Come Scegliere una Certificazione Kosher

Come Scegliere una Certificazione Kosher

Scegliere la Giusta Agenzia
All’inizio…
FAQ
Termini di Contrattazione
Commissioni

Scegliere la Giusta Agenzia

Come trovare la certificazione Kosher più adatta alle specifiche necessità della tua azienda?

A meno che non si disponga di unattività commerciale le cui esigenze Kosher possano essere soddisfatte da un consiglio rabbinico locale, si avrà lingrato compito di dover confrontare pregi e difetti delle differenti certificazioni offerte, scoprendo che non tutte le organizzazioni che rilasciano certificazioni Kosher sono uguali!

Lapproccio a questo tipo di processo dovrebbe risutare molto simile a quello che si utilizzerebbe per scegliere un avvocato, un consulente finanziario o un importante dipendente. È quindi fondamentale informarsi a 365 gradi. Fare le domande giuste ed esplorare tutte le opzioni disponibili nel mercato Kosher, può risparmiare alla tua azienda un’esperienza spiacevole e costosa in termini economici.

All’inizio…

Prima di avviare il processo di studio e comparazione degli aspetti positivi e negativi che contraddistinguono le diverse agenzie […]

Wie wählt man eine Koscher-Zertifizierung

Wie wählt man eine Koscher-Zertifizierung

Die Wahl der richtigen Agentur
Zu Beginn…
FAQ
Verhandlungsbedingungen
Gebühren

Die Wahl der richtigen Agentur

Wie findet man die angemessene Koscherzertifizierung, um die speziellen Anforderungen Ihrer Firma zu erfüllen?

Sofern Sie kein Unternehmen haben, dessen koscher Bedürfnisse durch ein lokales Rabbinat erfüllt werden können, sind Sie am Anfang einer verwirrenden Reise, beim Versuch die Vorzüge der verschiedenen Zertifizierungen zu vergleichen. Nicht alle Organisationen der Koscherzertifizierung sind identisch!

Es ist sehr wichtig diesen Prozess ähnlich wie die Suche nach einem Anwalt, Finanzberater oder wichtigen Angestellten anzugehen. Kurz gesagt, machen Sie Ihren Job! Das Stellen der richtigen Fragen, und die Erforschung aller möglichen Optionen auf dem Koschermarkt, können Ihrem Unternehmen unangenehme und teure Erfahrungen ersparen.

Zu Beginn…

Bevor Sie anfangen die verschiedenen Zertifizierungsagenturen zu interviewen, und deren Vor- und Nachteile gegeneinander abwägen (Gleiches gilt auch, wenn Sie bereits über eine Zertifizierung verfügen, und einen Wechsel in Betracht ziehen), müssen Sie wissen, dass eine […]

Der koschere Markt

Der koschere Markt

In den letzten fünfundzwanzig Jahren ist der Bedarf an koscher zertifizierten Produkten drastisch angestiegen. Genauer gesagt, der koschere Markt hat sich mit einer jährlichen Rate von 15% in den letzten Jahren vergrößert.

Der koschere Konsument
Der jüdische Markt
Die islamische Gemeinschaft
Andere religiöse Gruppierungen
Laktoseintoleranz
Vegetarier
Qualitätsgarantie

Der koschere Konsument
Millionen Menschen auf der Welt schränken Ihren Lebensmittelverzehr ein, und suchen nach dem Koscherzeichen, um sicherzugehen, dass Ihre Präferenzen erfüllt werden. Laut Marktforschungsstudien, überschreitet die Attraktivität von koscheren Lebensmitteln die Interessen von einer spezifischen ethnischen Gruppe. Konsumenten von koscheren Lebensmitteln sind Juden, Muslime, Angehörige anderer religiösen Gruppierungen, Vegetarier, Menschen mit Laktoseintoleranz und solche, die verstehen, dass “Koscher besser ist”.

Der jüdische Markt
Jüdische Konsumenten machen fast 45% des koscheren Marktes aus. Die firmeneigene Marketingkommunikation zeigt, dass etwa 2,5 Millionen Juden koschere Lebensmittel konsumieren.

Die islamische Gemeinschaft
Millionen von Muslimen auf der Welt folgen einer Ernährung, ähnlich den Koschergesetzen. Koscher […]

Congratulations to 3 of our Companies on their Kosherfest wins!

Congratulations to 3 of our Companies on their Kosherfest wins!

11 | 16 | 2015

http://www.koshertoday.com/breaking-news-jacks-gourmet-bbq-pulled-beef-brisket-crowned-best-show-kosherfest-2015-new-products-competition-125-new-products-17-categories-judged/

Congratulations to the following 3 companies for winning the Kosherfest new product competition!

