Rooted in Tradition - Torah Responds to a "Sour" Economy

«Now 39 years old and serving as the rabbi of a Chabad center near Atlanta, Rabbi Minkowicz has done something he never expected: open a gemach that deals primarily with non-Orthodox Jews in a prosperous stretch of suburbia. The reason, quite simply, is the prolonged downturn in the American economy, which has driven up the number of Jews identified by one poverty expert as the "middle-class needy."

The same phenomenon has appeared in Jewish communities across the country, albeit most often in those with existing Orthodox populations already familiar with the gemach system. This institution, rooted in biblical and Talmudic teachings and whose name is a contraction of the Hebrew words for "bestowal of kindness" ("gemilut chasadim"), is now meeting needs created by such resolutely modern causes as subprime mortgages, outsourcing and credit default swaps.»


NYT: Gemach Offers Loans Without Profit

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/us/a-traditional-jewish-loan-program-helps-ease-pain-of-tough-economic-times.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=gemach&st=cse


For Mobil Devices:


http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/us/a-traditional-jewish-loan-program-helps-ease-pain-of-tough-economic-times.xml

-------------------

I grew up in a shul that hosted such societies - some were known as "oxies" whatever that means.

Also, my Dad's company had its own Federal Credit Union which offered low-cost loans to its members based upon the same premise of mutual help.

Shalom,
RRW

Baruch Dayan HaEmes: Cantor Macy Nulman z"l

«The Yeshiva University Family is saddened by the passing of
CANTOR MACY NULMAN, z'l
Former Director of the Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music at Yeshiva University, a Founder of the Cantorial Council of America, a pioneer in Cantorial and Jewish music education and author of numerous books and journals on Jewish music and liturgy. »
-------------------
B"H I attended quite a few courses at the Belz school over the years. Cantor Nulman was a consummate professional and helped to raise the Modern Orthodox "cantorate" to a higher level of professionalism. His book "The Encyclopedia of Jewish Liturgy" is a great quick reference guide for us.

While I only chatted with him a few times -- most of his influence on me was indirect -- he, nevertheless, will be missed as a mentor.

To his family, Hamakom Y'nachem ....

Shalom and Regards,
RRW

Mussar: Let's Face It! - Quick Internet Mussar

Instead of FaceBook
Face the Book!
See
http://uberdox.blogspot.com/2011/11/great-mussar-for-me.html

Shalom,
RRW

Issur V'heter Overview in 3 Sections

Basic Rabbinic Literacy
Program

Goal: To Prepare Prospective Students in 3 areas of Issur V'heter Using "Classic Texts"

Note:
Each Overview stands on its own and does not require going further in order to grasp these concepts on a basic level

Each Session is assumed to be 90 minutes. No preparation is necessary, but review is indispensable

--------------------

Overview 1
Bassar b'Chalav

Sefer Minchat Hinuch - Mitzvot 92, 113

Rambam MT Ma'achalot Assurot Ch. 9

4-6 sessions

--------------------

Overview 2 - M'lichah

SA YD 69- 78 with Be'er Hagolah, Ba'er Hetev

Hochmat Adam 43 with Yad Adam

6-8 sessions

--------------------

Overview 3
Taaruvot of Hametz
SA O"Ch with Mishnah Brurah
442
447
467

7 - 9 sessions

Shalom and Regards, RRW

Soviet Purges: Lenin vs. Stalin

Due to the recent death of Comrade Stalin's daughter Svetlana [aka Lana] I thought that it's time to revive a thesis I wrote for my Soviet History class circa December, 1973

Given that both Lenin and Stalin ruthlessly persecuted and purged, can we still compare and contrast their approaches?

The approach I took was to contrast NOT their degree of zealousness; after all the Cheka / Ogpu [Lenin] were as ruthless as the NKVD / MVD [Stalin]. What DID change? The targets of their zeal!

