Kashrus Halacha

Zei'ah Basic halachos; Stovetop; Oven; Microwave oven; Hookah; e-Cigarettes; Zei'ah b'almah; Media. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Foods That Require Bishul Yisroel Pas vs. Tavshil; Edible raw (נאכל חי) (with other foods, passably edible, prefer it cooked); Oleh al shulchan melachim (עולה על שולחן מלכים) (definition, if prepared differently, egg) Beets, cake, cereal, corn, crackers, doughnuts, eggs, onions, pizza, potato chips, rice, sardines, tuna fish, and wraps. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Freeze Dryers (אש שורף דבר מועט) Stovetop; Oven; Freeze Dryer operations; Hashgachah; Segregation; Other issues. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Seven Important Shemittah Disagreements – Part 2 of 2 Three kulos of Chazon Ish (ukmei peiri/אוקמי פירי, zeri'ah mukdemes/זריעה מוקדמת, s'dei nir/שדה ניר) (Otzar Beis Din) Heter Mechirah (sha'as hadchak, gemiras da'as, lo sechanem) See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Seven Important Shemittah Disagreements – Part 1 of 2 Borders (names, southern border) Greenhouse produce (עציץ שאינו נקוב/atzis she’aino nakuv, זורע בבית/zore’ah babayis) Meshumar and Ne’evad (משומר ונעבד) Yevul Nochri (יבול נכרי) Kedushas Shevi’is after Biur See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Steam Systems (טיפת חלב) [Part 2] Pegimah Davar hapogem Chavos Da'as Nifsal mei'achilah (inedible) vs. sheloh k'derech achilah Nisrach (spoiled) vs. irev bo davar mar (bitter component added) Pesach proofs Reversibility Nosein ta'am lifgam Three approaches Pegimah candidates - pine oil, propylene glycol, neutralizing amines, bitrex, heating oil, caustic See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushal...

Shemittah is starting: Preparations; Manufacturing companies; Vegetables - timing, sefichin; Options; Fruits - kedushas shevi'is, timing; Buy the book at www.kashrushalacha.com

Steam Systems (טיפת חלב) [Part 1] Introduction - cooking with steam, jacketed kettles, questions; Halacha; Observable phenomena; 10% rule; Preventing cross-contamination (7 ways); See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Dairy Industry Overview Milk; Fat - cream, butter, buttermilk, ice cream; Protein - acid vs. rennet, casein and cheese, hard cheese vs. soft cheese, whey, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream; Sugar / Lactose - mei chalav, meimei chalav, uses Water and minor components See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Chatichah Na’aseis Neveilah (חנ"נ) [Part 2] Exceptions Heter; Chametz; Issur d’rabannan; Chalav stam; Not batel b’shishim; Keilim; Sofo l’hishpashet Cold. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Chatichah Na'aseis Neveilah (חנ"נ) [Part 1] Basic Halacha Basar b'chalav; Sha'ar issurim; Hefsed merubah (examples); Lach and yavesh (לח ביבש, לח בלח, יבש ביבש, powdered stabilizer blend); Safek issur (five opinions); Steam systems; Yedias Hata'aroves. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Evaporators / Concentrators Operations - overview, effects, condensate; Hashgachah - flavor essence, cow water; Kashering - considerations, options. See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Zeh V'zeh Gorem [Part 2] Simultaneous or Consecutive?  (sherry casks, blenders) Emulsifiers (definition, status as ma'amid, zeh v'zeh gorem) See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Zeh V'zeh Gorem - Part 1 Principle Flavors  Different Contributions Yesh bazeh k'dei lechamietz (יש בזה כדי לחמץ) Pesach See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Hafrashas Challah in Commercial Establishments Four methods Dough-ball method (shiyarehah nikarim, trust) Tevel dough and matzah (proper year, lo ba'ah l'olam, other grains, mukaf, shelichus, act of hafrashah) Q&A Buy Rabbi Cohen's book on this topic at www.kashrushalacha.com

Glucose Sugars (monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides) Glucose sources (juice, lactose, starch, countries of origin) Glucose uses (fermentations, alcohol, vinegar, ethyl compounds, sugar alcohols) Nishtaneh See seforim by Rabbi Cohen at www.kashrushalacha.com

Davar Hama’amid: General Halachos – Exceptions [1] basar b’chalav (cheese), [2] inherently forbidden (yeast), [3] zeh v’zeh gorem, [4] remains in (immobilized enzyme, glucose isomerase, catalysts), [5] meaningful effect Examples – cottage cheese, vinegar, stabilizer, amylases Other details – kashering afterwards, chametz after Pesach, bishul akum and kitnios, whey, three ha’amados, tevillas keilim...

Is it acceptable for kosher slaughterhouses to use the same knives for kosher and non-kosher, such as neveilos and teraifos?  How can that be reconciled with Shulchan Aruch YD 10:3 and 64:16? See the video at http://kshr.us/ButcherKnives

What does it take to create kosher artificial meat (a.k.a. cultured meat, cellular meat, clean meat)?   What are the halachic issues to consider? Basar min hachai Shechitah Fleishig or pareve? Extension or ma'amid? Serum See the video at http://kshr.us/CulturedMeat

Insect Issues Copepods in New York City Water (Kensico reservoir, visibility, matzui) Worms in fish Leaf miners Mechanically dried herbs Shellac Q&A Buy the book at www.kashrushalacha.com

Hidden issues in a kosher slaughterhouse: Dewlap tag Electric prod Electrical stimulation Rodding the weasand Watch the video at http://kshr.us/Hidden

American Meat Takanah of the Agudas HaRabbonim The takanah Must we follow it? Spirit of the takanah Watch the video at http://kshr.us/Takanah

Pesach issues at a kosher packing house: Netting Ink Casings Watch the video at http://kshr.us/PesachMeat

Does a shrink tunnel used for non-kosher meat have to be kashered before use for kosher meat in Cryovac bags?  Hot tunnel Hot bath Layers Irui kli rishon, tata'ah gavar, hevel hakedairah Watch the video at http://kshr.us/ShrinkTunnel

Is one obligated to give Zeroah, Lechayim, and Keivah (זרוע לחיים וקיבה) to a Kohen in the United States?  Kurkuvan - assorted halachos See the video at http://kshr.us/MatnosKehunah