No 13
(Kosher)
All of us are familiar with this word and
the etymology in Yiddish is Kosher, in Hebrew, it is Kâshâr (“fit,” or “proper”), in Judaism, it is
the fitness of an object for ritual purposes. Though generally applied to foods
that meet the requirements of the dietary laws (kashruth), kosher is also used
to describe, for instance, such objects as a Torah scroll, or water for ritual
bathing (mikvah), and the ritual ram's horn (shofar). When applied to food,
kosher is the opposite of terefah (“forbidden”);
when applied to other things, it is the opposite of pasul (“unfit”). In connection with
the dietary laws, kosher implies that the food is not derived from the animals,
birds, or fish prohibited in Leviticus 11 or Deuteronomy 14 and are slaughtered
according to Jewish law.
But how did this word become part of
Jewish culture; the word is not in the Bible?
The word kosher became part of Jewish culture in 1851 and contrary to
popular misconception, rabbis or other religious officials do not “bless” food to make it kosher. There
are blessings that observant Jews recite over food before eating it, but these
blessings have nothing to do with making the food kosher. There is no such thing as “kosher-style” food. Kosher is not a
style of cooking. Chinese food can be kosher if it is prepared in accordance
with Jewish law.
When we consider this stringent custom
and others that we have seen, one cannot over look the zeal of the Orthodox
Jews. However, zeal does not get us to
heaven and zeal does not forgive our sins.
When Jesus was on earth, He condemned the burdens that were placed on
the general population by the Pharisees.
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to
be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move
them with one of their fingers.” (23:4).
Hypocrisy was what these Pharisees were being accused of by Jesus. Only faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross
of