Lenin went after Czarists and "Whites" and other factions who opposed Bolshevism. EG Lenin was willing to overlook Trotsky's personal history as a Menshevik because of his steadfast loyalty to the Bolshevik Revolution. Thus Lenin's "US" were the community of all good Bolsheviks and his "THEM" were all those opposed to Bolshevism

Stalin morphed the zealousness by turning internally onto Fellow Bolsheviks. Stalin's "US" were the community of all those who'd give their life for Stalin and his "THEM" were all those had an independent power base and could thus think and act on their own w/o Stalin

As a result, Trotsky, Kirov, Bukharin, Kamenev, Zinoviev, etc. Were all Bolsheviks in good standing, yet nevertheless were ruthlessly and brutally purged. Their goodstanding as Bolsheviks is testified to by the fact that most were posthumously rehabilitated - except for Trotsky.

Hopefully the Mussar here for US is obvious. How far to take "Kannaus"? Think about it.

Shalom,
RRW

Palestine's Grand Mufti - Nazi Collaborator

The Military Channel has a fascinating series about Nazi Collaborators. On TV now (the evening of Nov. 29), is an episode about the grand Mufti and his personal alliance with Hitler YS"V and his Nazi cohorts.

I highly suggest seeing this episode.

For more info:

Controversy-laden "Nazi Collaborators" coming to Military Channel - Channel Guide Magazine

http://www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2011/09/28/nazi-collaborators-coming-to-military-channel/

Shalom,
RRW

The Battle of the Tunnel - Part 2

Last year, we reported and commented on what we termed "The Battle of the Tunnel" between Atheists and Roman Catholics in that the former put a billboard at one end of the Lincoln Tunnel while the latter put up one on the other end. See http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/2010/12/battle-of-tunnel.html.

Well it seems that the battle may be on for this year as well -- well at least the atheists have fired the first shot for this year. They have put up a billboard on one end of the Tunnel with a similar message to the one they presented last year. This year they have pictures of Neptune, Jesus, Santa Claus and the Devil with the question "What do you see?" It seems that they are trying to be a bit more subtle this year, not challenging everyone to be atheist but calling upon those church going people who secretly are atheists to, figuratively, come out of the closet. Further on this, see
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-706810?hpt=hp_bn2

The Roman Catholics have not responded yet as far as I know.  If they do, I most likely would have the same dilemma as I had last year, effectively siding, in a certain way, more with the atheists than the Roman Catholics. Let's face it, in regard to this year's billboard, I would agree with the atheists putting Neptune, a divine Jesus, Santa Claus and a Christian presentation of the Devil, in the same category.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

The increasing chasm Amongst Jewish Factions

«Which leads me to the following question: Who is there anywhere in the Jewish world whose passing would evoke the sense of shared loss that was felt when Peretz died? Is there anyone in the Jewish world – in Israel, the United States, or anywhere else – who would be mourned by secularists and religious Jews alike, conservatives and liberals, Zionists and those more dubious about the Jewish state? Were Haim Nahman Bialik to die now, would the Israeli religious community mark his passing? (In 1934, it did.) Were Rabbi Shlomo Goren alive now, would American Reform and Conservative Jews see his loss as theirs, too? Would Israeli Orthodox Jews take note of the loss of Abba Hillel Silver? »

Daniel Gordis
A Tale of Two Funerals

http://danielgordis.org/2011/11/25/a-tale-of-two-f

-------------------

Comment:

I have long admired Abba Hillel Silver as a spokesman for Jewry, but I'm no fan of his "theology. I can say similar things about Z'ev Jabotinsky.

Certain leaders were imho good for our Nation, but not so good for our Religion. [And perhaps vice versa]

Shalom,
RRW

Is Judaism a matter of what Rabbis say, or a matter of what Jews do?

«If so, fine. If not also fine. Which brings us back to the old, vexing question: Is Judaism a matter of what Rabbis say, or a matter of what Jews do?»

