Naso 5783 ~ June 2, 2023

Our Torah reading for this Shabbat teaches us the concept of being enlightened in respect to Jewish life, as we read in the second of the priestly blessings. It reads: “May we be illuminated,” which some commentaries suggest reflects the goal of understanding Jewish traditions and living by them. In our Torah reading, we also find the subject of Jewish tradition and the observance of the sacrifices during the dedication of the Mishkan, the holy tent of meeting, where rituals took place as the Children of Israel traveled for 40 years in the wilderness. So here is my illumination:

I am often underwhelmed by the postings on some of my kosher Facebook pages such as  Kosher Costco, Kosher Trader Joes and Kosher Aldi’s. More often than not, those who are sharing are offering us some of what they have found while perusing the shelves or stock in each of these places. Some actually post pictures of their shopping carts filled to the brim or foods they have prepared using the product they have purchased.  Often, the items posted are not new to Lisa or myself. Occasionally we find something that just arrived such as knowing when the Passover foods are there or which locations have a certain item. There is a complaint that a certain item, such as Empire Chicken, is out of stock. And then, once in a blue moon, there will be an actual posting of something Lisa has yet to see in our store, which for kosher is mostly in the W. Hartford area.

Just the other day, I came across a posting in the Kosher Trader Joe’s group that caught my attention. Someone took a picture of a specific item of some interest. Anyone see anything strange about this item?

Notice that the product is certified kosher by none other than the Union of Orthodox Rabbis and the product is “D” or dairy. If one carefully reads the ingredients one will find that this kosher item contains bovine gelatin.

One of the rules of this Facebook group is that one cannot make any statements regarding the hashgacha, the rabbinic supervision. So, instead of someone asking about the supervision, one individual asked, “How can this be dairy if it has bovine gelatin in it?” And another asks about rennet, found in hard cheeses, and what if it is animal-based versus plant-based? And I believe it was then that the individual who oversees the group posted a link to the OU sharing an explanation:

Q. Why does the OU certify kosher beef gelatin as pareve? A. The OU follows the rulings of Rav Moshe Feinstein z”l (Igros Moshe Y.D. 2:27) and Rav Aharon Kotler z”l (Shu”t Mishnas Reb Aharon 1:17) that gelatin, made from the hides of properly slaughtered and kashered (salted) cows, is not only kosher but is also pareve. Since unprocessed cowhide is inedible, it is not classified as meat. However, Pri Megadim (Y.D. 87:22) writes that while on a Biblical level cowhides are pareve, there is nonetheless a rabbinic injunction against eating cowhide cooked with milk. Even so, since gelatin is extracted from the hides by means of strong chemicals, Igeros Moshe proves that this is a sufficient change to make it completely lose its meat status. Thus, gelatin is pareve and may be cooked with milk.

I wanted to chime in and say, “Well, finally the OU is in agreement with Rabbi Isaac Klein, z’”l,  and the Conservative Movement,” but such a statement would not only cause ridicule, but also find myself suspended from the group. The Kosher Costco group actually has rescinded membership for such statements related to hashgacha. I just found it interesting that what we have accepted for such a long period of time in our movement has now finally become part of the OU hashgacha, as well. 

For those who are unaware, Rabbi Isaac Klein, z”l, wrote the classic rabbinic teshuvah, rabbinic responsa, that permitted the eating of gelatin and rennet that are animal-based on the understanding that in creating these items they have become a d’var chadash, a new substance through chemical change and are no longer considered what they were. To such an extent that even a dog would not eat it or recognize it as being from an animal.  

Rabbi Klein and Rabbis Feinstein and Kotler were all rabbis in the same time frame. One represented the best in Conservative Law and the others the best in Orthodox Law in America.  But while the Conservative movement quickly accepted these rulings, the Orthodox did not to the point of claiming that Feinstein never followed them. The real question was, before there was Miller’s and Migdal cheeses, did Feinstein eat Kraft cheese which was the basic cheese company of his time? And while there are rumors, I will not comment.  

It is most interesting to note that no one in the Facebook group questioned the authority of the OU, but some true vegetarians and vegans expressed views that they could not eat the item, even though it was kosher, since in their opinion the product contained animal byproduct. 

So, you might wonder, why all of this information? And, the answer is that the Rabbinical Assembly just came out with a new teshuvah this week permitting the eating of foods in a vegan and vegetarian restaurant, even without rabbinic supervision. When I shared this fact with some individuals in our congregation who are vegan and vegetarian, they immediately began to think of all of the options that now exist for us in our community that is without kosher restaurants, but has vegan and vegetarian establishments both here in the New London area, in Providence and in W. Hartford. At some point I will teach the merits of this rabbinic responsa written by Rabbi Avraham Reisner entitled the “Meatless Menu.” In the meantime, may we be illuminated by the modern lessons of kashruth, so that we may find meaning in our own Jewish practices and ways.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi K