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C E R T I F I E D S O U L N U T R I T I O N
TISHREI 5771תשרי תשע"א
לשנה טובה ומתוקה
ב"ה
Wishing You a Happy, Healthy & Sweet New Year
Dear Reader,
We stand now in the month ofElul and are busy withpreparations for Rosh
Hashana. Our Sages tell us in Kabbalah,and it is explained in Chassidus, that inthe month of Elul, Hashem’s thirteen at-tributes of kindness are shining upon usin full glory. One of the thirteen attrib-utes is emes – truth. As a child, some-one once asked me, “Why is truth an attribute of kindness?Doesn’t truth represent ‘absolute justice,’ getting exactly what youdeserve, an eye for an eye…?”
But, then again, “absolute justice” is something that belongsonly to Hashem, because only Hashem knows and appreciatesone’s true intentions. When we look back at this passing year andsee the gross abuse of power in the “name of justice” and the hor-rific 27-year sentence of a good and decent man, a life sentencefor him, his wife and his children, one starts to appreciate emes –absolute justice.
Make no mistake — the attacks on the largest kosher slaugh-terhouse in the U.S. and the way the government and judge han-dled this case — reeks with unfairness and abuse of power. Notone single accusation of labor violations, which was the basis ofthe Agri raid was substantiated; all the accusations were eitherdropped or lacked sufficient evidence, resulting in NOT guilty ver-dicts. This was and is an attack on the world of shechita andkashrus…all starting with a so-called organization that is moreconcerned about animal rights and the treatment of cows andchickens than people’s rights and the treatment of a husband andfather. Let’s not forget the hundreds of hard working people wholost their jobs, all in the name of “justice”.
Despite the tragic verdict issued by the court, we must hold ourheads high because it is not over yet. Hashem is the Judge of alljudges, the Power of all powers. Our history shows that we are apeople who rise when we fall. The extraordinary show of achdusbrought about by this tragedy is something that hasn’t happenedon such a big scale in ages. Surely the Executor of real, true, ab-solute justice will hear our cry and help us rise again to be biggerand better than before.
America is a country of kindness and fairness. Visiting any su-permarket today bears witness to its love for all people with allthe different types of food, from ethnic to organic. The amountof kosher products available today is astonishing. For a regularcivilian or a soldier in the U.S. Army, kosher food is now readilyavailable. Read about kosher food in the U.S. Army in our newfeature “Keeping Kosher In…the U.S. Army”.
Now is the time for our government officials to reexamine thepast and to exercise fairness and true justice.
Wishing you a year of revealed goodness and kindness. Mayyou be inscribed in the Book of Life, and may there be freedomto all those who deserve it.
K’siva V’chasima Tova,
Rabbi Chaim FogelmanEditor-in-Chief
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Rabbi Chaim FogelmanEDITOR:
Dovi ScheinerASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Dina Fraenkel DESIGN:
www.SpotlightDesign.com
3456814161820212223
SHARE YOUR SPIRIT
QUESTIONS FOR THE ~
HEALTHY SPIRIT
KEEPING KOSHER IN... THE U.S. ARMYBy Chanie Brod
CHALLAHBy Rabbi Yosef D. Chanowitz
YOU SHALL WANDER IN THE LANDBy Rabbi Tzvi Liker
RESPONSIBILITY OF A KASHRUS AGENCYBy Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
WHO’S BEHIND THE ~ INTERVIEWWith Rabbi Shimon Lasker
~ ON THE ROAD
TISHREI RECIPE
CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS:SHABBOS TESHUVAHCompiled by Dina Fraenkel
SOUL NUTRITION
We welcome your comments, submissions and letters to the editor.
MAIL: 391 Troy AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11213
E-MAIL: [email protected]
www.OK.org • 3
Share Your Spirit
F E E D B A C K
Readers share their thoughtsabout the last issue...
Dear Kosher Spirit,
I n your recent issue of Kosher Spirit (Spring5770, p. 14) Rabbi Gornish writes, “All
grating should be done Erev Pesach so as not todelay the Seder.” Actually, according to theShulchan Oruch HaRav (sec. 504:4) one maynot grate chrein on Yom Tov. Since it is normallydone in bulk, i.e. several days supply at once,therefore it is not justified to do on Yom Tov.
Wishing you much success in promotingkashrus and Yiddishkeit in general,
L.Y. RaskinDayan, Lubavitch Community, London, UK
Rabbi Gornish responds:
Dear Dayan Raskin,
Thank you for your comment. The Mishna
Brura (473:36) brings an opinion that one
should intentionally grate the maror after
returning from shul so the flavor will
remain strong, otherwise the mitzvah will
not have been fulfilled. I suppose in that
situation, one would only prepare the
amount needed for the seder since any
additional grated maror for the following
night’s seder would be weakened and thus
defeat the original purpose of freshly
grating the maror. I tried to steer clear of
disputing traditions and only listed the
basic reasons in the article.
Kind Regards,
Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish
R ecently, ~ Kosher Certification and Dr.Pepper/Snapple Group treated a group of young
adults with special needs to an exciting tour of thelargest Snapple production facility located in Carteret,New Jersey. The group, from Kinor Dovid & KinorMalka (divisions of Harmony Services – a yeshiva day-hab program for high functioning developmentally de-layed men and women) enjoyed an exclusive behindthe scenes tour of Snapple production.
The tour, led by Plant Manager Saul Cruz, coveredthe production process and a question and answer ses-sion. Mr. Cruz really went out of his way to welcomethe group and patiently explained how Snapple prod-ucts are made. Rabbi Chaim Fogelman (Director ofEducation and Public Relations at the ~/Kosher Spirit),who accompanied the group, commented that Mr.Cruz is meticulous and committed to the kosher pro-gram at Snapple. Mr. Cruz’s at-tention and devotion to thegroup was tremendously appre-ciated. Cruz told participantsabout the origin of Snapple: “Itwas startedby two guysin Long Is-land…Theymade a car-bonated appledrink and they called it Snappy-Apple.” Cruz also in-formed participants that about 50 trucks of Snappleproducts from the plant are bound for Brooklyn everyday and 2.4 million Snapple bottles are produced in theplant every day!
Rabbi Shloimy Rosenberg of Harmony Servicessaid of the tour, “We go on many trips during the yearand this one was definitely on the top of our list… Thefeeling of you accompanying us and treating us as im-portant guests will remain with us for a long time.” Spe-cial thanks to Yossi Pels, Executive Account Managerat the ~, and to Yechiel Hirth from Harmony Servicesfor arranging such an exclusive tour and to SharonLiberta from Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group for coordinat-ing the arrangements.
~ TAKES SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP ON TOUR OF
SNAPPLEPLANT
4 • www.OK.org
The ~ receives manyletters/emails with kosherquestions...
Dear Kosher Spirit, What is the correct brocha for Wasacrackers (crispbread)?
The ~ responds:
Wasa crackers are a flat and dry type of bread, containing mostly rye flour. It ismade just like matzah, but yeast is added in order to make it leavened. Eventhough it is made with water, according to the Mechaber and Shulchan Oruch
HaRav one is allowed to be lenient and say the brocha mezonos, since it is usually eatenas a snack. However, in the Alter Rebbe’s siddur (the siddur of the Baal HaTanya), inSeder Birchos HaNehenin, which he wrote after he wrote the Shulchan Oruch he doesnot mention the opinion that the brocha on crackers is mezonos therefore it follows thatthe brocha should be hamotzi. Still, many prominent rabbonim and kashrus authorities
hold that the correct brocha is mezonos. As withall Halachic rulings, please consult your local
Orthodox rabbi for the right brocha. ~
www.OK.org • 5
~ ~
When you cut open an
apple, an enzyme
(tyrosinase) in the flesh
reacts with oxygen to turn
polyphenols into melanin
(the same pigment that
makes you tan). Here’s
how to halt the process so
your apples stay bright
and white.
1 Choose apples that are lessprone to browning. A study
found that Arangeh apples tend tobrown the least. Granny Smith andGolden Smoty apples also showedminimal browning. Golden Deli-cious apples were in the middle, andRed Delicious apples browned themost.
2 Cut the apple underwater. Thiskeeps the enzyme from mak-
ing contact with oxygen. Keep thecut apple in the water until ready toserve.
