PARASHAT BECHUKOSAI – 5776 – KASHRUT POLICY DRASHA

Please note: A Drasha is generally not a Halachic discourse. Certain things are said more for effect than specificity. In preparing this Drasha for print, I took the liberty to add footnotes to clarify and flesh out certain issues which were raised by members to me subsequent to the Drasha.

In addition, the purpose of posting this Drasha is to share my Kashrut Policy. Consequently, the text version has been edited to contain those elements of the Darsha that speak directly to the policy. Rabbi Friedman.

(I began by bringing out a ladder and asking for ten male volunteers (“guys without heart conditions”) to stand at the foot of the ladder. I then climbed the ladder, and without warning, fell backwards into their arms)

Keep that visual in your mind… Last week, we read a verse at the end of the Tochacha, the Divine Admonition, And I will remember My covenant) וְ זָכַרְ תִּ י אֶ ת בְּרִ יתִ י יַﬠֲקוֹב - וְאַ ף אֶ ת בְּרִ יתִ י יִ צְ חָ ק - וְ אַ ף אֶ ת בְּ רִ י תִ י אַ בְ רָ הָ ם אֶ זְ כֹּ ר :which reads with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham I will remember…)

While Rashi provides an answer to why the name of Jacob is spelled with an extra letter “Vav,” today I want to .the Lubliner Rav ,ז"ל ,share with you the answer of Rav Meir Shapiro

We are taught that each of the Avot (forefathers) had unique dominant Midot (attributes). Avraham’s Midah was Chesed (lovingkindness). Yitzchak’s Midah was Avodah (service/prayer). Yaakov’s Midah was Torah.

Once upon a time, Jews - despite the bitter travails of Galut (exile), of expulsions, of massacres, of pogroms – managed to remain committed to all three: they were Baalei Chesed, givers, expressing the Midah of Avraham; they remained regular shul-goers, the Midah of Yitzchak; and were Yoshvei Batei Midrash, careful to establish and maintain consistent times for Torah study, the Midah of Yaakov. In every town in Europe there were Chevrei Mishnayot - groups of people who gathered daily to study the Mishna – and in every city throughout the Middle East, men gathered to study at the feet of the local Chacham.

( ְ ו ָז ַ כ רְ תִּ י) Rav Shapiro explained our verse to mean that when the Jews would be in Galut, Hashem would remember that they continued to perpetuate the Midah of Yaakov – they clung to Torah study; they learned it and spread its teachings throughout the nation.

it would have been in – ְ ו ָז ַ כ רְ תִּ י אֶ ת בְּרִ יתִ י יַﬠֲקוֹב– And if, in such a time, Hashem would have decided to redeem us the merit of Yaakov, and the merit of Torah.

But alas, we were not redeemed; we did not prove worthy. And with each passing year, Torah study became less and less relevant to the lives of Klal Yisrael. Between the brutality of persecution and the overwhelming burden of simply making a living, Torah education ended for most Jews once past early childhood. Sure there was Cheder, but by the time kids reached Bar Mitzvah – with the exception of a select few – most had to leave to go make a living. Think of Tevya the Milkman.

And yet, while Torah learning may not have been widespread, Jews always prayed. They woke up in the morning and came to shul, and before retiring at night they returned to shul. Rabbi Berel Wein describes walking with his father to shul Shabbat morning in Chicago, and seeing the men coming home from the Hashkama minyan NOT on their way home for Cholent, but on their way to work! At a time when jobs were scarce, and when employers would not tolerate taking Saturday off, these men felt they had no choice but to work on Shabbat – yet they wouldn’t DREAM of missing Tefila B’Tzibur (praying with a quorum)!

it would have been in the – וְ אַ ף אֶ ת בְּ רִ יתִ י יִ צְ חָ ק – And if, in such a time, Hashem would have decided to redeem us merit of Yitzchak, and the merit of Tefila (prayer).

But Galut continued. And not only did Torah learning weaken, but so did prayer. As hard as it may be to imagine here at the DAT Minyan (!), people stopped attending regular daily services. And yet, despite the challenges of Galut, challenges that so severely impacted our Torah learning and our Davening, one Midah, one characteristic persisted within Klal Yisrael, a Midah which will NEVER weaken, a Midah which will NEVER be extinguished. That is the Midah of Avraham, the Midah of Chesed, the Midah of Lovingkindness.

