PDF - Kosher Certification

SPRING 2009
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Certified Soul Nutrition
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SHARE YOUR SPIRIT
QUESTIONS FOR THE ~
PUTTING THE JOY BACK
IN THE PESACH SEDER
By Bassie Kohen
PESACH HOTELS
By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish
REFLECTIONS
By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
KNOW THY BEANS
By Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech
PESACH RECIPE
WHO’S BEHIND THE ~
Interview with Rabbi H. Krinsky
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS
MOSHIACH’S SEUDAH
Compiled by Dina Fraenkel
SOUL NUTRITION
CONTRIBUTING WRITER:
Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish
Rabbi Gornish is a Rabbinic
Coordinator at the ~, handling ingredient and product
approvals, as well as overseeing the ~’s many restaurants
and caterers. He received
semicha from Beis Medrash Gevoha in Lakewood, NJ. Rabbi Gornish has been with the ~
since 1997 and has a Master’s Degree in Food
Science from Rutgers University.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Rabbi Chaim Fogelman
T
Dear Reader,
he Pesach Haggadah is perhaps
the sefer with the most printed
versions of the same text. Thousands of versions of the Haggadah,
each featuring different commentaries,
have been printed over the years, making Haggados a feature in the collections of many seforim enthusiasts. In
fact, in 2001 Sotheby’s hosted an auction in Tel Aviv, Magnificent Judaica,
and the First Nuremberg Haggadah, illustrated and written by Joel Ben
Simeon before 1449, sold for $1,017,000, nearly double its estimate. Erica
Jesselson, a New York collector of Judaica and Jewish manuscripts, bought
the Haggadah and it remains in Israel at the Israel Museum.
I recently came across a Haggadah, Tsuf Amarim, printed in 1920 (5681),
that had the haskamah (endorsement) of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. This haskamah struck me, because
in 1939, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok, Rav of Yekaterinoslav, was the Rav
HaMachshir of all commercially produced shmurah matzah in the former
Soviet Union, without compromising halacha even in the most difficult of
times. In this particular Haggadah, I also found a haskamah from Rabbi
Aharon Tumarkin, my maternal great-grandfather. I found a very interesting commentary on a familiar part of the Haggadah – the four sons. It
says, “‫ ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול‬,‫ ואחד תם‬,‫ ואחד רשע‬,‫אחד חכם‬. Why is echad repeated for each son? When all of the echads are added together, you get
52, which is the gematria of ‫( בן‬son). This teaches us that these sons are
all really one person and all of us can have these traits in ourselves.” Also,
if we don’t take the opportunity to ask questions, in halacha, in kashrus,
in our dealings with others, and especially about the world around us –
the crumbling economy, the constant demonstrations of hate against Eretz
Yisroel – then we become the she’eino yodea li’shol, the one who does not
know how to ask.
In this issue, we tackle some big questions. In Rabbi Zushe Blech’s article, “Know Thy Beans,” learn the answers to the questions regarding
kitniyos on Pesach. What goes in to the daunting task of setting up a hotel
with a kosher l’Pesach program? Find out in Rabbi Gornish’s informative
article, “Pesach Hotels.” We also took the opportunity to ask Rabbi Hershel Krinsky, Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~, a few questions about his
experiences in the field of kashrus. Delve into the depths of Chassidus as
we explore the custom of Moshiach’s Seudah. In Rabbi Levy’s article, read
about Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m, as we mark his 21st yahrzeit – a maverick
in the field of kashrus, who always knew to ask the right questions.
Speaking of the four sons in the Haggadah, the Pesach seder is geared towards the questions of children and can be especially difficult for couples experiencing the challenge of infertility who don’t have children of
their own to ask the Four Questions at the sedarim. Read about Bonei
Olam, the amazing chesed organization, dedicated to helping Jewish couples realize the dream of having children of their own.
EDITOR:
With best wishes for a kosher and freilichen Pesach, filled with questions,
and may we have the ultimate answer of Moshiach now!
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Rabbi Chaim Fogelman
Dovi Scheiner
Dina Fraenkel
DESIGN:
www.SpotlightDesign.com
Editor-in-Chief
FEEDBACK
Share Your
Spirit
Readers share their thoughts
about the last issue...
Dear Kosher Spirit,
I
would like to commend you on
your beautifully appointed, organized and informative magazine. Your
covers are superbly designed; a true delight for the eye.
Mrs. B.
Montreal
Dear Kosher Spirit,
Dear Kosher Spirit,
he Angel Foods article in the
Kosher Spirit was fantastic!
Thanks to your informative featured
story I am receiving a new stream of
calls interested in our kitchen! The article really captured what Angel Fund
does and the objectives of our Angel
Foods program. Can you please send a
few copies to me at the following address? Would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again for your well-written article. Thanks to you, we hope to assist
more culinary entrepreneurs and help
them grow and maintain their food
business!
very much enjoyed your article about the Center for
Kosher Culinary Arts. What a wonderful opportunity for
frum Jews to learn the culinary arts. I would like to add something to what you wrote, however. You mentioned how culinary students who were only able to attend non-kosher
programs, were not only unable to taste the food they prepared but that since they were cooking non-kosher food, their
tools automatically became treif and unusable. This is not the
main reason why frum Jews are unable to attend non-kosher
culinary school. The main reason is that it is written three
times in the Torah, “You shall not boil a kid in the milk of its
mother.” Our sages derive from this thrice-repeated mandate,
that this verse includes three prohibitions:
T
Sincerely,
Michele Terzi
Branding Director, Angel Fund
Editor’s Note: In the last issue of Kosher Spirit
(Chanukah 5769), we wrote, “Canned sardines do
not need a mashgiach temidi, because the skin is
left on the fish, and according to most Rabbonim,
sardines do not require Bishul Yisroel since they are
such small fish and not considered of a royal nature.” Now, in fact, sardines can also be sold skinless, so they do require a mashgiach temidi if the
skin is removed.
We welcome your comments, submissions and letters to the editor.
MAIL: 391 Troy Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213
E-MAIL: [email protected]
I
1. One may not cook meat and milk together
2. One may not eat milk and meat together
3. One may not derive benefit from a mixture of meat & milk.
Therefore, we see that even though it is unfortunate that a
chef’s tools would become treif and they wouldn’t be able to
eat from the treif food they’ve made, they are actually prohibited to even cook meat and milk together, which is a large part
of the required culinary school curriculum.
Sincerely,
YG
Dear YG,
The prohibition of basar v’cholov (mixing milk and meat) only applies to kosher meat and kosher milk, so the prohibition is not a
real problem for a Jewish student in a non-kosher culinary
school.
Kind Regards,
Kosher Spirit
www.OK.org • 3
The ~ receives many
letters/emails with kosher
questions...
Dear ~,
Does coffee need a
“Kosher L’Pesach” hechsher?
C
Rabbi Steigman responds:
offee definitely needs a special hechsher for
Pesach due to the many potential Pesach
challenges.
The first challenge is decaffeinated coffee. One of
the methods used to decaffeinate the coffee relies
on the use of ethyl acetate, which can be derived
from chometz.
Instant coffee poses another potential problem.
The coffee is normally spray dried, and while most
coffee facilities own their own spray dryers, some
send out their products to be spray dried at outside
facilities. These outside facilities could be drying
many other products, including grain products,
which are chometz.
In addition, coffee has become quite expensive
and some unscrupulous companies may possibly
have an incentive to adulterate the coffee with other
ingredients, which could be chometz. Some facilities
that pack coffee also pack other drinks derived from
grains. These are not year round concerns, but when
it comes to Pesach (where many people are extrastringent) they can be a concern. Obviously flavored
coffees should be avoided for Pesach unless they
have a special Pesach certification.
