Kosher, the Jewish law that governs acceptably “clean” food, is a tradition that stretches back for thousands of years. Kosher food satisfies the requirements of Jewish law. There are specific rules that regulate different food groups and are usually concerned with how a food is produced or restrictions on certain food groups. For example, the Torah (Jewish holy book) states that only cattle and game with “cloven hooves” that “chew the cud” may be eaten. Similarly, kosher dairy must be taken from kosher animals.
The Definition of Kosher Myth
One common myth about kosher is that the term means “blessed by a rabbi.” This is a myth that has mostly been perpetrated by people who don’t have any understanding of keeping kosher or who haven’t been exposed to all the components of Jewish faith. According to OU Kosher, kosher actually means “proper” or “acceptable”. When a food is fit to be considered kosher, it means that it has been produced with all kosher ingredients and kosher equipment. Kosher means that food conforms to ancient Jewish law that have been in practice for thousands of years.
Other Kosher Myths
Keeping kosher is often misunderstood in other ways. For example, one common myth is that if a food is all-natural or unprocessed, it is automatically considered kosher. However, this is not the case. Even all natural fruit, meat, dairy, and vegetables have to meet certain restrictions to be considered kosher. And though such strict restrictions and traditions might lead you to believe that kosher food is healthier, that is not necessarily the case. Kosher standards are more concerned with the way a food was prepared than with the food’s nutrition data.
Learning about keeping kosher is a great way to learn more about the Jewish faith and Jewish traditions.
Source:
- “What is Kosher?” OUKosher.org
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