the methods of slaughtering animals, to the workers who prepared the food must follow stringent requirements set forth by the Kashrut. Every country has a rabbinic association that ensures the adherence to the rules. They are the ones who check if the shops claiming to sell kosher food are really selling the real thing.
The Kashrut has several degrees to accommodate the different theological schools of the Jewish faith. As a consequence to this, kosher food shops and groceries offer several kinds of seals for essentially the same kinds of foods. Only the degree of adherence and strictness is changed - along with the price, of course.
For those who aren't practicing Jewish people, the matter of food can be confused by the expression "kosher style." Those who don't adhere as strictly to the Jewish food laws often eat kosher style food. However, even kosher-style foods must conform to certain basics, such as not including the meat of forbidden animals and not mixing dairy with meat.
All of this exacting practice is rooted on the Torah, the holy scripture of the Jewish faith. In it, it is forbidden to eat the flesh of forbidden animals and even if the animal is not forbidden, it must be prepared by way of "shechitah keshera." The shochet, a Jewish butcher, plays a huge role in a Jewish community's ability to eat according to kosher laws. Although the Torah allows any man to be a Jewish butcher provided a rituals is performed, in actual practice, a rabbi designates the role to a single person. A kosher meatshop is essentially kosher if the butcher is a practicing Jew. Gentiles, or non-Jewish people can never be kosher butchers.
These laws were explicitly contained in the Torah. What is practiced today came from the interpretation of countless rabbis through the centuries. This period encompassed the time when food was scarce and preservation was virtually nonexistent. This led to some practices that seem dated by today's standards. But no matter how old the practice is, keeping kosher is all about eating soundly. Appeasing the will of god by taking care of one's body cannot be argued - no matter what your religion is.
About the Author:
Michelle is a season author on home cooking. She just loves sharing her ideas and tips on making crock pot recipes or crock pot beef recipes.