Jews who have no connection to Torah, who have no connection to Tefila, continue to lead the world in the arena of philanthropy. Jew who would be lost in a Beit Midrash (study hall), who would be lost even in a synagogue, are leaders in endowing hospitals, research facilities, homes for needy children, programs for those with disabilities – and the list goes on.

I was curious last week – I looked at the Forbes list of the biggest philanthropists. THIRTEEN of the top 30 are Jewish!1 These are Jews who would not know a Chumash from a Gemarah; they would not know Mincha from Maariv. They do not know Torah; they do not know Tefilla. But they have the Midah we are assured will NEVER leave us – the Midah of Chesed, of lovingkindness. The Midah of Avraham.

This, says the Lubliner Rav, is the meaning of the verse: Hashem says, “I hope to redeem the Jewish People in the merit of the Torah they so assiduously study; in the merit of Yaakov.

But if that is not possible, I hope to redeem them in the merit of their commitment and dedication to Tefila; in the merit of Yitzchak.

But if that, too, is not possible, I KNOW I will redeem them for their unbroken commitment to Chessed, to and also My covenant with Abraham I – וְאַ ף אֶ ת בְּרִ יתִ י אַבְרָ הָם אֶ זְכֹּר .lovingkindness; in the merit of Avraham Avinu will remember.

There is a Gemarah in Pesachim which explains a verse in Parashat Lech Lecha and how it applies to the first וְאֶ ﬠֶשְׂ � לְ גוֹי גָּדוֹל, ַו ֲ א ָ ב רֶ כְ �, וַאֲ גַדְּ לָ ה שְׁ מֶ �, :Beracha we say in the Amidah at least three times every day. The verse reads And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and“) ֶו הְ ֵי ה בְּ רָ כָ ה you will be a blessing”).

The Gemara explains: And I will make you into a great nation”) – this refers to us saying “Elokai Avraham” at“) וְאֶﬠֶשְׂ � לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל - the beginning of the first blessing of the Amidah. .and I will bless you”) – this refers to us saying “Elokai Yitzchak” in that same blessing“) ַו ֲ א ָ ב רֶ כְ ך - and I will make your name great”) – this refers to us saying “Elokai Yaakov” in that same“) ”וַאֲ גַדְּ לָ ה שְׁ מֶ � - blessing.

you might think, therefore, the blessing should conclude with - יכול יהו חותמין בכולן? :To which the Gemara asks ת"ל ,all three names! “Blessed are You, Hashem, the Shield of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”! The Gemara answers and you will be a blessing”) teaches us“) ֶו הְ ֵי ה בְּ רָ כָ ה ,the fourth expression – "והיה ברכה" - בך חותמין ואין חותמין בכולן that “Becha Chotmin” – with you (Avraham) they will conclude [the blessing], and they will not conclude with names of Isaac and Jacob.

(understands those words - “Becha Chotmin” (with YOU they will conclude ,ז"ל ,Rav Elchanan Wasserman homiletically, and in the same vein as our earlier thought:

1 #3 George Soros (Soros Fund Management); #4 Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg, L.P.); #7 James Simons (Renaissance Technologies); #15 Paul Allen (Microsoft); #17 Irwin Jacobs (Qualcomm); #19 Lynn Shusterman (Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation); #21 Michael Dell (Dell Computers); #23 George Kaiser (Kaiser-Francis Oil Co.); #24 Len Blavatnik (Access Industries); #25 Mark Zukerberg (Facebook); #27 Bernard Marcus (Home Depot); #28 Mark Benioff (Salesforce); #30 Steve Cohen (S.A.C. Capital Advisors).

Hashem is saying to Avraham, “At the end of times, when Jewish History reaches its zenith, the Ultimate Redemption will not come about through Torah (the Midah of Yaakov), or through Tefila (the Midah of Yitzchak), but “Becha Chotmin” – with YOUR attribute of Chesed, of lovingkindness, will your children merit their final redemption. It is kindness, it is love, it is caring for and about others which will bring about the Ultimate Redemption.

Even before my arrival to Denver – during the interview process! – I have been hounded about establishing a Kashrut policy for the community. I was told that it was THIS issue more than any other which has been the greatest source of Machloket, of tension and division, in our community.

I am very aware of the issue, of the sensitivities, and of the potential for division. In Omaha, we chose to simply eat in no one’s home, which made it very simple. I wouldn’t even eat at the home of the local Chabad rabbi –who was my Chavruta (a Torah study partner) – just so no one would accuse me of being inconsistent. In Norfolk, I followed the Minhag HaMakom (the local custom), established by the previous rabbi. If a person was Shomer Shabbat, I would eat in their home.