4 • www.OK.org
The Coffee or the Cup
A
group of alumni, highly established in
their careers, got together to visit
their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about
stress in work and life. Offering his guests
coffee, the professor went to the kitchen
and returned with a large pot of coffee
and an assortment of cups – porcelain,
plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking,
some expensive, some exquisite – telling
them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups
were taken, leaving behind the plain and
cheap ones. While it is normal for you to
want only the best for yourselves, that is
the source of your problems and stress. Be
assured that the cup itself adds no quality
to the coffee. In most cases it is just more
expensive and in some cases even hides
what we drink. What all of you really
wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you
consciously went for the best cups… And
then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee, the
jobs, money and position in society are
the cups. They are just tools to hold and
contain Life, and the type of cup we have
does not define, nor change the quality of
life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating
only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee
Hashem has provided us.”
Hashem brews the coffee, not the
cups… Enjoy your coffee! And on Pesach
make sure it’s ~P.
JOY
Putting the
What happens when there’s no one to ask…
I
Back into the
Pesach Seder
By: Bassie Kohen
think back to erev Pesach of a few
short years ago. Cleaning the
house amidst a deafening silence.
How I wished for the loud, jubilant,
children’s shrieks like the ones coming from the homes of my neighbors.
How I pined for the noise and chaos
of overzealous boys and girls off
from school and busy with pre-Pesach chores. But I was not blessed
with children.
Wherever I went there was the
harsh reminder that I was without
children. Supermarkets were especially difficult. Bustling with mothers
and their children, or groups of siblings. I would quietly observe how
they interacted with each other. Noting how it wasn’t easy towing several
youngsters around while shopping,
while being painfully aware of how
much I would give to be able to do
just that. Yet the most difficult times
for me were holiday meals and Yom
Tov mornings. While I could always
slip out of the grocery store undetected, donning my blessed sunglasses
to hide the tears forming in the corners of my eyes, at the seder it was almost impossible to avoid revealing
the sadness that bubbled inside me.
It didn’t matter much if we were
at my parents’ house or my in-laws’,
or even at a friend’s home; the pity-
ing glances borne out
of love and concern were a
constant
companion. During the
Mah Nishtana
(the
four questions
traditionally asked by
the children at the seder), my husband
and I stared intently at our Haggados,
not daring to look up into the smiling
eyes of our delighted, curious, proud
nieces and nephews. Someone else’s
children. Wherever we’d go, we
played the roll of the calm, unhurried
couple who would help set the table,
serve and clear – because there were
no little ones demanding our attention. We would sit at the seder table
uninterrupted by crying infants,
cranky babies and sleepy toddlers. I
wondered, if I was repeatedly disturbed by my precocious little one –
while saying the Haggadah, would I
be as frustrated as my younger sister
seemed to be? Would my husband
not joyously leave the table to soothe
our crying baby in another room?
Then I remember; all this was before Bonei Olam. Before we had the
answers and the help we so desper-
ately sought.
My reverie is interrupted by the
cry of our baby girl. I race to pick her
up before her cries wake her twin
brother. I relish those rare quiet moments - with each child as the other
still sleeps. I abandon the cleansers
and rags without a second thought.
My mother repeatedly tells me,
“This house was immaculately clean
for far too long… it’s time for it to
display the signs of family life, the
clutter and pleasant disarray where
children live.”
As I sit with my daughter, I look into
her eyes. I see the miracle of her birth,
of her life and very existence. I see all of
my hopes and dreams and answered
prayers. I see the light at the end of a
very long tunnel, dark and winding,
full of obstacles and challenge. I see my
past, my present and my future, all at
once. I see Bonei Olam.
www.OK.org • 5
“We quickly realized that Bonei Olam is no ordinary
organization and that Rabbi Bochner and his team of
volunteers are no ordinary human beings.”
Bonei Olam is a premiere Jewish
organization that specializes in helping couples deal with the challenge
of infertility. Bonei Olam works tirelessly to provide medical, emotional
and financial support to help couples
realize their dream of having children of their own.
Bonei Olam entered our lives and
turned it around in a matter of days,
long before our babies arrived. Bonei
Olam infused us with hope, restored
our faith and helped us in ways
unimaginable. Bonei Olam moved
mountains to get us the best possible
care in addition to providing us with
the funds to pay for such specialized
medical care.
Our problem was a genetic one –
One in five
married
couples are
faced with
the challenge
of infertility
I
n 1999, the first Bonei Olam
baby was born. Bonei
Olam began in Brooklyn as
a financial resource for couples experiencing infertility.
Treatments can cost anywhere
from $18,000 to $42,000 per
treatment cycle and many couples must undergo multiple
treatment cycles before being
blessed with success. It is not
unheard of for couples to require close to $100,000 to
achieve their objective.
6 • www.OK.org
something which came as a complete shock. Though the chances of
this happening were so minute, we
were childless; we had a diagnosis
without a cure. Our particular case
had stumped our doctors. To our
medical team we were just a challenge, an otherwise happily married
couple closely approaching our tenth
anniversary with no hope for a resolution to our childlessness. When we
encountered Bonei Olam, we were
gratified to learn that to Bonei Olam
we were a precious couple in Klal
Yisroel for whom a small but distinct
group of people would devote countless hours, energy and every resource
to help us reach the ultimate goal of
having a child of our own.
After we met Rabbi Bochner for
the first time, I asked my husband if
he noticed how much Rabbi Bochner
cared, how Rabbi Bochner spoke
Bonei Olam currently has
branches across the United
States as well as in Israel,
Canada, Belgium and the
United Kingdom. Its objective
is to ease the financial burdens of Jewish childless couples wherever they may live.
In addition, Bonei Olam has
volunteers in all Jewish sectors, including all Chassidishe, Yeshivishe, and
Litvishe communities.
Bonei Olam’s team of counselors and medical experts
provide consultations, referrals, counseling and an advanced genetics program to
assist couples in their quest to
become parents. Of course,
confidentiality is of utmost importance to Bonei Olam and
every couple’s privacy is
closely guarded.
Recently, Bonei Olam celebrated the birth of their
with such conviction, such determination to help us. We were total
strangers! But we quickly realized
that Bonei Olam is no ordinary organization and that Rabbi Bochner
and his team of volunteers are no ordinary human beings. Rabbi
Bochner’s personal interest is something we are still in awe of and
speak of often. Appointments were
scheduled, some additional tests
were run and then – the news we
thought would forever elude us: the
genetic mutation that stood between
us and a healthy child of our own
had a name. Was it the different doctor we had been to see? Of course,
he was the best in the
field, but – no, it had
not been a medical
professional per se. It
was a special task force
at Bonei Olam, the
1,415th baby. Though that is a
remarkable accomplishment,
Bonei Olam will not rest as
long as there are still childless
couples in our midst.
SPOTLIGHT ON
GENE-ARATIONS:
One of the fastest growing
and most utilized of Bonei
Olam’s new programs is the
genetics program, named
“GENE-Arations,” which allows couples with genetic concerns to have healthy children.
Financial Assistance/
Complete Coverage For
Fertility Related
Genetics Diseases
The Bonei Olam GENEAration Project sponsors financial
assistance
and
complete coverage of fertility
related genetic diseases varying by individual case. As with
all
Bonei
Olam services, GENEA r a t i o n ’s
goal is to help couples financially, thereby giving each
couple a chance at becoming
parents of healthy children.
Exclusive Geneticists
For Bonei Olam
Bonei Olam retains private,
licensed geneticists who conduct research and provide diagnostic review, referral and
resolution. Working alongside
geneticists whose primary
goal is the consideration and
treatment for Bonei Olam reduces the standard time in geneticist-laboratory-patient
communications. Geneticists
conduct continued studies into
the discovery and treatment of
infertility by genetics specifically determining and alienat-
unique project known as GENE-Arations, geared specifically to learning, researching and resolving genetics related
fertility difficulties. There is no such
project in operation anywhere else in
the world. Bonei Olam has established a rapport with doctors internationally, all of whom have come to
respect this one-of-a-kind organization and its extraordinary leadership.
Within a short while, we were receiving fertility treatment with the
sponsorship of Bonei Olam. This included many courtesies, including
personal calls with Rabbi Bochner
and many of the Bonei Olam crew of
volunteers. Everything Bonei Olam
did – large or small – was done with
such meticulous care. Whether it
was related to our medical file or our
feelings and emotional state of mind,
every allowance was made, every
grievance was heard, every complaint forgiven with a genuine smile
and a love only one Jew can have toward another, the kind of caring and
warmth that has made Bonei Olam
and Rabbi Bochner so legendary.
When we learned the news that we
were expecting healthy babies, we saw
a pure, undiluted joy on Rabbi
Bochner’s face, reminding us of the
comment Rabbi Bochner first made
when he met us, “It will be okay.
There’s a solution somewhere and we
will b’ezras Hashem find it.”
ing genetic mutations affecting
the Jewish community.
Genetics Counseling and
Medical Treatment
GENE-Arations assists individuals, couples and families
needing fertility related genetics referral and resources.
Taking genetics testing to the
next level, ruling out genetic
mutation and potential genetic crises in families, Bonei
Olam serves the community
today and for generations to
come. While standard premarital testing provides an
Now, as I gaze into my daughter’s
eyes, I am aware that my son is beginning to stir. Soon, he too will demand my attention. It’s hard to
imagine the silence now; the noise of
nearby children no longer affects me,
despite the fact that the babies may
have slept a bit longer if not for all
the racket.
The half-cleaned closet beckons,
yet I linger lost in thought and filled
with completeness and gratitude,
which cannot be described with
words. I visualize walking out on
Yom Tov morning with my babies
side by side, deliriously thankful that
this year I will be able to look the
other passersby in the eye – or in the
carriage, as the case may be. I will be
a prodigal Ben Chorin (Son of Freedom), free of the shackles and chains
of infertility, sadness, and
hopelessness. I will be a
Yiddishe Mammeh and
together as a family we
will take part in a
Yom Tov seudah we
thought
might
never be possible.
This year, when
we say Hallel
(Praise) and
Birchas Hamazon (grace after
meals), we will
give thanks to
excellent service to the entire
community, there are actually
many more forms of genetic
mutation than those typically
tested for.
GENE-Arations Broad
Spectrum Services
GENE-Arations
employs
treatment of genetics related
fertility issues far beyond common practice. Current services
include genetic and embryotic
testing at one facility and review at another medical center
– thereby utilizing the specialists and specific specialty of
Hashem for Bonei Olam and Rabbi
Bochner, who, as my husband
agreed with me after that very first
meeting, has a light emanating from
his face, one that comes from true
Ahavas Yisroel (Love for a Fellow
Jew), Ahavas Chesed (Love of Giving),
Ahavas Hashem (Love of G-d).
This Pesach we will know what
Z’man Simchaseinu (the time of our
rejoicing) really means. ~
For more information
about Bonei Olam and
upcoming events in your
community, please call
718.252.1212.
You may also visit Bonei Olam’s website
at www.boneiolam.org or email
[email protected].
each medical facility. Transport
arrangements and payments
made by the GENE-Arations
Project of Bonei Olam is a profound method in treating
specifically the most difficult
genetics issues.
Bonei Olam In-House
Research Program
The Bonei Olam GENEArations Project conducts fertility related genetic research
on premises. Financing private, licensed geneticists and
genetic team research is another example of Bonei Olam
determination and dedication
to its GENE-Arations Project.
Bonei Olam GENE-Arations
Project In-House Research
Program saves both time and
money in the long run. Tapping into its own resources
creates awareness both in the
organization and within the
extended Bonei Olam community assisting individuals,
couples and families dealing
with genetic issues promptly
and accurately. ~
www.OK.org • 7
Pesach
Hotels
What goes into the koshering of
By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish
F
or
months
before
Passover, the public is
bombarded with ads in
all the Jewish publications
promising you the “Best
Passover Ever” to be enjoyed
from the most exotic locales to
within commuting distance of
your workplace. The patrons
avail themselves of these pro8 • www.OK.org
grams for a myriad of reasons,
from simply not wishing to
undergo the cleaning and
cooking that preparing for
Passover entails, to their house
not being large enough to contain the extended family for
the holiday, to wishing to experience an adventure in a
posh, upscale hotel.
Program operators must begin
planning many months before
Passover. Of primary importance is
the hotel itself. Equally important is
enlisting a renowned caterer or famous chef as much of this holiday
revolves around food. The entertainment is also a big concern for a successful program. Finally, choosing the
proper kosher certifying agency is essential, as people are particularly
scrupulous when dealing with
kashrus during Passover.
For the supervising agency, being
responsible for the kashrus at a hotel
during Passover is quite challenging.
The kashrus protocol must be set
way in advance in order to adapt
strict standards to a program wishing
to service customers away from population centers. Therefore, it requires
extreme experience with the complete operations of such programs.
Once underway, it is almost impossible to improvise.
The program director and the ~
schedule a meeting to determine if
the program’s needs can be accommodated by the hechsher. To be discussed are kashrus standards, number
of mashgichim, and other important
details. The kosher certifying agency
then has a representative travel to the
proposed location to visualize how
the program will unfold. He inspects
the kitchens, the cooking equipment
and utensils to be used, the eating
areas, the size of the ballrooms and
their proximity to the kitchen, and
guest rooms (to determine if there
can be a Shabbos elevator which automatically stops on every floor as
well as if the room locks are manual,
since key cards cannot be used on
Shabbos and Yom Tov). Even the restrooms need to be inspected for automatic features. He also meets with
the kitchen and management staff to
gauge their level of kashrus understanding and experience and to educate them on the requirements of the
hechsher. He also walks the perimeter
of the grounds to get a mental picture
of where the eruv that will encircle
the hotel will be placed. An eruv is
needed to give the guests the option
www.OK.org • 9
of carrying items to and from their
rooms to the outdoor gardens, pushing baby strollers, etc. as well as to
enable the Pesach program to access a
stationed refrigerated storage truck if
needed, or to set up a buffet outdoors
on Shabbos during the program. Interestingly, sometimes, having a location that never hosted a Passover
program is helpful as many programs
and kosher supervisions operate differently and the past experiences on
the part of the hotel staff can create
confusion.
A critical element of a successful
kosher program is choosing a skilled
head mashgiach or Rav HaMachshir.
As guests are understandably concerned about the kashrus, this mashgiach acts as a reassurance that the
kashrus throughout the program is
being monitored to the minute detail. The head mashgiach is a rabbi
with great experience in the kashrus
field. He must be well versed in the
laws of kashrus regarding milk and
meat, Passover, and the halachos of
Shabbos and Yom Tov. In addition, he
must be able to manage personnel,
delegate responsibilities, and be a
good communicator with the guests,
hotel staff and management, and the
10 • www.OK.org
people running the program. Just as
important is selecting a team of qualified mashgichim. These young men
must be sincere and responsible.
They are carefully screened by the ~
for their ability to work together as
well as their basic knowledge of the
issues that may arise on Pesach. As
the mashgichim must function as a
finely tuned machine, it is imperative
that they all meet ahead of time with
the program director and chefs. It is
not uncommon to have six, eight or
even ten mashgichim working simultaneously throughout different parts
of the hotel.