3 Coat the exposed flesh in acid.By bringing the pH below 2,
the enzyme that makes the appleflesh turn brown is deactivated.
Here are some acids you can use:• Ascorbic acid, better known as vita-min C. Look for it in the canning sec-tion or pharmacy as powder. Applydirectly or dissolved in water (1/2 tsp.per 2 1/2 cups of water). • Lemon or lime juice. It’s not as ef-fective as ascorbic acid, but it'll do ina pinch, and they’re more readilyavailable. The juice can be diluted upto 3:1. Lemon juice will have a lessobvious taste than lime juice.
4 Blanch the apples. This willdenature the enzyme. Let the
apple sit in boiling water for one ortwo minutes, then rinse with coldwater. They can then be eaten,frozen, or used for apple pie.
5 Cover exposed apple fleshtightly in plastic wrap. This
will work best if you have half anapple (as opposed to pieces). Try tokeep the creases on the exposed sideto a minimal. This technique keepsthe air away from the apple flesh toprevent the apple flesh from oxidiz-ing.
6 Soak apple pieces in a slightlysalty water solution for a few
seconds. Remove and enjoy whiteapple pieces for a considerable time.Works well if you’re adding applesto a fruit salad. ~
HOW TO KEEP A CUT APPLE FROM TURNING BROWN
6 • www.OK.org
A Lubavitch yeshiva graduate,Goldstein never expected to replacehis rabbinical hat and jacket with ahelmet and khakis. In 1967 theyoung rabbi, along with severalfriends, left yeshiva study halls formilitary bases, where they met withJewish soldiers and helped men dontefillin. The conduct of the youngrabbis impressed the Catholic chap-
lain, who persistently remindedGoldstein of the lack of religiousprovisions for our Jewish troops.After receiving a blessing from theLubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Goldsteindonned fatigues over his tzitzis anda helmet over his yarmulke, and tookhis first steps in his new combatboots.
The transition to military life is a
difficult one. With wake-upany time between 03:30 and05:00, the day begins whilstthe birds still sleep. A largeproportion of time is dedi-cated to physical fitness andcombat training. After aroundten weeks of boot camp sol-diers are required to take aphysical test where they aregraded on push-ups, press-ups, and running. Meal time atthe mess-hall is a time where
the soldiers can unwind and enjoy anutritious stew, chicken, or lasagna,but what’s on the menu for thethousands of Jewish soldiers?
Proper nutrition is of critical im-portance to support the soldiers’ de-manding routine, but feeding anarmy is complex business. Whilstthe recommended daily intake forthe average adult is 2000 calories,
KEEPING KOSHER IN... THE U.S. ARMY
D eep in the woods a young mancrouches, peering through the shrub-bery. His fatigues are dusty and his
beard is tangled. He is searching. After a dietof tuna, crackers, and the occasional fruit, thenew 2nd Lieutenant Jacob Goldstein is hun-gry for some variety in his diet. His mission:track down berries.
By Chanie Brod
the average adult doesn’t usuallyjump from planes and spend severalhours running. The soldier’s diet re-quires 3500 calories. Meals need tobe able to survive the impact of aparatrooper’s 1000-foot jump, theheat of the Iraqi desert, and the freez-ing temperatures of the Russian win-ter. Soldiers are supplied with MRE’s(Meals Ready to Eat). These boxes,which are roughly the size of a VHSvideo, hold a foil packed 1200-caloriemeal with a shelf life of three years.MRE’s are made to survive extremetemperatures ranging from -40 to 140degrees F.
When Goldstein joined the military,there were no kosher provisions forJewish troops. Throughout his militarycareer he was dispatched to dozensof countries. “Afghanistan, Uzbek-istan, Pakistan…. A lot of -stans. Rus-sia. Somalia. Iraq. Kuwait...” he beginsto list. For Goldstein and the Jewishtroops, keeping kosher presented anadditional battle. “We scrounged.”Goldstein recalls. “I ate tuna, lots ofit. Fruits and veggies. When we werein the woods we’d hunt for berriesfor variety. We’re America and wegotta do better than that. It had tochange.”
When Iraq invaded Kuwait in1990 they were unwittingly pivotalin improving the army life for thou-sands of Jewish soldiers. The 1991Gulf war highlighted a problem inmilitary food supply. With thousandsof Jewish soldiers mobilized to thedeserts of Iraq, there were no provi-sions of kosher meals. Goldstein sawhis opportunity. His position as mili-tary Chaplain enabled him to be in-strumental in changing the landscapefor Jews in the military. After raisingthis issue with his superiors, the
army opened the floor for bids forKosher MREs and Rabbi Goldsteinwas appointed Kosher Food Advisor.
A bid came through that satisfiedboth the strict US military regula-tions and Cpl. Goldstein’s highkosher standards. The process ofmanufacturing and preserving thefood was overseen by Goldstein sev-eral times. Manufactured entirely inthe USA, the kosher MRE’s are madeto withstand temperatures of -40 to140 degrees and a 1200-foot drop.
The first four kosher MRE’s pro-duced included fish, chicken, beefand vegetarian. The meat meals areglatt kosher. In 1994, 10,000 of these
pioneering kosher MREs joined theMarines in combat, experiencing theextreme weather conditions of So-malia. “They didn’t want to eat any-thing else!” He says with pride.“They tasted great.”
The meals can be eaten hot orstraight from the box. When beingdispatched to extreme hot climatesan oven or microwave may not evenbe necessary to heat dinner. Afterleaving his MRE outside his tent forseveral hours one day in Iraq, Gold-stein opened the box to a piping hot,cooked meal.
For the Jewish soldiers in the USmilitary there is now one less battleto fight, and healthy, kosher MRE’sare now available in the militarymess halls. Keeping kosher withoutdropping the pounds is now a reality.Hunting for berries is no longer nec-essary when craving a change fromtuna, and the expanded My OwnMeals range now includes sixteenmeal choices, with more varieties ofbeef, chicken, fish, vegetarian, anddairy. It’s not only the Jews who arekeeping kosher. Cpl. Goldstein re-ports that he frequently gets requestsfrom non-Jewish soldiers for thekosher meals. Soldiers need only re-quest the kosher rations and they areavailable in the mess hall or in com-bat. Josh, a 22 year-old Marine, didnot expect that joining the militarywould give him an appreciation forkeeping kosher. “Kosher is some-thing I took for granted, havinggrown up with a kosher version of al-most everything I wanted availableat the local supermarket.” he says. “InAfghanistan it’s not like that. I can’tpick up a candy bar or box of cerealwith a kosher symbol on it. Thesekosher MRE’s are a life saver”. ~
www.OK.org • 7
The soldier’s diet requires 3500 calories. Meals needto be able to survive the impact of a paratrooper’s
1000-foot jump, the heat of the Iraqi desert, and thefreezing temperatures of the Russian winter...
Cpl. Goldstein on tour in Iraq
8 • www.OK.org
ChallahA GUIDE FOR THE HOME
AND THE BAKERY INDUSTRY
By Rabbi Yosef D. Chanowitz
www.OK.org • 9
The connection between womenand challah is emphasized in Ha-lacha,3 where it states that one can-not separate challah withoutpermission from the owner. Athome, the woman is the owner ofthe challah. Therefore, contemporaryposkim say that a helper or even achef cannot take challah in the placeof the woman, unless she has givenher permission. Some take this a stepfurther and say that even the hus-band cannot take challah without hiswife’s permission, especially frombread that was baked for sanctifyingShabbos.
Another reason that the mitzvah ofchallah is entrusted to women is ex-plained in the Midrash.4 WhenHashem wished to create man, Hemixed some earth and water to-gether to form dough and shapeAdam. The Sages thus call Adam,“The challah of the world.” WhenChava sinned by causing Adam toeat the forbidden fruit, she brought
death into the world, thereby ruiningthe challah. The mitzvah of separatingthe challah offers women a uniqueopportunity to rectify Chava’s sin.
The MitzvahIn Bamidbar5 it states, “Upon your
coming to the land to which I ambringing you, when you eat from thebread of the land you should setaside a portion for G-d. You shouldset aside the first of your dough.”
