The word "kosher" has recently become quite popular among Internet users. However, not everyone understands what this word means, and use it more likely following fashion trends than its logical meaning. Moreover, not only the adjective "kosher" has come into use, but also the adverb "kosher" and even the noun "kosher".

Let's see what this word means - kosher?

The origin and meaning of the word

The word "kosher" came to us from the language of the Jewish people (you can learn about it in the article). In Judaism, which the Jews profess, there is the term "kashrut", meaning a set of certain rules and the permissibility of something from the point of view of Jewish scripture. In some dialects, the word “kashrut” sounds slightly different, for example, “kosher”. What does this term apply to?

Word use

Initially, this word refers to the food of the Jews. Kosher means it is permissible to eat. For example, according to kashrut, beef or poultry is kosher, but pork is not. Another sign of meat kosher is that only a person special in profession can kill an animal; if this is not so, then the meat is no longer kosher.

If you look deeper, then in addition to food, this term can be applied to clothing, appearance, demeanor, and so on. It is this meaning that has gained wide popularity in the modern world. Kosher in Internet slang means allowed, complies with the rules. Also, the word kosher in youth slang has become synonymous with the words fashionable, good (Example: he has a kosher car).

The definition of "kosher" comes from the name of the code of Jewish religious rules "kashrut", most often associated with food. Kashrut clearly regulates the foods that a real Jew can eat.

Kosher meat

Only the meat of those animals that are both ruminant and cloven-hoofed is considered kosher. The absence of one of these symptoms makes the meat unsuitable for food. That is why Jews are not or rabbit. But the Jews can eat beef and mutton in unlimited quantities. Even the meat of artiodactyl and herbivore kashrut they are allowed to eat.

But the belonging of meat to one or another type of animal in itself does not yet serve as a sign of its kosher. There is a whole set of rules for kosher slaughter of animals - shechita. This is a whole science. The animal carver is a shoikhet, has been studying its bloody craft for about a year and even passes an exam. Indeed, in order for the meat of the animal to be recognized as kosher, it is necessary to kill it with one motion of a sharpened knife, without causing even the smallest lacerations or punctures. Otherwise, the meat is recognized as non-kosher and is not allowed to be eaten by Jews.

The Torah also categorically prohibits the consumption of blood. Therefore, the freshened carcass of an animal is subjected to a thorough examination for the presence of blood on it. And even the field of this procedure, the meat is still carefully soaked in water.

Kosher bird, fish and other products

The two main signs of kosher fish are easily detachable scales and fins. Therefore, all fish, with the exception of catfish, sturgeon, and eel, are kosher. And even black sturgeon caviar is not recognized as such through its fault.

Most birds are also kosher. The only exceptions are predators. Poultry is absolutely all suitable for food for the Jews.

As for dairy products, they themselves are kosher. But kashrut prescribes their separate use from meat. After eating, it should take from one to six hours (in different Jewish communities, the term is different) before you can start a meal. The time interval between meat consumption after dairy products is much lower and is only half an hour. Failure to comply with these rules makes both meat and dairy products non-kosher.

The same code of rules categorically does not recognize kosher meat of reptiles and amphibians.

Many have heard such a thing as kosher. What does this term mean? In what cases is it used? What origin has this concept? The article will answer these questions.

"Kosher" in Hebrew means "suitable." Therefore, the term "kosher nutrition" today should be understood as the process of maintaining life and health with the help of food, which at the same time does not harm a person.

Judaism - the oldest monotheistic religion in the world - implies the observance of religious regulations, norms and rules - kosher, which apply not only to clothing, cosmetics, but also to products. According to this attitude, Jews must cook in accordance with the laws of kashrut and strictly at a specific time.

The main goal of the law is that kosher is a rational and healthy diet that creates harmony in the development of the human body.

Kosher food

The instructions of Moses, which are reflected in the written five-book law “Torah,” indicate that non-kosher food badly affects the individual’s health, decreases his religious level and worsens his sensitivity, so he is not capable of spiritual perception.

This law states that a person who has tasted the meat of a predator is capable of manifesting aggression and is able to go astray. Therefore, only the fillet of herbivorous animals will be considered clean food. Predator meat is classified as a club product, i.e. prohibited.

Features of Kosher Nutrition and Products

Kosher nutrition involves the use of strictly pure food by a person. According to Jewish regulations, all kinds of plants are edible products. However, not all fish, poultry, or animal meat will be kosher food.

Blood of birds, animals or fish slaughtered in a certain order should be absolutely excluded from the diet, except for fish. A prerequisite for killing animals is the use of a sharp knife cutter: so that the animal does not suffer, the slaughter process must be carried out quickly.

