Chapter one

וכשר

The approach of our Chachamim and Rabbis to the topic of כשרות in food items

What is the difference between forbidden food and the rest of the Torah prohibitions?

A first glance at the words of Chazal, and a quick glance at the sources of the Rishonim and Acharonim - proves with what sacred trepidation they treated the issue of kosher foods - how they extolled its importance and expressed themselves in ways that cannot be found by other Torah prohibitions.

In Chazal we find two key expressions:

טמטום הלב: The first expression we find in the issue of forbidden foods, is טמטום הלב caused by eating them (.יומא לט).

Based on the Rishonim (See Ramban Shemot 22:3) we can conclude that טמטום הלב is a natural reaction caused by the nature of the food, even if it was eaten בשוגג or באונס.

We see this as well in the psak of the Remo (שו''ע יו''ד סימן פא, ז): a child must be restrained from eating forbidden food. MiDeRabanan the father of a child that is in the midst of eating forbidden food, is not required to remove the food. However, since this causes טמטום הלב, one should remove the forbidden food from the child.

גנאי: Another thing we find in forbidden foods, more than other prohibitions, is that it is "גנאי ביותר" - it is “extremely derogatory” (רבינו תם תוס' שבת יב: ד"ה רבי נתן, והר"י בתוס' חולין ה: ד"ה צדיקים) The commentaries there even make it clear that when it is said, "אין הקב"ה מביא תקלה לצדיקים”  this is only regarding forbidden foods.

This matter requires extra attention: Why are forbidden foods different from all the other prohibitions?

The answer is that food is not external to a person. It enters a person’s body, the heart and brain and sustains the soul. (You are what you eat.)

When a person eats forbidden foods -it is not just that he violated a mitzvah, but essentially his body is now being sustained by the essence of something forbidden. This is the reason for the distinctive importance that Chazal give to כשרות in food items.

(על-פי מכתבו של מהר"י אבן תיבון שנכתב בשליחות רבו הרמב"ם; מובא בספר 'דגל מחנה אפרים' פר' ראה)

The approach of the Acharonim

Based on the previously explained דברי חז"ל, it is easy to understand why the Acharonim expressed themselves with great severity and sacred trepidation in matters of forbidden foods, even when the halachos deviate from the usual rulings.

A questions was once brought to the Chasam Sofer, about a sick boy who was not of sane mind. It became necessary to put the boy in a non-Jewish institution where he would have to eat non-kosher food. The Chasam Sofer detailed a full page of reasons why this would be allowed, and yet ended with these words: :

זה נראה לעניות דעתי מעיקר הדין, ומכל מקום העידו קדמונינו ז"ל שעל-ידי מאכלות אסורות בנערות, מטמטם הלב ומוליד לו טבע רע, עדיין אני אומר: מוטב יהיה שוטה כל ימיו וכו

(שו"ת חתם סופר או"ח סי' פ"ג)

"In my opinion, this seems to be the main point of the law, and even so; Chazal state that eating forbidden food in one’s childhood dulls the heart and gives birth to a bad nature, I still say: it is better to be a fool all his days, etc.”

Another story is told about an esteemed woman who went to Rabbi Akiva Eiger zt”l and expressed her woes about her fifteen-year-old son who was completely unable to learn Torah - unlike all her other sons who excelled in their Torah learning.

Rabbi Akiva Eiger zt”l answered, that her son must have stumbled in his childhood and eaten something which was forbidden. The mother went home and asked her son multiple times when this could have happened. After a while, the boy told her that when he was five years old, he once passed by a wedding hall with his friends. The Baal Simcha invited them to come in and enjoy the feast, and he ate a plate of meaty soup.

The boy’s father went to inquire who the mechuten was of that wedding, and who the שוחט was who provided the meat. He found out that they were all good and kosher Yidden.

They did not let up, and continued to delve into the matter. After much pressure and persuasion, it came to light that the groom had been previously married and divorced his first wife. The Rabbis of the time, led by the Baal HaTanya, opposed the divorce and came out against the groom. They even wrote (שו"ע הרב, תשובה לט) that the meat which was slaughtered for this wedding would be a ”Neveilah” and the child who eats this meat, defiles his mind.

Even though the meat was slaughtered in a kosher shechita, it was considered ”Neveila” because the Baal HaTanya said so.

From these stories we can see the importance of this matter.

The chronicles of our nation’s history tell of Gedolei Yisroel and even the simplest of people that were Moser Nefesh so they would not have to sin with forbidden food. They were even moser nefesh in times of true hardship and distress, when this meant putting their lives in danger.