But as the years went by, this policy created all sorts of new problems.

First, how could I know if a person really knew all the complicated laws of Shabbat? Second, how could I know if they were, in fact, even Shomer Shabbat? Maybe they just said it so I would come over! And then there was the time I made a big deal in shul that Mr. & Mrs. X had just become Shomer Shabbat, they had just moved into the neighborhood, and they were hosting a huge Oneg at their home in celebration - and I encouraged everyone to attend and enjoy. While I was sitting there enjoying this delicious mint tea (no one can make mint tea like a Sepharadi woman can!), I watched as she poured boiling hot water not only directly on the tea bags, but directly on the raw mint leaves, violating the Biblical prohibition of Bishul B’Shabat, of cooking on Shabbat.

During the subsequent week, I met with them and asked if we could learn together and review Hilchot Bishul B’Shabat. They were so insulted – how dare I accuse them of not knowing the laws of Shabbat when Jews in their country have been keeping Shabbat for almost 3000 years (how that reflected on them personally was a conundrum!) – that a war ensued between them and me, one which divided the community for years.

Before moving to Denver, I was informed of the unique issue facing this community. I was told – although I still refuse to believe it – that a significant number (I’m told upwards of 80%) of the congregation eats out. People said to me, “How can I eat in someone’s home if they eat out? How can I eat their food if they don’t care what they eat?”

Others raised the issue of those who either claim to be Shomer Shabbat, but really are not, or – and probably more commonly – those who truly believe they are Shomer Shabbat/Shomer Kashrut, but simply do not know the Halachot. As one person said to me, “They sincerely believe they are what they say they are – but they simply don’t know what they don’t know!”

So why are a person’s personal decisions regarding their Sabbath or Kashrut observance even an issue? Let’s look at the Shulchan Aruch:

The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) states one may not eat from one who is Chashud (suspect) regarding eating non-kosher food, as that person no longer has Ne’emanut (believability) regarding Kashrut.2 Put simply,

2 Shulchan Aruch 119:1: “A Jew who is suspected of eating forbidden things, whether he is suspected of something forbidden by the Torah or something forbidden by the rabbis, one may not rely on his word. And if one is a house-guest with him, he may not eat from his foods for which he is suspected.” if Reuven does not care what he puts in his mouth (and in his soul, by the way), why will he care what he offers Shimon to put in HIS mouth (and HIS soul)? Unfortunately, it gets “better.” The Shulchan Aruch further tells us one who is “Mechalel Shabbat B’Farhesya” (publically desecrates the Sabbath) loses their Ne’emanut regarding ALL Mitzvot; they have the same Halachic credibility as a non-Jew.3 In other words, if Reuven (who is Mechalel Shabbat) assures Shimon, “Those Mezuzot are kosher,” he is not trusted – even though Mezuzot have nothing to do with Shabbat!

So is that it? Are we done with the speech? In fact, many in this room believe that IS the beginning and the end of the discussion… But I am here to provide another approach.

pronounced: Kim Lay B’Gavay), which – loosely translated) ”קים ליה בגויה“ ,There is a Halachic construct called – means, “it is absolutely known to him.” The application regarding the topic of this Drasha is where you have so much personal faith either in someone else, or in your relationship with someone else, their testimony regarding something becomes like your own knowledge. Therefore, we no longer require them to meet the Halakhic standard of Ne’emanut, of credibility. In other words, if someone whom you trust categorically – but who is not Shomer Kashrut or Shomer Shabbat – tells you a hamburger is kosher, you can eat the hamburger – not based on THEIR credibility (Halachically, they don’t have credibility) but based on YOUR credibility; YOU are testifying the food is kosher, based on your relationship with this person.

posits this idea. In Igrot ,ז"ל ,I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but I didn’t make it up! Rabbi Moshe Feinstein Moshe,4 he addresses a question posed to him from Moscow. An older man, who could not take care of himself, had to rely on his not only non-observant but anti-religious children to cook for him. He wondered if he could rely on their assertions that the food they prepared for him is kosher (remember – they do not have Halachic credibility, according to the Shulchan Aruch). Rav Moshe responded: “If [Reuven] absolutely knows [Shimon], with absolute knowledge that [Shimon] does not lie, [Reuven] is (קים ליה בגויה) [and it is known to [Reuven permitted to eat that which [Shimon] says is Kosher, since this does not enter into the arena of Ne’emanut, of credibility, but rather that of personal knowledge [on the part of Reuven], which is the equivalent of seeing with 5 one’s own eyes.”4F

But there are disclaimers: a) Rav Moshe rules this allowance applies only B’Sha’at HaD’chak (in extreme circumstances), and b) obviously, it’s application is clearly limited to cases where one actually has direct personal knowledge of, and a close relationship with, the person one wishes to trust in matters of Kashrut.