Before starting the process of cooking or frying meat, it goes through the stage of soaking in water, then it is aged in a special brine, and ultimately it is well rinsed.

A cutting process is being carried out and verification of compliance with kosher conditions and criteria by a special qualified specialist - Shokhet, who has a certain permission to slaughter an animal. In addition, the Jewish pig is considered an unclean animal, so pork will never be kosher.

Thus, the teaching of the Torah imposes discipline and restrictions on a person, and instills an antipathy to shedding blood and cruelty.

List of Kosher Products and Dishes

Kosher food is divided into three categories: meat ("basar"), dairy ("freebie") and neutral ("parve"). The basic principle of kosher nutrition is the complete separation of milk from meat. Especially in order for the kosher position to be observed, special cutlery and kitchen appliances and utensils are used. Kashrut requires dipping some dishes in a mikvah before using them for the first time.

The process of preparing such products according to these principles involves the preparation of food in specially designated places.

Products of a neutral category can be eaten simultaneously with one of these categories. This variety includes those fruits and vegetables that have not been in contact with non-kosher foods or are not worms.

The list of clean products is quite large. These are pasta and legumes, fresh, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, lean, peanut and olive oils, certain types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, certain brands of tea and chocolate.

This list can be continued, but in any case, you need to pay attention to the packaging of the goods: it will definitely have a kosher sign. In the event that the sign is absent, consultation with the rabbi is necessary.

How to cook kosher dishes? Suitable are those in the preparation of which certain products were used. Therefore, a dish that has been tested by a rabbi or was prepared in Israeli cuisine or in a Jewish restaurant will not necessarily be considered kosher. Not at all. It is very easy to prepare a kosher dish yourself, given all the signs of kosher for the products that you have in the refrigerator in the kitchen. However, the main and main symptom is, of course, the purity in their preparation.

We will talk about the features of products that are suitable for use in food below.

Kosher meat

Jewish cuisine involves the use of meat from artiodactyl ruminants that feed on grass. Due to the muscular and glandular sections of the stomach, they carefully digest food. These are cows, and sheep, and goats, and moose, as well as gazelles. In addition, this includes animals that do not have a hoof cut: rabbits, camels and damans. In the “Torah” you can find a complete list of kosher animals.

According to the Torah kashrut, kosher meat is chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys. However, there are still exceptions: the meat of predatory warm-blooded egg-laying animals.

Kosher dairy products

Does the concept of "kosher" refer to dairy products? What does it mean? Suitable products are milk obtained from pure animals. Only in this case is the product acceptable for use. Otherwise, it cannot be used as food.

Kosher food has a number of specific customs and traditions. The principle of kosher states that after consuming milk or other dairy products, you need to rinse your mouth and taste solid, neutral food that does not stick to the sky.

A very common practice is to take breaks between meals of different categories of kosher food. To eat meat, you need a break of 30-60 minutes. After eating hard cheese and between consuming "basar" and "freebie" you must wait 6 hours. You can eat milk with fish, but from different dishes.

Kosher fish

She does not need to be killed in a special way. However, there are exceptions too: kosher fish should have an external horn cover and limbs. These are cod, flounder, tuna, pike, trout, salmon, herring, halibut, haddock. You can not eat crustaceans arthropods and soft-bodied. Insects, snakes and worms are also not pure species.

Jews do not eat fish with meat products, but they can be put on the table together.

Kosher Parve

As noted earlier, even unprocessed fruits and vegetables belong to the parve category. The only condition for kosher compliance in this case is the absence of insects in these products. Therefore, fruits, vegetables, which are subject to spoilage of bugs and other insects, are subjected to rigorous inspection and processing.

Poultry eggs also belong to the neutral category. However, mainly poultry products with different ends are allowed for food, namely chicken, goose, turkey, pheasant and quail are also allowed. Jews consider unclean eggs of predators or those that feed on carrion. Products with bloody spots are non-kosher. Therefore, before use, they are checked.

These types of pure products do not even require a special sign and in any combination can be mixed with others. However, if they were mixed with dairy or meat species, they no longer belong to the parve category.

Where can I find such products

Kosher products are marked with a special sign that guarantees compliance with the principles of such nutrition, their usefulness, environmental friendliness and high quality. Due to some difficulties in preparing such food, the price of goods suitable for Jews differs significantly from the prices of food products that can be found in the market or in the supermarket.