This mitzvah is one of manymitzvos that the Jewish people werecommanded to fulfill in Eretz Yisroel.It is directly connected to the physi-cal land of Israel. However, unlikemost mitzvos that are dependent onthe land (which were not instilleduntil fourteen years after the Jewishpeople entered the land and settled),the mitzvah of Hafrashas Challah ap-plied as soon as the Jewish people ar-rived in Eretz Yisroel. This highlightsthe importance of this mitzvah, sincethe Torah commanded Jewish people
to practice this mitzvah immediatelyupon arriving in Israel instead ofwaiting until they conquered the in-habitants and settled the land.
Bread is an essential part of thehuman diet. By taking the first por-tion of dough and designating it forthe Kohen, we are recognizing thatalong with the physical nutrition thatbread gives, it also serves as a spiri-tual nutrient if used correctly andwith the proper intentions. Oneshould always remember that every-thing belongs to Hashem; thereforethe first portion is designated forHashem.
In addition, by giving the portionof challah to the Kohen, the poorest ofpeople who did not even own land,one is essentially giving the challah toHashem, which teaches us the impor-tance of giving tzedakah.6
The mitzvah of separating challahonly applies to challah that wasformed into dough in the Land of Is-rael. Dough that was formed in theDiaspora only requires HafrashasChallah d’rabbonon (Rabbinical com-mandment).7 Chazal instructed us toseparate challah in the Diaspora sothat the mitzvah of challah would notbe forgotten. Therefore, one will findthat many poskim were more lenienton challah dough from the Diaspora,as opposed to dough made in EretzYisroel.
In reality, today even HafrashasChallah in Eretz Yisroel is d’rabbonon(Rabbinical), since there is no major-ity of Jewish people in the Land of Is-rael. Chazal extended the mitzvah ofchallah after the destruction of theBeis HaMikdash, like they did tomany mitzvos that are dependent onthe land. Even so, we are more strin-gent with challah in Eretz Yisroel than
T he Midrash1 tells us that when Yitzchak was look-
ing for a sign that Rivka was the right bride for
him, he brought her into the tent of his mother,
Sarah. When Sarah was alive, a cloud hovered over her
tent, a candle burned continuously from Shabbos to
Shabbos, and Hashem blessed the dough she baked.
When she passed away these signs ceased and when
Rivka arrived they resumed. These miracles correspond
to the three mitzvos that are the foundation of a Jewish
home. The dough was blessed because of Sarah’s fervor
in the mitzvah of taking challah. This began with our
matriarchs – Sarah, Rivka, Rochel, Leah – and continued
throughout history. We learn from the Midrash that
women and girls should be taught the importance of
challah and participate in Hafrashas Challah (separating
challah), just as Rivka did, at the age of three.2
10 • www.OK.org
in the Diaspora. It states in Halachathat in Israel one must take challahprior to eating bread. However, in theDiaspora one can eat from the breadas long as there is a small amount ofdough left from which to take challah.8
Many poskim say that this is onlyb’di’eved (as a correction after the fact)or on Shabbos when one forgot to takechallah before Shabbos. But l’chatchilaone should always take challah beforeeating from the bread.
Another difference in Halacha be-tween Israel and the Diaspora is whenthere is a safek in din. For example,when baking several small cakes (eachone smaller than the minimumamount required for challah [seebelow]) in an oven together, there isdoubt if the oven would combinethem as one dough and cause thecakes to require Hafrashas Challah. InIsrael we are stringent and requireHafrashas Challah, but in the Diasporawe do not require Hafrashas Challah.9
DOUGH CONTENTChallah is taken on dough only
from one of the five Minei Dagan –wheat, barley, oat, spelt and rye.Other grains, like rice, soy, corn, etc.,are not considered lechem (bread) andone does not take challah.
If a recipe calls for a mixture of flourfrom the five Minei Dagan and theamount of flour combined into doughis enough for a Shiur Challah, then themitzvah of Hafrashas Challah can befulfilled.10
If a recipe calls for wheat and riceflour and there is not enough wheatflour to require Hafrashas Challah, Ha-lacha requires that if the prominenttaste of the mixture is wheat, onetakes challah. Since rice tends to be asilent ingredient with a bland taste,even when there is more rice thanwheat, challah must be taken.11 ThisHalacha is unique to a combination ofrice and wheat. Other types of flourblended with wheat (or rice flourblended with one of the other fourMinei Dagan) does not requireHafrashas Challah, unless the majority
Mezonos BreadIf the Mezonos bread has water mixed into it; one shouldtake challah with a brocha.
Sheet CakesMany cakes call for recipes without water. One should takechallah without a brocha (unless water is added). Theother factor to consider: If the amount of the other ingredi-ents (oil, eggs, sugar, etc.) are larger than the amount of theflour and are the predominant taste, so much so that onecannot eat more than a little of the cake at a time, there areposkim that hold one would not separate challah at all. Thecommon practice in commercial bakeries is to take challahfrom sheet cakes after they are baked, without a brocha, toavoid confusion. NOTE: At home a typical cake mixturemay not have enough flour to require Hafrashas Challah.
Water Bagels and Pretzel BagelsEven though they are boiled before baking, they do requireHafrashas Challah with a brocha.
Pancakes, Latkes, Bissli, Croutons and DoughnutsDo not require Hafrashas Challah since they are fried.There is an opinion that one should take challah fromdoughnuts and other thick dough without a brocha.
Pasta, including Lokshen, Spaghetti, Macaroni, Ravioli, GnocchiRequires separation of challah without a brocha, since onemight bake these later on.
Cookies, Rugelach, Croutons and KnishesIf the recipe calls for water, then one should take challahwith a brocha. If not one should not say a brocha. In addi-tion, if the pastry is so sweet that one cannot eat so muchat once, it may not require Hafrasha like the sheet cakesmentioned above.
Types of Pastries
www.OK.org • 11
of the flour mixture is wheat andthere is enough wheat flour to re-quire Hafrashas Challah from thewheat alone. [Some poskim disagreeand say that all starches are like ricewith wheat in this regard.12]
A batch of dough that was madewith flour and water requiresHafrashas Challah. The same is truefor flour mixed with any of the otherShivah Mashkim – seven liquids thatallow foodstuffs to become impure,including milk, wine, olive oil,honey13 and dew. (Blood is the last ofthe Shivah Mashkim, but it is obvi-ously not used in kosher cooking.)One is required to separate challahfrom such dough with a brocha. If,however, the dough was not mixedwith one of the above and instead itwas mixed with eggs, sugar, oil, etc.,one would not take challah with a
brocha since there is a question if suchdough requires separating challah.14
In that case one should add a smallamount of water to the mixture sothat one can take challah with abrocha.15
Challah is taken from dough re-gardless of whether it was preparedas a thick dough or thin batter(pourable). If the dough is thick androll-able, then the mitzvah is donewhile the dough is still raw. If, how-ever, the dough is a thin batter, thenone should take challah after it isbaked.16
Dough that is going to be cookedor fried does not require HafrashasChallah since it is not considered“lechem”. If the dough is thick, someposkim suggest taking challah withouta brocha. All agree that if some of thedough will eventually be baked, one
should take challah with a brocha.17
MEASUREMENTSThe amount of flour one should
prepare in order to be obligated toseparate challah is a tenth of an eifah.This is equivalent to the volume (notweight) of 43 and 1/5 eggs. The pre-cise volume of the egg is question-able, according to some poskim, dueto the possible downsizing of eggstoday relative to the eggs used in theTalmudic times.
The Shulchan Oruch HaRav18 ac-cepts today’s eggs as being the cor-rect size. As stated, “How should thisbe measured?” One should take alarge bowl (that can fit 43 eggs), fill itwith water until the top, and thenpour the water out into an evenlarger bowl. Then, one should place43 eggs in the first bowl and pour the
“...Some take this a step further and say that even the husband
cannot take challah without his wife’s permission, especially from
bread that was baked for sanctifying Shabbos...”
12 • www.OK.org
water from second bowl to fill thefirst bowl to the top. The remainingwater in the second bowl is theproper volume to be obligated inHafrashas Challah. One should justadd a little more to equal 1/5 of anegg. This water should be thenplaced in a measuring bowl. A lineshould be drawn where the waterreaches so one can use this for futuremeasuring of challah. The OruchHaShulchan and others hold that onecannot measure with today’s eggs.