Rav Moshe rules in the above case, therefore, the parent MAY eat in his children’s home (assuming his children in fact know the laws of Kashrut), because we maintain a child is not going to lie and mislead his parents.

just to discuss this issue. We met for ,שליט"א ,Last July, before arriving in Denver, I met with R’ Nata Greenblatt well over an hour. I asked him, “What standards can I follow regarding eating out in people’s homes, given the Kashrus issue this community is confronting? But equally important, what standards can I comfortably tell people in the community who have been taking a strict approach regarding this issue?”

R’ Nata said bluntly, “If a Jew says their house is kosher, you can trust them.”

I was taken aback. “What if they eat out?” I asked.

3 Shulchan Aruch 119:7: “One who publicly transgressed the Torah, except for idol worship and Sabbath desecration, or who does not believe the words of our rabbis, is believed with regards to other prohibitions. And regarding others he is believed, even on that same issue, to say that they are permitted” (emphasis added). 4 Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 1:52 מי שמכירו בברור, וקים ליה בגויה בידיעה ברורה שאינו משקר, היה רשאי לאכול ממה שאומר שהוא היתר, משום שאין נכנס זה בגדר נאמנות אלא בידיעה .Id 5 .עצמית שהוא כְ ראִ יה ממש “Even if they eat out,” he answered. “If someone keeps a kosher kitchen, they are not bringing home their non- kosher doggy bag of food and sticking it into the microwave. If they do, they KNOW they don’t have a kosher kitchen.” I pressed on. “What if they are Mechalel Shabbat (desecrate the Shabbat)?”

He remained nonplussed. “Even if they are Mechalel Shabbat, you can eat in their house.”

That was too much for me. “But what if they don’t KNOW they are Mechalel Shabbat? What if they don’t know enough about the laws of Bishul B’Shabbat (cooking on Shabbat)? How can I know they are not desecrating the Shabbat in reheating the food they serve me?”

“That could be a problem,” he conceded. “Obviously, they need to know the laws of heating food up on Shabbat. That is the one area which most people don’t know, and THINK they know. It’s also the one which will most likely affect you as a guest.”

He then added, “The OTHER Halacha which is an even BIGGER problem than reheating food on Shabbat is the problem of homes in which a maid or housekeeper does the cooking in the house. This is a very big problem, because no matter how knowledgeable the maid is, no matter how honest the maid is, no matter how well the maid speaks Yiddish, they have no Ne’emanut regarding Kashrut. The assumption is if they made something “treif,” either they wouldn’t know they had, or if they did they either wouldn’t think it was a big deal and just put the items away, or be too afraid to tell their employer what happened.” In fact, R’ Nata said he would eat in the home of someone who ate out, but would not in the home of someone who allowed the maid to cook unsupervised in the kitchen.6

So where does that leave us?

When I was being interviewed for this position, and I was asked about eating out, I gave the metaphor of the parent eating the food of the non-observant children. I said – in what I hope was not a patronizing way – I consider the whole shul my children in that sense, and just as a child will not give his parents food which does not meet their Kashrus standards, I trust no one in the shul will do so to me.