Where is kosher food most often considered traditional? Mostly suitable products can be found in Israel, but recently even the population of other countries attaches great importance to proper nutrition, so you can find such products almost everywhere. And to verify its quality will help the presence of the kosher rabbi sign, which controlled the production process of the product.

Beauty and Health Health Nutrition

Kosher food

Today, many non-Jewish people who are not related to the law of Moses have become addicted to the kosher food system. This is caused not by religious considerations, but by the desire to improve the diet, to make it as acceptable as possible for the human body to absorb.

If you try to find out what kosher food is, the essence will be something like this: it is food that is ecologically clean and healthy, rational and thoughtful, meeting the laws of kashrut, or kosher — certain rules and rules of Judaism. Of course, these rules are of little concern to people striving for a healthy diet: for them, the main thing is the products themselves, and there is nothing incomprehensible here - if nothing is complicated. Kosher products are designated with a special kosher sign that guarantees a person who follows the principles of kosher nutrition, their usefulness, environmental friendliness and high quality; these products are more expensive than ordinary ones, including natural ones - the right to put a special sign on them requires mandatory certification, and this always increases the cost of any product.

I must say that Jewish laws, described in detail in the Torah - the Books of Moses, since ancient times presented the most stringent requirements for each side of a person’s life, including food products and how to prepare them. The word "kosher" in Hebrew means "suitable", in this case edible product.

Kosher Products

Let's try to briefly list the main products considered kosher.  on the Torah.

Let's start with the meat - it's lamb, goat, beef; meat of wild herbivores - deer, elk, etc. The prerequisites for kosher meat are bifurcated animals and their ability to chew gum - if only one of these conditions is present, the meat of the animal is considered non-kosher. Other conditions are the slaughter of the animal in a certain way and the proper processing of its meat: this is one of the main reasons for the high cost of kosher food.

Kosher fish should also have two main attributes.: fins and scales. We, unknowingly, may not understand the second condition, but not all fish have scales: eels, catfish, sharks, and also sturgeons, which have long been considered delicate in Russian cuisine, do not have scales - therefore, black caviar is also not kosher. Oysters and other mollusks, like crustaceans, do not belong to fish, but they do not have scales and fins, and therefore are considered not kosher; as you can see, there is no direct connection between kosher and healthy eating - are mollusks and other seafood harmful to health?

The Torah does not say anything about the signs of non-kosher birds, but some of them are listed, mainly carrion and predators. Birds also need to be slaughtered and processed in a special way.

It is forbidden to eat insects, rodents  (including rabbits and hares), reptiles and amphibians. For some locust insects and others, the Torah makes an exception; honey is also allowed - this is due to the fact that it does not apply to products produced by the body of bees that are insects - but where does it come from? You do not need to be a zoologist to know that honey is produced by bees, and it is just a product that is formed in the process of their life, but the fact that honey is considered kosher is good.

Cooking Kosher Products

Further prescriptions regarding cooking, many are still puzzled: do not cook a kid in his mother’s milk. Who can think of cooking goat meat in goat’s milk - at least in our food culture? Everything is simpler here (although it could be directly explained): we mean the incompatibility of milk and meat.

Do not cook meat and dairy products together; you can not eat them in one meal; Jewish believers even use different dishes for their preparation and store it separately - however, any sanitary standards imposed by special services in different countries require the same. Another thing is that some Jews even cook milk and meat on different stoves, but this also has little to do with healthy eating and food compatibility.

Jews are allowed to consume milk only 6 hours after meat - this is what we should learn from them. After milk, you can eat meat in half an hour - not quite right (it's too early), but better than eating everything at the same time, as in Western cuisine. After cheese, you can also eat meat after 6 hours - also a very useful prescription.

Milk is consumed only by kosher animals.: The process of milking and manufacturing of products is monitored by a trusted rabbi.

The Jew must bake bread, separating from it and burning a small piece of dough (challah); in a large bakery, Jews should at least turn on ovens and monitor the baking process.

There should not be blood stains on the eggs - this sometimes happens, but we pay little attention to it - just wash them. Boil eggs in special pots, 3 at a time.

With herbal products easier - at first glance. Insects and worms are forbidden by the Torah for eating, and believers have to not only carefully review flour, cereals, herbs and legumes, but also check all vegetables, fruits and berries - we attach much less importance to this, although there are worm fruits specially, of course nobody will.

Kosher drinks and wines

With drinks, too, not everything is clear: from the point of view of kosher and non-kosher only drinks containing grapes or its derivatives are considered.

