STAR-K KOSHER CERTIFICATION rtnhyktcs ,urafv sgu Kashrus KurrentsVOLUME 24 NO. 3 SPRING 5764-2004

The SweetestFruitof them all Good Fences Make R ABBI TZVI ROSEN, EDITOR Good Home Owners BY DR. TZVI WHITE Unbelievable but true. Overheard conversation between Mother REVIEWED BY RABBI MOSHE HEINEMANN, and a precocious seven year old at a typical STAR-K RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR supper table… Home ownership, the American dream. After “Now dear you must eat your fruits and moving in, one hopes it doesn’t turn into an vegetables!” American nightmare. So many things to take care “I just finished a delicious double portion.” of; so many things to consider. Utilities, the struc- “Great what did you eat?” ture, the appliances, the list is seemingly endless. “A yummy chocolate bar.” Dealing with normal home issues is hard enough, Chocolate is surely nature’s sweetest combination of fruit and veg- just think how many more issues have to be con- etable, and cocoa beans. Chocolate, the king of confections, continues to grow sidered in a kosher compliant home. Kosher in popularity. Kosher chocolate is a delicious study of technology and halacha. Let’s mezuzas on all entrances. Kosher appliances to explore the intoxicating world of chocolate. make the kosher kitchen user friendly. No trees King David, Dovid Hamelech, extols Hashem’s acts of loving kindness by proclaim- hanging over the backyard area where the sukkah ing metaphorically that he desires to drink from “Your river of delight,” “minachal is to be built. Moreover, does anyone realize that adonecha tashkeim.” What is a river of delight? Let me give you a first-hand explana- roofs, porches, balconies and landings have to be tion. Before Hershey Park built Chocolate World, tourists were treated to a tour of kosher as well? How do you make a porch kosher authentic chocolate-making. Clearly etched in my childhood memories was a delicious compliant? The answer - build a ma’akeh. river of chocolate cascading into a chocolate-fall of millions of Hershey bars and What is a ma’akeh? Hershey kisses. It was awesome, to say the least. The Torah states in Parshas Ki-Setze, vbc, hf” Over the years, chocolate manufacturing has continued to grow both domestically “…lddk vegn ,hagu asj ,hc - “When you build a and internationally. Chocolate connoisseurship has reached new heights. Believe it or not, the most expensive chocolate today costs in excess of $90 a pound. The choco- holic delights at the sight of Belgium truffles, French bonbons, Swiss chocolate, and other chocolate bars that abound. Today, most major chocolate manufacturers in the U.S. have reliable kosher certification. Some specialty chocolate manufacturers are kosher certified as well. Cholov Yisroel chocolate in particular has recently seen unprecedented growth. Today a Cholov Yisroel consumer can feast on a Mars bar coun- terpart without having to compromise on taste or quality. Chocolate raw ingredients make a long trek before becoming a familiar chocolate bar or chocolate covered cherry. The prime ingredient in chocolate is the cacao bean, which grows in many regions of the world, including Africa, Central America, and Southeast Asia. Two main varieties of trees produce cacao beans: the Forastero tree in West Africa which produces commodity quality cacao beans, and the Criollo tree, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 found in Venezuela and other South American countries, which produces premium quality cacao beans. The first stage of cacao bean processing is harvesting, which may be done by machete - a slow and tedious process, or by automatic shakers that shake an entire tree Insidethis issue free of the cacao pods. Next, the pods are cracked open and the cacao beans are

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 The Sweetest Fruit of Them All ...... Page 1