Shay’s Chocolate– Dairy Caramel Popcorn (Sweet Snacks Category)
Ceres (Stanmar International)- Fruit Juice (Beverages- Non-Alcoholic)
Froozer/Cool Frootz, LLC (Frozen Desserts)

Charting the Course of Shmitta 5776: A Consumer’s Guide to Post-Shmitta

Charting the Course of Shmitta 5776: A Consumer’s Guide to Post-Shmitta

By: Rabbi Dovid Stein

Published Fall 2015

I. INTRODUCTION

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:

1. Sfichin

2. Kedushas shevi’is

3. Schora (doing business) with shevi’is produce

4. Dmei shevi’is (shevi’is money)

II. THE POST-SHMITTA ISSUE

The laws of sfichin refer to a rabbinic prohibition of eating produce that started to grow during the shmitta year, [1] i.e., the plant started to grow from Rosh Hashanah תשע״ה until תשע״ו. This is the opinion […]

Just The Tip Of The Iceberg: A Few Facts On The Shortage of Kosher Iceberg Lettuce

Just The Tip Of The Iceberg: A Few Facts On The Shortage of Kosher Iceberg Lettuce

By: Rabbi Sholom Tendler

Published Fall 2015

As many consumers are aware, there has been a shortage of Kosher-certified iceberg lettuce on the market over the last few months. Many people have been wondering why this shortage suddenly happened this year and when it will end. While it is true that iceberg lettuce is generally easier to clean and check than romaine, it still poses some of its own unique challenges. To clarify this issue, it is important to understand some background about how iceberg lettuce is grown, harvested and processed.

HOW ICEBERG GROWS

Iceberg lettuce initially grows open, just like romaine, during the first few weeks of its development, before cupping over and closing up. Once it cups, all of the newer leaves grow inside the closed head. If the time period when it was open was subjected to high levels of insect pressure, insects could crawl inside the open head and become trapped once the […]

Dried Fruit: Nature’s Way of Wrinkling Gracefully

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 […]

Kashering Dishwashers

Kashering Dishwashers

Stainless steel, plastic or porcelain dishwashers which have plastic pumps, parts and rubber hoses cannot be kashered for Pesach or the rest of the year.

Kashering Countertops

Kashering Countertops

Porcelain Enamel, Corian, Plastic/Formica, Silestone
CANNOT be kashered (for Pesach). Clean and cover for cold food. Cardboard or thick pad for hot food and utensils.

Granite, Marble, or Stainless Steel
Can be kashered by doing eruy roschim (purging through a hot water pour). Make sure that the material is a PURE granite, limestone, etc. Sometimes they are really “composites” which have plastic in them and therefore CANNOT be kashered.

Regarding Star-K certified Sabbath Mode ovens

Regarding Star-K certified Sabbath Mode ovens

June 6, 2008
On Friday, 3 Sivan, 5768, Rav Heinemann, Shlita discussed the recent Kol Koreh regarding raising or lowering temperatures on Yom Tov on ovens equipped with the Sabbath Mode feature.

Kashering Glass, Corning, Halogen or Ceran Cooktops

Kashering Glass, Corning, Halogen or Ceran Cooktops

Passover

Electric – Kashering a Glass, Corning, Halogen, or Ceran electric smoothtop range for Pesach use is a bit complex. To kasher the burner area, turn on the elements until they glow. The burner area is now considered kosher for Pesach. However, the remaining area that does not get hot is not kashered. The manufacturers do not suggest covering this area as one would a porcelain top, as it may cause the glass to break. Real kosherization can be accomplished by holding a blow torch over the glass until it is hot enough to singe a piece of newspaper on contact with the glass. However, this too may cause the glass to shatter and is not recommended. As the area between the burners cannot practically be kashered, it would be wise to have a trivet on the open glass area to move pots onto. In addition, it would be wise to […]

Combine Kosher and Organic Certifications in a Single Audit

Combine Kosher and Organic Certifications in a Single Audit

10 | 08 | 2015

http://www.qai-inc.com/newsroom/enews/qnews_2015_q3_combined-audits.asp

The rapidly rising parallel global demand for both kosher and organic certifications has created a flourishing specialty food category, kosher organic, for products that meet both the strict requirements of Jewish dietary laws and the USDA National Organic Program specifications. To satisfy the growing numbers of companies worldwide that opt for both of these certifications, QAI and STAR-K Kosher Certification, based in Baltimore, Maryland, introduced a joint kosher and organic auditing program in January 2009. It provides two certifications with a single audit. This streamlined auditing process reduces overall certification costs, saves time and provides excellent service.