The next step is ordering supplies
and provisions for the program. To
do this, they must first submit their
menus and coordinating ingredient
lists to the ~ for review and approval. (For example: roasted meats
cannot be served for the sedarim, so
the kosher certifying agency needs to
make sure it is not on the menu.)
Once approved, the program director
in conjunction with his chef, orders
the raw materials needed. As kosher
for Passover goods are produced in
limited supply, an individual program must often receive items weeks
in advance of Passover and store
them at the program’s expense (thus
adding to the overall cost of the program). Depending on the expected
clientele, the program will either proclaim itself non-gebrokts or gebrokts.
However, while care can be given
that no foods are baked, cooked or
prepared with matzah, one who requires that dishes that come into
contact with matzah may not be used
cannot fully keep this at a hotel, because while the kitchen atmosphere
can be controlled, the guests in the
dining areas cannot. A solution to
this difficulty is to eat only from plastic tableware or to use brand new
flatware and dishes each time you
are served. In addition, following the
custom of not using any utensils that
fall to the ground during Passover is
almost impossible to observe in a
hotel.
As for koshering the hotel for
Passover, sometimes a group of
mashgichim travel to the hotel for a
week during the winter to kosher it,
prepare a freezer full of food (sealed
under lock and key) and use these
provisions during Passover. However, in most instances, the hotel is
koshered several days before
Passover. Sometimes the hotels have
An outside cleaning service is brought in to clean
to the mashgiach’s satisfaction. This alone can take
several days and can be quite overwhelming,
even for experienced mashgichim.
other functions scheduled during
that period which provides the
kosher agency with an extra challenge. For a kitchen to be koshered,
all the surfaces of the tables, ovens,
stovetop, refrigerators, freezers, deep
fryers, braziers, skillets, sinks, storage areas, pots, pans, and kettles
need to be cleaned spotlessly. Many
utensils need to be segregated for 24
hours prior to kosherizing. An outside cleaning service is brought in to
clean to the mashgiach’s satisfaction.
This alone can take several days and
can be quite overwhelming, even for
experienced mashgichim.
Then the mashgichim trained in the
use of blowtorches begin to work.
All the surfaces of an item require
kosherizing and are heated to the
correct temperature. Often the local
fire department is notified in advance
that this activity is taking place and
may even be present to deal with the
inevitable triggering of fire alarms.
The grills and skillets need to be
koshered with a glowing layer of hot
coals. Glassware must be soaked in
water for 24 hours, the water emptied and replaced. This process must
be repeated twice more. Wooden
surfaces such as butcher blocks must
be sanded down. The dishwashers
must be stripped down, meticulously
cleaned and then the internal thermostat must be overridden (often
with the assistance of a technician)
so the cycle can be run with boiling
water. During the koshering period,
the entire mashgiach team generally
works around the clock, all while
dealing with the provisions that are
arriving constantly and ensuring that
they meet the ~ kashrus standards.
If the hotel has more than one
kitchen, one can be kashered first to
enable the chef to begin cooking. Of
course this ties up one or more of the
mashgichim, making them unavailable
to kosher the rest of the facility.
Sometime during the end of the
kashering period begins the vegetable
checking. As Passover requires several unique produce involving some
that are prone to insect infestation,
(such as Romaine lettuce) a large part
of a mashgiach’s duties involve washing and checking these vegetables
and herbs. Large sinks and a well-illuminated area are essential for
proper insect inspection.
Once
Pesach
begins,
the
mashgichim are faced with a new set
of challenges. Sometimes guests will
try to bring their own wine or matzah
to the seder meals. While hotel programs frown upon this practice (indeed many make quite a profit
supplying customers with wines
priced above the basic package) the
mashgichim must circulate among the
guests and respectfully persuade
them that these items are not allowed in the eating areas.
While, ideally, arranging the
mashgichim into shifts is preferable,
this does not occur until after the first
two days of Yom Tov as the kitchens
literally operate around the clock.
Only once Chol HaMoed begins, can
this shift formation take place. The
mashgichim work in shifts of 8-10
hours while the head mashgiach is
constantly on call.
This year provides an additional
challenge as Passover ends on a
Thursday night. Many programs are
offering the option of extending your
stay through Shabbos. While challah
will be served at the Shabbos meals, it
will be bread that was purchased before Passover, frozen and sold, in
order to be available for Shabbos.
The switchover will require the
mashgichim to work from the moment Passover ends to supervise the
Shabbos preparations.
This year the ~ is supervising several Passover programs staffed by
top-notch mashgichim. You can be assured that while you are enjoying
Passover at one of these programs,
the ~ is looking out for your kashrus
needs. As far as the mashgichim are
concerned, it is only after Passover
that they are able to feel the freedom
of Zman Cheiruseinu. ~
www.OK.org • 11
Reflec
5
Reflections
By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
Nissan is the 21st yarzheit of my father, Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m.
According to Torah, twenty is the age when the Beis Din Shel
Ma’alah (the heavenly court) can judge a person for his actions. It is an age of maturity agreed upon by all halachic authorities.
Now, on my father’s 21st yarzheit, I sit back and reflect upon my father’s accomplishments and his actions to benefit the kosher consumer. After more than two decades of sitting at the helm of the ~,
I can’t help but feel a touch of pride in the growth of the ~ and all
of the improvements the ~ has made for the kosher consumer. My
father took the ~ from a fledgling kashrus agency and built it into
a kashrus powerhouse, and he left it to me, and a team of dedicated,
devoted people, to mold the ~ into the internationally recognized
leader in kashrus that it is today.
A Klausenberger chossid once called
me up regarding a problem of insect infestation in a Brooklyn bakery. I looked
into the matter and sent one of our rabbis to fix it immediately.
While talking to the chossid, I asked
why he called us as the bakery had a
well-known “chassidishe” hechsher.
12 • www.OK.org
He told me that the previous
Klausenberger Rebbe ob’m said, “You
can rely on Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m,
from the ~ to get an accurate answer.”
I was proud to be able to fill such
shoes.
The ~ has grown leaps and bounds
from my father’s handwritten reports
to a tech-savvy organization with its
own state-of-the-art custom kashrus
software. I often wonder how my father would approach kosher supervision if he were alive today in the
computer age. However, one point is
certain – he had the foresight to foresee today’s complex kashrus issues.
Two particular issues come to
mind immediately. A few weeks ago
there was a meeting of kashrus agencies and one of the heads of a large
kashrus agency stated that since the
Monsey meat debacle nothing has
been done to improve the way
fleishig establishments are supervised.
The Monsey meat scandal involved
a so-called frum owner who was
caught selling non-kosher meat. Unfortunately, this was not the first case
of such a disaster. It first happened in
Flatbush a year earlier, but was disguised as a less severe case.
Both cases happened as a result of
a failed policy of not requiring a frum
owner to have a mashgiach temidi
who has sole control of the kitchen
and this policy was not changed as a
result of these two cases. Soon after
the second misfortune, a big meeting
was held in Boro Park. At that meeting, I got up and stated that my father set an ~ policy over 25 years
ago that no owner can have the keys
to access meat storage areas, even if
he is a frum Jew! I was shocked to see
the resistance by the Chareidi world
to this policy. (See Kosher Spirit Winter 2007)
Even as recently as last month, in
Hadera, Israel, a caterer with no
mashgiach temidi let non-kosher meat
into his catering establishment. A
few days later, in Boro Park, where
the chareidi hechsherim refuse, on principal, to require mashgichim temidim,
non-kosher hotdogs were served in a
“kosher” restaurant on Thirteenth
Avenue! From beginning to end, the
situation was one big cover up and
distortion of the facts.
Another case that comes to mind
concerns the question of oils transported by ships from the Far East.
