Author Archives: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Getting into the Fabric of Shatnez Checking with a Man of the Cloth

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2018

INTRODUCTION

The Torah forbids the wearing of a garment made from tzemer (wool) and pishtim (linen) together. There are two pesukim in the Torah that refer to Shatnez. It states,1 “Ubeged kilayim shatnez lo ya’aleh alecha,” a garment composed of a mixture which is Shatnez should not be draped upon oneself. We find a different expression of this same mitzvah, “Lo silbash shatnez tzemer uphishtim yachdav2 – Do not wear shatnez, wool and linen together.” Chazal tell us that these two pesukim complement one another. In Devarim, the Torah forbids actual wearing of Shatnez – levisha, whereas the Vayikra prohibition of Shatnez includes he’elah – draping Shatnez over one’s body. The Gemara3 explains that draping is prohibited only if it is done in a way which is similar to wearing, i.e., where some benefit is derived from the Shatnez such as being covered […]

Improving with Age

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

The hallowed cornerstone of kashrus is בחלב אמו אל תבשל, do not eat a goat in the milk of its mother. The Torah repeats this prohibition, מצות לא תעשה, three times,1 instructing us that we must not eat, cook or derive benefit from a combination of milk and meat. To distance ourselves from an inadvertent mistake, safeguards have been instituted and implemented by Chazal to preserve the integrity of the essential מצות לא תעשה.

Meat and Dairy in the Kosher Kitchen

To this end, every kosher kitchen has two separate sets of pots, pans, cutlery and dishes. Similarly, if two people are eating together at the same table, one eating meat and the other eating dairy, the Shulchan Aruch instructs us to make a distinguishing separation between the two friends to avoid an inadvertent nibble.2

Moreover, the Shulchan Aruch also instructs us to wait after eating meat before eating dairy […]

Eating Chocolate With A Clear “Conch”ence

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Chocolate, the king of confections, continues to grow in popularity. Chocolate is surely nature’s sweetest combination of fruit and vegetable, sugar and cocoa beans. Kosher chocolate is a delicious study of technology and halachah. Let’s explore the intoxicating world of chocolate.

Over the years, chocolate manufacturing has continued to grow, both domestically and internationally. Chocolate connoisseurship has reached new heights. Believe it or not, the most expensive chocolate today costs in excess of $90 a pound. The chocoholic delights at the sight of Belgian truffles, French bonbons, Swiss chocolate and other chocolate bars that abound. Most major chocolate manufacturers in the U.S. have reliable kosher certification. Some specialty chocolate manufacturers are kosher certified, as well. Cholov Yisroel chocolate in particular has recently seen unprecedented growth. Today, a Cholov Yisroel consumer can feast on a Cholov Yisroel chocolate equivalent without having to compromise on taste or quality.

Chocolate raw ingredients make a long […]

HE-BREWS: A Micro View into A Microbrew

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Spring 2017

Introduction
If there is a word that can be used to describe the unprecedented growth of microbreweries it is explosive’. There are more microbreweries than ever in the U.S., accounting for $22.3 billion of revenue and 21% of market share. In 2015, the brewery count stood at 4,269 breweries: 2,397 microbreweries; 1,650 brew pubs; and 178 craft breweries. In essence, this dynamic growth has in essence reshaped the playing field, both in quality and new offerings. Of course, the success of the microbrewery is changing the face of the beer industry from traditional to innovative, which obviously impacts the typical kashrus perception of a microbrewery.
It was previously assumed that microbreweries were more purist than their ‘big brother’ counterparts. This means that they would not deviate from the strict rules of the reinheitsgebot-German Beer Purity laws. Is this still true today? And if not, what is the kosher status of a […]

Balsamic Vinegar: Sour Grapes or Sour Sweet Success

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Winter 2017

Vinegar is one of nature’s most unique and versatile products. Folklore maintains that vinegar was discovered quite by accident, when wine was inadvertently left to sour. This resulted in the first batch of full-bodied wine vinegar. Indeed, the word ‘vinegar’ is derived from the French word vinaigre, which means sour wine. Euphemistically, the Talmud refers to a ne’er-do-well son of a righteous father as a Chometz Ben Yayin, “vinegar son of wine.”
Folklore aside, vinegar was well known in the time of Tanach. The Torah forbids a Nazir to drink wine vinegar or eat other grape and wine products. In Tehillim,1 Dovid Hamelech asked to drink vinegar when he said, “Vlitzmaie Yashkuni Chometz”. In Megilas Rus, Boaz’s workers dipped their bread in vinegar.2
The Hebrew term for vinegar, chometz (pronounced ch-oh-metz), is similar to the word chametz (pronounced ch-aw-maitz), leavened bread products. This etymological similarity underscores the correlation between […]