With wine, in general, everything is complicated, and therefore it costs much more than any quality wines: French, Spanish, etc. Kosher wine is made only by Jews, and grapes are harvested for it at certain times in vineyards whose age is at least 4 years; such a vineyard should rest every 7 years.

Before starting the production of wine, they make a sacrifice and prayer, while other production processes stop at the factories at this time. Add to this the permanent sterilization of equipment and communications - not only for the purpose of disinfection, but also for the purpose of purification in a religious sense. You cannot work on Saturday - production is stopped; You cannot see the process of making wine outsiders - otherwise everything will have to start all over again.

If a German accidentally touches a product intended for making kosher wine, a Frenchman, in general, is not a Jew, wine from such products will lose its kosher - here the principles of a healthy diet and purity of the final product have nothing to do with it.

Often kosher wines are pasteurized, believing that in this case they will remain so even when anyone opens them - that is, only Jews can open and pour kosher wines. It comes to the point that even grape juice requires boiling - what good is it? I wonder what they did before Louis Pasteur made his famous discoveries?

From what is described here (although these are only the main points), it is clear why these wines are so expensive - winemakers today are increasingly refusing such processes, producing ordinary wine.

The laws of Israel related to food and food, if you look, are relevant only for Jews and for their faith - they have nothing to do with residents of other countries, so it is hardly worth calling these or those products kosher just because they are natural and environmentally friendly .

Regarding alcoholic drinks from grapes, Jews have an opinion that they can be used in religious rites of other nations - indeed, everyone knows that in Christianity there is a “sacrament wine”; wine is used in other religions. In fact, drinks from other fruits and berries could be banned with the same success, but we are talking only about grapes - so here we are talking about religious customs, and not about the principles of nutrition and health.

According to the Torah, all the prohibitions and prescriptions associated with food are not explained in any way - this is a purely religious approach, and healthy nutrition and benefits have nothing to do with it.

However, kosher food is much healthier and safer than usual. The production process is strictly controlled, all technical and hygiene requirements are observed, and meat products are constantly checked - therefore the quality of the products is much higher. In slaughterhouses, special studies of animals are carried out - they must all be healthy before slaughter, and not have any injuries. It is also very important that, when grown, such animals are not given hormones and antibiotics.

Return to the beginning of the section Healthy body
Back to the beginning of the section Beauty and Health

Religion is not only the observance of certain traditions, but also the rules of nutrition. Kosher food is a term taken from Judaism, and it is usually used by Jews, but recently it began to appear in stores in many countries.

What does kosher food mean ^

Kosher food is food prepared according to the laws of kashrut, which, in turn, is included in the list of rules of Halakha.

According to this code, dishes must be prepared in accordance with certain customs, and Jewish organizations control their preparation and put their stamp on the packaging.

What is kosher food?

In general, kosher food products are divided into three groups:

"Basar" - meat products; Parve — neutral; "Freebie" - dairy.

The very concept of “kosher” means that such food is good for health and suitable for consumption, so the products consumed by Jews are now very often found on store shelves.

Kosher food: good or bad

Is kosher food good? Of course, it affects health only positively, because it does not contain dyes, preservatives, stabilizers, GMOs or various preparations, and the packaging in which the products are stored is absolutely sterile.

As for the harm from Jewish kosher food, it was once claimed by experts from the United States who compared such food with regular food. They were able to find out that the bird, cooked in the usual way, contains less harmful bacteria than the one that was made in a kosher manner.

Kosher food: how to cook meals

According to kashrut, milk and meat cannot be mixed in one meal: the time interval between their use should be at least five hours. In addition, certain requirements are imposed on the method of slaughtering animals: only a specially trained person should do this, and before the meat products fall into the hands of the cook, blood is pumped out of it by soaking.

It is strictly forbidden to eat meat from sick animals, and dairy and meat food is prepared not only in different dishes, but also in rooms. That is why Jewish families have two kitchens, but if this is not possible, you can do cooking on two stoves.

What food is considered kosher ^

Kosher food: Jewish dishes, recipes

Kosher Food: Product List

To eat kosher, you need to know what foods are consumed in accordance with kashrut:

Meat: this includes beef, goat meat, as well as moose, giraffes, gazelles and sheep - i.e. animals that have cloven hooves and eat plant foods. Of those who do not have cloven hooves, damans, camels and rabbits are allowed, and pork is allowed from non-herbivores. The most important thing in such products is the lack of blood: according to Jews, those who absorb it inside can become aggressive and cruel. Eggs with blood clots are also prohibited; Bird. Prohibited owl, eagle, pelicans and hawks, because You can eat only homemade food: geese, ducks, chickens. The only exceptions are pigeons; Eggs: they must have a special shape - be sharp at one end and rounded at the other. If both of their ends are blunted - they cannot be eaten, because it is likely that they belong to carrion-eating birds of prey; Fish: the presence of fins and scales is mandatory on it. All seafood (octopus, shrimp, worms, etc.) is completely prohibited, because there is neither one nor the other on them; Milk is allowed only that which was obtained from kosher animals, otherwise it can not be consumed; Vegetables and fruits: there are no restrictions, except when they are worms or come in contact with non-kosher products.

