Kosher 101

The lives of the Jewish people are governed by the Holy Torah (Bible), the Talmud and the Code of Jewish Law (Halacha) which instructs and guides every aspect of life.

The Hebrew word “kosher” literally means “proper” or “fit”. The Torah explains that certain foods and beverages are fit for consumption by a Jew, whilst others are not (Leviticus 11:44-47). These are a set of technical laws set out by the Torah. The Torah explicitly declares the issue to be a metaphysical one, non-kosher food has a negative effect on Jewish spirituality, while kosher food is conducive to a state of purity and spiritual sensitivity.

Ultimately, the kosher laws fall within a category of Jewish law known as Chukim – beyond rational human understanding. We fulfil these commandments solely because Hashem (G-d) commanded us to. In the above passage (Leviticus 11:44-47) the Torah instructs the Jewish people that they should not eat certain animals, fowl, fish or insects which would render them spiritually impure.

This guide is not intended to be a comprehensive or exhaustive study of this subject, but a reference guide to enable the layman to follow the basic principles of what renders something kosher or not.

So much more to learn about Kosher.