See:
DOVBEAR: Oy Gay

http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2011/11/oy-gay.html?m=1

--------------------

To answer DovBear's question it's a combination of

Torah
Rabbis
Jews

The Zohar says "Yisroel v'raitto v'kudsha bkrich hu had hu"

Similarly, Halachah is also the product of an amalgam. Re: this specific issue, more later BE"H

Shalom,
RRW

Texts: Underrated Yet Classical

There are some classic texts in Judaism that are powerful but nevertheless often neglected. I'm not always sure why. Dear Readers, you will probably come up with a few short lists of your own. Here are a few of mine

1. Midrashim in general. Midrash Rabbah in particular. Fortunately we often do get access to this via intermediate texts

2. The L'vushim. One of the very finest Halachic Codes has been largely neglected for centuries

3. R Hananel on Sha"s. To Rashi goes the first prize in Talmudic Parshanut. R Hananel probably is a close runner up and can be very user-friendly and occasionally highly informative

4. Perhaps the only major Rishon to miss the cut into Mikraot G'dolot is Rabbenu Bachayei al haTorah. He reviews Pardeis on the Humash, making distinctions between each approach

5. Tomer D'vorah. Better known in Kabbalistic circles, it still works in the realms of Mussar, Hashkafah, and Ahavat Yisrael
6. Siddur Avodat Yisrael by Seligmann Baer. One of the few gems admired in both Orthodox and non-Orthodox liturgical scholarship

7. Soncino Humash by Rev. A Cohen. Long overshadowed, first by the Hertz Humash then by the Artscroll Humash the commentary has a "Kitzur Mikraot G'dolot in English.

BE"H we can add more


Shalom,
RRW

JVO: Thanksgiving 2

Jewish Values Online (jewishvaluesonline.org) is a website that asks the Jewish view on a variety of issues, some specifically Jewish and some from the world around us -- and then presents answers from each of the dominations of Judaism. Nishmablog's Blogmaster Rabbi Wolpoe serves as an Orthodox member of their Panel of Scholars, offering answers from our perspective.

This post is part of a weekly series on the Nishmablog presenting the questions to which he responded and the answers that he gave.

* * * * *


Question: Is there a special Jewish prayer that we can say at Thanksgiving dinner in commemoration that we were granted religious freedom in America?

Rabbi Wolpoe:

I would favor consulting Traditional Siddurim [Prayer Books] Jewish Prayers are filled with expressions of thanks.  Any recitation using them would accomplish Thanksgiving and incorporate a Jewish aspect.

For example, one could recite one or both of the "Modim" prayers.  Or the morning Modeh Ani prayer

My own favorite is Psalm 100 "Mizmor leTodah", a Psalm of Thanskgiving.  In particular  I enjoy Louis Lewandowski's awesome choral composition of same.  It is a most inspiring way to express gratitude.

And following dinner as we recite the "Birkat Hamazon" the 2nd Blessing is based upon the theme of   thanks - "Nodeh Lecha"

My in-laws "Did Thanksgiving" on the Friday Night Shabbat Dinner on the Day after the Secular Thursday.  There is perhaps no more Jewish way to celebrate Turkey Day than by having it as a Friday Night Shabbat Feast

I hope these help

Happy Thanksgiving
RRW


-------------------

And here's a blog post on this theme

Making Thanksgiving into a Kiddush Hashem
« ...Kesher Israel Congregation (KI) in Harrisburg has found the perfect way to spend the day… They came up with the idea of providing a full Thanksgiving meal for those firefighters who would be spending Thanksgiving on call at the fire station rather than at home surrounded by family and friends. This novel idea resonated with the congregation...»


-------------------

Sources:

JVO Link
http://www.jewishvaluesonline.org/question.php?id=243&cprg=%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearchtxt%3Dthanksgiving%26what%3DA

NishmaBlog: Making Thanksgiving into a Kiddush Hashem
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/2011/11/making-thanksgiving-into-kiddush-hashem.html


Thanksgiving Kiddush Hashem | Hirhurim – Torah Musings
http://torahmusings.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-kiddush-hashem/

Shalom and Regards,

RRW

JVO: Thanksgiving

Jewish Values Online (jewishvaluesonline.org) is a website that asks the Jewish view on a variety of issues, some specifically Jewish and some from the world around us -- and then presents answers from each of the dominations of Judaism. Nishmablog's Blogmaster Rabbi Wolpoe serves as an Orthodox member of their Panel of Scholars, offering answers from our perspective.

This post is part of a weekly series on the Nishmablog presenting the questions to which he responded and the answers that he gave.

* * * * *


Question:How can Jews bring Judaism into celebrating Thanksgiving?