What is required of a plant that wants to become and stay kosher compliant? Specific regulations often depend on the nature of the plant. For example, if Plant A produces both kosher and non-kosher in the same facility and Plant B is entirely kosher, Plant A will have additional regulations regarding the use of […]

Yoshon Season Has Officially Started (Guides Included)

Yoshon Season Has Officially Started (Guides Included)

10 | 08 | 2015

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/349192/yoshon-season-has-officially-started-guides-included.html

http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2015/10/star-k-offers-clarity-as-yoshon-season-begins-guide.html

http://matzav.com/yoshon-primer-as-season-begins/

http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=64754

Yoshon season has officially started. Many people get confused about what the terms Yoshon and Chodosh are. Here we present a brief explanation of each, followed by some product information.

The Torah (Vayikra 23:14) states that the new (i.e., Chodosh) crop of the five grains may not be eaten until after the second day of Passover (i.e., in Israel; in the Diaspora, not until after the third day). This means that the grain harvested this summer would not be allowed until after Passover of next year (i.e., 2016/5776). The term Yoshon (literally, old) refers to crops harvested last summer that became permitted after the following Passover. Thus, the 2014 crop of grains, harvested last summer, became permitted after this past Passover (i.e., 2015/5775). Grain planted at least two weeks (see Dagul Mervava Y.D. 293) or more before Passover is permitted upon harvest since it took root before […]

STAR-K Presents Shiur on Chalav Yisrael to the Yungerleit of Baltimore’s Khal Chasidim Kollel L’Horo’ah

STAR-K Presents Shiur on Chalav Yisrael to the Yungerleit of Baltimore’s Khal Chasidim Kollel L’Horo’ah

09 | 10 | 2015

http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=64277

September 10 – Baltimore–STAR-K Certification Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Sholom Tendler was invited by HaRav Hershel Rosenfeld, the Rosh HaKollel of Baltimore’s newest kollel, Khal Chassidim Kollel L’Horo’ah, to present a shiur on chalav Yisrael to the yungerleit, on Labor Day.

Explaining how the chalav Yisrael kashrus program for STAR-K certified “Pride of the Farm” works, Rabbi Tendler began by reviewing the basic halachos of chalav Yisrael. He then covered how the farm operates and what oversight and safeguards are in place to ensure the cows are kosher and not “treifa”—i.e., that they are not operated on or have any sicknesses that would affect the kashrus of the milk. He concluded with an explanation of how the milk is watched and tracked to ensure chalav Yisrael status and maintained l’mihadrin min ha’mihadrin.

“Rabbi Sholom Tendler, besides being a big Talmid Chuchem, is an expert in Kashrus,” noted HaRav Rosenfeld. “The way he […]

Pluto and the Tur’s Jewish Calendar Cycle

Pluto and the Tur’s Jewish Calendar Cycle

09 | 09 | 2015
By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2015/09/pluto-and-the-turs-jewish-calendar-cycle.html

http://matzav.com/pluto-and-the-turs-jewish-calendar-cycle/

http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=64235

“New Horizons” (NASA’s Mission to Pluto) recently came within 7,800 miles of Pluto and brought much attention to this dwarf planet that at any given time is between 2.66 billion and 4.68 billion miles away from Earth.

As we begin Rosh Hashanah, 5776, which will mark the beginning of the final year of the 304th nineteen year cycle since Brias Haolam (the creation of the world), it is interesting to note the amazing similarity between the amount of time it takes Pluto to orbit the the sun and the Jewish Calendar cycle based on 13 – nineteen year cycles found in the Tur (Orach Chaim Siman 428).

The Tur’s chart is based on a 247-year cycle and it takes Pluto about 247 years to orbit the sun.

This is the Tur’s 247-year calendar found in Orach Chaim, Siman 428, in Hilchos Rosh Chodesh. Note the marks we have added […]

KOSHERFEST

KOSHERFEST


KOSHERFEST
November 13-14, 2018

Meadowlands Exposition Center
Secaucus, New Jersey
Website

Visit us at Kosherfest at booth 244

Two STAR-K Kashrus Training Seminars Draw Participants from Toronto to Deerfield Beach

Two STAR-K Kashrus Training Seminars Draw Participants from Toronto to Deerfield Beach

07 | 28 | 2015

http://matzav.com/two-star-k-kashrus-training-seminars-draw-participants-from-toronto-to-deerfield-beach/

​http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2015/07/two-star-k-kashrus-training-seminars-draw-participants-from-toronto-to-deerfield-beach-photos.html

http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=62702

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/329375/two-star-k-kashrus-training-seminars-draw-participants-from-toronto-to-deerfield-beach.html

Baltimore, MD – July 27, 2015 – If you place food on a crock pot that is on a timer for Shabbos, is it considered bishul Yisroel? Beyond the food, what obligations does a Kashrus agency have in a facility, e.g., the attire of the wait staff, the type of entertainment and music played, etc.? What is the criterion for Kashrus agencies to decide whether or not to certify an establishment that has just lost its certification?