Candy Takes a Shellacking

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Someone gives you a choice between two items, seemingly identical. Their only difference is that one is dark and dull, the other is bright and shiny. Which one would you choose? A tarnished penny or a gleaming one? The odds favor the latter. Food stylists and advertisers know this well. Look at any magazine spread and see how the careful lighting adds to the appeal of ordinary foods. There is probably no food item that better epitomizes the concept of a ‘shiny’ food than candy. Think glossy lollipops, satiny Mike and Ikes, gleaming M&M’s . . .

Candy manufacturers value eye appeal and they do get their candy to shine. How do they do it? What do they use to achieve their goal? In the industrial world, it is called shellac and in the candy
community it is known as confectioner’s glaze. What is confectioner’s glaze? Where does it
originate? How is […]

Greek Table Olives: Yaft Elokim L’Yefes Vishkon B’SHULCHONEI Shem

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

If one had to choose a single word to describe an olive, it would be ‘versatile’. Olive oil was used daily to light the Menorah in the Bais Hamikdosh. Our first introduction to olive oil was the Shemen Hamishcha, an infused olive oil with a unique blend of spices used to anoint melachim, kohanim and klei haMikdash. Moreover, the yonah (dove) brought back an olive branch to Noach in the ark, and our baseline halachic measurement for eating something significant is a “k’zayis”, the size of an olive.1 The Gemara in Brochos tells us that if one sees an olive in a dream, it is a sign of peace; if one sees an olive branch, it is a sign of Torah scholarship.
There is an opinion in the Midrash that the fruit of the Eitz Hadaas, Tree of Knowledge, was from an olive tree. Additionally, Asher (one of Yaakov […]

Bayamim Haheim Bazman Hazeh, Olive Oil: The Contemporary Industry of Antiquity

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

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 which has not changed much over the millennia.
Numerous olive oil brochures of the Mediterranean coastal region proudly claim that the olive oil industry dates back to over 5,000 years. This is demonstrated by the discovery of a 5,000 year old olive oil earthenware vessel in Turkey. Shemen zayis, as mentioned in the Torah, is one of the seven special species of Eretz Yisroel. The Torah requires the purest of pure olive oil, shemen zayis zach, to light the Menorah. Olive oil was an integral part of the service in the Bais Hamikdash. The olive branch is considered a symbol of peace […]

A Crystal-Clear Halachic Approach to Glass

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Spring 2016

Glass is one of nature’s most versatile products created from some of nature’s most prevalent raw materials: sand, soda and lime. In the food industry, glass applications are extremely diverse. Glass can be made into delicate drinking glasses, as well as tough heat resistant ceramic cooktops tops withstanding temperatures over 1000°F.

How is glass made? Basically, the raw ingredients are heated and melted in a large furnace. The molten glass is shaped, blown, or pressed into its desired shape. The finished product is then annealed in an annealing oven and tempered to give the newly formed glass strength and durability.

Although glass can be made to be stronger and less porous than steel, the halachic status of glass remains enigmatic. On the one hand, Chazal recognized the fact that glass is tough, resistant and non-porous. On the other hand, glass raw materials are the same as earthenware which is very porous, extremely […]

Dried Fruit: Nature’s Way of Wrinkling Gracefully

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Fall 2015

It has been called nature’s candy and is a sweet source of nutrition whose popularity is on the rise. Commensurate with its growing popularity is its demand. In today’s global economy, the dried fruit trade literally spans the entire globe – apples from China, prunes from Bulgaria, figs from the Middle East, dates from Tunisia, raisins from South America, and of course apples, peaches, plums, raisins, figs, and dates from the good old U.S.A. Naturally, this growth presents a whole new set of challenges to kashrus agencies. How do they send a mashgiach to supervise date productions in Pakistan, raisin productions in Iran, or plum productions in Bulgaria? Let’s learn about this popular healthy snack alternative.

