Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Observance, Marriage, Women in Judaism (4/12) Previous Document: Question 6.7: Why do Sephardim and Ashkenazim have different customs regarding permissible foods on Pesach (Passover)? Next Document: Question 6.9: Is vegetarianism kosher? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Answer: We don't know. Traditional Jews keep kosher because G-d demands it of us. However, we wouldn't be at all surprised if something which G-d demands would also be good for us. Note that vegetarian food is not always kosher: there are problems with cheese, vinegar, oils, grape jelly, insects, gentile cooking, and lots more. (No, we don't mean vegetarians eat insects. But strict kashrus requires careful inspection for insects.) Side note for meat eaters: kosher meat is healthier. USDA standards are disgustingly lenient regarding the animal's health. "Sixty Minutes" once did an expose on this--many kosher butchers reported a large increase in gentile customers. Cold-water plucking helps prevent the spread of salmonella bacteria, and meat from diseased animals cannot be considered kosher. Kosher slaughter is more humane than non-kosher slaughter, as it kills the animal in a painless fashion. Although kosher slaughter does not kill the animal instantly, the animal passes out from the sudden drop in cranial blood pressure and dies in a minute or so. There is no pain. Some Jews boycott particular foods or manufacturers as a political or human rights gesture. However, even if a rabbi declares a food prohibited in his community, although it is equally as forbidden as non-kosher food, this does not affect its kosher status. (For example, utensils coming in contact with morally-forbidden products do not become non-kosher.) User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Observance, Marriage, Women in Judaism (4/12) Previous Document: Question 6.7: Why do Sephardim and Ashkenazim have different customs regarding permissible foods on Pesach (Passover)? Next Document: Question 6.9: Is vegetarianism kosher? Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: SCJ FAQ Maintainer <maintainer@scjfaq.org>
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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