6 This statements engendered much discussion afterwards. Allow me to expand: First, the issues which arise from having a maid cook unsupervised in one’s home are not just “Chumrot” (stringencies), but are real Halachic considerations. There are two major issues addressed by the rabbis: - a) Bishul Akum (the prohibition of eating food cooked by a non-Jew) and; - b) general Kashrut issues which may result from the maid cooking milk and meat together, mixing up dishes, heating meat in a dairy microwave, etc. There are some who take a more lenient position and argue a maid cooking in the house of a Jew (due to the employment relationship) may not constitute Bishul Akum (some say it is allowed L’Chatchila (a priori); other only allow it B’Di’Avad (post facto). Nevertheless, those opinions only permit it in a case where there is no potential for a Kashrut question (i.e., the family is vegetarian, so there are no meat/dairy issues regarding either the food or the dishes). Everyone agrees, however, that where there is the potential for Kashrut to be an issue (i.e., a typical household with both meat and dairy products and utensils), the Bishul Akum issue then becomes moot, as there is no way one can trust the maid regarding Kashrut. Even the MOST LENIENT authority, the Kaf HaChaim (113:37), who allows one’s maid to cook in a Jewish home L’Chatchila, does so only .thereby providing some degree of Kashrut supervision ,(יוצא וניכנס) when a Jew is regularly entering unannounced This is intuitive; after all, this is the whole idea of having a Mashgiach in the first place. If we simply trusted anyone who said, “This is kosher,” we would not require any supervision anywhere. A residential kitchen is no different than a factory, and just as the latter requires supervision, so does the former. The founder of the OK Laboratories ( ), Rabbi Berel (Bernard) Levy, once famously said, "I guarantee you, that any Baale Busta who leaves her non-Jewish worker in the kitchen alone, while she runs out to bring her kids to school, shop at the grocery, or goes to do the laundry in the basement, HAS HAD HER KITCHEN COMPLETELY TREIFED UP A HUNDRED TIMES OVER" (he, clearly, did not abide by the opinion of the Kaf HaChaim). (Rabbi E. Isralewitz, Kashrus Magazine, December 2001). The response I received from some in the room was simple: “But, Rabbi, that’s very nice – but people in the shul don’t know your standards! They don’t know OUR standards! They simply do not know normative Orthodox Kashrut and Shabbat standards of Halacha. They THINK they know – but they really don’t.”

I understand. I really do.

Nevertheless – and keeping that in mind – what follows is my policy regarding eating out in people’s homes, and the one I am recommending to the entire Kehila.

Just as minutes ago I stood on that ladder and fell backwards, trusting to the point of knowing – “Kim Lay B’Gavay B’Yedia Gemurah (it is known with absolute knowledge)” that my brothers here would catch me, I will eat in the home of anyone in the shul who invites me.

As I said during my interview, just as a parent can eat in the home of their non-Shomer Shabbat children – knowing they would never so disrespect their parents by feeding them food which was not prepared to the standards of their parents – I trust you would not invite me over to eat, and provide me something I would find offensive.

Let me be clear – and I am not being hyperbolic: I am trusting each and every one of you with the purity of my soul – and make no mistake, that is what is at stake here! Kashrut – or the lack thereof – directly affects one’s spiritual capacity, and with this policy I am trusting each and every one of you that you would not spiritually mislead me or, figuratively, drop me.

Obviously, as I pointed out earlier, that requires knowing normative Orthodox Kashrut and Shabbat standards. I don’t expect everyone to know every single Halacha. And some of the standards I may keep in my home are stringencies which we have adopted for our home, but need not be applied when I eat elsewhere.

But I cannot emphasize this point more strongly: if you are unsure about normative Orthodox standards, please do not assume anything. Remember, I – and anyone else in this community who will adopt this policy – are trusting you with our souls. I urge you to err on the side of caution!

To that end, regarding Hashgachot (kosher symbols), I suggest following the Vaad’s standards, until I distribute my approved list.7 If you EVER have any questions, feel free to call me.

But JUST BECAUSE there is a symbol, that does not make it acceptable. You want me to explain to you the problem with the [redacted]?8 I’ll be happy to. The problem with the [redacted])? I’ll be happy to. Contrary to popular belief, issues with certifying agencies are not just a question of politics.

Are bugs a problem in vegetables? Absolutely! This is not just some “Boro Park craziness.” And for each bug – even little ones – that one eats, one incurs between five and six Biblical violations! I once did Hashgacha (kosher supervision) at the Marriot Waterside in Norfolk. I was in the kitchen with the chef, who was complaining that I was inspecting each leaf of a Napa cabbage. I called him over, took the first two layers off a head of cabbage, and right there were a couple of centimeter-long bugs just sitting there. Months later, I ran into him at a function. He told me he told his wife what happened, with the result that she no longer allows him to prepare food with Napa cabbage in their home anymore.

7 See Addendum A. 8 I redacted the names of the agencies mentioned for legal reasons. Is ice cream a problem? “But Rabbi, it’s just ice cream.” After Shavuot, do yourself a favor and Google “how to make ice cream.” I did. The Number One ingredient to ensure smooth ice cream? Gelatin.9 After all, where do you think the name “Gelato” comes from?!

So if, in your own home, these are not in your standards – checking vegetables for bugs, sticking to reliable Hashgachot, recognizing the potential with unsupervised ice cream, cooking fish on the same grill racks as you cook your meat ONLY after properly cleaning the racks – that’s fine… for you. I am not judging.