To convert 43 and 1/5 eggs fromvolume to weight would depend ona number of variables including,whether the flour is whole wheat, allpurpose flour, high gluten, oat flour,etc. Each type of flour yields differentweights per cup. Also, seasonalchanges, moisture content and siftingall affect the final weight of flour.
Therefore, if the dough containsless than two and half pounds offlour, it is too small to take challah. Ifthe dough contains more than twoand a half pounds, challah should be
taken without a brocha. If the doughis 4.95 pounds or more, then a brochashould be recited. There is a dis-agreement, however, whether abrocha should be said if there is lessthan 4.95 pounds, but more than 3.9pounds of flour. One should followone’s family custom.19
When the dough contains lessthan two and a half pounds of flour,one may combine two or moredough batches to achieve the correctamount needed for Hafrashas Chal-lah, as long as the owner does notmind that they are combined to-gether. One then puts all the doughinto one container, covers the con-tainer entirely to render it one batchof dough, and takes challah.
If two or more batches of doughare kneaded separately and each in-dividual batch has enough flour totake challah, one can join (mitzaref)the dough in order to be mafrish all ofthe challah with one brocha. This canbe done providing that it is minhamukaf – in the same vicinity. This
method is commonly used in com-mercial bakeries where they bakemultiple batches of dough in a day.The mashgiach will gather all thedough into one area and take challahfrom one of the batches of dough.This eliminates the obligation of tak-ing challah for each individual batch.In a facility where the mashgiach orfrum owner is not there daily, somewill take this a step further and takechallah with the intent to cover thenext few days. In this case, the chal-lah that was taken is left in the doughroom to consider all the dough in thesame area min hamukaf. It is prefer-able that the mashgiach instructs theworkers to save a small piece ofdough from each batch of dough sothat the mashgiach can take challahfrom them.20
If a teacher is distributing dough toher class and each child ends up witha small portion of dough for theirown challah, they do not need to takechallah, since their individual portiondoes not have enough dough to re-
“...Many women give tzedakah before taking challah. After kneading
the dough, while standing, one should hold a small amount of dough
... in the right hand, without detaching it, and recite the brocha...”
www.OK.org • 13
quire Hafrashas Challah.If, however, a housewife makes a
large batch of challah dough andbakes challah to last several weeks,she does take challah. Even thougheach challah does not have a ShiurChallah, the entire batch of doughhas only one owner.
OWNERSHIPA Jew must own the dough at the
time of kneading in order to requireHafrashas Challah. Therefore, onemay buy frozen challah dough man-ufactured by a non-Jew, with aproper hechsher, from a supermarket.Since it belonged to a non-Jew, one isnot obligated to take challah from it.21
If a Jew and a non-Jew are partnersand the Jew’s stake in the business islarge enough that his portion alone inthe dough would be sufficient to beobligated in challah, challah should betaken. For example if he owns 40%of the business, and 40% of eachbatch of dough is larger than 4.95 lbs.(or 3.9 lbs.), challah should be taken.
THE HAFRASHAMany women give tzedakah be-
fore taking challah. After kneadingthe dough, while standing, oneshould hold a small amount of dough(a k’zayis – about the size of an egg)in the right hand, without detachingit, and recite the brocha, “Baruch atahHashem, Elokeinu melech ha’olam, asherk’dishanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrishchallah.” (Some add “min h’eisa”.) Atthat point, one removes the doughand says, “Harei Zu Challah. This ischallah.” In the event that one is sep-arating challah without a brocha, oneshould still say “Harei Zu Challah”after separation.
Immediately after the hafrasha, thechallah is then burned until it is com-pletely charred. It is forbidden toburn the challah in the same oventhat one bakes the rest of the dough.(One may not benefit from the chal-lah dough since it belongs to theKohen, and the Kohen himself can notbenefit from the challah since he isimpure.) If the challah dough iswrapped in foil, it can be burned in
the same oven after baking the restof dough. Alternatively, one can burnit directly on the stovetop. If one can-not burn it, he may double wrap itand dispose of it respectfully.22
If the separated challah dough waslost or was inadvertently disposed,one does not need to make anotherhafrasha.23 However, if the challah gotmixed back into the rest of dough, aRov should be consulted, since theremight be an option of Hataras Nederto nullify the original separation andthen one could take challah again.24
As with most areas of Halacha,there are many opinions and cus-toms regarding Hafrashas Challah. Ifone has a specific question regardingthe practical application of any of theissues discussed above, please con-tact your local Orthodox rabbi. In themerit of the great mitzvah ofHafrashas Challah, and our efforts toperform it with dedication and care,may we speedily merit the final Geu-lah and the opportunity to serve chal-lah to the Kohanim in the BeisHaMikdash. ~
1. áøàùéú øáä ñ, èæ.
2. àåìí ÷èðéí àéðí ëùøéí ìäôøéù çìäìáãí. åáãéòáã ëù÷èðä áú é”à ùðéíäôøéùä éù îúéøéí áùå”ò éå”ã ñé’ ùì”àñì”â.
3. éå”ã ñé’ ùë”ç ñ”â, ù”ê ñ÷”ä, è”æñ÷”á, áàå”ç ñé’ øî”á ñ”ã,åáëó äçééí ùíñ÷ë”â åë”ã.
4. éì÷åè ùîòåðé áøàùéú øîæ ì”á1
5. è”å, é”æ.
6. ì÷åèé ùéçåú ç”á òî’ 326 ò”ô äøîá”íñåó äì’ àéñåøé îæáç.
7. éå”ã ñé’ ùë”á åòé’ áàøéëåú áàðö’úìîåãéú òøê çìä ñ÷è”æ. åäèòí äåà,îëéåï ùäçéåá äåà áùòú âìâåì äòéñä äåäëîå îöåä ùçåáú äâåó äðåäâú âí áçå”ì.
8. âî’ áéöä è., éå”ã ñé’ ùë”â, àå”ç ñé’úð”æ, îâ”à ùí ñ÷”â, è”æ ùí îé÷ììëúçéìä, ùå”ò äøá ùí ñ÷é”á ùîãúäçñéãåú ìäôøéù ÷åãí.
9. ùñô÷ ãøáðï ìä÷ì. åòé’ áéå”ã ñé’ ùë”äñ”à áñôé÷à ããéðà, ù”ê ùí ñ÷”á, åáéå”ã
ñé’ ù”ì ìâáé ñô÷ áîöéàåú, ùäè”æ ùíñ÷”â îé÷ì,åäù”ê ùí ñ÷”ç îñúô÷ áæäåîëøéò ùéôøéù áìà áøëä. åòåã ðô÷”îáçå”ì äåà ìâáé áéèåì ùé”à ùáèì áøåáåàé”ö áéèåì áñ’ àå á÷”à ëãéï çìú äàøõ.åâí é”à ùàéï ãéï áéèåì àéñåø ìëúçéìäëéåï ùòé÷øå ãøáðï. åòå”ò áàðö’ úìîåãéúòøê çìä ñ÷è”æ.
01. ñ÷”ä. éå”ã ñé’ ùë”ã ñ”á,è”æ ùíñ÷”á, ù”ê ùí.
11. îúðé’ çìä ô”â î”æ, ùå”ò éå”ã ñé’ ùë”ãñ”è, è”æ ùí ñ÷”è ëúá “îùîè àò”âãìéú ùéòåø çìä áãâï ìçåã”. åé”à ãàéðåçééá àà”ë éù áå ëæéú áëãé àëéìú ôøñ,åëï îëøéò äùå”ò äøá áàå”ç ñé’ úî”á?,åé”à ùàéðå çééá àà”ë éù áãâï ìçåã ùéòåøçìä. åòå”ò áàðö’ úìîåãéú òøê çìäñé’è”å.
21. åòé’ áäòøä ÷åãîú, åáæä é”à ãäåäëîå àåøæ ìâîøé )áù”ê ùí ñ÷”éæ(, åé”àùàí éù áä àå ëùéòåø çìä àå øåá ãâï àæééù çéåá çìä, åé”à ãöøéê ùðéäí âí ùéòåøçìä åâí øåá ãâï )à”æ ñ÷”è(, åòé’ áàøéëåúáùå”ú äö”ö éå”ã ñé’ øì”å ùîëøéò ëùéèä
äâ’ ìòðéï ìò÷àê. åò”ò áîðç”é ç”ç ñé’ ÷èåáúïøú äàøõ ô”ã.