Kosher food: what to eat kosher, halal and tasty

Non-Kosher food: what to eat is not kosher

Kosher Food: Recipes

Forshmak recipe from herring:

Divide the herring on the fillet, soak it in milk for 40 minutes, then take it out and chop it; We clean and remove seeds from the apple, rub it on a grater; Cook eggs, three on a grater; Finely chop the onion, grind the boiled potatoes in their uniforms; We mix everything, chop with a knife to a creamy consistency; Add melted butter to the mass, pepper; Serve chilled.

Shakshuki recipe:

Dice a couple of sweet peppers, peel the tomatoes; Fry chopped onions in olive oil in a pan, then add pepper and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; We squeeze the garlic in a garlic press, mix with cumin, turmeric and hot pepper cut into small pieces, put everything in a pan for one minute; Add tomatoes there, fry 3 minutes; We make a small notch with a spoon in vegetables, drive eggs into it; Salt and pepper, cook until the protein is boiled; Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Charlotte Recipe:

We clean apples and seeds from peels, cut into cubes; Beat raw proteins with a mixer, while sprinkling sugar in small portions; Add the yolks, melted margarine and vanillin, add flour, salt and baking powder; Lubricate the mold with oil, fill in a layer of dough, put apples on top and add the remaining mixture; We spread apple slices on the surface, grease with oil and sprinkle with cinnamon; Bake for half an hour in the oven at 200 degrees. Is kosher cuisine good for you?

According to doctors, kosher-prepared dishes are of great importance only from a religious point of view, but in medicine in general, such products are not so categorically, claiming that the cooking method and the ingredients themselves can affect health.

Jews used to face many culinary difficulties when traveling and flying, but now kosher food on planes is not uncommon, and some airlines provide it, so it is possible to observe religious traditions and rules even when being far from home and not having the ability to cook food on their own.

Every true Jew should know and obey the laws of kashrut unquestioningly. These rules apply to many areas of business, but they are primarily concerned with food. Food that is considered kosher is primarily beneficial to the body. It must be natural and meet strict criteria. The factories and restaurants that offer kosher products in Russia must have the appropriate certificate.

What is kashrut

Kashrut is translated from Hebrew as “suitable.” This is a set of regulations that are allowed and forbidden, concerning not only food, but also other aspects. The laws of kashrut are aimed at instilling self-discipline and the ability of self-restraint, as well as the spiritual cohesion of believers of Jewish origin. They are governed by the Jewish holy book of the Torah, which prohibits cruelty, violence, bloodshed. Compliance with the rules is closely monitored by the rabbinate.

With the laws of kashrut, food intake rises from the animal to a conscious level. What is a kosher product? This is primarily healthy, healthy, organic food. According to the scriptures, it positively affects both the physical and spiritual health of a person. There are special lists of permitted food products and their manufacturers. If you want to purchase kosher food or drinks, pay attention to the special sign or check with the seller for the appropriate certificate.

The rabbinate divides all kosher products into three main groups, their list is as follows:

basar - meat products; freebie - dairy products; parve - neutral food (fish, vegetables, etc.).

Animal products - meat, milk, eggs

What does a kosher animal product mean? Such is considered the meat of animals that are ruminant, cloven-hoofed, herbivorous at the same time. For example, sheep, cows, goats, moose, etc. It is strictly forbidden to eat camel, hare, daman and pig meat. Among birds, predators are considered non-kosher. This is an owl, a pelican, an eagle, an ostrich, a heron. Cooking is possible only from poultry - chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, quails, pigeons.

In order for the product to be usable, the animal must be killed according to the special laws of kashrut. Since the Torah is not allowed to eat blood, there are guidelines on how to process meat. In addition, the carcass is mandatory checked for the absence of any disease.

In addition to meat, there are other products of animal origin. For example, eggs. They belong to the category of parve. Suitable eggs should only be laid by kosher birds. One end of their shell should be rounded, and the other should be sharper. If suddenly there is a blood clot inside the egg, you can not eat it.