I would favor consulting Traditional Siddurim [Prayer Books] Jewish Prayers are filled with expressions of thanks. Any recitation using them would accomplish Thanksgiving and incorporate a Jewish aspect.

For example, one could recite one or both of the "Modim" prayers. Or the morning Modeh Ani prayer

My own favorite is Psalm 100 Mizmor leTodah, a Psalm of Thanksgiving. In particular I enjoy Louis Lewandowski's awesome choral composition of same. It is a most inspiring way to express gratitude.

And following dinner as we recite the "Birkat Hamazon" the 2nd Blessing is based upon the theme of thanks - "Nodeh Lecha"

My in-laws "Did Thanksgiving" on the Friday Night Shabbat Dinner on the Day after the Secular Thursday. There is perhaps no more Jewish way to celebrate Turkey Day than by having it as a Friday Night Shabbat Feast

I hope these help

Happy Thanksgiving

Making Thanksgiving into a Kiddush Hashem

« ...Kesher Israel Congregation (KI) in Harrisburg has found the perfect way to spend the day… They came up with the idea of providing a full Thanksgiving meal for those firefighters who would be spending Thanksgiving on call at the fire station rather than at home surrounded by family and friends. This novel idea resonated with the congregation...»



Thanksgiving Kiddush Hashem | Hirhurim – Torah Musings


http://torahmusings.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-kiddush-hashem/

Shalom,
RRW

Issues in Contemporary Hashkafa

A series of shiurim  

with Rabbi Hecht

on the interface between Torah and the modern world
Videos available on Koshertube.

The first shiur is at
http://koshertube.com/videos/index.php?option=com_seyret&task=videodirectlink&id=8916

The second shiur is at
http://koshertube.com/videos/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=4&task=videodirectlink&id=9054


For those within the area, the shiurim themselves continue:
Wednesday nights
9:00 pm
BAYT in Thornhill

An Encounter with Gay Orthodox Marriage

With all this discussion regarding Steve Greenberg's latest undertaking, I thought it might be appropriate for me to share a personal encounter with a similar event.

A few years ago, I was faced with the following shaila. Soon after Canada allowed same sex marriages, a woman called me to ask if it would be okay for her to attend such a wedding of a friend of hers. This, however, was not a simple request. This woman, when she was in her early twenties, was involved in a terrible accident which required much time in the hospital and then in rehabilitation (B"H, she is fine now.) It seems that during this ordeal, two friends stood beside her throughout and helped her out greatly in overcoming this adversity. One was this man. She therefore was torn. On one hand, her attendance at this ceremony could be seen as somewhat of an acquiescence to this behaviour, something, which as a frum woman, she did not want to do. It was, further, for this same reason that her husband felt she should not go. On the other hand, the value of hakeret hatov, of recognizing, acknowledging and thanking someone for their good behaviour towards you, would seem to demand of her to attend. The result was this shaila which she and her husband had agreed to ask me.

Immediately, I saw her dilemma. Hakeret hatov is a most significant value and her behaviour in not attending this event could possibly be seen as her ignoring the good that was done for her. In a world of tolerance, there is pressure upon us to also demonstrate tolerance or face the charge of being ungrateful. On the other hand, even within a world of tolerance, we must still abide by our principles so how could she show any possible acceptance of this action? I knew my leanings were just to say no but I truly had to further think about it.

We spoke the next day with me mentioning that I still had not come to a definite decision. Then came the statement that totally forced me to take a definite stand right away. This woman asked me whether it might be better if she only attended the Sheva Brachot? I said: what? Yes they were having Sheva Brachot.

It seems that her friend had actually developed an interest in Judaism and if he was not already shomer Shabbat, he was on his way. The consequence was, also, that everything to do with this same sex ceremony was patterned after an Orthodox wedding ceremony, even in regard to the invitation (which she then read to me over phone). My answer was now simple. This was an inherent mockery of Torah to which she could not be part. I use the word mockery not in the sense that this man was intending to mock Torah. The reality was that his understanding of Torah was a mockery of Torah's essence -- and this is what is occurring with this ceremony by Steve Greenberg.