But if you invite me – or anyone else who follows these normative Orthodox standards – let us know upfront, so we can figure out an alternative arrangement (i.e., we can bring our own food from home, or from the deli). And if that not an option for you, at least understand why we simply cannot eat in your home.

Second, to help people learn these normative Orthodox standards, I have included in this week’s bulletin an article on reheating food on Shabbat,10 part of a series I will begin on Hilchot Shabbat in the kitchen. If you want to invite me to your house to eat, if you want to invite those who follow normative standards, you simply need to know Halachot. I’m happy to teach - the laws are not difficult - but you must be willing to learn.

I will repeat my policy once again, so I am not misquoted.11 My policy is this: I will eat in the home of anyone who invites me. I am not concerned if the family eats out or not; I am not concerned if the family is or is not Shomer Shabbat. That is between them and their conscience.

I, however, will trust them – I will trust you – unquestioningly.

Obviously, I will make the general community’s standards known; and I will trust that if you invite me – if you invite anyone else who is personally concerned with those normative standards – you will not drop me; you will not drop them.

Why? Because you are all my brothers. You are all my sisters. You are my family. And I love each and every one of you. And I trust each and every one of you.

I want to end where I began.

Mashiach will come – our redemption will come – because of the attribute of Chesed, because of the Midah of Avraham. Mashiach will come because of our lovingkindness one to another, our appreciation of each other, and our trust of one another.

9 For example, see “Secret Tools and Tricks of the Ice Cream Pros: How to Make Creamy Ice Cream” http://sweets.seriouseats.com/ 2014/03/secret-tools-and-tricks-of-the-ice-cream-pros-chefs-secrets.html. Following the Drasha, someone told me I should not have mentioned gelatin, as “it is a complicated issue.” In fact, it is not a complicated issue. Perhaps this person was referring to a disagreement between Rav Aharon Kotler and Rav Moshe Feinstein on one hand and their Israeli counterparts on the other hand regarding animal bone-based gelatin. The SHORT version is this: it is true that regarding gelatin made from animal bones, there is a dispute if the bones need to come from a kosher animal or not. However, the issue today is moot. U.S. gelatin manufacturers have found that if they made gelatin from the hide/skin of young pigs, they would require considerably less bating (a soaking process used to soften the product) than if they made it from animal bones. For this reason, about 90% of American gelatin is porcine – made from pigs – while the higher-quality gelatin made from bones is reserved for the photographic industry. Far from being “complicated,” this is another example of the sort of tragic mistake an uneducated consumer can make when they assume things regarding Kashrut. For a more extensive treatment of the subject, see http://www.kashrut.com/ articles/DryBones/. In addition, the member referenced chewing gum, implying any gum (with or without a Hechsher) is kosher. Anyone who sadly believes that to be true, I would refer to this article by one of the preeminent Kosher experts in the world: http://www.kashrut.com/articles/gumzo/. 10 See Addendum B. 11 In retrospect, this may be the most ironic line in the whole speech. Within minutes of completing my Drasha, I was already being misquoted – and have continued to be misquoted ever since. I hope this written version, including emendations, helps address that problem. One can hope…! Reb Moshe allowed his logic of “Kim Lay B’Gavay” to be applied “B’Sha’at HaDechak” – in extreme circumstances. I believe R’ Nata, in instructing me how he did, understood that RIGHT NOW, the most “extreme circumstance” facing Klal Yisrael is that we are still in Galut… and we are still in Galut because of a lack of Achdut, a lack of unity.

Instead of saying “no” to invitations, trust your neighbor… and enjoy their company, as well as their food. And maybe – just maybe – instead of eating out in non-kosher restaurants socially, we’ll all begin eating in each other’s homes socially.

Friends, this is the end of times. This is time for us to show Hashem we have not lost the Middah of Avraham, the Middah of Chesed. It is because I love each and every one of you that I trust each and every one of you.

Let us all feel that way about each other.

“Becha Chotmim” – with Avraham’s attribute of Chessed will his children merit their final redemption. May it be swiftly and soon.

Shabbat Shalom.