31. ãáù ãáåøéí åòé’ ùå”ò àå”ç ñé’ ÷ð”çáúçéìúå.
41. ìáðé ñôøã éù ìäôøéù ááøëä ò”ô ãáøéäîçáø áéå”ã ñé’ ùë”è ñ”è, åòé’ áùå”úéáé”à ç”ä àå”ç ñî”á, åòé’ áù”ê ùíñ÷”è, åáô”ú ñ÷”á. åáë”æ òé’ áàðö’úìîåãéú òøê çìä ñ”é.
51. )ò”ô îäøé÷”ù òøê ìçí éå”ã ùë”èñ”è(. åò”ò áô”ú ñ÷”â ùàí äåñéó îìçùìðå ùðúáùì áîéí äåëùøå.
61. éå”ã ñé’ ùë”è áúçéìúå åù”ê ùí ñ÷”á,ùå”ú ùáè äìåé ç”ç ñé’ øî”ã.
71. éå”ã ùë”è ñ”â åñ”ã, ù”ê ùí ñ÷”ã,è”æ ñ÷”à, ô”ú ñ÷”à, åîðäâ äîäø”í äéäìàôåú ÷öú ìöàú îéãé ñô÷. àåìíëùàåôä ÷öú ìáøê òì ääôøùä, åòé’ ù”êùí ñ÷”å.
81. àå”ç ñé’ úî”å ñ”á, åòé’ áë”æ áùéòåøéúåøä áúçéìúå )ìø’ çééí ðàä(, ùéòåøî÷åä òî’ ÷ôà, òøåê äùìçï éå”ã ñé’ ùë”ãñ”â-ä, ô”ú ùí ñ÷”à áùí äöì”ç
ùäáöéí ùìðå ðú÷èðå ìëîå çöé áéöäùìäí.
91. ìø’ çééí ðàä ò”ô ùå”ò äøá ùí éôøéùááøëä, åëï îðäâ áéøåùìéí,åìòøåê äùìçïåäöì”ç éôøéù áìà áøëä.
02. øàä îðçú éöç÷ ç”ã ñé’ ðè áàøåëäùäôåòìéí éùàéøå îëì òéñä åòéñä çì÷÷èï áùáéì äîùâéç, åäîùâéç éôøéù çìäîëì äçìåú åâí îæä åéàîø “äøéðé îôøéùçìä æå òì ëì îä ùéù ôä åòì ëì îäùëáø ðéìåù åðàôä àöì æä äðçúåí åìàðôøù òåã çìä, áéï òì îä ùáòéï áëìî÷åí ùäåà åáéï òì ëì îä ùëáø ðàëì.
12. éå”ã ùë”è ñ”â.
22. îðç”é ç”ã ñé’ é”â, åáôøè ùäéåíùåøôéí âí äàùôä.
32. éå”ã ñé’ ùë”á ô”ú ñ÷”á.
42. øî”à éå”ã ùë”â ñ”à, èåø áùí äøà”ù,äá”é, äñä”ú åäù”ê. åòé’ áô”ú ñ÷”à ùàíáèì áøåá éù ìñîåê ìä÷ì.
14 www.OK.org
The truth is, most of us involved inhashgocha never intended to end upwhere we are. We learned in yeshivosof one stripe or another and eitherhad no particular direction in mind, oroften thought of a completely differ-ent line of work. (I thought I wasgoing to go into chinuch.) Then oneday you get a call — “We’re supervis-ing an affair on Wednesday (and haveto kasher the kitchen beforehand).The regular “crew” will be on hand,but we need a few extra hands — andeyes. Our mashgiach, Moshe, sug-gested we call you. Can you help usout?”
You did a good job — andsomeone noticed. Youpicked up on somethingthat someone over-looked — and theyappreciated it.You go back
to your yeshiva/kol-lel and a few weekslater the phonerings again, “Youhelped us out a fewweeks ago at an affair.Our regular mashgiachin ________ (fill in theblank) just had a babyand we need some-one to visit one of hisfactories. We will giveyou very clear instruc-tions and make sureyou know what todo. Can you help usout?” And so it goes.You find the work in-teresting, they find
you to be a serious worker, and thefactory owner mentioned, “The newrabbi you sent over was really a niceguy.” Next thing you know you haveanother offer and then an-other, until finally“The Offer”comes in —you’re of-fered a
full time job in kashrus.At this stage there is a serious deci-
sion to be made; continue learning orgo out into “The Big World”. Eachfamily has its own calculations tomake before making their decision.Some will decide to stay in learninglonger, or for as long as they can, oth-ers will decide that the offer has comeat the right time for them.
Of course, one doesn’t become akashrus professional overnight. Oftenyou are paired with a more seasonedrabbi, learning the ropes as you goalong. Practical kashrus, chemistry andpsychology are all picked up on theway. Some will read chemistry books;some will take kashrus or chemistry
It is said that a chain is only as
strong as its weakest link. This is
certainly true in the world of
kashrus, where the chain of com-
mand extends from the executive
rabbi in the main office down to the
mashgiach (kashrus supervisor) in the
field. In many ways, the mashgiach plays
the crucial role in kashrus as he is the one
who guarantees that things are done
right. In the next few paragraphs, I would
like to give our readers a peek into the
mashgiach and his work and some of the
day-to-day challenges he faces—both
personal and professional. Hopefully, we
can shed a little light on this little-known
(or-appreciated) area of kashrus.
נע ונד תהיה בארץYou Shall Wander In The Land
(Bereishis, 4:12)
by Rabbi Tzvi Liker
classes; and some even pursue degreesin related sciences.
Once the decision is made, life takeson a new direction. Literally. If you’relucky, the work is (relatively) local. Ifnot, you will be on the road to hereand there making sure that Jews farand wide are eating kosher. Friendsoften say to me, “You are so lucky.You get to travel around and see all the
places we only see on posters.” I usu-ally offer to trade places with them forthree or four months, and gently tellthem that they really have no cluewhat a mashgiach’s life on the road isall about.
Hopefully, you head out on Sunday(and not right after Havdalah onMotzo’ei Shabbos like I usually do), toget to your first stop on Mondaymorning. Usually, but not always, youdaven shacharis in your hotel room (eu-phemistically called the Beis K’nessesY’chidei S’gulo) and maybe eat some-thing before heading out. Sometimesyou have to daven in the factory or insome inconspicuous place en route.(Note: Davening on a plane in Malaysiaor Turkey is not recommended...)When you finally get to your hotel at8:00, 9:00, or 10:00 pm there are stillreports to be filled out — reportswhich are duly read, understood andacted upon when needed, and filed forfuture reference.
In places where there is no kosherfood available, other than some fruitsand vegetables, whatever you packedin your suitcase is what there is. Oneweek’s worth, two, whatever you canget in. Often, supper will be some sortof RTE (Ready-To-Eat) pre-packagedmeal, or something prepared yester-day morning before you left. With acan of soda, a fruit or a handful ofnuts, one can almost, but not quite,pretend to be having a real meal… Ofcourse, you also have to prepare foodfor tomorrow as well. (What, tunaagain?)
Did I mention that we also try tokeep up with our learning as well? In
addition to the weekly sedra,each rabbi has his own learn-ing schedule; some do CHi-TaS, other do Daf Yomi,halacha yomis, mishnayos,RaMBaM, etc.
With mobile phones andcheap rates, calling home iseasy enough, and with theInternet available (another
way the Internet can be used for good)in virtually every corner of the coun-try, and in many other countries aswell, you can even see the kids — andbe seen by them as well. But let’s behonest, giving the kids a virtual bed-time hug and kiss can never replacethe real thing… (Let’s not forget thattime differences often keep you upeven later.)
Others, like myself, spend a lot oftime overseas, for two, sometimesthree weeks at a time. Although thereis often a kehillah or a Beit Chabadsomewhere nearby, for frum yidden,Shabbos is family time. As nice as theChabad rabbi and rebbetzin are, whenit comes to Shabbos, you really wantto be home. Believe me, few things aremore depressing than spending aShabbos (or two or three…) alone in ahotel in Turkey or India, or in the fac-tory where you are doing hashgacha.(Been there, done that, too.)