Kosher milk can be eaten. However, there is one limitation. Kashrut laws prohibit the sharing of meat and dairy products. The break between dishes should be at least 30 minutes - it depends on the community. Milk can be combined with products of other categories - vegetables, fruits, fish, etc.

Fish and seafood

What is a kosher fish product? According to kashrut, non-predatory fish is considered permitted, which has fins and easily removable scales. According to these signs, eel, sturgeon, shark, catfish are not kosher. Salmon red caviar can be eaten, and black sturgeon can not. Various seafood - octopuses, crabs, oysters, lobsters, shrimps - do not have scales and fins, therefore they are forbidden as food.

Although fish belongs to the neutral category of products, you should not mix it with meat during cooking or during one meal. You can eat dairy with fish at one meal, but always from different dishes.

Insects

The Torah forbids eating insects, amphibians, reptiles. Only certain locust species are allowed to cook. You should be careful with fruits and vegetables, because they may contain worms or their larvae. Flour and cereals must be sorted and re-sifted so that insects that can get in a bag and ruin kosher products do not get into the food. The list of unauthorized food does not contain honey produced by an insect (bee). It can be eaten, because, according to the Jews, it is a recycled flower juice. Accordingly, it is a plant product. In addition, honey is extremely useful, which does not completely reread the laws of kashrut.

Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables, fruits and herbs are classified as parve. What does a kosher plant product mean? Undoubtedly, it must be grown in Israel. If the product comes from another country, but is in its natural form, it can also be eaten. Unprocessed fruits and vegetables do not need a certificate. They can be mixed with meat and milk.

Vegetable products should not be wormy or come in contact with non-kosher food. In such cases, they become unfit for food.

Beverages

Among drinks about kosher, those made from grapes are considered. The process of producing the right product is extremely complex. It must necessarily comply with certain laws of kashrut. What does a kosher product mean when it comes to wine? The basic rule is that only a Jew should make it. If a person of a different nationality and religion touches the drink, he will lose kosher.

Grapes for the right wine should be harvested only in a certain period and in a special place. The vineyard must be more than four years old, and it needs to rest once every seven years. Before starting the production of wine, a mandatory rite should be performed. All equipment is constantly sterilized at the factory. Outsiders should not get here. Production is closed on Saturday.

Due to the difficulties encountered in observing all the laws of kashrut, many winemakers prefer to make a regular drink. For the same reason, a real kosher product (what is - read above) is very expensive, its price is much higher than good Italian or French wines.

Bread

Bread is classified as parve. According to the laws of kashrut, a kosher flour product (what is permitted food, is written above in the article) is one that is baked by an Orthodox Jew. The person who follows the process should separate a small piece of dough from each loaf and burn it. If we are talking about large-scale production, then Jews should at least control the baking of bread and turn on ovens. Do not forget that all the ingredients used in the preparation of the dough should be kosher.

Many at least once in their life heard the definition of "kosher." Most associate it exclusively with Jewish cuisine.

In fact, the meaning of the word "kosher" is much wider. What does this concept mean in Israel and how does it relate to food and drink?

Kosher means natural

The word "kosher" comes from the concept of "kashrut" - laws and regulations regarding the life of Jews. The body of these provisions is described in the Torah, the main Jewish collection of religious texts. Of the more than 600 commandments, more than 50 relate to food and determine what a kosher food product is.

The requirements are presented mainly for growing crops, slaughtering livestock and preliminary processing of raw materials, the composition of the products. The content of any impurities and unnatural additives is almost always eliminated. In other words, kosher - means, corresponding to the accepted canons, natural.  Therefore, you should not be afraid of kosher food at all.

The concept of kosher in the world has become synonymous with naturalness and health benefits. So, kosher cosmetics can never contain parabens and other artificial ingredients.

Animals, plants, and even insects can be kosher.

Meat and fish

So what is kosher food for Jews? The Torah allows mammals to eat at the same time corresponding to two characteristics - ruminants and artiodactyls (goats, sheep, cows, deer, roe deer). This means that horsemeat, hare, camelina are immediately banned.

As for the birds, the book contains a list of 24 non-kosher species. Basically, these are the winged ones that we are unlikely to eat every day: crows, owls, cuckoos. Jews traditionally cook chicken, duck, goose and turkey.

The answer to the question of what a kosher food product means has another important condition. Meat should not contain blood. Therefore, the slaughter is carried out by a specially trained rabbi (shoikhet). Among other things, he must know how not to hurt the animal - this is one of the strictest regulations.

