Jewish Kosher Laws (Essay Sample)

Jewish Kosher Laws
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Jewish Kosher Laws
Kosher refers to a set of rules that govern the types of food that can be eaten by the Jewish people, who observe the Jewish laws. These dietary rules are sourced from the Torah and they stipulate the distinction between the kosher and non-kosher foods. The Kosher laws are not a health code, but rather a vitally important holiness code. The laws predominantly deal with three main issues. These issues include; the allowed animals, the prohibition of blood and the prohibition of mixing dairy and meat. This essay will expound on what the kosher laws say about these three issues (Stern, 2004).
The allowed animals: The permitted animals include the traditional domestic birds, all ruminants that chew their cud and have split hoofs, and all fishes with fins and removable scales. Fishes with non-removable scales, wild birds, pigs, ostriches, and all molluscan and crustacean shellfish are prohibited. Besides Ostrich, other birds in the rattier category including Emu and Rhea are not kosher. A few fish, however, remain controversial. They include the Sturgeon and the Swordfish whose scales are categorically undefined. Moreover, the kosher laws prohibit almost all insects. Nevertheless, a few types of grasshoppers are acceptable among some Jews (Stern, 2004).
Prohibition of blood: The kosher laws prohibit the consumption of blood. Moreover, Fowl and ruminants must be slaughtered by a specially trained slaughter man (Shochets) using a special sharp slaughter knife, known as chalef. The slaughtering process must be conducted in accordance with the Jewish law. The product is declared kosher, only and only if the legal process was used during slaughter. The shoshet must make a blessing and also inspect the animal before slaughter to ensure that the animal is not stunned. The ultimate goal is that the animal dies without any sign of stress. Once slaughtered, a rabbinically-trained inspector has to inspect the slaughtered animal for visible internal organ defects. Animals with defective parts are unacceptable. Otherwise, the next step involves the removal of certain prohibited veins, arteries, fats, and most importantly blood. Red meat and poultry are soaked, salted and thoroughly cleaned to ensure that all blood has been removed (Stern, 2004).
Prohibition of mixing of dairy and meat: No diet can contain both dairy, such as milk, and meat. Consequently, foods are classified as purely meat products, dairy products, or neutral product also known as ‘parev’. Plant products along with honey, fish, eggs and lac resin are parev, provided that they are not mixed with either meat or dairy ...