Good Fences Make Good Home Owners....Page 1

Hot off the Hotline ...... Page 2

Air Conditioner Information ...... Page 2

New Under Star-K Certification...... Page 3,8

Subscription Information ...... Page 4

Recommended List ...... Page 7 the kinyan kesef, happens on a weekday so there is no issur, prohibition of mekach umemkar, business sale transactions, on Shabbos. There could be a potential problem when Yom To v falls on a weekday because the authorization and the processing of the sale can take place on off the same day. As with every transaction, the pur- Hot chaser’s sale is authorized immediately. If the processor completes the transaction on the same day, or if the vendor’s bank does its own process- R ABBI MOSHE HEINEMANN ing, the vendor’s account will be credited on Yom the RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR To v. Therefore, one may be forbidden to keep the website open on Yom Tov, unless there is a pre-Yom To v agreement with the processor, that batch Hotline reporting would take place after Yom Tov. One web Commerce on the Web Revisited site designer that we contacted stated, “…yes, you can certainly accept orders over the internet and This article is a further clarification to the Hot off the Hotline question... place them on hold until a certain time. We have built e-commerce sites in the past where orders are placed and the credit card is verified but not Q: On Shabbos does an observant few days later. Depending upon the business charged until someone on the ‘backend’ approves Jew have to close a website that is transaction procedure between the principles - the this.” selling products online? bank and the processors, processing may occur In conclusion, a website would be allowed to the same day, every few hours, or however they remain open on Shabbos since payment is deferred Based on information that the Star-K received choose to arrange their system. from two credit card companies, Rav Heinemann until Monday or later. Regarding Yom Tov that falls During a regular banking day, the sale and the on a weekday, it is recommended to design the web- had answered that since purchases are accom- post dates frequently coincide. This is not the case plished by entering a credit card number, whereby site in such a way that payments would be deferred during the weekend. Since banks are closed on until the conclusion of the Yom Tov. the bank immediately transfers funds from the Saturday and Sunday, weekend monetary transfers purchaser’s account to that of the vendor, web We thank our readers for their important do not occur until Monday when banks reopen. input to help clarify this issue. commerce would be prohibited on Shabbos. Even banks that offer 24 hour banking will not However, many of our Kashrus Kurrents read- have the transactions actually transfer until Special thanks to Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz of ers informed us that this information is erroneous Monday because the banking transfer system is regarding weekend transactions. After much Diamondcard, Chris Foss of AmericanEagle.com, tied into the Federal Reserve which is closed on Chris Weir of Wachovia Bank, Mr. Charles Seigman, research to further clarify this issue, Hot off the Saturday and Sunday. In practical terms, this Hotline is presenting the corrected version of how and Mr. Israel Senderovic for their valuable assis- means that the money which was authorized from tance. credit card business is transacted generally, and the consumer’s account on Shabbos specifically how it is transacted on the weekend. when he made the online sale, would When a consumer makes a purchase by cred- not be withdrawn from the purchaser’s it card on a web site, a number of steps take place credit card and entered into the vendor’s before the money actually leaves the purchaser’s account until Monday morning or credit card account and reaches the vendor’s bank thereafter. The same procedure holds account. A consumer goes online to a web site and true for purchases made with debit decides to make a purchase. Step one is for the cards. Purchases made using Pay Pal consumer to submit his credit card number services are delayed even longer because online. Almost automatically the credit card it takes an extra day for processing. account is “checked” to see that the credit limit As was mentioned previously, has not been exceeded. If this is the case, an authorization means that the computer authorization number is issued to authorize the checks the purchaser’s credit card sale. Nothing has been transferred yet. Once the account and “sees” that there is credit sale is approved, the next step takes place - pro- available. However nothing passes from cessing the sale. This means that the purchaser’s one account to another until the trans- credit card is debited and the vendor of the web- action is completed. Technically speak- site’s bank account is credited. This means that the ing, the vendor’s monetary acquisition, credit cards credit line allowance is reduced and the vendor receives payment. Credit card sales are processed by specialized companies known as “processors.” Processing Electronic Room Air Conditioners used to be done by the banks themselves. Today, most banks do not do their own processing. Bank Star-K is pleased to announce that in of America, Wachovia and Wells Fargo still do their own processing. The job of the processor is response to our suggestions, GE has modi- to act as a facilitator between customer and ven- fied its 2004 electronic room air condition- dor. The processor is the clearinghouse of sorts ers so that they will now return to their which takes the money out of the credit card account and puts it into the vendor’s account. The default position. This means that on processor usually processes a number of transac- Shabbos and Yom Tov, the air conditioners tions at once. Processing a number of credit card transactions at one time is known as batching or will still function after being off due to a submitting a batch report. power outage or use with a Shabbos timer. Other manufacturers may If you would study your credit card bill you have the same feature. Contact the specific manufacturer for details. will see two dates: the sale date and the post date. The sale date is when the sale was authorized For more information, see the appliance section of our website at while the post date is when the sale has been www.star-k.org processed. Sometimes the sale and post date are the same and sometimes the post date may be a