We are always aware of the respon-sibility that rests on our shoulders. Weare the eyes and ears of the rabbi or or-ganization we represent. If we miss ormisunderstand something, or are mis-led, countless numbers of Jews mighteat questionable or even traif food,chas v’sholom. As Rav AvrahamShapira, zt”l, the former Chief Rabbiof Israel once told me, a mashgiachmust be a bit of a scoundrel, that wayhe will know when other scoundrelsare trying to fool him…
When a problem is found — prob-lematic ingredients, or possibly catch-ing the company lying — decisionsmust be made, often on the spot. Inthe first instance the mashgiach will
phone his superior, known as an RC,Rabbinic Coordinator. (I have wokenmy RC up in the middle of the night.He didn’t like it, but he was happy Idid.) But what if for some reason he’sunreachable? A decision to stop pro-duction can cost a company tens ofthousand of dollars. This is a mash-giach’s worst nightmare. He mustmake a decision, and hope that he hassiyata d’sh’maya when he makes it.Here is where being knowledgeable inthe fifth section of the Shulchan Oruch— common sense is critical. A mash-giach needs to know what to say andwhen to say it. More importantly, heneeds to know how to say it.
Not only are Yidden everywherecounting on us to do our jobs, in theeyes of those we work with, we rep-resent not only our organizations, but,the Jewish People as well. A mashgiachwho doesn’t behave with derech eretzand menchlichkeit can cause a tremen-dous chillul Hashem.
Unfortunately, a mashgiach’swork is not always appreciated.I hope these few lines haveshed some light on this oft-maligned job, and thoseperforming it, whoare truly the firstline of kashrusdefense. ~
Of course, one doesn’t become a kashrus professional overnight...
www.OK.org • 15
Rabbi Liker is currently amashgiach for the ~. Hisoutstanding work wasacknowledged with the 2009Featured Mashgiach award atthe ~ MashgichimConference.
16 • www.OK.org
A kashrus agency’s responsibility to-ward the consumer public is a given.The agency is providing a service tokosher consumers and the consumerrelies on the kosher supervision whenpurchasing products for oneself andone’s family. It goes without sayingthat the kashrus agency has an obliga-tion to disclose its kashrus standardsand alert the consumer when there is
a kashrus issue. The kashrus agency’s obligation to
the certified company is multi-faceted.(Of course, we are not discussing acompany who would like to “just” re-ceive certification with the least has-sle. Nor are we discussing an agencywanting to provide certification withthe least effort on their part.) Theagency must provide the best possible
kashrus certification, because that iswhat one is contracted for. In addition,the agency has to provide proper cus-tomer service to the company. This in-cludes answering questions andsubmissions in a timely manner, prob-lem-solving, providing competent,professional mashgichim, providingproper documentation, and so on. Thekashrus agency also has a responsibil-ity to back up the company when falseallegations are made about the com-pany’s kashrus status. When such slan-der occurs, it is imperative that thecertified company can rely on thebacking of its kashrus agency and itsefforts to preserve the company’s rep-utation.
In addition to balancing responsibil-ities towards consumers and certified
By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
Responsibilityof a Kashrus Agency
To whom is the kashrus agency responsible? It seems likea strange question. Of course, we are obligated first andforemost to Hashem! The core of a kashrus agency’s re-
sponsibility is to ensure that all the products under its certifi-cation are 100% kosher. As we delve into this matter, we findthat a kashrus agency actually has a very complicated balanceof responsibilities. The agency is accountable to Hashem, butit also has responsibilities towards the consumer public, thecertified companies, and, finally, to itself and its reputation.
www.OK.org • 17
companies, a kashrus agency has anobligation to uphold its reputation andthe reputation of its Rav HaMachshir,as well. An integral part of kashrus isthe reputation of the kashrus agency.All companies want an agency thathas a sterling reputation and is knownfor a high level of kosher supervisionin order to market their product to thelargest group of kosher consumers.Kashrus agencies are acutely aware ofthis and work diligently to protecttheir reputations. Consumers also ben-efit from the agency’s efforts to up-hold a good reputation, because theyare ensured that the kashrus agencywill do its best to provide the moststringent kosher certification.
What happens when there seems tobe a conflict between an agency’s ob-ligations to Hashem, consumers, thecertified company, and itself? It is safeto assume that a reputable kashrusagency’s obligation to Hashem, to fol-low halacha, remains steadfast, nomatter what the situation. But whathappens when there is conflict be-tween the other obligations? On onehand, a kashrus agency is hired by acertified company and feels some sortof loyalty to the company. On theother hand, the agency has a responsi-bility to the consumer who relies onthe kosher symbol when purchasingproducts.
What happens if the certified com-pany is found with a questionable in-gredient, or even G-d forbid, anon-kosher ingredient in one of thecertified products? Many companieswould like to keep the mishap underwraps, but consumers want (and de-serve) to be notified that there is aproblem with a product. To avoid anunpleasant dilemma in such a situa-tion, the ~ has a clause in the certifi-cation contract that requires thecompany to publicize this informationor reimburse the kashrus agency forsuch a notification.
These situations do happen andsomeone has to take responsibilitywhen it does. Does the responsibilityfor kosher errors fall on the certified
company, or on the kashrus agency? Ifthe company blatantly fooled theagency, the answer is simple. But,what happens when there is a misun-derstanding? What if the companyclaims that they were authorized touse the ingredient? The kashrus agencyknows that if a mistake on behalf ofthe agency is publicized it may affectthe agency’s reputation.
In such a situation, to whom doesthe agency have primary responsibil-ity? To itself? To the certified com-pany? When a ship is sinking, it is wellknown that the last person to leave theship is the captain. Getting his crewand passengers to safety is his respon-sibility.
In his later years, my father, RabbiBerel Levy ob”m, worked intensivelyfor the Lubavitcher Rebbe ztz”l in Rus-sia. One of the burning issues for Russ-
ian Jews at the time was trying toescape Communist Russia. Since theywere Chassidim, many people wouldrequest that my father ask the Rebbe togrant them permission to leave.
The Rebbe answered my father withthe following story. A political officialin Israel came to the Rebbe and boastedthat he was taking all of the rabbis,shochtim and teachers out of Moroccoand bringing them on aliyah. TheRebbe said, “Gevald! When the Nazisym”s came into a city the first peoplethey would kill were the rabbonim,shochtim and melamdim.” The Rebbesaid, “How can you take these peoplefirst and leave the rest behind?” There-fore, he concluded those who did nothave problems with the authoritiesmust stay behind in order to help thepeople there.
The message is quite clear. As a RavHaMachshir, you are the last one you
should think about. The agency’s re-sponsibility is first to Hashem, then tothe consumer, the company, and lastlyto itself.
Last Pesach we had an issue wherea shaila came up on cocoa that we cer-tified along with another RavHaMachshir. At the ~, we are proudthat we did not attempt to cover upthe issue and blame the certified com-pany. Rather, we showed completetransparency to the consumer publicand did not try to place fault on thecompany. There was actually no shailafound, but the ~ tested the cocoa any-way and found that there was noissue.
At the ~, we always try our best tolearn from the past. Even though westill stand behind what we certifiedlast year, there is a saying that “goodhas no boundaries”. Whatever one
does, there is always room for im-provement.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe says thatduring the month of Elul, which is themonth of introspection, even a tzaddik(a righteous person) can do teshuva (re-turn). When one does teshuva one ele-vates oneself, and achieves a higherlevel. Since we are all a part of Hashem,a chelek Elokai mi’ma’al mamash, even atzaddik can bring himself to a higherlevel. One can always find a betterway to do things and with that inmind, as we proceed toward the NewYear, we have already undertakenmethods to improve on the past yearsand continue on our never-endingquest to improve kashrus. May ourdiligence in upholding high standardsin the area of kashrus, and in halacha ingeneral, help to bring the immediateRedemption and may we all be writ-ten in the Book of Life. ~
What happens when there seems to
be a conflict between an agency’s
obligations to the consumers, the
certified company, and itself?
18 • www.OK.org
~
KS: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to
yeshiva?