The Process

Fruit is dried through a process known as dehydrating, which removes enough moisture from the fruit to retard the growth of bacteria and mold while retaining the great taste and nutrients of […]

‘Beer Halacha’: Clarifying The Kashrus of Beer

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Winter 2014

Hashem , in his ultimate kindness, has provided man with the keys to unlock some of nature’s most amazing secrets. For centuries, a great secret has been revealed to man – the bubbling elixir known as beer.

Beer’s ingredients – water, barley, yeast and hops – bear no resemblance to the finished product. These natural ingredients undergo a series of simple yet fascinating processes to convert them into one of the world’s most popular beverages. It is not coincidental that alcoholic beverages have been given the distinctive appellation “spirits”, alluding to the fact that these beverages seem to magically emerge from these natural ingredients as if they have been assisted by spirits. The four steps of beer making are malting, roasting, brewing and fermenting.

THE PROCESS : The first step of beer making combined barley and water in a process […]

Bishul Yisroel Sephardi: And Now For The Rest Of The Story

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Spring 2014

If anyone ever visited New Orleans, one of the must-see tourist highlights in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, is a quaint Cajun wooden floor coffee shop known simply as Morning Call. Morning Call is a café that sold one product only – a delightful, deep fried square doughnut that you smothered with heaps of confectioners’ sugar and enjoyed along with a delicious hot cup of French market coffee. These square doughnuts are known as beignets (pronounced ben y’ays). I don’t know if a beignet matches a fresh jelly-filled sufgania , but beignets are a New Orleans favorite and Morning Call is still frying beignets.When I was a member of the New Orleans Kollel many years ago, Morning Call was certified kosher by the local congregational rabbi, and at that time there was no Kosher Cajun restaurant to go to for a kosher bite to eat. The proprietor of Kosher Cajun was […]

Zman Cheiruseinu

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Summer 2014
There was a story told about a very elderly Yid who was in the hospital with medical complications. The doctor came in with the patient’s test results and said, “Mr. Goldberg, your blood pressure is high and your cholesterol is high. You must change your diet. No more chopped liver; nothing cooked in chicken schmaltz.” Mr. Goldberg peeked out from under his blanket as his children were attending him, looked the doctor straight in the eye and said, “Vos vais a doctor vos a yid darf essen!”1

Although Judaism frowns upon a ‘Live to Eat’ mantra, eating does play a central role in the life of a Torah observant Jew. How can one observe Shabbos without Kiddush and Hamotzi? Who can observe a Pesach seder without matza? A Melava Malka, a Purim seuda, dipping an apple in the honey on Rosh Hashana – our calendar and our chagim […]

Taam Tov Btuv Taam: A Flavorful Blend of Kashrus and Spices

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Fall 2014

Unquestionably, the one area of food ingredients that attests to the global nature of the food industry is the spice trade. The Torah is replete with reference to the spice traders who carriedYosef to Egypt to the ketores, that was fundamental to the avoda in the Bais Hamikdash. The spice commerce has thrived from the beginning of commercial trade. New World exploration forged forward fueled with the hope of finding shorter spice routes to the Far East. Centuries earlier, Marco Polo witnessed flourishing spice trade first hand, during his travels to the Orient. Spice empires thrived as the European powers deepened their trade with the Far East. Today, spice trading continues to prosper. Spices hail from Albania to Zanzibar and arrive to these shores in many different forms as whole spices, spice extracts, oleoresins and essential oils. What are the kashrus issues facing this fascinating ancient/contemporary industry? Have modern processing techniques simplified or complicated matters?
What are spices? Are spices and herbs synonymous?
The term spice is […]

Sushi L’Mehadrin

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Winter 2015

For time immemorial, our sojourns throughout galus, the Diaspora, have not only defined and influenced the minhagim, laws and customs, emerging from those foreign lands, they have also rejuvenated our Jewish cuisine with a burst of ethnic diversity – holopshkes (stuffed cabbage),borsht, and falafel, to name a few. As our migration advanced to the shores of the ‘goldine medina’, a whole new ‘Yiddishe’ repertoire of American delicacies was bestowed upon us. Who among us didn’t grow up with Sunday morning whitefish, bagels, and lox? Not long after, there emerged a proliferation of pizza shops in practically every Jewish neighborhood and community. The most recent food trend that has been introduced to the Jewish palate is Sushi.