Over twenty-five years ago, my father was the first to travel to
Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and
the Philippines for various kashrus issues, including the import of oils
from that area. (He was also the first
to visit China for kashrus inspections,
but that is a different story.) After
finding out that the oils were transported on ships that possibly also
carried non-kosher oils, he laid the
foundation for the system later perfected by the ~ after his passing.
(See Kosher Spirit, Tishrei and Kislev
5768.) After that first visit, we started
demanding from companies that we
verify what was carried in the ships
prior to possible kosher shipments. It
took some twenty-five years for the
kashrus world to wake up and see
that there was an issue with transporting kosher products by ship!
welcome) other kashrus organizations to join us.
My father was a pioneer when it
came to visiting new facilities. His
way of giving kosher supervision
was to visit plants going as far back
to the source as possible. If a company was using ingredients from another company, he insisted on
visiting the ingredient producer himself. If the ingredient company used
another company’s ingredients, he
went as far back to the original
source as possible. By doing this, he
amassed a vast knowledge of kashrus
and the status of many ingredients
and products.
He was a strong advocate of firsthand knowledge. Following this policy the ~ still has the unique
standard of the Rabbinic Coordinators who are in charge of
companies having firsthand
knowledge of the companies
they administer. This ensures
the highest standard of kashrus
possible as the Rabbinic Coordinators have firsthand knowledge of the kashrus of their
companies, rather than being
“pencil pushers” or “desktop
executives”. If a company
needs assistance with problems, our Rabbinic Coordinators have the expert technical
knowledge and intimate familiarity with the facilities needed to
assist them immediately.
My father was always extremely
careful to have as much transparency
as possible and to have one uniform
policy for all. He was not an advocate of dual policies with the excuse
of a “grandfather clause” to justify inconsistency. He once said, “There is a
saying in Yiddish that you can go far
with the truth, because as soon as
you tell the truth people tell you to
go further.”
I am proud that today, despite
tremendous growth and innovation,
the ~ continues to uphold my father’s legacy of adhering to the truth,
even when it is not the easiest path
to take, ensuring that every product
with the ~ symbol is kosher without compromise. ~
ctions
Immediately after my father’s
passing, I visited Europe and found
that even though kosher oil was
being produced there, there was no
system of checking the ports or the
ships for incoming oils. This included
all the various kashrus Badatzim
(agencies) from Israel who employed
mashgichim full time in all their
kosher plants (doing what?); however, the prior shipping history was
not checked at all. As a faithful student of my father, I set up a system
in the two largest port facilities in
Rotterdam to segregate the kosher
and non-kosher lines, pumps and
tanks. We also set up a system for
barges. Eventually, a system for
trucking was set up in Europe as
well. This system is still used mostly
by the ~ and we are waiting for (and
www.OK.org • 13
Know
thyB
14 • www.OK.org
‫ין‬
‫ב‬
‫ין‬
‫ב‬
‫ת‬
wBeans
y
By: Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech
O
Kitniyos in the Modern World
f the many minhagim that we are privileged to enjoy on Pesach,
the halachic discussion surrounding the concept of kitniyos is
especially fascinating. In truth, the custom itself is somewhat
enigmatic, and its application and permutations could fill many volumes.
The basic halachos of Pesach are that one may not eat
nor own any chometz (leavened bread) and one must eat
matzah (unleavened bread) on the first night. By definition, both chometz and matzah hail from the five major
grains: wheat, rye, oats, barley and spelt. Chazal teach
us that these grains can become chometz when they ferment. The fermentation of all other foods, whether we
call them a “grain” or not, is considered a sirchon (rot)
and not chometz. Since matzah must be made from a material that has the ability to become chometz, the
Shulchan Oruch (O.C. 453:1) establishes the rule that
matzah may only be made out of the five grains and
“not out of rice and other types of kitniyos, and these
will also not become chometz.” The word “kitniyos” is
generally translated as “legumes” or “beans” but, alas,
the use of a name is less than an exact science, as we
can see from the language of the Mechaber, where he
combines “rice and other types of kitniyos” under one
heading. In the context of Pesach, the definition of a
legume has thus sprouted to encompass many more
species and a good deal of controversy.
The real concern with kitniyos on Pesach is not based
upon their inability to make matzah, but rather on a
custom discussed by some Rishonim regarding avoiding their use entirely on Pesach. While it would seem
fine to eat foods that cannot conceivably become
chometz, these authorities were concerned that kitniyos
might in some way become confused with true
chometz. First, cooked porridge and other cooked
dishes made from grain and kitniyos appear similar.
Second, kitniyos are often grown in fields adjacent to
those in which chometz is grown, and these grains tend
to mix together. And third, kitniyos are often ground
into a type of flour that can easily be confused with
chometz. For these three reasons, the Rishonim suggested that by avoiding kitniyos people would be better able to avoid chometz. The Vilna Gaon (Hagaos
HaGra, ibid.) cites a novel source for this custom. The
Gemara in Pesachim (40b) notes that Rava objected to
the workers of the Raish Gelusa (the Exilarch) cooking
a food called chasisi on Pesach, since it was wont to be
confused with chometz. The Tosefos (ibid.) explains that,
according to the Oruch, chasisi are lentils and thus, argues the Gra, establishes the basis for the concern of
kitniyos.
Based on these considerations, the custom of the
Jews in Europe (Ashkenazim), codified by the Ramah
(ibid), was to avoid eating kitniyos. The Jews of Spain
and the Middle East (Sefardim), however, follow the
opinion of Rav Yosef Karo, and never accepted this cuswww.OK.org • 15
tom. (Many Sefardim from Morocco and
Northern Africa, however, follow Ashkenazic
customs regarding kitniyos.) To this day,
most Sefardim partake of rice, beans,
maize, and other forms of kitniyos without
compunction. It is critical to note, however, that while
kitniyos on Pesach may be an exclusively Ashkenazic
concern, actual chometz added to kitniyos is not. For example, vitamins are often added to rice, some of
which pose serious chometz concerns. Even “corn” (glucose) syrup may contain enzymes that come from organisms that are grown on chometz ingredients and
glucose syrup from some parts of the world is made
from wheat starch. Clearly, any kitniyos eaten on Pesach is subject to standard Pesach concerns of chometz.
It is very important to recognize, however, that even
according to the Ashkenazim, kitniyos itself is definitely
not chometz. The Ramah himself notes this distinction
in several ways. One is allowed to own and derive
benefit from kitniyos, something that is prohibited with
true chometz. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid, 7) also notes
that one who is ill may eat kitniyos even if his illness is
not life threatening, and therefore most medicines that
contain only kitniyos may be used on Pesach. One may
also keep kitniyos in his house on Pesach without concern that it may be inadvertently eaten, and one may
use it for any purpose except eating. Furthermore, if
kitniyos becomes inadvertently mixed into a food, even
on Pesach itself, it is batul b’rov (as opposed to real
The criteria for determining what is –
and what is not – kitniyos is less clear
than the actual custom.
chometz, which under certain conditions may never
become batul) and the food may be eaten.
Although virtually all authorities accept this approach to kitniyos as the normative halachic basis for
the custom, some authorities ascribe a more significant source to it. The Chok Yaakov (ibid., s.k. 4) quotes
a Hasagos Ha’Ra’avad in the first chapter of Hilchos
Chometz U’Matzah to the effect that although the Rambam rules that the “material” may not be true chometz,
it may nevertheless become chometz noksheh – “hard”
chometz, which is still prohibited as a lo sa’aseh (negative prohibition). Most editions of the Yad Hachazaka
indicate the Ra’avad’s remarks as referring to the Rambam in Halacha 2, where he rules that flour mixed with
fruit juice will never become chometz, and the Ra’avad
comments that it may nevertheless become chometz
noksheh. The Chok Yaakov, however, notes that in
some editions, this Ra’avad is actually referring to the
16 • www.OK.org
first Halacha in the Rambam, where the Rambam writes
that rice and other kitniyos can never become chometz.
