Kosher Kitchen 3

Is it Kosher?

Meaning “fit” in Hebrew, kosher refers to a set of Jewish dietary laws from the Bible as interpreted by rabbis in the Talmud, written commentary that began some two thousand years ago.

To Be Kosher:

• An animal must both chew its cud and have a cloven (divided) hoof. So cows are kosher, but pigs are not.
• Fish must have both scales and fins. So tuna is kosher, but lobster is not.
• Animals must be killed painlessly by a schochet, a ritual slaughterer, and then drained of blood.
• Milk and meat cannot be cooked or eaten together.
• Dishes and utensils for dairy and meat must be kept separate.

Only a minority of American Jews follow the kosher laws, but the word has become common slang, meaning “legitimate” or “fair.”