Kashrus

HomeJewish LifeKashrus
25 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Ask the Rabbi – Glycerine in Hand Gel

Dear Rabbi Simon I happened to be made aware of a company that is starting to manufacture hand sanitizer that is Hallal, and is not manufactured with any animal products (possibly referring to glycerine). I was thinking about it from a kashrut perspective. My initial thought is that it’s not relevant as hand gel is not food that we eat,…

28 Oct 0Comments 0Likes

Plastic Microwave Cover

Dear Rabbi Simon We have plastic covers used in the microwave to cover the plate.  By accident today I put the milky one on a meaty plate full of chicken and microwaved it for a minute or so before I realised.  What should we do about the milky cover and collateral damage? Many thanks Gali Dear Gali The food and…

30 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Shabbat hosts with indeterminate Kashrut

Dear Rabbi, Since becoming observant I generally don’t eat a meal prepared by someone who is not shomer Shabbat, the reason being that if they don’t respect Shabbat how can I assume they’re respecting kashrut? That’s led to some uncomfortable moments over the years when I’ve had to turn down invitations. However, I now feel I’m in a particularly awkward situation: for…

29 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Parents’ Holiday Question

Hi Rabbi Simon. We are going away for two nights next week (not over Shabbos) and leaving the kids with a non-Jewish babysitter (she works at a Jewish day-care facility, so she’s relatively well versed in the workings of cooked food in a kosher kitchen). I am leaving the kids and her fully cooked food and I want to ask…

29 Jun 0Comments 1Like

Kosher Refrigerator Question

Dear Rabbi Simon, It is common that when food is kept in a fridge, condensation and moisture droplets form on the walls of the fridge and then also on the outside and the inside of a plastic bag (if food is stored in that), or if it is a foil container then on the outside of the container and the…

26 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Kosher Dog Food??

Dear Rabbi Simon, Interesting question from a new client with his puppy… ‘What rules apply to dog food in a strictly kosher home?’ I have always been of the opinion that as it’s the dog that’s eating the food there shouldn’t be an issue, but I think the client has a point about wet, canned food and the storage of…

26 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Sinful Thoughts

Dear Rabbi Someone has asked me a quirky Q: If a person eats dairy chocolate cake with a meat meal deliberately (s/he wants to do the wrong thing)… and later finds out the cake was parve…Has that person committed an aveirah (transgression) for eating milk and meat together? Hilary Dear Hilary TY for your idiosyncratic בב”ח [meat with milk] Q:…

25 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Vegan or Kosher?

Dear Rabbi Simon I came across a rabbi on the internet (that famously unregulated territory) who claims that vegan restaurants do not require kosher certification. I have no way to judge the rabbi’s qualifications or credibility, but his position seems excessively permissive and certainly very convenient. Am I missing something here? A Kosher Traveller Dear Kosher Traveller Funny, you’re the…

23 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Kosher Invitation?

Hi Rabbi Simon I hope you can advise me. If there are families who invite you to eat and they say they keep kosher at home fully, BUT you know for a fact that they eat out vegetarian/fish etc. are we allowed to eat by them? I’ve been reading about it and read that you should never ask someone about…

Questions & Answers
this week

Questions and Answers

Ask the Rabbi: Quinoa on Pesach
Dear Rabbi Simon,
Where do you stand on quinoa (and the kitniyot ban) for Pesach?
Many thanks,
Tzippy
***
Dear Tzippy,
In line with other American authorities, I am in favour of quinoa. Although I reject completely the voices (mostly from Israel) seeking to abolish the ban on kitniyot entirely, IMO we do not need to include in the prohibition pseudo-grains that were unknown in the Old World until modern times. Best to buy with a Pesach hechsher though, to be free of any possible wheat contamination.
Rabbi Rashi Simon
Events / Calendar