Were the Ra’avad to be referring to this part of the
Rambam, he would seem to be indicating that kitniyos
may be indeed pose a concern of chometz noksheh and
be prohibited m’doraisa! (One may bring a slight proof
to this position, based upon Tosefos Pesachim 40b
noted above, where they seem to say that kitniyos tend
not to become chometz “as much” as true chometz. See
Ma’Harsha, however, who dismisses this proof.) In
any event, although he makes this observation, the
Chok Yaakov himself seems to accept the position of
virtually all other authorities and bases the concerns of
kitniyos upon other factors.
As we have noted above, however, the criteria for
determining what is – and what is not – kitniyos is less
clear than the actual custom. Rice and beans are certainly included. However, the Poskim discuss several
types of seeds (e.g. “anise” and “kimmel”) that it seems
were prone to being contaminated with kernels of
wheat, and for this reason their use was prohibited.
Contemporary authorities question the exact translation of these items, and for that reason many have the
custom to avoid seeds such as caraway, cumin, or fennel that are similar to anise and kimmel. Similarly, authorities insist that coriander be carefully cleaned,
since it is common to find grains of wheat or oats
mixed into this spice. Mustard, according to the
Ramah (O.C. 464:1), should also not be
eaten on Pesach. The reason for this
custom is a bit more obscure, but the
Taz (453:1) explains that mustard is
similar to beans in that they both
grow in pods.
In the late 15th century, the cornucopia of foods from the New World
brought items – such as maize and potatoes – to the fore. Both quickly became staples in
the Old World, and although clearly not technically
legumes, the question arose as to whether they should
nevertheless be included in the category of kitniyos.
Maize is generally considered to be kitniyos, whereas
potatoes are not. Interestingly, the etymology of the
names of these foods may give us some insight into
this dichotomy. While the common name for maize
(from the Tahino word “mahis”) is “corn” – and in the
United States this usage is quite clear – the origin of
the word “corn” is quite different. The word “corn”
can be traced back to the ancient Indo-European word
“grn,” which literally meant a small nugget. In German, this word became “korn” and in Latin, “grain,”
both of which include any edible grass seed. In practice, these terms refer to the predominant grain in a
given country. In the Americas, it refers to maize, in
peanuts
soybeans
The status of different types
of beans is not quite clear. The
general custom is to consider soybeans
kitniyos, and we therefore do not use
soybean oil for Pesach.
Peanuts, on the other hand, are a
source of controversy that goes to the
heart of kitniyos itself. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe, O.C. III: 63) is of the
opinion that peanuts are not kitniyos. He
reasons that kitniyos is not a halacha (law)
but a minhag (custom). While minhagim
often have the force of halacha, Rav
Moshe argues that the minhag cannot be
extended beyond what was actually included in the custom. Since peanuts were
not in common use in Europe when the
minhag of kitniyos was instituted, there is
no halachic basis to extend it to new
items, even if they are arguably identical
to other kitniyos in form and use. Indeed,
there are communities that have a custom
to eat peanuts (and Kosher l’Pesach
peanut butter!) on Pesach. While this may
not be the generally accepted approach
of most people, there are certainly ample
grounds on which to rely in this regard.
Some contemporary authorities even
carry this logic one step further. A type of
grain, from the Andes Mountains, called
“quinoa” has recently become popular
and had certainly never been considered
Scotland to oats, and in Germany to wheat or rye. Indeed, old English translations of Pharaoh’s insomniac
premonitions refer to “seven sheaves of corn,” which
was really one of the five grains. Yiddish speakers are
similarly prone to this confusion, since they often use
the term “korn” to refer to grain. It seems, however,
that the popularity of corn – and its resulting assumption of this sobriquet – was sufficient for the minhag of
kitniyos to extend to this new “grain.”
Potatoes, on the other hand, were never considered
grain, and therefore generally considered to have escaped the kitniyos categorization. (It is interesting to
note that the Chayei Adam was of the opinion that potatoes should indeed be considered kitniyos. Much to
our relief, however, this opinion was definitely not accepted.) Note: Rabbi Pinchas Epstein of Eida Hachareidis in Yerushalyim, who is of Lithuanian descent,
considered potatoes kitniyos and the Eida did not ap-
quinoa
kitniyos because Jews before had never
used it! Following the idea that new types
of kitniyos cannot be created, these authorities permit all manner of baked
goods to be made out of this exotic cereal.
Others are less sanguine to this point,
however, and reason that since quinoa exhibits properties classic to kitniyos, it
should be so considered (as is the case
with maize). Others have also pointed out
that quinoa may nevertheless pose a concern because it is often processed on
equipment that is also used for wheat and
other grains. A competent halachic authority should therefore be consulted before using quinoa.
prove it. When the Minchas Yitzchok, Rabbi Weiss, assumed the position of Gavad he accepted potatoes.
Many plants, such as soy, peanut, and corn, are
processed into oil, and there is much discussion
amongst the poskim as to whether the minhag of kitniyos
extends to oil produced from these plants. For this reason, many who do not eat peanuts on Pesach will nevertheless use peanut oil, since there is an
additional reason to be lenient. Some authorities are also of the opinion that rapeseed oil (also known as Canola oil) can
similarly be permitted, since rapeseeds are far
removed from conventional kitniyos in that
they are not eaten and were not generally available in previous generations. On the other hand,
others contend that since rapeseed is a member
of the mustard family, it should be subject to
the custom cited earlier concerning mustard. In
www.OK.org • 17
addition, it has been determined
that rapeseeds are commonly contaminated with wheat kernels, thus
meeting one of the classic definitions of
kitniyos. The Alter Rebbe specifically forbids
oils derived from kitniyos.
Some authorities carry concerns of kitniyos
oil to an even more stringent conclusion. The generally accepted custom in the United States (based upon
a p’sak of the Tzelemer Rav) is to permit the use of cottonseed oil. In addition to the general leniencies relating to oil, cottonseeds are not even edible and thus
arguably not subject to being considered kitniyos in the
first place. However, the Minchas Yitzchok (III:138) and
others bring proof that neither of these arguments is
correct, and for this reason many people have the custom to avoid using cottonseed oil and content themselves with olive, walnut or palm oil. (It should be
noted that the minhag of the Minchas Yitzchok, which
is followed by his Talmidim and the B’datz Eida
Hacharedis of Yerushalyim, is to prohibit cottonseed oil.
However, the Minchas Yitzchok himself, in a subsequent Teshuva (IV: 114), seems to be less sanguine on
the matter. He quotes the opinion of Rav Meir Arik in
the Minchas Pitim (Introduction of O.C. 453) that
would seem to permit this product, and therefore
questions his original prohibition.)
Sunflowers are a common source of oil in Eastern
European countries, and some authorities consider
this species to be the type of kitniyos referred to as
“shumshmin” (see Marcheshes I:3, who makes the linguistic comparison between the name “sunflower” and
the Hebrew word for the sun – “shemesh” – which he
assumes to be the source of the name “shumshmin”).
Other authorities, however,
question this linguistic relationship (the
correct pronunciation
is “sumsimin”, which
is unrelated to the
word “shemesh”),
and permit the
use of sunflower
oil on Pesach.
Another
common use
of kitniyos is
in the manufacture
of glucose from cornstarch (corn syrup).
Although we noted
that some allow the
use of oil from kit-
18 • www.OK.org
niyos, most authorities agree that corn syrup has the
same halachic status as the kitniyos cornstarch itself
rather than that of the oil expressed from it. Corn
syrup, and its specialized high fructose version, has
long replaced sugar as the sweetener of choice for use
in soda, which would pose a significant problem of
kitniyos on Pesach. Fortunately, this is the “Pesach generation,” and the major soft drink manufacturers make special productions of the world’s
favorite beverages for Pesach the old
fashioned way – they use liquid sugar.