The answers to these intriguing questions and more were shared by STAR-K Rabbinic Administrator HaRav Moshe Heinemann, shlita, at the 12th Annual STAR-K Kashrus Training Program, held July 13-16, and its back-to-back annual Food Service Kashrus Training Seminar, held July 20-22, in STAR-K’s Baltimore, Maryland, offices.  The former was coordinated by STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Zvi Goldberg; the latter, by STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Sholom Tendler.  In addition to lectures […]

Year-Round Money Saving Tips and Strategies

Year-Round Money Saving Tips and Strategies

Published Winter 2014

With a little forethought and planning, you can implement some helpful year-round money saving tips in anticipation of Pesach.

To assess your budget, ask yourself:-  What do I typically spend on groceries per month?

–  What did I spend for Pesach last year?

–  What are the specifics of this year’s Pesach plans?

–  Will I be eating meals at home or eating out?

–  Will I have more expenses because I am entertaining guests?

–  What can I afford this year?

–  How can I cut back on expenses a month or two prior to Pesach?

–  What can I live without?

Decide on your menu, taking into account where chol hamoed falls out on the calendar, as well as fleishig/milchig meals.  Be sure to make a list before you go shopping. Hopefully, you can refer to your post-Pesach notes from the previous year to remind you of your ever-changing Pesach needs.  These could include:

– Number of boxes of matzah, matzah meal, cake meal, and potato starch used

– Number of bottles of wine needed

– Popular brands

– Amount of milk used

– Amount of chicken used

– […]

Correcting Al Hamichya Mistakes

Correcting Al Hamichya Mistakes

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2014

Q:   When I say  Al Hamichya and make a mistake, I don’t know what to do.  Could you give me some guidelines?

A:    There are three places in the  brocha me’ein shalosh (colloquially known as  Al Hamichya) where the text changes, depending on what was eaten:

(1)    The  brocha starts with the words “ Boruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech ha’olamal …”, followed by either “ hagefen  ve’al pri hagefen” if a person drank wine, “ ha’eitz  ve’al pri ha’eitz” if he ate fruit from the  shivas  haminim, “ hamichyeh  ve’al hakalkalah” if he ate food made from any of the five types of grain (wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt), or a combination of these phrases if he ate or drank a combination of items.1

(2)    Further on in the  brocha , one says “…  ve’nodeh  lecha al ha’aretz ve’al …”, followed by either “ pri  hagofen”, “ ha’peyros”, “ hamichya”, or a combination of these phrases.

(3)    The  brocha concludes with the words “…  Boruch atah Hashem al …”, followed once again by either “ hagefen  ve’al pri hagefen”, […]

From The Chronicles Of A Kosher Caterer

From The Chronicles Of A Kosher Caterer

By: Rabbi Moshe T. Schuchman

Published Winter 2014

A Fictional Account of a Factual Situation1

Pictures: Large industrial stove, oven, fryer, elegantly set ballroom with tables

Mendy enjoyed his job at Elegant Touch Catering (ETC). His primary responsibilities were in the office, but his sharp eye was noticed by Rabbi Ephraim Rubin, the caterer’s veteran mashgiach, who needed extra help with vegetable checking. Finding people with the skill and acumen to determine acceptability of leafy greens, especially in the pressurized environment of a commercial kitchen, was a challenge for Rabbi Rubin and he was eager to recruit Mendy as an assistant.

After two months of training, and hours squinting in the harsh glow of a light box covered by microfiber mesh cloth, Mendy became adept at detecting tiny translucent thrips and aphids hiding in the folds and crevices of romaine, kale, broccoli, dill, and parsley. Finally, the STAR-K  Kashrus Administrator overseeing foodservice establishments approved him as a vegetable checker. Eventually, Mendy […]

‘Beer Halacha’: Clarifying The Kashrus of Beer

‘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 […]

Getting Into Hot Water-Urns and Pump Pots in Halacha: Part One, Tevila and Workplace

Getting Into Hot Water-Urns and Pump Pots in Halacha: Part One, Tevila and Workplace

By: Rabbi Zvi Goldberg

Spring 2014

Remember when making coffee meant putting a kettle on the stovetop and waiting until it whistles?  Today, electric heating has taken over the market in order to fill the need of having hot water on-demand.