Fish should also have two differences: scales and fins. Jews consider catfish, sturgeon, eel and seafood (crayfish, shrimp) unsuitable for consumption.  Caviar is recognized as kosher if it is obtained from approved fish.

The list of illegal foods among Jews includes tigers and other predatory animals, as well as reptiles, worms and insects, with the exception of some locust species. Interestingly, honey also falls into the list of kosher products, although bees are not considered kosher.

Vegetables, fruits and other plants

Plant foods should not be poisonous (tops of potatoes, tomatoes, raw seeds of plums, peaches, seeds of apple trees) and contain insects. Compliance with the latter requirement is achieved by a special inspection of vegetables.

Basically, all vegetables, fruits and grains of Jews are recognized as kosher. There are several requirements for cultivating and cultivating the soil, planting plants, but they do not have fundamental significance for tourists.

Dairy and flour products

Since cereals and flour made from them are recognized as kosher, the main requirement relates to the composition of finished food products. Jews consider the use of animal fats, flavors and aromatic additives unacceptable.

An additional standard is set for baking "Jewish bread" (pat-Israel), which involves the use of certain cereals and the mandatory participation of a Jew, for example, in lighting a fire. But this prescription often affects the household.

With dairy products, too, everything is quite simple. All that kosher animals give is considered permissible. Therefore, Jews have no categorical prohibitions on milk and eggs. The main thing is that there are no non-kosher additives in the composition - they can be, for example, some thickeners or flavorings. It is strictly forbidden to mix meat and dairy products.

Beverages

  - on the list of the most stringent restrictions. Non-kosher include all wines produced outside of Israel. Only Jews should participate in the manufacturing process. Special requirements relate to the cultivation and harvest of grapes. For example, a fourth crop cannot be taken for production. In addition, many pasteurize - in this case, even if the bottle is not opened by a Jew, it will not lose its kosher.

Also in the list of prohibited drinks is alcohol that was aged in wine barrels, for example, cognac or whiskey, or contains non-kosher additives. Most beers, rum, vodka, tequila, gin do not cause any complaints.

Any coffee, tea, and most juices, if they do not have dairy or wine components, are kosher drinks.

Kosher products can be identified by sign

In order not to make a mistake in choosing and not to memorize the list of permissible, when buying, you need to look for kosher signs on products - "ehsher". They are entitled to be appropriated only by Jewish organizations that control the quality of goods. In the world there are at least 100 variations of such signs.

Most often, the word “kosher” (kosher) is found on food labels. In European and American versions - the letters "K", "U" or a combination of "KS".

As for catering, there are practically no non-kosher restaurants in Israel. Hamburgers at McDonald's are certified.

Kosher and Halal - Different Products

There is an opinion that kosher and halal mean the same thing. In a broad sense, this is true. Both terms are related to food and are regulated by the basic religious law - the Jewish Torah and the Muslim Quran. But if you look deeper, there are differences. What is the difference between kosher food and halal food?

In both Judaism and Islam, slaughtering an animal is a whole ritual carried out by a specific person. The prohibitions on food are also similar, for example, in relation to animal blood.

Also in Muslim countries do not eat pork (you can cook meat of any herbivore with a "cloven hoof"). The meat of carnivores living on the earth, as well as birds of prey, is forbidden, while fish and seafood can be present on the table without restrictions. Finally, Muslims do not drink alcohol.

Like kosher, halal cosmetics can only contain natural oils, minerals and extracts. It is strictly forbidden to use in the production of animal fats, unhealthy additives, alcohol, glycerin.

Orthodoxy does not exclude kosher products

Many people wonder if the Orthodox can eat kosher food. If we turn to the canons of the Christian religion, there are no food prohibitions in Orthodoxy. Restrictions are set for special periods of humility and spiritual renewal. Christmas, Great, Petrov, Assumption fasts, as well as all Wednesdays and Fridays - a time of complete abstinence from meat and dairy products. So, nothing prohibits the Orthodox tourist to try kosher products in Israel.

We all once heard the word kosher. It means "fit or fit." Often used for food by believing Jews. Shops with the same name must be certified by a rabbi. It guarantees the sale of exclusively kosher products. There is a special set of rules that determines what is possible for a Jew to eat and what is not. It is called kashrut. These rules are very difficult for an ordinary person to understand, but for Judaism this is the norm. For example, you can’t eat dairy with meat at the same time or pork meat. We will not delve deeply into the essence of the rules, we will only say that the modern concept of “kosher” is not at all what we described above. Now its significance has acquired a new shade: "normal, fit."

