ISSUE

THE KOSHER UNDERSTANDING

HECHSHERIM the RELIABILITY of KOSHER AGENCIES By Rabbi Sholem Fishbane CHICAGO RABBINICAL COUNCIL KASHRUTH ADMINISTRATOR

t has become a daunting task for To understand why it is important to with the intricacies of the production, a kashrus professional to help differentiate among agencies, one must including how the machinery works. guide a consumer through the look at the world of kashrus in the 21st The mashgichim also attend seminars on complex world of close to 1,400 century and understand what goes into food technology—for example, spray kashrus agencies. monitoring it. After examining the meth- drying, cheese making or engineering— Recommending certain agen- ods and systems of the recommended to enhance their knowledge of the ever- cies is an intensely contem- agencies, it becomes easy to understand changing food industry. Iplated and difficult decision, and many why an agency that does not follow these Nothing can be taken for granted in companies and individuals genuinely guidelines automatically falls into one of the food industry, and these reputable do not understand why certain agencies the two other categories. agencies understand that. Since manu- do not make it onto the recommended facturers are not always obligated to list list. Before attempting to help the reader RECOMMENDED every additive on their labels, it is crucial navigate the ins and outs of kosher cer- KOSHER AGENCIES for a rabbi to be not only knowledge- tification, be assured that these decisions The fundamental first question is able but diligent. For example, a food are not haphazard and certainly not po- whether the agency follows the accepted as seemingly simple as dried fruit or a litically motivated, as that would be con- guidelines in the and natural spice might contain an animal- tradictory to the very essence of what a whether it has qualified, trainedmash - derived additive to prevent clumping. kashrus professional represents. gichim who visit its plants on a regular Canned vegetables may also present In order to clarify this sensitive subject, basis. a problem. They may not contain any kosher agencies have been categorized A recommended kosher agency must questionable ingredients, but they might into three groups. The first two groups keep up to date on manufacturing tech- be processed on a machine called a are easily explained: recommended and niques, which are constantly changing. retort, which is quite expensive. Compa- not recommended. The third group is Its workers must be in constant con- nies look to rent out their retorts in order comprised of “detail” agencies, whose tact with industry professionals, from to cover their investments, and it is pos- products are acceptable based on certain food scientists to engineers, and must sible that a non-kosher product was run conditions, and should be investigated be ready to travel to the most remote on a retort prior to the kosher run. on a case-by-case basis to determine if places in the world. Once they arrive at The halachah states that flavor can each final product is acceptable. a facility, they must become acquainted be absorbed, even in a cold or ambient

19 CHESHVAN 5775 // NOVEMBER 12, 2014 // AMI MAGAZINE 83 ISSUE THE KOSHER

state, simply by holding the liquid for software because it is not only a major permissible for kosher use. In addition, 24 hours. For example, if your dairy expense, but could take years to de- a non-recommended agency often offers cappuccino was sitting in a mug for over velop. Even the most knowledgeable no more than “telephone supervision.” HECHSHERIM a day, the soy cappuccino you make in rabbi in the world would find it impos- This is never sufficient, even if the com- the mug the following day, which also sible to run a kashrus agency without pany claims that there is only one in- sits for 24 hours, becomes dairy. This an adequate support staff and the right nocuous ingredient in the plant. means that even if a product has been software. But perhaps the primary reason for determined kosher, the supervision Many of the recommended agencies the blanket dismissal of these agencies is does not end there. If a tanker delivering are members of the AKO (Association that they simply do not visit their plants was previously used for of Kashrus Agencies), whose goal is to on a regular basis. Today food produc- non-kosher foods, the product might strengthen kashrus around the world. tion facilities can work so quickly that have become non-kosher since the Among the AKO’s many committees, an ingredient can be in and out of the truck almost always carries its load for chaired by kashrus experts, there is one plant in days. Because of this, it really more than 24 hours. Thus, the mashgi- whose task is to review the latest ingre- does not matter how kind or well-re- ach must keep track of truck routes and dients and to share the results with the spected a particular rabbi or agency is. If truck wash stations, and he must de- other AKO members. there is insufficient coverage, the certifi- velop a strong rapport with the trucking Equally important is the need for a cation is in serious doubt. company to ensure its total cooperation. strong review department. A recom- Furthermore, ever since the federal mended agency will train select rabbis in “DETAIL” KOSHER government reduced the amount of pes- certain fields and send them around the AGENCIES ticides allowed on fresh produce, there world to review those accounts in which Agencies in this third category may has been a rise in infestation. The they specialize. At times, one agency follow many of the standards of the ac- must now contend with this will “borrow” another agency’s expert to ceptable agencies but might be lax in problem by studying the habits of vari- receive updates in a critical area. This is several areas. Even one missing detail ous and knowing how to check similar to a university’s visiting professor can mean that the agency’s symbol will produce for these often-camouflaged program, or a community’s invitation to not be universally accepted. It is even pests. The rabbi needs to be a jack-of- a scholar-in-residence. possible for an ultra-Orthodox agency all-trades in order to do his job well. to fall into this category if its rabbinic It is important to point out that agen- NON-RECOMMENDED kashrus supervisor does not have the cies in the recommended group have KOSHER AGENCIES required technological expertise. While vast support staffs that handle the count- Of the remaining agencies, nearly half the agency may be more stringent than less formulas and ingredients involved are not recommended, partly because many others in areas such as yashan and in kosher certification. Currently, it is they do not follow the accepted guide- pas Yisrael, the supervisor may not be fa- mandatory for kosher agencies to have lines in the Shulchan Aruch. Two of the miliar enough with the machinery. customized software, which includes a most common leniencies that are relied An example of this occurred recently database of hundreds of thousands of on are carmine and gelatin, which come at the cRc. The mashgiach visited a plant ingredients and formulas. There is often from non-kosher animals but are pro- where a health drink is produced for and a full-time worker who maintains this cessed in a way that some feel would be sold to kosher grocery stores throughout

