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STAR-K KOSHER CERTIFICATION rtnhyktcs ,urafv sgu Kashrus KurrentsVOLUME 26 NO. 3 Winter 5766-2006 Mehadrin Hechsherim in Israel: THE INSIDE SCOOP RABBI DOVID STEIN, STAR-K ISRAEL REPRESENTATIVE Of the many supervisions that are found in Eretz Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael's Mehadrin supervision is amongst the least understood. What exactly are the differences between Mehadrin and non-Mehadrin hechsherim? Is it true that the Rabbonim who supervise the non- Mehadrin products in Eretz Yisrael do not even eat from their own hashgacha? How does the Mehadrin slaughtering process for kosher meat vary from the non-Mehadrin process? What differences are there between Mehadrin and non-Mehadrin milk and dairy products? Let's begin at the beginning… Terumos Ma'asros In Eretz Yisrael there are two types of hechsherim-Mehadrin and non-Mehadrin. The non-Mehadrin supervision is usually performed by the local Rabbanut, the official local RABBI MOSHE HEINEMANN and regional government offices of the Israeli Rabbinate. The Rabbonim who give this type STAR-K RABBINIC& ADMINISTRATOR of hechsher often do not eat from this certification, themselves. They certify these products because they feel it is important that there should be a complete, inexpensive variety of As a result of the State of Israel's blossoming kosher products available, so the consumer will not be tempted to buy non-kosher agricultural advances and innovative marketing products. Therefore, the Rabbanut is willing to bend over backwards with kulos, lenient strategies, Israeli food exports to foreign markets in all halachic positions, to make sure that all food products have a hechsher. sectors continue to grow and flourish. Some consumer Many people, however, prefer to eat only food that can be eaten without compromise, products are very well known to the American lechatchila, hence, the Mehadrin hechsherim were developed. Interestingly, the only time marketplace, such as Jaffa oranges, grapefruits, the word mehadrin is mentioned in the Gemora is in connection with Chanukah candles. pomelos, clementines and parsley, Carmel tomatoes, It also refers to how much additional money one spends to enhance a mitzvah. That Arava peppers, and candies, jams, jellies, canned addition is known as hidur mitzvah. But lately, the term mehadrin has been used in the tomatoes, olives, and pickled products. Other Orthodox vernacular to mean 'scrupulous'. The Mehadrin hechsherim ensure the kosher industrial products used for manufacturing are tomato sauce, tomato paste, orange oil, and spices. New C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 2 marketing avenues include private label manufacturing, the purchase of American companies by Israeli companies, and the use of Israeli components in the manufacturing of American A Pesach Must labeled products. FOR EVERY Besides all the ingredients and processing Jewish Home! concerns which surround the kosher consumer, additional kashrus requirements apply to foods grown, produced, or imported from Israel. A consumer must STAR-K 2006 be sure that terumos and ma'asros have been properly separated before eating, and that the fruits do not PESACH GUIDE come from trees that are orla or neta revai or shmitta. C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 4 COMPREHENSIVE PESACH INFORMATION INCLUDING: I List of Pesach Medicines & Cosmetics, this issue prepared by Rabbi Gershon Bess Inside Mehadrin Hechsherim in Israel ......................Page 1 I Star-K Pesach Product Directory I Star-K informative articles relating Terumos and Ma’asros ......................................Page 1 to the Pesach Kitchen, Medicine, “Kosher for the Clueless but Curious” ........Page 3 Winemaking, Pets New Under Star-K Certification ......................Page 6 I Oven Kashrus, and Erev Pesach Kashrus Training Program ................................Page 6 “Shul Kitchen Guidelines”..................................Page 7 AVAILABLE AFTER PURIM AT YOUR LOCAL JEWISH BOOKSTORE Star-K Participates in Kosher World Expo....Page 7 A Project of Star-K Kosher Certification and Kollel Bais Avrohom Los Angeles Sabbath Mode Notice ..........................................Page 7 New Star-K “Traiboring” CD ..............................Page 7 Star-K’s Shidduch Program ..............................Page 8 Leadership in Kashrus Education 1 entire chaliva, and often not even from the beginning of the milking. Tnuva Mehadrin Hechsherim Yerushalayim, which carries THE INSIDE SCOOP the hechsher of Aida in Israel: Hachareidis, takes milk only RABBI DOVID STEIN from shomer Shabbos farms. CONTINUED FROM PAGE Due to an increase of consumer that their products are supervised in the shechita will disqualify the bird. Non- non-Jewish workers on many farms, kibbutzim, an uncompromising manner. According to Mehadrin supervision allows a quicker shechita, and moshavim, a question was recently posed to Israeli law, the only body that is permitted to and any shailos are decided according to the