APPENDIX A Recommended Kosher Certifications (this list will be posted on the DAT Minyan website) Alaska Maryland Nevada INTERNATIONAL ARGENTINA

Orthodox Rabbinic Board Rabbi Moshe Alaska Kosher Machzikei Hadas of Broward and Cincinnati Landau Achdus Yisroel Manchester California Palm Beach Va'ad of Kashrus Kosher ITALY Star-K (Chalav of Las Vegas Yisrael) New York - Brooklyn EUROKOCHER U-K Kashrus Gateshead Igud HaKashrus MEXICO Central Florida Quality Kosher Organization Kashrus Vaad of Kashrus Supervision Authority Star-D (non- Oregon Chalav Yisrael)

Vaad HaKashrus Massachusetts Central Rabbi Yosef Chabad of of N. California Guadalajara Rabbinical Feiglestock Orthodox Vaad Congress AUSTRALIA Manchester Beth of Orlando Oregon Kosher Din Georgia Pennsylvania FRANCE Rabbinical Vaad Harabonim Koshermex Council of (Vaad OK Laboratories California Hakashrus) of

Massachusetts Kashrut Authority Rabbi Mordechai Atlanta Kashrus of Australia and Community NZ Rottenberg Kosher Kashrus of (Chief Rav of Chabad - Supervision of Rabbi Shlomo Philadelphia Paris) Cozumel Stern America Kosher Tennessee NETHERLANDS (Debraciner Rav) Savannah Diamond K Illinois Michigan Kosher Australia Vaad Hakehilot Grand Rabbinate of Memphis AUSTRIA Rabbincal of Marseille Kosher KCS - Texas Council of Bais Din of France Rabbi Pinchas Crown Heights Orange Co & Chicago Padua Long Beach Rabbinical New York - Council of Council Orthodox Rabbis Manhattan Rabbi Avrohom of Greater Detroit Houston Yona Schwartz Adas Yereim of Minnesota Kashruth BELGIUM Paris Kahal Adath Association Chief Rabbinate Kosher of Holland Jeshurun Overseers of (Breuer’s) PHILIPPINES/ America SINGAPORE Machsike Colorado Midwest Kosher Hadass United Mehadrin Texas-K Kosher Orthodox Union BRAZIL Far East Note: if a meat New York-Long Kashruth product, not Glatt Island Scroll-K Dallas Kosher unless specified. Rabbinat Connecticut Org. of Orthodox Kashruth Communidade Loubavitch de Supervision Ortodoxa France

Indiana Israelita Vaad Vaad Hakashrus CANADA HaRabonim of Vaad HaKashrus of San Antonio Asia Kosher Five Towns & of Fairfield Co. Virginia SOUTH AFRICA Blue Ribbon Far Rockaway Rabbi Pevzner – New York- Lubavitch, Paris Indianapolis Kosher Kashrus Council Queens GERMANY Board of Kashrus Missouri Vaad Hakashrut of Canada of Richmond

Hartford Kashrus Vaad Commision HaRabonim of District of Vaad Hoeir of St. R’ Shlomo Queens Montreal Vaad Cape Town Beth Columbia Louis Vaad Hakashrut Bistritzky New York- of Tidewater HONG KONG Din Indianapolis Beth New Jersey Upstate Washington SPAIN Din Iowa Ottawa Vaad

Vaad National Kashrut Hakashrut HKK Kosher Service HaRabbanim of Vaad Harabanim Chabad Marbella Jersey Shore ISRAEL Washington of Seattle SWITZERLAND "Chai-K" Orthodox Florida Rabbinate Wisconsin Kansas Vaad Hakashruth

Natural Food Adas Yisroel

Certifiers Rabbanut

Yerushalayim Beth Din Adas Florida Kashrut Kosher Kashrus Council Mehadrin Jeshurun Services Vaad Hakashruth of Lakewood Supervisors of of Kansas City Wisconsin UKRAINE Louisiana Rabbinical Vaad HaKashrus Council of British Jewish

of Buffalo Columbia Community / Kosher Miami Chug Chasam Central ENGLAND (Chalav Yisrael) Kof-K Sofer Synagogue Kiev

URUGUAY Louisiana Kashrut

Kosher Miami Committee Vaad Hakashruth Passaic-Clifton Kedassia, The “BaDaTz” (NON-Chalav Maine of Capital District Kashrus Inc. Joint Kashrus Mehadrin Yisrael) Ohio Committee of England Kosher de Uruguay al

Mundo

Vaad HaKashrus Rabbinical “BaDaTz” Eidah VENEZUELA

of Eastern Council of Cleveland Hachareidis of Union Israelita de

Florida K Canada/Maine Bergen County Kosher London Beth Din Jerusalem Caracus

APPENDIX B

The Dos and Don'ts of Re-heating on Shabbat Important Standards of Shabbat Food Preparation for the DAT Minyan Community By Rabbi Joseph Friedman, DAT Minyan

Prohibitions regarding cooking or heating food on Shabbat are based on the Torah prohibitions of not cooking and not using fire on Shabbat and the rabbinic extensions of these laws. Like all Halacha, observing these laws are a personal decision for each individual and family to consider. As a community, we do not judge anyone for how or even whether they implement these laws in their homes. People have a right to grow religiously and move towards observance at a pace appropriate for them. However, as people invite others into their home, it is important for everyone to know what the community's Halachic standards are.