2 New Under Star-D New Under Star-K Kosher Certification The Star-D is a kashrus symbol of the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI).The Star-K, in its rela- tionship with the NCYI, administers the kashrus of the Star-D. All Star-D products are dairy - cholov Consumer Products (only when bearing Star-K symbol) stam (non-cholov Yisroel). Products Blain Farms LJP & Sons Distributors Beverly Hills Group Visalia, CA Mount Vernon, NY Beverly Hills, CA BLAIN FARMS NUTS & SEEDS DIEGO RICE PRODUCTS FITNESSWIZ NUTRITIONAL DRINK MIXES Blue Ridge Tea & Herb Co. Marathon Packing Corp. Calabash Seafood Co. Brooklyn, NY San Leandro, CA Calabash, NC CONSOLIDATED, KINGS RANSOM, CHINA DARLING OILS CALABASH DRY MIXES QUEEN STATE TEAS Moctec Enterprises Brady Enterprises Inc Lanham, MD E.Weymouth, MA ANGELITA, EN NOPPALITO, LA TORTILLA, Establishments CAKE MIXES MOCTEC TORTILLAS/TACOS Café 921 at the Pikes Pak LLC Nahum Challah 921 Reisterstown Rd, Baltimore, MD Wenatchee,WA Deal, NJ DAIRY RESTAURANT CRUNCH PAK FRESH PACKAGED FRUIT NAHUM CHALLAH BREAD, CAKE & PASTRY PRODUCTS Café K Manhattan Farm Fresh Strictly Kosher Poultry 8 East 48th St, New York, NY Chicago, IL Newark Nut Co. DAIRY RESTAURANT Newark, NJ FARM FRESH POULTRY PRODUCTS Dovid Elgamil Catering NEWARK NUT CO., NUTSONLINE SNACK Fibernet International FOODS, DRIED FRUIT, NUTS Baltimore, MD CATERER Ontario, Canada Norman’s Dairy COPA JUICES Rutherford, NJ Elite to Go Fisher & Paykel NORMAN’S DAIRY PRODUCTS 1923 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ TAKE OUT Irvine, CA Novalia FISHER & PAYKEL SABBATH MODE OVEN Tuxedo, NY For guidelines and specific model numbers, HOKAN OILS Industrial/Institutional see www.star-k.org. (see letter of certification) Performance Food Group Products Full Foods Richmond,VA Anhwei Tiger Biotech Co. Taipei Hsien,Taiwan FIRST MARK PAN LINERS Anhui, China FOREWAY OILS Stahmann’s Farms VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITIONALS Golden Orchard Corp. San Miguel, NM Ashland Distribution Imports Long Island City, NY STAHMANN’S NUTS & SEEDS Dublin, OH GOLDEN ORCHARD DRIED FRUIT, NUTS & SEEDS Tongfa Foods CAFFEINE H&H Bagels Xiamen, China At-Chem, Inc./Chemstation New York, NY REESE, TONGFA, TYLING Wilmington, OH H&H BAGELS BAGELS CANNED FRUIT & VEGETABLES DETERGENTS & CLEANSERS Hobarama Corp. Virga Pizza Co. of VA BASF Corp. Prince George,VA Miami Beach, FL Portsmouth,VA INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS BAWLS BEVERAGES & DRINK MIXES VIRGA TOMATO PRODUCTS & SAUCES Blain Farms International Foods Visalia, CA Plymouth, MN Wal-Mart Canada NUTS & SEEDS JAKES TRADING DRIED FRUIT Ontario, Canada GREAT VALUE OLIVE OIL Brady Enterprises JFC International San Francisco, CA E.Weymouth, MA JFC OILS Wild Oats Markets CAKE MIXES Boulder, CO Kawasho International WILD OATS DRIED FRUIT Ceysan Gida New York, NY Izmir,Turkey CANNED VEGETABLES Wise Foods PICKLED PRODUCTS Kennesaw, GA Kirsch Mushrooms Co. WISE FOODS NUTS & SEEDS Changshu Fushilai Medicine & Chemical Co. Bronx, NY Jiangsu, China KIRSCH DRIED VEGETABLES Xiamen Day Bright Foods Co. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS Fujian, China Liberty Gold Fruit Co. DAY BRIGHT RICE CRACKERS, Chemstation of S. Carolina San Francisco, CA SUSHINORI Columbia, SC CANNED FRUIT DETERGENTS & CLEANSERS Zhejiang Xinchang Best Foods Co. Life Science Laboratories Zhejiang, China Chengdu Nabta Chemical Industrial Co. Lakewood, NJ ZHEJIANG XINCHANG BEST FOODS Sichuan, China VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITIONALS CANNED FRUIT INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS

CONTINUED ON BACK COVER

3 Good Fences Make Good Home Owners

Figure 1. The front porch CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of this house is more than new house, then make a fence for your one is required. 40 inches from the roof…” The object of this positive mitzvah is ground.Therefore, it 4. Just before securing the last piece to to prevent a person from accidentally falling, requires a ma’akeh of at complete a ma’akeh, make the bracha: least 40 inches high. as the posuk continues, “…And you shall not ,uagk ubumu uh,umnc ubase rat ///lurc” put blood in your house, lest someone fall vegn”. However, no bracha is made if the Figure 2. Although this from there.” space underneath the floor you are put- porch is more than 40 A ma’akeh is required at the edge of any the ma’akeh around was not intended inches from the ground, floor that people walk on, if the floor is more for living purposes (e.g., a front porch there is a sturdy hedge than ten tfachim (40 inches) above the that just has a crawl space under it). that would prevent some- ground or above the next floor. The fence one from falling more itself must be at least ten tfachim (40 inches) 5. A ma’akeh is not required around a floor than 40 inches. Therefore, tall. Typical situations requiring a fence that is never used (for example, a back no ma’akeh is required. include: porch area that no one ever goes on). Figure 3. This deck is less • Balconies and many sun decks. 6. A ma’akeh is not required if there are bushes or other objects below the edge of than 40 inches from the • Many front and back porches, whose ground, and needs no the floor that will prevent a person from floors are more than 40 inches from the ma’akeh. falling more than ten t’fachim. Hence, if ground. It has come to our attention you have a sturdy hedge around your Figure 4. Each tenant in that the porches on many homes in the porch, a ma’akeh is not required along these apartments must Torah community are more than 40 those sections where the porch floor is make sure that his bal- inches from the ground, but the porch less than 40 inches above the hedge. cony is protected by a rails are almost never the required 40 kosher ma’akeh. inch height of a kosher ma’akeh. 7. A ma’akeh of 40 inches is not required for stairs, even for those steps more than Figure 5. Even if a drop-off Here are some pointers to observe this 40 inches above the ground. (And if you greater than 40 inches mitzvah d’oraysa (Torah law) properly: have a stair rail, the conventional height occurs inside a home or 1. You should erect any required ma’akeh of 30 inches is fine.) building, it must be protect- as soon as one puts up a mezuzah after ed by a ma’akeh.In this illus- occupying premises. Certainly you The Medrash Rabba comments on the tration, the stairs do not lhatrk ov ij ,huk hf should not wait more than 30 days. posuk in Mishlei “ ,” “It is require a ma’akeh of 40 a gracious accompaniment to your head…” inches, nor does the edge of 2. The ma’akeh does not have to be a solid that the mitzvos that one performs through- the mid-floor landing wall, but any spaces should be sufficient- require one because people out his lifetime will accompany and surround ly narrow that a child cannot fall through. him on his life journey. Which mitzvah heads just walk through this area The ma’akeh should be sufficiently sturdy and do not live there.. the list? The ma’akeh, the fence that one that it will hold back a person who falls made on his roof. Indeed it can be said, Figure 6. A flat roof against it. “Good fences make good mitzvah insurance which is used by the 3. For rented premises, it is the responsi- policies.” We hope that this overview will owners or tenants bility of the tenant, not the owner, to give the reader a greater appreciation of this requires a ma’akeh. erect a kosher ma’akeh in all areas where fundamental mitzvah.

ate breaking kashrus news and alerts are available on our site at www.star-k.org, Lor via e-mail by sending a blank e-mail to [email protected]. Star-K Kosher Certification A non-profit agency representing Subscriptions K the Kosher consumer in promoting Kashrus $10(USD) annually for 4 issues -US & Canada through Education, Research and Supervision. $15(USD) annually for 4 issues -Overseas

Phone: (410) 484-4110 Kashrus Kurrents is also available on the web FOUNDING EDITOR: at www.star-k.org or via e-mail by sending a blank e-mail A.J. Levin Fax: (410) 653-9294 E-mail: [email protected] to [email protected] EDITOR: www.star-k.org (The Star-K Passover Book,not included in this subscription,is available Rabbi Tzvi Rosen for purchase in Jewish bookstores during the Passover season.) Copyright: 2004. Star-K Certification, Inc. Name ______All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form Address ______without permission of Star-K Certification, Inc. City ______State ______Zip ______Phone ______This publication is dedicated to the memory of M. Leo Storch, of Blessed Memory Please send your tax deductible checks made payable to Through a grant from KASHRUS KURRENTS: 122 Slade Avenue, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21208-4996 Mrs. M. Leo Storch and Family Phone: (410) 484-4110 • Fax: (410) 653-9294