Siyata Dishmaya

The words of our chachamim and rabanim zt”l, who emphasized the importance of kosher food even beyond the requirements of the Halacha, are the foundation of our Kehile’s approach. They tell us to be extremely careful in the matter of kosher food, even in situations where one might possibly be lenient.

In the natural order of things, there is sometimes room for improvement. And thus our Kehile works hard on improving anything possible, as soon as we can.

However, it is clear that for such a complex issue as כשרות, we need a large dose of Siyata Dishmaya. And there is no doubt that a Kehile of Yirei Shomayim, which was founded by Gedolei Yisroel zt”l merits a special Siyata Dishmaya.

It is appropriate to paraphrase an excerpt from the speech of our Rav HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth zt”l at an event in the honour of the mosad Jesode-HaTorah.

The Gemara (ברכות סג:) states that our Rabbis entered the “vineyard” in Yavne - it was given the name כרם, “vineyard” because the Rabbis sat in rows like vines in the vineyard. The Gemara goes on to say that it was Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yossi, Rabbi Nechemia and Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yossi HaGlili.

Rav Kreiswirth zt”l asked: “Why does the Gemara mention all the Rabbis who were there? Why does it matter to us? Those who spoke should be mentioned, but why mention the ones who did not speak?

The answer is, said Rav Kreiswirth zt”l; that the Gemara wants to teach us the importance of the vineyard in Yavneh. The importance of the ones who sat there, of the ones who founded it. An institution established by Gedolei Yisroel has Siyata Dishmaya.

Rav Kreiswirth said: "I once knew of an institution that was headed by excellent people, Yirei Shomayim. But for many years it did not succeed in developing their students to their full potential - and the reason is: the institution was originally founded by משכילים. It is the establishment of the institution that gives the spirit and the atmosphere to the institution, and that is what determines the degree of Siyata Dishmaya that the institution will have, that’s why the mosad “Jesode Hatorah”, which was established by Gedolei Yisroel will definitely be zoche to Siyata Dishmaya”.

We have brought this excerpt, because our Kehile - which was founded by Gedolim, and under who the majority of God-fearing people in our city live- will surely receive Siyata Dishmaya, that we will be able to serve the residents of Antwerp with devotion, and provide kosher and mehudar food.

Necessary caution

In light of this, it is understandable to all the extent of caution required regarding כשרות.

The Admor of Pshevorsk zt”l once said:

?וואס איז דער חילוק פון א ערליכער ייד און א נישט ערליכער ייד

א ערליכער ייד לייגט גארנישט אריין אין מויל, ווילאנג ער ווייסט נישט אז ס'איז כשר; א נישט ערליכער ייד לייגט אלעס אריין אין מויל ווילאנג ער ווייסט נישט אז ס'איז טריפה

(What is the difference between a God-fearing Jew and one who is not?

A God-fearing person does not put anything in his mouth until he clearly knows that it is kosher; One who is not God-fearing will eat anything in his mouth as long as he knows it’s not Treif.)

When Avraham Avinu sent Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, it says:

(ויאמר אברהם אל עבדו זקן ביתו המושל בכל אשר לו שים נא ידך תחת ירכי (בראשית כד,ב.

HaGaon Rav Chaim of Brisk zt”l once saw in the holy Be’er Mayim Chayim a משל from this pasuk, that he used to repeat very often. A question is raised when reading the pasuk : Did we not know until now who Eliezer was, that the Torah has to expound and say that he was "עבדו זקן ביתו המושל בכל אשר לו" - “his old servant, who was responsible for his household and everything he owned”?

This is compared to a hungry man who entered a new city. On his way he saw a restaurant with a sign that said “kosher”. He went into the restaurant and ate a meal. However, a Yid who is more careful would not enter before he found out who the owner is of the restaurant; to find out if the owner is a Yirei Shomayim and if he can be relied on. And if a Yid is even more careful and stringent, he would inquire by Talmidei Chachamim or the Rav of the town what the kosher status is of the restaurant.

Now, if that man came to a town, and wanted to do business with the residents of the town, he would never rely on a sign or any person. He would investigate and scrutinize the person he wanted to go into business with, until he was absolutely sure of his integrity. That is the way people usually act.

But, with Avraham Avinu, the opposite was true. Eliezer was entirely responsible of Avraham Avinu’s money and possessions “המושל בכל אשר לו”, while he did not rely on Eliezer to find Yitzchak a wife until Eliezer was warned and he swore to follow Avraham Avinu’s directions.