RSL: I was born in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and moved withmy family to Israel. As a yeshiva bochur, I studied in Lubavitcheryeshivos in Israel, Brunoy, France and at the Chabad Headquar-ters at 770 Eastern Parkway. I studied for semicha in Eretz Yisroelat Tomchei Temimim K’far Chabad and received semicha fromHaRav Avraham Hirsch Cohen zt”l (the Rosh Kollel), HaRavNachum Trebnik zt”l (Rav of K’far Chabad), and HaRav YisroelGrossman zt”l (Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim K’far Chabad).
KS: What did you do after yeshiva? When did you
get married?
RSL: After yeshiva, in 1981, I got married in Eretz Yisroel and Ilearned in kollel. During my second year of kollel, I startedteaching in a yeshiva in Rishon L’tziyon in the mornings. Afterkollel, my wife and I went on shlichus to Brussels, Belgium.
KS: What is your current position at the ~?
RSL: A few years ago, I started representing the ~ in more ofan executive position, conducting annual inspections. Now, Iam the Executive Rabbinic Coordinator of ~ Europe and Ioversee many mashgichim throughout Europe. I have found thatthe most important part of my job is to have a good relation-ship with the people working in the plant. More than 50% ofkosher certification is having a good relationship with the peo-ple of companies you certify and helping them understandwhat you are doing. At ~ Europe, we organize kosher confer-ences to introduce the latest in kosher to the staff of the com-panies we certify. When you form close relationships with
people they are more likely to come back to you with difficultiesand be honest with you. All staff members, even down to main-tenance workers (changing pipes, pumps, buying second-handequipment), need to know about kosher issues.
KS: What prepared you the most for your current
position at the ~?
RSL: Part of my shlichus in Belgium was working for the localkashrus agency. After I stopped working for the local kashrusagency, Rabbi Levy (Kashrus Administrator of the ~) came toBelgium (I knew him from my childhood in Kiryat Malachi, Is-rael) and called me. He mentioned that the ~ certified a choco-late company called Callebaut and asked if I would like to bethe onsite rabbi at this company on behalf of the ~. Afterspending some time at Callebaut with Rabbi Levy (who taughtme most of my kashrus knowledge), I started working there asthe mashgiach for the ~. After some years, Callebaut mergedwith Cocoa Barry, and they became one giant, worldwidechocolate group called Barry-Callebaut, and they chose the ~to be their kosher certifying agency. Thanks to them, manycompanies became interested in kosher.
KS: What is best thing about working at the ~?
RSL: The most positive thing is that the ~ is very serious aboutkashrus. Any issue is always taken care of, with no cover-upsand total transparency. If there is a place for improvement weare the first to want to improve. When another agency wantsto come visit one of our certified factories, we let them in andshow them everything. If they have a way to do something bet-ter, we will improve and take their advice.
Interview with Rabbi Shimon
LaskerExecutive Rabbinic Coordinator of ~ Europe
MEET OUR STAFF:
BEHINDWHO’S BEHIND THE ~
Rabbi Shimon Lasker
www.OK.org • 19
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What Other People SayAbout Rabbi Shimon Lasker
Rabbi Lasker started working for the ~
over 20 years ago. As with all of our
senior staff, he worked his way up the ranks,
beginning as a mashgiach. His vast
experience in kashrus and pleasant
disposition made him a natural candidate for
Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~. Rabbi Lasker
has earned respect from the entire kashrus
world and the production world for his intense
dedication, vast knowledge and willingness to
assist everyone in resolving all issues that
confront him.”
Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification
Rabbi Lasker is very knowledgeable,
friendly, and thorough. He always works to
solve problems and handle situations
promptly. It is a pleasure to have Rabbi Lasker
as a colleague and friend.
Rabbi Leizer Teitelbaum,Senior Rabbinic Coordinator, ~ Kosher Certification
Iconsider Rabbi Lasker as a part of the
Barry-Callebaut family. From time to time
he acts as my internal quality auditor: indeed
he is visiting most of our kosher certified
plants in Europe himself on a regular basis. He
visits our suppliers and through the years he
really became an expert in chocolate making
and quality. When he is in Wieze-Belgium and
I’m in the office as well, we never miss each
other to share thoughts, opportunities or the
latest joke. His open mindedness and good
social skills make him very much appreciated
by all our collaborators throughout Europe.”
Willy Geeraerts,Director Corporate Quality Assurance
& Environmental Issues, Barry-Callebaut
KS: How would you describe the ~ today?
RSL: The ~ today is a very tech-savvy kashrus agency. I regularly havecompanies tell me how efficient we are, especially in the area of dataand the itemization of every formula and every ingredient. Companiesparticularly appreciate the automatic updates notices, paperless sub-missions, and other features of Digital Kosher.
KS: Can you share an interesting experience that you
had while working at the ~?
RSL: Some companies are very big and are split into many depart-ments. Once, a division of a global company was looking to locate aparticular raw material (flavor). They weren’t sure which plant or ware-houses had the ingredient. One of the staff members called me to seeif I had an idea of where the raw material (a five gallon bucket) waslocated. I entered the information into the ~ database and immediatelylocated the plant and warehouse that contained the raw material. Oneof the great strengths of the ~ is its focus on the global picture and im-mediate access to all ingredients and products under our certification.
I had another interesting experience when I was sent to a companyon behalf of an ~ certified company to see if an ingredient was accept-able for eventual use. I asked the ~ certified company to send an emailasking what products the new company spray dries. The company sentback an email with 12 ingredients and all were considered potentiallyacceptable. When I got to the plant, the head of the company, the qual-ity manager, and some other staff met me there. I took out the emailwith the 12 ingredients and asked if they were sure there were only12. After a half hour, I got them to admit to another 30 ingredients. Iasked, “Will I get another 30 if I wait 40 more minutes, or is that it?”
They assured me that was all and took me to three of the five spraydrier towers, but I wanted to see the other two. (Rabbi Levy once toldme to check trash pails and see what they throw out. That’s how youknow what really goes on.) I felt they didn’t want to take me to theother spray drier towers, but they wouldn’t want to just refuse. Theytold me that the operator was not there, but the driers were running.We walked over to the other two spray towers but the staff told methey didn’t necessarily know what was running through the machinenow. The staff members went to look for some information for me.Next to the spray tower, I noticed there were 1-ton “super sacks” so Itouched one. It was warm, which is a sign that it just came from thespray dryer. I looked more carefully and saw a sticker on top of the bagthat read “pig gelatin”.
The company never told me about the pig gelatin and I realizedthat’s why they didn’t want to take me to the spray dryer. When thestaff members came back, they said they tried to get into the systembut didn’t have a password. The production manager was workingthere for 11 years, and the others also worked there for many years,but I was in the factory for one hour and was able to figure out imme-diately what was being dried in that spray tower. A few weeks later Igot a copy of a letter from the company that sent me there apologizingfor the unsuccessful visit and taking the blame. This is what the certi-fied company wrote to them: “We forgot to tell you: don’t ever hideanything from a visiting rabbi, be transparent with them. They are notour enemies, or here to punish us, they are here to help get the ingre-dients kosher in the best way.” ~
20 • www.OK.org
~ ON THE ROAD
~ CERTIFIES SCHACHRabbi Yossi Goldstein inspects the bamboo schach production in Xiamen, China
YOU BE THE MASHGIACH!Being a good mashgiach means having a good eye for the small details.
Can you spot all 10 differences between these two pictures?
Visit www.kosherspirit.com to see the answers!
TishreiR
ecipe
4 salmon fillets (6-8oz each)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp heavy cream (non-dairy)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 lbs spinach, cleaned
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
2 eggs, whisked
Seasoned breadcrumbs and flour fordredging
Basil Chiffonade - thinly slicedribbons (Optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wolf & Lamb Salmon
Dredge salmon fillets in all-purpose flour, coat in whisked egg, then coat evenly withbreadcrumbs. Sautee salmon in oil until golden brown, then place in oven at 325˚ F forabout 10 minutes to finish. Using the same pan, deglaze with white wine, add Dijon,and non-dairy heavy cream. Add tomato and cook briefly, finish with basil chiffonade,salt and pepper to taste. In a separate pan, heat olive oil, then add spinach and garlic,season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, then serve under the finished salmon.Top with white wine tomato sauce.