(Some soft drink aficionados seek out the
Foods unknown when the
concept of kitniyos was
instituted have now become staples.
Pesach version of the “Real Thing”, since it follows
the original formula by using sugar instead of corn
syrup!)
One final point concerning the application of the
rules of kitniyos should be noted. Corn syrup and its
derivatives are often used as the starting point for
making other food chemicals. Citric acid is used as a
flavoring agent in candies, jams, and many other
foods. Erythrobic acid is used to maintain the red color
in pickled and cured meats, and xanthan gum (xanthan gum from Europe is chometz) is used as a thickener. Aspartame is used as an artificial sweetener, and
enzymes are used to make fruit juice and cheese. All
of these products are routinely produced through fermentation and corn glucose, and their Pesach status
has been the subject of much halachic discussion. Rav
Moshe Feinstein zt”l indeed ruled that the minhag of
kitniyos never extended to such distant relations of
cornstarch, and thus permitted citric acid produced
through the fermentation of corn glucose. Some
kashrus agencies rely on this approach to permit one
or more of the above products, and it is the responsibility of the consumer to verify the standards of the
certifying agency with regards to these issues when
purchasing products for Pesach.
As we have seen, issues relating to kitniyos have
burgeoned over the centuries. Foods unknown when
the concept of kitniyos was instituted have now become staples, and modern food science has found a
myriad of ways to incorporate them into our foods in
unforeseen ways. The halachic underpinnings of such
kitniyos issues are indeed fascinating, and serve as interesting grist for the Pesach mill. ~
Rabbi Blech’s new book, Kosher Food Production: Second Edition, has
just been released and is available for purchase at Jewish bookstores.
upon the significance of your
hile hoping for
for a better future.
Rite has traditional favorites, Kosher
for Passover and imported Israeli
specialties for
for y
your
our Passo
Passover celebr
celebration.
ation.
pp
Pesach Recipe
20 • www.OK.org
Gefilte Fish
1 quart water
1 tablespoon oil
Fish bones (not salmon)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 onion, cut in small
chunks
1-1/4 pound whitefish
fillet, ground
2 stalks celery, sliced
thickly
1 egg, beaten
1 carrot, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon
juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons ice water
1-1/2 teaspoons potato
starch
1/4 teaspoon white
pepper
Combine water, fish bones, onion, celery, carrot, and salt in 4-quart saucepan. Bring to
a boil; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain. Heat oil in small skillet.
Add onions; sauté until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool.
In a bowl, combine fish, sautéed onions, egg, salt, pepper, lemon juice, sugar, and water
blended with potato starch. Shape into 5 or 6 oblongs. Arrange a strip of fish skin around
center, if desired. Gently place fish oblongs, one at a time, into fish stock. Gently shake
pan to arrange fish. Let simmer, covered, for 1-1/4 hours. Remove fish with slotted spoon
to dish. Cover and refrigerate fish and stock separately. To serve, arrange gefilte fish on
lettuce. Garnish with carrot curls. Serve with Beet Horseradish. Makes 5 to 6 servings.
Lettuce
washing instructions
The following types of lettuce must be checked according to
the instructions below: ARUGULA, BOSTON LETTUCE,
CHICORY, ESCAROLE, GREEN LEAF, ICEBERG,
ROMAINE, RED LEAF
1. Separate leaves from the head, opening all folds
and creases. Soak the lettuce in water with kosher
l’Pesach dish soap for five minutes, and then rub each
leaf between your fingers. Empty basin by removing
lettuce with both hands (holding loosely) in small
bunches and shaking them under the water.
2. Put lettuce in a clean basin of fresh water. Swish
vigorously. Repeat this step until there is no foam on
the surface of the water.
3. Rinse each piece of lettuce, one-by-one, under a
strong stream of water.
4. Check one-by-one (on both sides) against a
fluorescent light. A light box is recommended for this
procedure.
Please do not order any salad mixes containing FRIZEE. If found, remove
the frizee, it must be checked the same way as lettuce.
www.OK.org • 21
~
BEHIND
M EE T O U R S TAFF:
WHO’S BEHIND THE ~
Interview with
Rabbi Hershel
Krinsky
Rabbi Hershel
KS: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to
yeshiva?
RHK: I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and learned
in Crown Heights at Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch at 770
Eastern Parkway.
KS: What did you do after yeshiva?
RHK: After yeshiva, in the summer of 1975, I married my
wife Sterna and we lived in Crown Heights. In Crown
Heights, I learned in kollel and traveled back and forth to
Boston, Massachusetts were I worked as a shochet and
head mashgiach at a chicken shechita where I represented
Rav Zalman Shimon Dvorkin (a”h).
KS: When did you get involved in hashgocha work?
RHK: I first got involved in hashgocha work in the mid1970s when I worked in Boston. Then, in 1979 I was a
shochet at a duck farm in Long Island and I also served as
the head mashgiach responsible for the kashrus there.
KS: When did you start working for the ~?
RHK: I started working for the ~ in the 1980’s. I was a
mashgiach for ~ certified companies in the New York
area.
KS: What is your current position at the ~?
RHK: I am currently a Rabbinic Coordinator for the ~
and I have held that position since 1999. I oversee the
22 • www.OK.org
Krinsky
kosher supervision of many ~ certified companies
and I specialize in companies that produce dairy products.
KS: What prepared you the most for working at the
~?
RHK: My nine year stint doing shechita and hashgocha
at the duck farm, coupled with the hashgocha work
that I did in the 1980s and 1990s for the ~ and for
other agencies, was definitely the best preparation for
working as a Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~.
KS: What is the best thing about working at the ~?
RHK: There are many great things about the ~, but
two stand out most. First, the ~ is unique in that it
has a custom-designed computer system to manage
all data, from the rabbis’ observations at inspection
visits to all of the ingredient and product information
of our certified companies. This computer system enables all of our knowledge and data to be shared
amongst our entire network of rabbis, mashgichim and
support staff to ensure the highest level of kosher supervision. Secondly, there is great camaraderie and cooperation amongst the rabbis at the ~. Every rabbi
can be counted on to share his knowledge and experience with others and work as a team to provide excellent supervision and service.
“He is not afraid to speak his mind, and leaves no
stone unturned during his investigations of
kosher standards and processes”
– Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,
Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification
“
“
What Other People Say
About Rabbi Hershel Krinsky
KS: How would you describe the ~
today?
RHK: Technologically, the ~ is the
most advanced kosher certifying
agency and we utilize the latest technology available to ensure kosher
compliance and data security. In addition, the ~ is a pioneer in technology-backed kashrus and always the
first agency to utilize new technology.
KS: Can you share a unique experience that you had while working
at the ~?
RHK: A few years ago, I did a twoweek inspection trip in India and the
Far East. During my travels, I wrote
a daily log of what I did and the interesting things that I saw there
(aside from the actual kashrus inspections) and sent it out to the
whole office staff. I was quite
amazed by the level of airport security in India. My bags were
x-rayed, I was searched numerous
times by army personnel, my bags
were hand-stamped by officials to
show they were inspected, and I
(along with my carry-on luggage)
was inspected yet again by army
personnel after I boarded the
plane! Everyone was very intrigued by my experiences in India
and I received numerous comments about my adventures. ~
O
ver the many years that I have kno
wn Rabbi Krinsky, he has always impressed me
with his exact
and meticulous approach. He is
not afraid to speak his
mind, and leaves no stone unturn
ed during his investigations of kosher standards and
processes. Reb Hershel has developed expertise in
many fields of kashrus
and the companies he works with
all admire and respect him. ~ Kosher prides itse
lf on the very high caliber of our Rabbinic Coordinator
s, and Rabbi Krinsky
perfectly exemplifies that standar
d.
Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,
Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher
R
Certification
abbi Krinsky is very knowledge
able in all areas of
kashrus and can always be relied
upon for his expertise. He is studious, always see
ks to delve into new
depths of lear ning, and is always
concer ned with the
needs of the companies he overse
es. Rabbi Krinsky is
a pleasure to work with and I am
grateful to have him as
a colleague.
Rabbi Dovid Steigman,
Rabbinic Coordinator, Platinum Acco
R
unts
abbi Krinsky is extremely thorou
gh in his evaluations of certified facilities. It alm
ost seems as the
potential kashrus problems “lin
e up to shake hands
with him”! Rabbi Krinsky also has
a unique focus and
devotion to solving any issues that
come up and he perseveres until the issue is resolved
satisfactorily.
Rabbi Leizer Teitelbaum,
Senior Rabbinic Coordinator
www.OK.org • 23
Answer: Pictures represent the Ten Plagues in Egypt. (correct order is:) 1. Blood, 2. Frogs, 3. Bugs, 4. Wild Animals, 5.Pestilence, 6. Boils, 7. Hail, 8. Locust, 9. Darkness, 10. Death of the Firstborn.
F U N PA G E
What in the World?!?
Can you figure out what these
zoomed-in images represent?
24 • www.OK.org
Chassidic Insights:
Moshiach’s
T
SEUDAH
Compiled by Dina Fraenkel
he last day of Pesach, called Acharon Shel Pesach,
is connected to the coming of Moshiach and is
marked by a special meal featuring matzah and
four cups of wine. This meal is called seudas Moshiach.
The purpose of having a meal is to translate our intellectual knowledge of the Rambam’s ikar of “Ani
ma’amin…b’vias haMoshaich” (I believe…in the coming of Moshiach) into a physical action to bring a spiritual concept into the physical world.
This custom of celebrating Moshiach’s seudah, was
instituted by the Ba’al Shem Tov, founder of Chassidus. However, the connection between Acharon Shel
Pesach and Moshiach is enumerated by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. He explains: “The
last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which
began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of
Pesach is our festival commemorating our redemption
from Egypt by Hashem. It was the first redemption,
carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the
first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of
Pesach is our festival commemorating the final redemption, when Hashem will redeem us from the last
exile through our righteous Moshiach, who will be the
final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe
Rabbeinu’s festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach’s
festival.”
This explanation by the Tzemach Tzedek is not the
only reason that Moshiach’s seudah is celebrated on the
last day of Pesach. According to Chassidus, the last in
a sequence is not only significant because of its numerical order. The last has its own special function.
The camp of Dan, described in the Torah as “ma’asaf
l’chol hamachanos” (gatherer of all the camps), was the
last group in the procession of Jews that left Egypt.
Rashi explains this as meaning that “The tribe of
Dan...would journey last, and whomever would lose
anything, they would restore it to him.”
Our service of Hashem is comprised of many journeys,
and the conclusion of the service ensures that nothing is
missing from the service, just like Dan, the “gatherer of
all the camps”. As the Tzemach Tzedek explained, Pesach
is a Yom Tov of redemption and our service to Hashem is
focused on bringing the final redemption, the Geulah
Shleimah. In case our service to Hashem was lacking during the first seven days of Pesach, the final day, Acharon
Shel Pesach, serves as the “gatherer of all the camps” to
rectify our service and regain anything we may have
lost, spiritually, over the course of the Yom Tov. Therefore, Moshiach’s Seudah, a celebration of the imminent
Geulah Shleimah, is the culmination of the service of Pesach, the holiday of redemption.
The concept of “gatherer of all the camps” does not
only apply to our individual Divine service. It also applies to Klal Yisroel as a group. When the Jews were
wandering in the desert, after leaving Egypt and before reaching Eretz Yisroel, they took forty-two journeys. Each of the forty-two journeys enabled them to
leave behind one of forty-two levels of bondage they
experienced in Egypt. This entire period alludes to our
current Golus. Just as the Jews who left Egypt journeyed in exile until they reached Eretz Yisroel, we are
journeying in exile until Moshiach comes. Our generation, the generation of the footsteps of Moshiach, the
last generation before the Geulah Shleimah, is the
“gatherer of all the camps” for all of Klal Yisroel. We
have the power to rectify any missing portions of our
collective Divine service and accomplish any last
mitzvos necessary to bring Moshiach. ~
www.OK.org • 25
SOUL NUTRITION
On Pesach
The 613 mitzvos represent the
body – the 248 positive mitzvos
correspond to the 248 limbs of the
body and the 365 negative mitzvos represent the 365 organs. The Pesach seder
is the mitzvah of the mouth, as we are
commanded, “V’higadeta le’bincha.
Drink the four cups of wine and eat
matzah.” You can see this in the name
of the festival as well – Pesach = peh
(mouth) + soch (speaks).
“HaChodesh hazeh lachem” refers
to the month of Nissan, as our
Sages say: “In Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan we will be redeemed.” “HaChodesh hazeh lachem” is
the same gematria as “Moshiach ben
dovid” (424), but one must remember
that the emphasis is on “lachem” – it’s
up to us, it’s in our hands, to bring
Moshaich!
How do we know that we start
to speak about the laws of Pesach thirty days in advance? In the
Torah it is written, “Va’amartem zevach
pesach hu.” Zevach can also mean to
cut in half – if you cut each letter of
‫ פסח‬in half, you get ‫מלד‬. When you rearrange the letters, you have ‫( למד‬30),
hence, you should speak (Va’amartem)
of Pesach 30 days before the festival.
Wine Facts
Wine, in moderation, can lower
your bad cholesterol, increase your
good cholesterol, lower your blood
pressure, increase your bone density, reduce your chances of having
kidney stones and increase your
memory.
26 • www.OK.org
The famous scholar, Rabbi Shlomo ben
Yitzchok (Rashi) was a wine maker in
Troyes (in the Champagne valley).
Resveratrol, a compound found
in red wine, reduces the risk of
developing cataracts.
1 ton of grapes makes about 60
cases of wine, which equals 720
bottles.
Wine has so
many organic
chemical compounds it is considered more
complex than
blood serum.
Where do you see the
Four Questions in the Torah?
The essence of the questions are:
‫—טבילה‬Dipping twice, ‫—ומצה‬Matza, ‫—ומרור‬Maror,
‫—והסיבה‬Reclining. These add up to 737, which
equals: ‫—והיה כי ישאלך בנך מחר‬When your son will
ask you tomorrow…” (Shemos 13:14).
3/4/09 9:30am
17 seconds
er
sh b
2/24/09
he
yt N
3:00am
b
um e
The number of
minutes that elapse
between each time an
~ mashgiach adds rennet to a vat of cheddar
cheese, for a total of 23
times in a 16-hour shift.
The number of miles the Restaurant
Rabbinic Coordinator traveled by car
in one week to make unannounced
spot checks in ~ certified restaurants
in the tri-state area.
• Ko
rs
41
1436
Rabbi Steigman, ~ Rabbinic
Coordinator, kosherizes Tropicana
plant and starts Passover production.
It is interesting to note that Tropicana
will revert back to their original
packaging beginning with the
Passover production
Rabbis from around the
world began a two-day
kashrus seminar at the
~ headquarters in NY.
The amount of time it
took the ~ to determine
if any products were
affected by the
Peanut Corp of
America recall.
www.OK.org • 27
Kosher Without Compromise.
~KOSHER
CERTIFICATION
Kosher Spirit, 391 Troy Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213
718-756-7500 • [email protected] • www.ok.org