Kosher

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Kosher

"Kosher"—from the Hebrew k-sh-r, meaning "right," "fit," or "proper"—commonly refers to the system of laws (kashrut) that governs the eating practices of traditional Jews. The kosher, or kashrut, system originates in three sets of biblical regulations: (1) the division of all animals into "pure" and "impure" (and hence permitted and prohibited) categories (Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14); (2) the prohibition against "cooking a calf in its mother's milk" (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21); and (3) restrictions on the manner in which animals may be slaughtered and the prohibition against consuming blood (Leviticus 17). Jewish eating customs developed little beyond their biblical foundation in the postbiblical centuries, as both Jewish (Philo) and pagan authors attest. In fact, the only Jewish dietary practice commonly noticed or mentioned by non-Jewish authors is the abstention from pork.

The early rabbis (first to the sixth centuries c.e.) did much to transform the biblical eating system. Particularly notable was their establishment of rules pertaining to the separation of meat and dairy products. In rabbinic practice, soon accepted by all of Israel, all meat was to be separated from all dairy products, and a variety of symbolic separations were instituted to protect against transgression. Among these was a period of waiting between the consumption of meat and dairy products. During the early Middle Ages, there was much debate about how long a period of waiting was required—from an hour or less to six hours. The latter, more stringent custom was accepted by most European communities by the late Middle Ages.

Modern reformers saw the dietary regulations as outmoded. They understood that one of the central consequences—indeed, the underlying motivation— of kashrut was to maintain the separation of Jews from their non-Jewish neighbors. Desiring to become full citizens of the modern world, these reformers rejected kashrut altogether. Many modern Jewish stories depict the eating of prohibited food as the first act of rebellion by Jews wishing to enter the modern world. As modern attitudes spread, particularly among the offspring of immigrants to America, the observance of kashrut declined, and neighborhoods that once were home to dozens of kosher butcher shops saw one after the other close. Jews moving to new suburban neighborhoods often did not demand similar sources for kosher food.

Though many Jews abandoned the laws they found restrictive, most did not want to abandon their Jewish identity altogether, and, as in the past, eating customs continued to distinguish Jews from their neighbors. Characteristic of a new compromise were "kosher-style" restaurants, establishments that served only kosher meat—though they also served dairy products—and featured foods attractive to the Eastern European Jewish palate.

After World War II, many religious Jews resettled in America and sparked a resurgence of interest in the practice of kashrut. In recent years, as some Jews have returned to traditional practices, this trend has increased. As a consequence, though the actual percentage of Jews observing kashrut has continued to decline, the demand for—and availability of—kosher foods has increased. Reflecting this development is the plethora of sophisticated new kosher restaurants in cities such as New York.

Also characterizing the contemporary scene is the development of "alternative" forms of kashrut. These include "eco-kashrut"—demanding respect for the environment in the production of foods—and "Jewish" vegetarianism, motivated by the belief that the world described in Genesis 1–2, in which humans were not permitted to consume animals, is one we should aspire to re-create.