Sushi, that unique combination of rice, rice vinegar, raw fish, and vegetables rolled in black seaweed sheets called ‘nori’ has found its place of prominence in virtually every kosher restaurant, smorgasbord and pizza shop. Furthermore, we are fortunate in […]

Grillin’ With a ‘Bren’

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Spring 2015

One of Moshe Rabbeinu ’s first directives from the Ribono Shel Olam was that the Korban Pesach had to be tzli aish , no compromise – not boiled, not cooked, not raw – but grilled on the open flame. This was B’nei Yisroel ’s honest to goodness first barbecue! “ Maase Avos Siman L’Vanim .” Grilling has taken on a life of its own. As the weather warms, and once again we are ready to enjoy the outdoors there are many dos and don’ts that the savvy kosher griller should keep in mind before throwing that delicious rib steak onto the coals.

Kashering a Non-Kosher Grill

As unlikely as it sounds, there are times when the occasion arises where a non-kosher grill requires kosherization. This method is impractical for a barbecue pit in the park. However, in the event that one needs to kasher a non-kosher grill, below are the steps […]

Surprise Du Jour

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Summer 2015

TYPICAL RESTAURANT SCENE #1: “Ma, I’m going to grab something to eat before supper.” “Fine, but don’t make yourself fleishig. We’re having milchigs tonight.” “No problem. I’ll just get an order of fries from Kosher Burger!”
Was that a fatal supper flaw or not? Possibly, but it is not uncommon for afleishig restaurant to cook their french fries or onion rings in the same fryer that is used for chicken. If that is the case, the fries are 100% fleishig and the little boy is cooked! One would have to wait the required amount of time before eating a dairy meal.[1]

This is not the only pareve pitfall for an unassuming kosher consumer. There are many other factors to be aware of when dining at a fleishig restaurant. Just as a fryer can be used for both meat and pareve products, so can the knives that are used to cut salad vegetables. Also, frying pans used between cutlets and vegetables, or ovens that cook any number of meat and pareve food […]

Kashrus Goes Crunch

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Fall 2013

Everyone wants to emulate a winner. The world of food manufacturing and marketing is no exception. Whenever a new product reaches the marketplace, or a new business venture is successfully launched, rest assured that product or venture will be duplicated, cloned, or modified
immediately. One only needs to travel north of Baltimore to Pennsylvania Dutch country to see this in reality. Southern Pennsylvania is home to tens of snack food manufacturers, and is aptly dubbed “the snack food capital of the United States.”

Snack foods have always been an integral part of the American diet and the American way of life. But, snack food modifications do not stand still. As our eating habits, tastes, and health awareness change, so have snack food styles. As production streamlines and technology becomes more innovative, snack food companies continuously modernize to keep up with the times. Of course, one dimension of the snack food industry that always remains constant is kashrus. No matter how […]

How to Kosher a Plant: Individual Stories

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

It’s Takke a Taco

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.Ordinarily it is not impossible to substitute ingredients to create an […]

Pas or Pas Nisht: Reviewing the Laws of Pas Akum

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Life is made up of a long chain of experiences. Some bitter, some sweet, some mundane, and some exciting. Let me share one with you. About ten years ago I had the good fortune to have an inspiring experience in Morocco, of all places. The purpose of my trip was to inspect various Star-K companies that exported olives and olive oil to the U.S. The inspiration came as a result of spending two days with the remnant of the once thriving ancient Jewish community of Meknes. Meknes was home to many Rabbanim, Geonim, and Tzadikim. The Ohr Hachaim HaKodosh, the great luminary who wrote the famous commentary on Chumash, was born in Meknes. The Jewish cemetery dates back 1200 years. Today barely two hundred families remain. The Rav of the small kehilla is a holy Jew by the name of Rabbi Chaim Kasous, who had served […]

Pas Habah B’Kisnin: Pas or Pas Nisht

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Spring 2005 | Updated August 2013

…Sora spent the whole morning shopping and was ready to stop for lunch. She was in luck. The kosher pizza shop was down the block from the mall. Since she was watching her weight she did not want to indulge, so she ordered one slice, salad and a diet soda. As she carried her order to her seat, she was faced with a dilemma: which brocha (blessing) should she make – mezonos or hamotzi?