4 ingredients require kosher certification, but they are pretty straightforward. Interestingly, ingredients used in European chocolate processing present many more challenges than in domestic chocolate The production. In Europe today, genetically Sweetest modified raw materials are strictly avoided. of them all One essential product in chocolate manufac- turing is lecithin, which, as previously men- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tioned, serves to emulsify and blend the Fruit ingredients being conched. Lecithin is made from soybeans. Nearly all soybean crops worldwide have been genetically modified. removed. Note that cacao beans, when because it contains no cocoa liquor or cocoa Consequently, lecithin has come under processed for commercial use, will become powder, only cocoa butter. White chocolate European fire. cocoa beans. Cocoa beans are then spread is also known as a compound chocolate Alternatives to lecithin were researched, out in the fields to ferment and sun dry, rid- because additional vegetable are added to and a seemingly innocuous product called ding the cocoa bean, also known as a nib, of the ingredient base. All varieties of chocolate ammonium phosphatide was suggested. much of its natural bitter taste and moisture. undergo three basic steps of chocolate pro- This product itself posed no kashrus prob- Once dried, the cocoa beans are packed in duction: kneading the ingredients into a lems. However, the one company in jute sacks and shipped overseas to the choco- paste, grinding the paste into semi granular Denmark that manufactures ammonium late manufacturers for further processing. particles, and blending the ingredients in a phosphatide was a totally non-kosher facility, The cocoa bean is one of Hashem’s most conch. Solid chocolate requires tempering as thereby requiring a massive kosherization. dormant creations. In order for its potential a final step to finish the product. Due to the need of kosher ammonium phos- to be fully realized, it requires processing to As any good cook or baker will tell you, phatide, the company agreed to become unlock the quality products contained with- there are certain tricks of the trade that set a kosher certified. in. The raw cocoa beans are cleaned and great product apart from a good product. Another ingredient issue confronting the roasted in giant roasters - much like a coffee The trick of the chocolate trade is the blend- European kosher chocolate manufacturer is bean to unlock the nib’s delicious cocoa fla- ing, also known as conching. The conch is a traced butter oil. Butter is a commodity item vors. The cocoa bean is then ground into a large rotary blender that blends the chocolaty in Europe, meaning that butter can be sold paste known as cocoa liquor, the primary mass for hours on end at a temperature of by the government for various applications ingredient of chocolate. Cocoa liquor made 140°F. Depending on the recipe, the choco- for a cheaper controlled price. Chocolate from premium cocoa beans is rich enough to late may be conched for over 12 hours in manufacturers that supply chocolate to bak- be made into chocolate. Cocoa liquor made order to fully homogenize the ingredients. eries, cookie manufacturers, and ice cream from standard cocoa beans lacks richness Lecithin, an emulsifier, is added to help companies, could use the subsidized butter and therefore cannot be made into chocolate blend the ingredients. Conching releases any oil and would pay a reduced commodity without the addition of cocoa butter. bitter aromas and in the liquefied price for this ingredient. However, chocolate What is cocoa butter? The cocoa bean chocolate, and allows all the remaining deli- manufacturers supplying chocolate to other has over 50% natural . When squeezed cious chocolate flavors and aromas to fully types of companies would be charged the full under enormous pressure in a hydraulic mature and develop into a symphony of non-commodity price for the butter or butter press, the cocoa bean exudes fat that is yel- chocolaty taste. oil. In order to ensure that the manufacturer low in color, similar to rich dairy butter. If the chocolate is being sold as liquid is not using the butter oil for other applica- Hence the name cocoa butter. Unlike dairy chocolate, no further processing is required. tions, the law requires butter oil manufactur- butter, however, cocoa butter is thicker, Industrial chocolate is shipped to the manu- ers to put a minute amount of ingredients, blander, and hardens at room temperature. facturing customers in a heated transport, in called tracers, into the mixture to literally What remains behind in this extraction which a constant temperature of 112°F is track the use of the butter oil. Some of the process is a massive solid cake which, when maintained to prevent solidification or hard- tracers are innocuous colors or synthetic fla- ground, will be known as - you guessed it - ening. Customers are typically bakeries, ice vors. However, others contain triglycerides cocoa powder. Ironically, for the chocolate cream manufacturers or candy makers who that could come from animal or vegetable manufacturer, the main commodity product will further process the chocolate. sources. Therefore, reliable kosher traced is the cocoa butter, and the by-product is the Solid chocolate must be tempered after butter oil requires strict kosher supervision. cocoa powder. conching in order to give it its luster. In the It goes without saying that the vegetable Now the process of chocolate-making is tempering process, the chocolate is heated to fats used to manufacture kosher compound ready to begin. Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa 113°F, quickly cooled, and slightly heated to chocolate must have reliable kosher certifica- butter, milk powder, flavors and an emulsifi- 100°F. Now the tempered chocolate is ready tion because these vegetable fats can be pro- er are the primary ingredients of chocolate. to be molded into any variety of forms: large duced in the same facilities as tallow or lard. When these products are blended together, 50 pound cubes, 25-pound bars, or con- as we will soon see, they liquefy into liquid sumer sized chocolate drops. chocolate. Interestingly, liquid chocolate is With this overview, let us over 50% sugar. The percentages of the other examine the issues that confront ingredients vary according to the type of kosher chocolate making. chocolate being manufactured. Ingredients There are three major types of liquid As with any manufac- chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, tured food product, all and white (or compound) chocolate. Dark ingredients require strict chocolate is a combination of cocoa liquor, kosher certification. cocoa butter, sugar, flavorings such as vanil- Mashgichim travel to cocoa la or vanillin, and butter oil, a dairy ingredi- bean plantations around ent not to be confused with cocoa butter. the world, from Cemoi on Milk chocolate has powdered milk and milk the Ivory Coast to crumb, a combination of milk powder and Venezuala in South sugar, added to the “dark chocolate” mix. America. All the additional White chocolate really is not chocolate