People are projecting Torah as standing for certain life expectancies be it spirituality, family closeness, national grouping etc, etc. The fact is that Torah really only stands for Torah and that all else that may, at times or even most of the time, flow from its observance will also find the situation when it does not reflect the Torah directive. To take another value, any other value, and to place it above Torah itself is fundamentally flawed, a mockery of the very foundation of Torah. This is what I felt in arriving at the decision I rendered in telling this woman that she should not go to this ceremony. This man had already found something within Torah that he desired and it pushed him to observance. He wanted to bring this into his same sex ceremony -- but it was at this point that one could see that this motivation was not Torah for it drew him to create a travesty of Torah itself for he did not recognize that Torah is not about this motivation but about the simple demands of Torah itself and a same sex marriage was not one of them. It was like toivel v'sheretz b'yado and he didn't even know that there was a sheretz b'yado.

Its one thing to accept a value of same sex marriage -- but why the need to declare it okay within the realm of Torah. Go practice your own faith. The desire is though to impose it as my faith. With that the issue is not just the ethics homosexuality but the very definition of Torah. That, we must defend.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

The Intersection of Orthodoxy and Gay Marriage

There is a lot to say on this subject


First Morethdoxoy -

An Orthodox Gay Wedding? by R. Yosef Kanefsky | Morethodoxy: Exploring the Breadth, Depth and Passion of Orthodox Judaism


http://morethodoxy.org/2011/11/18/an-orthodox-gay-wedding/#comments


Then Hirhurim -

Post-Orthodox Gay Marriage | Hirhurim – Torah Musings

http://torahmusings.com/2011/11/post-orthodox-gay-marriage/

Soon Nishma BE"H

Shalom,
RRW

A Response to a Reform Critique

Last Sunday, the Toronto Star published an article from one of their columnists, Rabbi Dow Marmur, the Rabbi Emeritus of Toronto's Holy Blossom Temple, a leading institution within Reform Judaism. The article was entitled: "Women energize modern Judaism," and its topic was obvious -- how the greater involvement of women in the synagogue, liturgy and clergy has had a 'positive effect' on 'Judaism'. Of course, included in the article, even as Rabbi Marmur himself states that he has "the highest regard for Orthodox Judaism", are a few jabs at Orthodoxy -- enough of them that more than one person asked me to respond. The article can be seen at:

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1085859--marmur-women-energize-modern-judaism

The question for me was how to respond. His was the politically correct position and challenging this position directly in the largest newspaper in Canada would be foolish and only have negative results. Yet, while in the end my response was not published by the paper, I felt that it was important for me to respond, at least to try and challenge what he said, specifically the subtle negative implications he presented about Orthodoxy. Here was my response:

While Rabbi Marmur is fully entitled to express his thoughts on how women have energized his religion, I do not think it appropriate for him to misrepresent my religion in the process. He critiques those who “depict Judaism as an obsolete relic” and then he revels the same accusation at Orthodox Judaism. Any representation of Orthodox Judaism as fundamentalist negates its commitment to thought and its consummate rejection (via the diversity of opinion found within its studies) of the expression of life in black-and-white terms. Rabbi Marmur’s misrepresentation may be innocent however due to a general perception that the distinctions in the branches of Judaism are more matters of form than issues of essential objectives and understandings. While he may incorporate practices from Orthodoxy in his world of Reform Judaism, he misses seeing how Orthodoxy’s principles really differ from those of Reform Judaism. If he truly understood the distinctions, he would recognize that the changes in the understanding of gender that have occurred over the past 150 years, while having their impact upon Reform Judaism in the obvious manner they have, have also had their impact on Orthodoxy but in a vastly different way reflecting the underlying distinctly substantial and complex values of Orthodoxy.

As I maintained in my article "Adjective and Non-adjective Jews" (available on the Nishma website at http://www.nishma.org/articles/introspection/introspection5761-2-adjective_jew.htm, I truly do believe that the best way of responding to these types of directives against Orthodoxy is by just presenting the theological truth -- the religion of Reform Judaism and the religion of Orthodox Judaism are two different religions. What is the problem with stating this? Describing Reform Judaism as its own religion does not in any way give it a standing as true. Let Rabbi Marmur talk about how women have energized Reform Judaism -- well maybe this religion needed some energization. I make it clear this way, though, that what he says has nothing to do with my faith.