WOLF & LAMB is certified kosher by ~ Kosher Certification. It is glatt
kosher, Chassidishe shechita, Pas Yisroel and has a Mashgiach Temidi on
premises. Wolf & Lamb is located at 10 East 48th Street, New York, NY.
www.wolfandlambsteakhouse.com
www.OK.org • 21
22 • www.OK.org
CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS
The Shabbos between RoshHaShanah and Yom Kippur isknown as Shabbos Teshuvah,
the Shabbos of Repentance. It is calledShabbos Teshuvah because it falls dur-ing the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, the TenDays of Repentance. Of course, thisis only the simple reason for thename. As with everything else inTorah and Judaism, there is a deepermeaning. The name “Shabbos Teshu-vah” actually indicates that the actualday of Shabbos enhances one’s repen-tance, that the teshuvah of ShabbosTeshuvah is superior to the teshuvah ofthe other Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.
Often, the parsha of Ha’azinu isread on Shabbos Teshuvah. In the be-ginning of the parsha, Moshe Rabbeinusays, “Listen heaven and I will speak;hear earth the words of my mouth.”1
According to the Sifri, when Moshespoke to heaven, he used the wordha’azinu, which connotes closeness,but when he spoke to earth, he usedthe word v’sishma, which connotesdistance. This teaches us that weshould strive to be like Moshe, closeto heaven and distant from earth.
How are we, Poshuter Yidden (sim-ple Jews), supposed to reach such ahigh level like that of MosheRabbeinu?
First we have to understand theconnection between Shabbos and ahigher level of teshuvah. In the seferLikkutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe ex-
plains that “the teshuvah of AseresYemei Teshuvah involves the soul’sessence, while teshuvah during the restof the year involves only the soul’sinner powers. Thus, the former pe-riod of teshuvah is far superior to thelatter.”2 The teshuvah of Aseres YemeiTeshuvah and the teshuvah of the restof the year correspond to two levelsof teshuvah – teshuvah tata’ah (thelower level) and teshuvah ila’ah (thehigher level). Teshuvah tata’ah reunitesone with Hashem by rectifying onesins, while teshuvah ila’ah is when thesoul completely returns to Hashemand cleaves to its Source.3
The levels of teshuvah tata’ah andteshuvah ila’ah also correspond to ouravodah (service) during the weekdaysand our avodah on Shabbos. Duringthe week, we go about our daily livestrying to infuse a spark of Hashem intoeverything around us, similar to teshu-vah tata’ah, when we try to infuse oursoul with G-dliness. The sanctity ofShabbos, however, automaticallytakes us to a higher level, since we arenot involved in mundane work andcan reach higher levels of holiness.4
The inherent holiness of Shabbosautomatically makes the teshuvah ofShabbos a higher level of teshuvah, be-cause our souls are already elevatedon Shabbos, so it follows that we areeven more elevated during the Shab-bos of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.5
Therefore, we can understand the dif-
ference between the teshuvah of Shab-bos Teshuvah and the teshuvah of theother Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.
On another level, since we knowthat all things in Yiddishkeit are inter-twined, the seven days between RoshHashanah and Yom Kippur correspondto each of the seven days of the weekof the past year. Each day that we doteshuvah between Rosh Hashanah andYom Kippur we rectify all of our mis-deeds on that day of the week overthe entire past year. For example, theteshuvah of Sunday is a teshuvah for allthe Sundays of the year. Based onthis, even though the Aseres YemeiTeshuvah is a period of teshuvah ila’ah,it is still the teshuvah of weekdays andso is not the highest level.
However, it follows that ShabbosTeshuvah corresponds to all of theShabbosos of the past year, which arealready teshuvah ila’ah and inherentlysuperior to weekdays, so how muchmore so the teshuvah of ShabbosTeshuvah is the highest level of teshu-vah of the entire Aseres Yemei Teshu-vah. It is the level of teshuvah ila’ahthat we reach on Shabbos Teshuvahthat allows us to attain our goal ofbeing like Moshe Rabbeinu - “close toheaven and distant from earth.”
In the merit of our efforts to doteshuvah, may Hashem bless us withthe greatest gift, the Geulah Shleimahand the Beis HaMikdash HaShlishibimheirah v’yameinu. ~
Compiled by Dina Fraenkel
1) Devarim 32:1. 2) Likkutei Torah, Savo, p. 43d. 3) Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ch. 8ff; Likkutei Torah, beginning of Ha’azinu. 4) TorahOr, 13a, 65b-c, 113a; Likkutei Torah, Balak, 72a ff. 5) Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ch. 10; Likkutei Torah, Shabbos Shuvah, p. 66c.
Likkutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe ex- Therefore, we can understand the dif- bimheirah v’yameinu. ~
Shabbos Teshuvah
www.OK.org • 23
SOUL NUTRITION
In Good CompanyP arshas Nitzavim is always read around the time of Rosh
Hashanah. The reason, according to Chassidus, is that theopening line in the parsha is “Atem nitzavim hayom. You are stand-ing today.” Chassidus explains that hayom refers to RoshHashanah. The Chasam Sofer writes that he has a tradition fromhis Rebbes that the souls of one’s deceased parents stand andpray beside him on Rosh Hashanah. A reference to this can befound within Parshas Nitzavim itself. In pasuk 14, it says: — כי את אשר ישנו פה עמנו עמד היום...ואת אשר איננו פה עמנו היום. For allthose who are present…and those who are not present.” Thispasuk can refer to those who are physically in the shul as wellas those who are not physically present, but their souls are inattendance.
This tradition from the Chasam Sofer might also explain whywe do not say Hallel on Rosh Hashanah. Since Rosh Hashanah isthe day we crown Hashem as our King, it would seem most fit-ting to sing His praises with Hallel, but in Hallel we say, “Lohameisim yehalalukah.” The deceased cannot say Hallel, so itwould not be right for us to say Hallel in their presence. TheChasam Sofer says that when Moshiach comes, after techiyashameisim, we will say Hallel on Rosh Hashanah, as it says inTehillim and from the valleys—ועמקים“ ,65:14[meaning the graves], —יעטפו ברwill be wrapped in fat andskin, on Rosh]—יתרועעוHashanah] we will blowthe shofar, אף ישירו— wewill sing Hallel.”
The amount of time it took
an old issue of Kosher
Spirit (formerly known as
Jewish Homemaker) to be “returned to
sender” by the UK’s Royal Mail Serivce.
In many supermarkets, the
number of is closer to
Most supermarkets in
larger cities carry at least
25,000125,000
20,000
KOSHERBY THE NUMBERS
kosher certified items.
# of kosher items consumers in the U.S.
have to choose from, a far cry from the
16,000 items quoted in 1987.
On Rosh Hashanah 5767 (2007), the
aliyos in the Beis Knesses HaYehudi
in Kiev, Ukraine were sold for
more than $3 million, the
highest amount ever paidfor aliyos on a Yom Tov.
The largest sukkah in the world
was built in 2006 in Moscow under the
initiative of Chabad Rabbi, Berel Lazar,
Chief Rabbi of Russia, and sponsored by
the Federation
of Jewish Con-
g r e g a t i o n s ’
president, busi-
nessman Lev
Leviev. Free meals were offered, as well
as dozens of simultaneous Torah
classes. The sukkah dimensions were
131 x 131 feet, a total of 17,161 sq. feet.
$3,000,000
The Beis Knesses HaGadol of the Belz
Chassidim in Jerusalem is the
largest synagogue in the
world. The synagogue’s
structure is a replica of the
synagogue that once stood
in Belz, Galicia. It took 10
years to build.
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The Neot Kedumim nature reserve in Israel grew the
largest esrog in the world. It was 15 inches longand 6.7 inches wide, and weighed 8.8 pounds.
13.5 Yrs.
Source: Sefer HaSe’em v’HaNifla’ot, Feldheim Publishing Co.
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The custom in many synagogues is to gather all the chil-
dren under a number of talleisim for the blessing on
the Torah called Kol HaNe’arim on Simchas Torah.
The Mishkan Techeles factory specially manufac-
tured the largest tallis in the world for the Kehillas
Chassidei Gur synagogue in New York before Sim-
chas Torah 2007. It was 39.3 feet long, 26.2 feetwide, and covered an area of 1,033 square feet.
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KOSHERCERTIFICATION~
Kosher Spirit, 391 Troy Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11213 • 718-756-7500 • [email protected] • www.ok.org
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