5 The Sweetest Fruit of Them All

Kashering a Conch uct that has been pressed into a paste, such In the case of choco- What is the greatest nemesis to choco- as dates into date paste or apricots into fruit late-covered nuts and late? Just ask any balabusta who uses melted leather, retain its borei pri ha’etz status fruits such as peanuts, chocolate in homemade recipes. Water, because the original product in its pressed almonds or raisins, does version is recognizable?The Shulchan Aruch3 the combination of choco- when mixed with chocolate, even minimally, R ABBI TZVI ROSEN causes the chocolate to solidify almost concludes that since the fruit product retains late with nuts or fruits EDITOR instantaneously into a solid block that can’t its original status, the bracha does not affect the bracha? Most be remolded! Consequently, chocolate man- change. However, the Remah explains that definitely! However, there are many opinions ufacturers passionately avoid the introduc- this is not the case regarding a fruit that total- regarding the proper bracha. The Mishna tion of water into their facilities at all costs. ly loses its original form. Therefore, the prop- Berura 7 views the fruit as the dominant Recognizing this problem, how do kosher er blessing for chocolate would be shehakol. ingredient, and the chocolate that sweetens chocolate manufacturers overcome the issue However, another halachic opinion posits the fruit as secondary. The bracha on choco- of compatible conches that may be used that since the cacao bean was grown for the late-covered fruits and nuts would follow the indiscriminately for pareve and dairy choco- purpose of making chocolate, this is the item that the chocolate is sweetening; in the lates without using water? case of fruit or nut, borei pri ha’etz, and One possibility is to dedicate in the case of peanuts, borei pri conches exclusively for dairy and hoadama. However, others reason that pareve productions. This method is the bracha is subjective and would fol- used in certain chocolate production low the item that is more desirous.8 Still facilities because sufficient amounts of others maintain that the item that is both pareve and dairy products are more plentiful would be the dominant manufactured to justify the separation. ingredient, while some halachic authori- However, many companies do not keep ties maintain that one should make two their conches separate. Furthermore, brachos on chocolate-covered peanuts there are companies that produce because both are of equal importance.9 cholov Yisroel chocolate for this grow- Interestingly enough, the bracha borei ing market. Since these products are pri ha’etz would suffice, b’dieved, for a made in non-cholov Yisroel facilities, chocolate and fruit combination the non-cholov Yisroel conches would because, in any event, the bracha on require kosherization. How can the conches essence of the fruit. In spite of the fact that it chocolate may be borei pri ha’etz, 10 as we be kashered without the introduction of loses its original identity, the bracha should mentioned earlier. Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, water? be borei pri ha’etz. The case in point in the Shlit”a, Rabbinic Administrator of the Star-K, This problem has plagued chocolate Shulchan Aruch 4 discusses spices that were maintains that the bracha is subjective. If the manufacturers for many years. The solution ground and sweetened. The bracha that is to chocolate is more desirable, the bracha is to kasher the conches with liquid dark be made on sweetened ground spices is borei would be shehakol; and if the raisin is more chocolate, or in terms of the halacha, sha’ar pri ha’etz because spices are made to be desirable, the bracha on a chocolate covered mashkim, literally “other liquids.” The ground. Applying the same logic to the cacao raisin would be borei pri ha’etz. Shulchan Aruch poses the question whether bean, meaning that the purpose of the cacao King Solomon, Shlomo Hamelech, when liquids other than water may be used for bean is to be ground and liquefied into extolling the virtues of Bnei Yisroel, Torah, kosherization. The Remah is opposed to chocolate, the bracha on chocolate should be and mitzvos exclaims metaphorically using sha’ar mashkim and forbids the use of borei pri ha’etz. In fact, there are some poskim “Vayochal p’ri megadav,” “and he ate His sha’ar mashkim for kosherization. However, who opine that the bracha on chocolate delectable fruits.” Indeed this verse could the Remah permits kashering with sha’ar should be borei pri ha’etz, and not shehakol. certainly apply to the delights of chocolate, mashkim if one has already done the kosher- However, the consensus of halachic opinion the most delicious fruit of the world. 1 ization post facto, b’dieved . The Star-K, does is that the bracha is shehakol. 1 oa twwnr vwwv cwwb, wx jwwrut not kasher with shaar mashkim. However, in Earlier, we mentioned that chocolate is 2 uwwf cwwn uwwx, whx jwwrut 3 zwwv cwwr whx jwwrut some kashrus agencies in the U.S. and among over 50% sugar. Sugar is processed from veg- 4 zwwv dwwr whx jwwrut the Rabbinate in Europe, the prevalent view etables such as sugar cane or sugar beets. In 5 uwwy wv cwwr jwwrut is to rely on the lenient position, even though truth, the Shulchan Aruch also deals with the 6 dwwh ewwx dwwr whx cwwn jwwrut the Shulchan Aruch frowns upon that method bracha on sugar. 5 In any event, the amount 7 ywwh cyv rtc swwr whx jwwrut 8 twwyhka of kosherization. of sugar used would not affect the bracha on Rav Ovadia Yosef, 9 Rav Moshe Feinstein, kwwmz - twwk wx dwwj jwwrut Another interesting caveat to this ques- chocolate, since the purpose of the sugar is to 10 Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, twwyhka - (van gcuh rpxc tcun) tion is whether liquid chocolate, or more sweeten the cocoa ingredients. Sugar, there- specifically cocoa butter, which is a solid at fore, is viewed as a secondary ingredient to room temperature, may be considered a liq- the cocoa liquor, even though sugar is uid and could therefore be used as a kasher- chocolate’s primary ingredient. 6 ing liquid. Interestingly enough, when the According to all opinions the Mishna Berura discusses the issue of egg bracha remains she- matzah, the Chofetz Chaim zt”l mentions that hakol. fats are categorically considered a liquid 2, sha’ar mashkim, and would be permitted to be used as a kashering liquid for those who allow this type of kosherization. What Bracha do we make on Chocolate? As we saw through our tour of chocolate manufacturing, the cacao bean is the fruit of the Forestaro and Criollo trees. However, the cocoa bean is indistinguishable in its choco- late form. The question is: Does a fruit prod-