Comments?

Rabbi Ben Hecht

Nothing is as powerful....

"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come", - Sir Victor Hugo 1852

At one time there was a viable "Traditional Wing" of Conservative Judaism. Since about 1980+ the C movement has moved sharply left-ward.

My late Rabbi, William Cohen A"H used to frequently repeat: "nature abhors a vacuum"

There is a new vacuum in the spectrum. There are powerful forces at work here forcing the issue [no pun intended] Those forces are not internal to Orthodoxy, the gap that needs to be filled is indeed external.

The idea or movement that seems irresistible now is what I call "neo-Con" a new Traditional Conservatism.

Not that I am personally endorsing this movement. Far from it. I just see that the nature of this gap is making the Neo-Cons a virtual physical necessity in order to plug this missing hole.

This movement somewhat reminds me of how Z. Frankel resisted Radical Reform with his counter-weight of Positive-Historical Judaism.

It is interesting to see that the Neo-Cons are mostly dominated by Left-Wing Modern Orthodox types as opposed to Right-Wing Conservative types. I'm not clear as to why that is.

My guess is that there may be more "dynamism" or charisma in the LW Ortho circles, composed of those who are still exploring the new parameters of making a break.

Shalom,
RRW

Halachic Movement

In my post The Shelo Asani Ishah Issue, I mentioned that I wanted to present a more thorough discussion on this matter, not necessarily the particular topic of Shelo Asani Isha but the whole question of, what we may term, Halachic movement. I have recently completed this presentation and invite you to take a look at it. 

Halachic Movement

A new Commentary on the parameters of Halachic change within Orthodoxy
available on the Nishma website at http://www.nishma.org/articles/commentary/movement.html

JVO: Glatt Kosher

Jewish Values Online (jewishvaluesonline.org) is a website that asks the Jewish view on a variety of issues, some specifically Jewish and some from the world around us -- and then presents answers from each of the dominations of Judaism. Nishmablog's Blogmaster Rabbi Wolpoe and Nishma's Founding Director, Rabbi Hecht, both serve as Orthodox members of their Panel of Scholars.

This post continues the weekly series on the Nishmablog that features responses on JVO by one of our two Nishma Scholars who are on this panel. This week's presentation is to one of the questions to which Rabbi Hecht responded.

* * * * *
Question: What is the difference between "Glatt Kosher" and "Kosher?"

Rabbi Hecht's answer

When I first saw this question, I felt providing an answer would be pretty straightforward but as I drafted a response I began to realize that a proper answer would also demand the presentation of some basic principles of Jewish Law that are often not recognized. As such, allow me to begin by directing the reader to a good, basic response to this question by Rabbi Ari Z. Zivotofsky which can be found at the following link, http://www.kashrut.com/articles/glatt/#starstar. Now allow me to elaborate.

The word kosher in Hebrew means proper or fit and, in its more specific usage, declares that a piece of meat is permitted to be eaten according to Halacha, Jewish Law. In its more extended usage, it is also used to indicate that matters – be it a product, a program, an event – conforms to the requirements of Halacha. For example, I am a member of the Rabbinic Advisory Board of Koshertube (www.koshertube.com) where the term kosher indicates that the viewing of the videos on the site present no problem according to Halacha, namely that, according to the Jewish Law, they are fit to be viewed.

It is very important to recognize that kosher is, as such, a legal term and, thus, is similar to such terms as guilty or innocent. It does not reflect an attribute that is inherent in an item – such as dimension or colour – but reflects a judicial determination based upon facts and law. This is what a verdict such as guilty means; it is an evaluation that, pursuant to the accepted facts and the law as determined by those entrusted to make this decision, a person is guilty of a crime. Kosher is a similar, judicial conclusion. When someone declares an item to be kosher, one is stating that, based on the facts as presented to this person and this person’s determination of the appropriate halachic principle in this matter, an item is legally fit, in the case of meat that it is permitted to be eaten according to Jewish Law.