When you invite people to your home, you assume the responsibility for feeding those guests food which they are Halachically allowed to eat. In addition to making sure the food you serve is itself kosher according to community standards of Kashrut, there are community standards regarding Shabbat which you need to observe regarding that food, as well. Food cooked on Shabbat - or even heated incorrectly on Shabbat - is prohibited to be eaten. It is my sincere hope that this article regarding community standards for Shabbat re-heating – as well as future articles regarding other aspects of the Shabbat Kitchen – will help unify our community by allowing everyone to feel comfortable hosting and being hosted on Shabbat, in any home in our community.

- Do not put any uncooked food or beverage on a hot burner, in a heated oven, in a crock pot that is on or in a heated urn on Shabbat itself.

Moreover, there are many rules that apply even to fully cooked foods:

- Do not heat any liquids on Shabbat: Water, or even fully cooked soup or stew - anything that can be poured - needs to be put on the heat (in an urn, crock-pot, or on the stove) and left there, BEFORE Shabbat.

- Do not reheat even solid food that has cooled down (from the refrigerator, for example) either by putting it right on the stove or in the oven. This will render it prohibited to be eaten on Shabbat (for you and your guests).

- You CAN reheat cold, solid, pre-cooked food by adhering to any one of the following procedures: - Put it on a warming tray ("plata" in Hebrew) which cannot be adjusted (tape the knob if there is one) and is not designed to cook (just to warm).

- Put it on a "k'deira blech" or a "non-blech" which is a pan of water covered by another pan (not just a plain sheet of metal which is called a "blech”).

- Put it in a warming drawer or cupboard, which is designed just to warm, not to cook.

What about an old-fashioned “blech,” that sheet of metal we grew up with? What role does that play? A simple blech only allows you to return hot food (solid or liquid) which you removed from the stove (and had in mind to return to the stove) back to the stove - while the food remains hot (over 110oF). A blech does not allow you to reheat food once it has cooled down below 110oF. Without a blech, once you remove food from a stove (even a glass covered stove) you cannot even return it to the stove.

If you have any questions about these procedures for re-heating, please consult Rabbi Friedman. Food on the k'deira/non- blech can be covered with a towel, and it will reheat evenly. REMEMBER: Only solid food which has already been cooked can be reheated (using the above methods). Liquids or uncooked food CAN NEVER be reheated on Shabbat.

The take-away from the above should not be to avoid eating hot food on Shabbat (unless you are a Kara’ite)! So how should one eat hot food on Shabbat based on the above guidelines?

First and foremost, use a crock pot or the stove or in the oven overnight, but…

- Do Not stir food in the crock pot or on a heated stove once Shabbat comes in, at the very least until it is fully cooked. Before transferring a cholent to a serving dish, remove the crock pot’s ceramic insert, as the act of ladling will stir the cholent (FYI - adding water to a cholent is a complicated matter and should not be done without consulting a rabbi).

- Do feel free to offer your guests tea or coffee; however, since brewing tea or coffee may be considered cooking, please follow the following special Shabbat procedures (these can be ignored on Yom Tov):

- You may use instant coffee or tea (however, put the powder into the hot water, as opposed to pouring the hot water directly over the powder). - If using a tea bag (given the added issue of “cooking” the tea leaves), utilize the “Kli Sh’lishi” (tertiary vessel) method: put a tea bag only in water which has been twice transferred from the original source (the urn or kettle). For example, you may pour water from the urn (the Kli Rishon) into a cup (the Kli Sheini), and in turn pour that water from the first cup into a second cup (Kli Shlishi) and THEN put the tea bag in that cup (according to R’ Moshe Feinstein).

- Do not be scared or intimidated! These laws are meant to be doable, and if you make a mistake, that is exactly what the rules were designed for: to protect the basic Torah laws of not cooking and not using fire on Shabbat. Please speak to Rabbi Friedman if you have any questions, doubts or issues regarding any of these standards.

May our awareness and observance of these laws help create even greater peace and unity in our community.