6 STAR-K 2004 RECOMMENDED SOFT DRINK LIST

Soft drinks below are recommended only when pro- IBC Root Beer, Black Cherry, Brown Cream, Cherry duced in the U.S., and refer to both regular and diet ver- , Cream Soda sions. All are pareve unless otherwise indicated. Icy Splash (when bearing Star-K) Inka-Kola A & W Cream, Rochester , Root Beer Jeff's (when bearing OUD [dairy, non-cholov yisroel]) Adirondack (when bearing OU) Egg Cream Aquafina Essentials Pineapple, Sunfruit,Tangerine Jewel (when bearing CRC) Watermelon,Wildberry Jones (when bearing Star-K) Berry , Billy Arizona (when bearing OU) Pop, Blue Bubblegum, Cherry, Chocolate Fudge, Club, Barq's Cream, French Vanilla Cream, Red Creme, Red Cream, Crushed Melon, Fruit Punch, Fufu Berry, Fun, One, Rattler, Root Beer Grape, Green Apple, Happy, Lemon Lime, Orange & Bawls (when bearing Star-K) Guarana, Guaranexx Cream, Peachy Keen, Root Beer, Sour Lemon, Twist, Be'er Mayim Strawberry & Cream, Strawberry-Lime,Turkey & Gravy, Pepsi Briar's (when bearing OU) Upside Down Pineapple,Vanilla Cola Vanilla,Wild C & C (when bearing OU) Jones, Natural Jones (when bearing Star-K) Root Beer Cherry - The following is a partial listing of the Jones, Slim Jones (when bearing Star-K) Black most common: Cherry, Cream, Fufu Berry, Ginger Ale, Lime Cola Aleutian Canada Dry Ginger Ale Regular, Cherry, Cranberry, KMX Stream, Arctic Cream, Lemon Kool Aid Liquids & Powders are certified when bear- Extreme, Arctic Canada Dry Seltzer Unflavored, Cherry, Grapefruit, ing OK. Shatter, Berry Blitz, Lemon Lime, Mandarin Orange, Peach, Raspberry, Le Village (when bearing Star-K) French Limonade, Black Cherry Lime, Raspberry Lime, Strawberry,Tonic,Tropical Lemonade, Orangeade, Pink Lemonade Dark Brown Burst, Fruit Canada Dry Soda Birch Beer,Black Cherry Wishniak, Lipton Brisk Tea Diet Lemon with Caffeine, Green Tea Punch, Grape, Green Squall, Infrared Freeze, Jagged ,Island Lime, Peach, Pineapple, Root with Passion Fruit, Iced Tea, Lemonade, Peach, Pink Ice, Lemon-Lime, Lite Andean Chill, Melon Papaya Beer, Sweet & Sour,Vanilla Cream,Wild Cherry Lemonade, Plain, Raspberry, Southern Style, Sweet, Pineapple, Mountain Blast, Orange, Orange Tangerine, Canfield (when bearing CRC - Note: Grape is not cer- Sweetened with Lemon, Sweetened No Lemon, Tidal Burst tified.) Unsweetened No Lemon RC Cola Capri Sun - (when bearing OK) Lipton Iced Tea Diet Lemon, Green Tea with Passion Red Flash Central Grocers - (when bearing CRC) Fruit, Lemon Sweet, Peach, Plain, Plain Sweet, Safeway Select (when bearing CRC) Club Soda any unflavored Raspberry,Tea & Lemonade Ginger Ale Regular, Raspberry, Dry Coca Cola Coke,Caffeine Free, Classic, Cherry Coke, Lipton Iced Tea Southern Style Lemon, Sweet No Grape Coke with Lemon, Coke with Lime,Vanilla Coke Lemon, Extra Sweet No Lemon Schweppes Seltzer Lemon, Lime, Lemon Lime, Cornell (when bearing OU) Master Chill Bruisin Berry, Cherry , Red Orange, Pink Grapefruit, Raspberry,Tonic,Wild Cott Cherry, Cola, Cream, Grape, Half & Half, Lemon Licorice, Sour Blue Raspberry, Sour Green, Sour Raspberry Up, Orange, Quinine, Root Beer Strawberry, Strawberry Creme Schweppes Soda Lemon Lime, Grapefruit Country Delight (when bearing CRC) Master Pour Popeye's Boyou Blast Seagrams Ginger Ale Country Time Regular Lemonade, Pink Lemonade. Mayim Chaim Seagrams Seltzer Lemon Lime, Mandarin Orange All Powders are certified when bearing OK. Mello Yellow Seltzer any