…It was a beautiful wedding with a magnificent stand up smorgasbord. Naturally, the guests lined the carving tables to indulge in delicious corned beef. The glatt[...] Read More

HOT OFF THE HOTLINE: Kosher is Healthier

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

“Do you really know what Kosher means?”
“I think so.”
“Fine, so tell me, what is Kosher?”
“Kosher means that the food is clean and healthy.”
“No, Kosher means that the food production was blessed by a Rabbi.”

The Rise and Fall of Wonder Bread

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Spring 2013

It has been called the staff of life. “Lechem” (bread) makes a quick cameo appearance for posterity, when the Ribbono Shel Olam charts the course of mankind for time immemorial by punishing Adam HaRrishon with the words, “Bezaias apecha tochal lechem”,1 “You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow.” Of course, it is obvious to everyone – both young and old- that lechem means bread!

A Crystal-Clear Halachic Approach to Glass

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Glass is one of nature’s most versatile products created from some of nature’s most prevalent raw materials: sand, soda and lime. In the food industry glass applications are extremely diverse. Glass can be made into delicate drinking glasses as well as tough heat resistant ceramic cook tops withstanding temperatures over 1000°F.

A Halachic Exercise in self control

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Published Summer 2013

SCENE 1: You are hungry. You desperately need something to hit the spot. Suddenly your friend offers you a delicious chocolate frosted cupcake . . . complete with sprinkles. Your mouth begins to water . . . you are just about to take that first irresistible bite when your inner voice raises the age-old query, “How do you know if it is Kosher?” Your ecstasy is short lived. Your hand pulls back and you put the cupcake down. You exercised self control. You are still hungry but you passed the test.

Kashrus in High Spirits

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Winter 2005

Jewish life-cycle events, be it a bris, a bar mitzvah, or a wedding, are special occasions that we anticipate eagerly and celebrate with joy. At any simcha, we fill our cups with wine, raise our glasses of schnapps, and with great fervor pronounce a resounding “L’chaim!” in honor of the blessed event. This custom of melding alcohol with simcha has been a Jewish practice from time immemorial. The cup that is raised today, however, bears very little resemblance to that of yesteryear.

The Art of Kosher Wine Making

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

In the Torah’s eye, nature’s quintessential beverage is “the fruit of the vine,” grape wine. Our Sages tell us of wine’s importance throughout the calendar year and throughout the Jewish life cycle. The Jewish People sanctifies Shabbos or Yom Tov over wine. At the Pesach Seder we express the four expressions of Geulah (freedom) over wine. One recites Sheva Brachos at a wedding over wine. A special Bracha was established by our Sages especially for wine, “Borei Pri HaGafen “ .

Can it be Kosher

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

How often have we heard the query, “What’s the problem with plain canned vegetables? It’s only vegetables, water and salt in a can!” True. It’s also true that today you can buy vegetables with a hechsher, salt with a hechsher, water with a hechsher even cans with a hechsher! But does 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4? Can a kosher consumer buy canned corn off the shelf or should the kosher consumer beware?

All Washed Up

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

In the health conscious world of the new millennium, healthful fine dining and garden fresh vegetables have taken an honorable position of prominence. Salad bars are in vogue. A colorful salad helps dress up the bland dinner plate. Fresh vegetables are healthy and wholesome. Unfortunately, it also causes havoc with the G-d fearing housewife, or the caterer’s mashgiach, who want to make sure that the vegetables served are not only clean and fresh, but insect-free, as well. Oftentimes, this task is tedious, time consuming, and frustrating. This is particularly true when dealing with large quantities of exotic, leafy vegetables that have to be inspected in a relatively short amount of time. What is the answer?

Wheying the Kosher Possibilities

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Food technology has made enormous strides since Miss Muffet sat down to her feast of curds and whey. Today whey has emerged as one of the most versatile food components with many new and exciting food applications. Typically, whey cream can be churned into butter or be converted into ricotta cheese. Whey can be dried into a powder and be used as a basic ingredient in cereals, baked beans, hot cocoa, and seasonings. Whey protein concentrate is a fundamental ingredient in infant formula and bakery products. Lactose, the milk sugar found in whey, is used as a flavor enhancer or a carrier in pharmaceuticals. In addition, whey is converted into alcohol and used in alcoholic beverages. Clearly the industry continues to discover whey’s versatility. Where does whey come from and what, if any, are the kashrus issues relating to whey in general, and cholov yisroel in […]

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