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Non-Kosher Ingredients
Rabbi Yosef Albo (15th century) in Sefer Ha’ikarim writes that we should ideally have been vegetarians, and so to remember this and demonstrate that this is our desire in the world to come, we are permitted to eat only some of the animals in certain conditions . The Torah lists forbidden foods, such as animals and insects. In fact , most of the animals are not Kosher. Of mammals - only those that chew the cud and have split cloves (like cattle and sheep ) are kosher. A fish is kosher if it has fins and scales and a bird is kosher if it is in the "kosher list" - a list passed down by tradition but based on Torah law.
The Kosher cattle and birds can be eaten only if they were slaughtered according to Jewish law, no problem was found in the inner parts and the meat was salted.
With all of the modern industrial processes, many foods contain ingredients which aren’t from a Kosher source , so one should eat only products that display a known kosher symbol
Mixture of meat and milk
Even if the ingredients are kosher, if there is a mixture of meat and milk, the food is not kosher. The mixture is whether the meat and milk were cooked together, eaten together and in many cases, even if the meat was cooked in a dairy pot or vice versa. Many people build two sinks in their home, making it easy to separate meat and milk.
Cooked by Gentiles
For reasons of saving the Jewish people from assimilation and exclusion from idolatry, the sages considered foods cooked by a gentile as not kosher. Bread baked by a private person (not a bakery) is prohibited, unless a Jews helped in the baking, even by adding a small piece of wood to the oven . This applies to other foods to if the dish is good enough to be served for important people. The Ashkenazim consider that also with cooked food, if a Jew helped a bit it is Kosher, while the Sephardim require that the Jew should actually put the food on the fire .
The Halacha is more severe regarding wine, which becomes not Kosher even if only touched by a non Jew. The act of drinking wine together can lead to a very close relation and there is a higher danger of marrying out. Another reason is that wine was brought to idols as part of the act of worship. This rule applies only to wine that has not been cooked or pasteurized and only when the bottle is open.
Time when the food is forbidden
Usually if food is kosher, it is kosher all of the year. There is an exceptional case - chametz on Passover. Chametz is one of the five grains (Wheat, Barley, Spelt, Oats and Rye) which came in contact with water and started rising. Chametz is Kosher all year round but is forbidden during Passover.
These are only four factors from many law of kashrut. One should not rely on the ingredient list but should buy products labeled with a known Kosher symbol or from stores that have a Kashrut certificate.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