Food

Kosher food is now becoming increasingly popular. This desire is not at all connected with religion, but is a simple desire to heal the body, facilitate its work and free it from heavy food.

Kosher is a diet that includes environmentally friendly, healthy foods that are included and allowed by kashrut. They are marked with a special sign, which gives a guarantee of usefulness, environmental friendliness and the highest quality. Kosher food is much more expensive. What is concrete - we will tell a little further.

Products

As for meat, it includes lamb, beef, goat, wild herbivores. Kosher animals are those who have cloven hooves and have the ability to chew. There are a number of rules for slaughtering and processing meat.

With fish, everything is easier. If it has fins and scales, it can be safely attributed to the category of “kosher products”.

“What does it mean that every fish has scales,” you will be surprised. We will explain. Scales are not present in all fish species. For example, eel, catfish, shark, sturgeon, it is absent. Accordingly, black caviar is also not suitable for consumption, and kosher - as we already know, it means "suitable". These are not seafood - due to the lack of fins.

As for the birds, the Torah says nothing about them, it speaks only of predators and scavengers. They can not be consumed. Cutting and slaughter here must also take place in a special way.

Insects and rodents are forbidden. Forbidden species also include meat of hares, rabbits, amphibians and reptiles. Thor makes an exception for honey, although it is produced by insects.

Kosher food: what is it and how to cook it

The preparation of such food is confusing for many. For example, you cannot cook meat and dairy products together, and also eat. If you want to cook a bird in a white sauce - it will be simply unforgivable. Deeply religious people prepare these products using different dishes. Some even use different stoves, but this is already a cost of beliefs. Dairy products can only be eaten or drunk six hours after meat, and rightly so. For the body, such a mixture is not very useful. After cheese, eating meat is also better after six hours.

The use of milk for Jews is allowed only from kosher animals. According to the rules, the milking is watched by a rabbi or his confidant.

So, kosher. What does this mean for products? In relation to bread, this word means baking by the believers themselves. In the baking process, you need to tear off a piece and burn. It is called challah. If the bread is not baked at home, even there the ovens should include only Jews and monitor them.

With regards to eggs, they should not have specks, especially blood. In everyday life, we do not pay much attention to this, but for believers it is very important. Also, you can not cook them all together. Only three pre-washed pieces are allowed to cook in one dish.

If you think that it is easier with plant foods, you are mistaken. Let's understand the concept of kosher products, what it is and how to use them. Since insects and various worms are forbidden to eat, Jews have to carefully examine and sift groats, flour, legumes, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and berries. Of course, we also check the food for the presence of the above, but we are not so scrupulous about this process.

Is kosher goods good?

These products include wine and all drinks that contain grapes, as well as its derivatives. Such wines are much more expensive than even the highest quality, foreign. They are made and manufactured exclusively by Jews. Grapes need to be picked at a certain time from those bushes that have reached the age of four.

Before each production, a ritual sacrifice is made and a prayer is read. At the wine factories at this time, all other processes are necessarily stopped. You still do not understand the essence of the term "kosher products", what is it? Then we will go deeper and say that it is a permanent sterilization of everything from equipment to communications. This is done not only to disinfect, but also to clean everything. Something like cleansing before a new one.

Bans

In no case should you allow an outsider to see how the wine is made. It is believed that this is a sacred ritual during which outsiders are strictly forbidden.

Working on Saturday is a terrible sin. All production stops for one day.

If someone other than Jewish blood touches the food, they will lose their kosher and become unsuitable for cooking.

Kosher wines began to pasteurize. All this is done to prevent the loss of “fitness”. Therefore, such and any other wines should be uncorked and bottled only by Jews.

Of course, you need to understand that this is just a religious approach to manufacturing products, and it has nothing to do with healthy eating. Today, winemakers often avoid such rituals, as it takes a lot of time, and produce ordinary wine drinks.

Conclusion

Summarize. We covered only the main points in the article about kosher products. These traditions are significant only for believing Jews and do not apply to ordinary people. Do not confuse ordinary ecological and healthy products with kosher ones.
Alcoholic grape drinks are widely used in other cultures, by different nations. For example, Christians use it as the sacrament wine, as the blood of the Lord.

But still, kosher products are much more useful, tastier and cleaner than ordinary ones. All production is well controlled and products are manufactured to all the highest quality standards. Hygiene can not even be thought of, as it is constantly checked, especially regarding meat. All living creatures undergo total control and are constantly tested for diseases and so on. Even an injured animal cannot be eaten, not to mention a patient. When leaving and feeding do not use hormones or antibiotics.