unflavored Birch Beer, Cream, Grape, Lime, Orange, Peach, Limeade,Yellow Lemonade 7-Up Regular, Cherry Pineapple, Pink Grapefruit, Red Cream, Red Licorice, Minute Maid Soda Blue Cherry, Blueberry, Cherry, (when bearing OU) Spruce Beer, Strawberry,Tropical Punch Fruit Punch, Grape, Grape Medley, Lemonade, Mixed Crystal Light Liquids & Powders are certified when Berry Fruit, Orange, Passionfruit Orange, Peach, Slam Fruit Punch, Grape, Orange, Strawberry bearing OK. Pineapple, Pink Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade, Cherry, Cherry Lime, Dr. Slice, Fruit Punch, Grape, dnL Sour Blue Raspberry, Strawberry Orange, Peach, Pineapple, Pink Lemonade, Slice Cola, Dad's Root Beer Grape, Grapefruit, Green Cream, Fruit Punch, Slice Red, Strawberry Dasani Mandarin Orange, Pear Cucumber,Wildberry, Orange, Strawberry (when bearing OK) Unflavored Mitzli (when bearing B'Datz) SoBe Mr. Green Cola, Golden Peach, Kiwi Strawberry, AMP,Regular, Caffeine Free, Blue Sonic Lemonade, Red Raspberry,Tangerine,White Grape Shock, Code Red, LiveWire Regular, Berry Clear Sprite Remix,Tropical Dr. Brown's (when bearing Kof-K) Mr. Pibb Sprite Remix Dr. Pepper Regular, Red Fusion Mug Cream, Root Beer Regular, Ruby Red Banana, Birch Beer, Blue Cherry, Blue Raspberry, (when bearing OU) Stewarts (when bearing OU) Blue Vanilla, Ginger Ale, Grape, Kiwi-Strawberry, Naturale 90 (when bearing OU) Suburban Orange, Red Licorice, Strawberry, Super Sour Apple, Nestea Iced Tea Lemon Sweet, Peach, Premium, Sundrop Super Sour Cherry, Super Sour Watermelon,Vanilla, Raspberry, Sweetened Southern Style, Unsweetened Cherry, Cherry Limeade, Fruit Punch, Grape, Watermelon,White Cherry,Wild Cherry,Yellow Cherry Southern Style Lemonade, Orange, Peach, Pineapple, Strawberry Faygo (when bearing OU) Nestea Cool Iced Tea Plain, Peach Freezer, Raspberry Sunny Delight (when bearing Kof-K) Frapuccino - ( - only in bottles with a KD Cooler [dairy, non-cholov yisroel]) Caramel, Coffee, Double Blue Cream, Fruit Punch, Grape, Lemonade, Tang Powder (when bearing OK) Shot, Egg Nog, Hazelnut, Love Bust Brew, Mocha, Orange, Peach, Root Beer, Strawberry,Wild Red Cherry Tropicana Fruit Punch,Yellow Lemonade, Light Mocha Amaretto, Mocha Light,Vanilla Patio Ginger Ale, Orange, Red Cherry, Root Beer, Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, Peach Papaya, Strawberry Strawberry Cream, Strawberry Melon Fresh Samantha (when bearing KVH) Pepsi Cola Regular, Caffeine Free, Pepsi Blue, Pepsi (when bearing OU) (OV) Black Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Cola, Giant (when bearing OU) Club Soda, Cola, Diet Caffeine Free Cola, Diet Cream Ginger Ale any plain Soda, Ginger Ale, Mountain Vess, No Salt Seltzer, H2Oh! Berry, Lemon Lime, Orange, Plain Peach, Pina Colada, Pineapple, Red Cream, Root Beer, Hanson's (when bearing OU) Strawberry,Tonic,Whistle Orange Sizes: 12 oz. cans, 20 oz. plastic bot- Vintage Seltzer Lemon Lime, Mandarin Orange, tles, 2 liter bottles; Flavors:Blue Tropical, Fruit Juicy Raspberry,Wild Cherry Red, Grape, Orange, Red Chillers, Strawberry, Surfin' Waist Watcher (when bearing OU) Strawberry Welch's Soda Lemonade, Orange, Peach Soda, Hershey's Box Milk Drink (when bearing OUD [dairy, Pineapple, Strawberry non-cholov yisroel]) White Rock (when bearing OU) Hires Cream, Root Beer Wildwood (when bearing CRC) Honest Tea (when bearing OU) Grapefruit

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