84 AMI MAGAZINE // NOVEMBER 12, 2014 // 19 CHESHVAN 5775 The Zimmerman Trial: Does halacha require one to escape the scene, rather than to kill a ? pursuer in self-defense?

Can scientists ever create a the United States. The supervising agent, who was not from the cRc, assumed that the health drink was produced on a machine Kosher that had been cleaned and kashered properly from non-kosher beef broth. Records showed that the temperature of the water Cheeseburger? had reached an acceptable level for kashering. However, the cRc ? mashgiach pointed out that only certain parts of the machine were reaching the temperature necessary for kashering while the The Gilad Shalit Deal: rest of the equipment was still not kashered properly. It was still non-kosher and had been that way for years! Does halachah endorse swapping Once the matter was brought to its attention, the supervising agency quickly remedied the situation, but the damage had been 1,000 deadly terrorists done. Because he was unfamiliar with the internal workings of for a single Israeli soldier? the machinery, the supervisor had inadvertently been putting his agency’s kosher symbol on a drink that was not kosher. ? Many times, an agency may also fit into the “detail” category if it is solely owned and operated. As previously explained, if the agency has many accounts, it is not possible for one person to Embark on a cover them all adequately, no matter how well-meaning he is. There are also times that a well-intentioned agency might allow fascinating journey its companies to use ingredients from non-recommended agen- cies. There are many different types of ingredients, and therefore many different types of hashgachos. If products contain ingredi- through halachah. ents certified by non-recommended agencies, they too become non-recommended. Another scenario in which a recommended agency can become a “detail” agency is if it certifies many companies in countries that should never be granted certification withouthashgachah temidis. A good example would be China, where each qualified Headlines mashgiach who spends time there has more horror stories than Halachic Debates the next. Only a solid agency that has a vast network of mashgi- of Current Events chim who know the local language, as well as the financial back- This innovative work bone to walk away from potential business, should be granting tackles some of the occasional hashgachos in China. most controversial In summary, a recommended kashrus agency today must have halachic issues representatives who are familiar with many fields of knowledge in arising in the addition to halachah. Among them are engineering, entomology, modern world. metallurgy, boiler treatment, food chemistry and world market NEW trends. Above all, of course, they must have yiras Shamayim. Rav Matisyahu Salomon, shlita, stated during an address at the distributed by AKO annual convention, “The first step in deciding if someone is qualified to work inhashgachah is to have him hold up his hand. If it is not shaking from yiras Shamayim, unless he is a shochet, he “Dazzling... The questions you discuss are extremely enlightening and is not fit for the job.” stimulating... These are questions that engage thinking people, but It is important for the average consumer to have some under- rarely do the disputants delve into halachic sources… [This work shows] standing of the amount of time and effort that rabbinic kashrus that the speaks authoritatively to every age and every question.” supervisors, plant managers and manufacturers dedicate to their — Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Artscroll Publishing jobs in order to maintain strict adherence to the laws of kashrus. An informed consumer is one who comes to trust and rely on all AvAilAble Now AT Jewish booksellers! of the professionals involved. • 10% off when purchased online www.headlinesbook.com / use code: AMI10