The technical case of glatt kosher may actually serve as a good example of the legal nature of such terms. There is a halachic principle that meat from an animal that would have died within one year is not kosher. An exact determination of whether an animal would have died within a year or not, especially after the animal has been slaughtered, could, obviously, be a most difficult one even for a veterinarian. This is where legal principles enter into the discussion. What exactly are the legal standards in this regard according to Jewish Law? As one example of such a standard, there is a principle in the Halacha that we may apply the concept of rov, following the majority, resulting in that, without evidence to the contrary, we can assume that what applies to the majority applies to all. In this case of meat, the principle that is applied is not necessarily that of rov but of a similar nature, namely that we need be only concerned with issues that have a significant minority occurrence. What is a significant minority occurrence? That is a matter of legal disagreement. Based upon the study of Jewish, legal sources there is a debate between scholars of the Halacha as to the exact definition of this. This is a classic example of a disagreement within Jewish Law with which many people have problems. As with any legal system – in the same manner that you have differing conclusions of judges – there are scholarly disagreements about halachic principles. This is why you have many possible contradictory presentations of what is kosher or not – there are disagreements in law.

The technical, specific definition of glatt kosher concerns one of these disagreements. It is generally accepted that we need not be concerned with a possible malady in a slaughtered animal that would demand of us to label it ‘expected to die within a year’ and thus not kosher. We, thus, upon slaughter, generally do not examine an animal to see if there is some indication that it had such a malady. Such an occurrence is beyond a significant minority. There is one noted exception to this rule. There is enough of a significant minority occurrence of holes in the lungs of cows – which are life threatening – that it is a principle of Jewish Law that, before declaring the meat of a properly slaughtered cow to be kosher, an examination of the lungs has to occur.

This is where we get to the exact nature of glatt kosher. If a cow’s lungs are found to have a hole, the meat is not kosher. If a cow’s lungs are found to never have been punctured, we can determine, judicially, that the meat is kosher based upon the assumption that we do not have to be concerned about remote occurrences of other maladies. What, however, if the cow’s lungs were once punctured and were healed – or were within the process of being healed. We would be able to determine if this was the case by examining the lungs to see if there were adhesions on the lungs. Any evidence of an adhesion would indicate that the lungs were once perforated. In such cases, a decision in law is necessary to determine if this presents a halachic problem or not. Since an adhesion could indicate that there was once a hole in the lungs and, at that time, the cow could be defined as one expected to die within a year, the question is now whether, after the healing, that determination still stands.

When a cow, as such, is slaughtered, a cow’s lung is thus checked in these two manners. First, there is a physical determination whether there are any holes which, based on this fact, if found would result in a determination that the meat of this cow is not kosher. Then, there is an examination of the lungs to see if there are any adhesions. If there are, a further, judicial determination has to be made whether these adhesions present a problem. There is a disagreement amongst the scholars of the Halacha in this regard: do adhesions present a problem to a determination of kosher and, if so, which ones? The result would be that certain meat could be declared kosher by some halachic authorities while others would render it not kosher.

The term glatt kosher is actually a Yiddish term that technically refers to smooth lungs, lungs without any adhesions, and thus would be declared kosher by all authorities. When meat is said to be only kosher, and not glatt kosher, the presumed message is that there was an issue regarding the lungs but a determination was made to follow the authorities that would permit this type of adhesion although there would be some authorities who would not permit it. Someone choosing to only eat glatt kosher technically means someone who wishes not to enter this controversy and eat only meat that would be kosher to all the opinions (or, at least, an even greater number of them).

This leads us to the more colloquial use of the term. In reality, disagreements in the principles of Jewish Law exist in all areas of Halacha, in fact even extensively. As such, those who observe a halachic lifestyle are always making determinations of which positions in Jewish Law they observe. (This should not be perceived to arbitrary or, even, fully autonomous. There are further principles that are to be applied in this regard as well.) When someone applies the term glatt kosher beyond the case of cow’s meat (and, even, when the term is used, in some other ways, in regard to cow’s meat), what one is really saying is that they are attempting to be more stringent in their observance of the law through conduct that is acceptable to all opinions or the vast majority of them.