the Poskim whether the milking of an aino write the word “kosher” on a product or eating Shulchan Aruch's lenient position. There are two Yehudi on a non-shomer Shabbos Jewish farm establishment is the Rabbanut or an complete teams of Mehadrin shochtim that work constitutes cholov akum (non-supervised organization that the Rabbanut sanctions. The interchangeably. One team works for thirty milk). If it does constitute cholov akum, who, word “Mehadrin” is not bound by Israeli law. minutes and then rests for thirty minutes. on the farm is going to vouch for the fact that Furthermore, any Rabbanut hechsher is Usually not more than 25-35 birds are shechted the aino Yehudi did not milk the cows? The mandated to take ingredients from all Rabbanut per minute. The non-Mehadrin shochtim members of the farm are not Sabbath supervisions for any city or municipality usually work for forty minutes and then rest observant. The questioners reasoned that a whether the particular Rabbanut is well versed for twenty minutes. There is one substitute for mechalel Shabbos may be a Jew, but he in kosher supervision or not. A Mehadrin every two shochtim. A non-Mehadrin team certainly does not have halachic credibility to hechsher is not bound to this mandate. shechts approximately 100 birds per minute. vouch for the fact that the non-Jewish workers After the chicken is slaughtered and are not doing the milking. If their milking THE SCOOP FROM THE COOP defeathered, an internal check is made. There renders the milk cholov akum, we would not be In practice, there are many differences in are Mehadrin mashgichim on the line who able to drink any milk from a mechalel Shabbos the Mehadrin shechita process, in order to check every lung for disease, 1 as well as the farm. To avoid this problem, Mehadrin ensure that the proper standards are tendons for torn ligaments, tzomes hechsherim (as in the case of Tnuva, the largest maintained. These differences are evident even hagidin. Sometimes intestines dairy company in Israel) send a mashgiach prior to slaughtering, when the chicks are being and gizzards are also checked. to the farms once a week to make sure raised. When they are approximately ten days On the non-Mehadrin line there that an aino Yehudi is not doing the old, they are inoculated. Special care is taken is a mashgiach who does not chaliva. As mentioned earlier, Tnuva's not to puncture any vital organs, which would have time to check everything. branch in Yerushalayim takes milk only render the bird non-kosher. It is common It is assumed that the birds are from shomer Shabbos farms. practice for Mehadrin hechsherim to send a not treif. The kidneys are Regarding dairy products, in general, mashgiach to the farm to ensure that the usually taken out of a Mehadrin there are many differences between inoculations are done properly. There is no bird, as mandated by the Pri Mehadrin and non-Mehadrin. According mashgiach supervising the inoculations of non- Megadim. The mashgichim to the Rabbanut Harashit, the Chief Mehadrin schechted fowl, since it is assumed that ensure that the birds are Rabbinate of Israel, no liquid cholov akum the inoculations will not render the birds treif. completely clean from blood may be used even in a non-Mehadrin There are differences between the quality of inside and out, and that there hechsher, but powdered cholov akum may Mehadrin and non-Mehadrin shochtim, as well. are no blood clots (tzirirus be used in non-Mehadrin products, based Care is taken that the Mehadrin shochtim have dam). Non-Mehadrin birds' on a psak from Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank. impeccable credentials and skills. To qualify for kidneys are not removed, and There are other powdered milk by- a non-Mehadrin shechita, the shochet only needs often their lungs are not taken out. products made from cholov akum, which are to be certified to be acceptable. Additionally, The level of cleanliness from blood is also used in non-Mehadrin hechsherim. Mehadrin knives are checked very carefully. considerably less than in the Mehadrin shechitos. Mehadrin products never use non-supervised Even a minute structural change will cause a Kashering - During kosherization, when powdered milk. Mehadrin knife to be rejected. The Mehadrin the chickens are soaked and salted, care is taken Furthermore, the cultures used to coagulate shochet exchanges his chalaf, slaughtering knife, that Mehadrin birds are soaked for a complete the milk in cheese and yogurt are often from frequently. Typically, the knife is not used for a half hour. The water is relatively clean and not cholov akum in non-Mehadrin hechsherim and very long period and is usually checked every too cold. Soaking in cold water is questionable. from cholov Yisrael in Mehadrin ones. There can fifteen minutes. This ensures that the knives are Non-Mehadrin birds are usually soaked for 30 be a dramatic difference in Mehadrin and non- kept in top form and minimizes questions to minutes, but it cannot always be guaranteed. Mehadrin ingredients in manufactured disqualify chickens.