Two of the popular types of electric hot water heaters on the U.S. market are the common aluminum urn with a plastic spout, and the relatively newer ‘pump pot’, which requires that you push down on the top plunger to pump out the water.

I. TEVILA

The Torah requires that utensils used for a meal be immersed in a mikvah if they were in possession of an aino Yehudi at any time.  The Talmud1 states that mechamei chamin, hot water kettles, also require tevila. Rav Moshe Feinstein2 explains that there is a novelty in this ruling.  One can argue that a kettle requires no tevila at all. The kettle doesn’t perform any meal preparation function since heated water has not really changed; it is just water that is hot. The Talmud is teaching that […]

Does Using Early-Bird Discounts Create a Ribbis Issue?

Does Using Early-Bird Discounts Create a Ribbis Issue?

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Spring 2014

Q:        I would like to send my young children to a backyard camp during the summer.  The camp is offering an ‘early-bird special’ if I register my children now.  If I wait until the summer to register, they will charge more.  Is there any ribbis issue with registering now and receiving the discount?

A:         Ribbis involves lending money to another Jew and charging interest.  Doing so may violate a Torah prohibition or a rabbinic prohibition, depending upon the situation.  If it is necessary to charge interest, the two parties may sign a document known as a “heter iska”, which converts the loan into a business investment, thereby avoiding the prohibition of ribbis.1  People are often unaware that a number of common transactions may violate the prohibition of ribbis.  Here are a couple of examples:

(1)   Reuven buys an item with Shimon’s credit card, and assures Shimon that he will pay the credit card bill.  However, Reuven forgets to pay the bill on time, and […]

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

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 […]

Food Fit for a King: Reviewing the Laws of Bishul Akum and Bishul Yisroel

Food Fit for a King: Reviewing the Laws of Bishul Akum and Bishul Yisroel

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Published Spring 2014
It is not uncommon for food manufacturers to call us with a keen interest in kosher certification without the the slightest idea what it takes to produce a kosher product.  What complicates matters is that they would like to have a kashrus tutorial capsulized into a telephone conversation.  Obviously, we can’t give a thorough kashrus course over the phone, but we can categorize practical kashrus into three main areas: ingredients, equipment, and process.Occasionally, there may be circumstances where both ingredients and equipment are 100% kosher.  Through a violation of a rabbinic ordinance, some foods or food products would be prohibited, while other food products undergoing the very same process would […]

Separating Challah When Giving the Bread Away

Separating Challah When Giving the Bread Away

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Kashrus Kurrents Summer 2014

Q: I have heard that someone who bakes loaves of bread with the intention of giving them to other people does not separate challah with a brocha. Can you explain the parameters of this halacha?

A: One is obligated to perform the mitzvah of separating challah when kneading dough which will be baked into bread. The amount of flour one must knead in order to be obligated in this mitzvah is an asiris ha’aifa, which is equivalent to the volume of 43⅕ beitzah.1 The exact volume of a beitzah is a matter of dispute. L’halacha, one should separate challah without a brocha when kneading 2.6 lbs. of flour, which on average is equivalent to 8⅔ cups of flour. According to Rav Chaim Noeh, one can separate challah with a brocha when kneading 3.675 lbs. or more of flour (on average, 12¼ cups). Many follow the opinion of the […]

A Halachic Guide to Seudas Shabbos and Lechem Mishna

A Halachic Guide to Seudas Shabbos and Lechem Mishna

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Summer 2014 | Updated August 2024

One of the highlights of the week is the Shabbos seuda. The divrei Torah, zemiros, Shabbos delicacies, family and guests allow us to come closer to the Ribbono Shel Olam and recharge our ruchniyus and gashmiyus (spiritual and physical) batteries. Although a delicious bowl of chicken soup on Friday night and hot cholent during the daytime seuda enhance the Shabbos meals, one does not fulfill his obligation of Seudas Shabbos with either of these items. What is necessary to fulfill one’s obligation for Seudas Shabbos?

I. Seudas Shabbos

Men and women are obligated to eat three meals every Shabbos. Each “meal” must consist of bread.1 Chinuch-age children are also obligated. On Yom Tov, one2 is obligated to eat only two seudos as there is no obligation for a third meal.

Ideally, one should eat the volume of a k’beitza v’yoser[...] Read More

Zman Cheiruseinu

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 […]