Bishul Akum #1

There are two impetuses (impeti) that led me to research and write up the following topic. First, the last few weeks we spoke about the issue of chodosh/yoshon and I figured it was appropriate to continue that discussion with another edible issue. Second, one of my coworkers this week was badgering me (unclear why this word makes sense, why not cougaring, or elephanting- maybe parshaman will research this one) about Kosher food- especially Starbucks coffee- which got me to thinking......... Along with the many revolutionary ideas and changes that took place in the 20th century, there is one change that forever changed how Jews eat. That change was the development of Kashrus organizations. Not to long ago, every Jew knew all the halachos of what's kosher and what wasn't and he would go to the store and buy whatever it was that was kosher. However, with the 20th century came huge advances in food preparations. No longer was a piece a meat just a piece a meat, but now that meat had additives, preservatives, fillers, etc. Thus with the complexity of the food industry and various secret recipes no longer was one able to rely on his own Kup (brain) to determine what was kosher and what wasn't. This problem led to the formation of Kashrus organizations: various Rabbis who thoroughly researched each food item to determine precisely what the ingredient are, how it is made, packaged, shipped, etc. Thus, nowadays for one to read the ingredients list on the back of any food item and assume it is kosher is clearly dubious. For how do you know what all those terms mean? Further even if you knew all of the ingredient were kosher- you couldn't be certain the item was kosher- for perhaps they cooked something traif in the same vat right before. Now realize, halachic requirement and FDA requirements are very different. I don't claim to be an expert in either- but I would assume that according the FDA as long as a pot is thoroughly cleaned you can reuse it for another food item. However, halacha might assume that the taste of the first (non-kosher item) goes into the walls and emerges when being cooked with the second, seemingly kosher, item. However, if one were able to ascertain that the food is clearly made of only kosher ingredients and was positive nothing non-kosher got into the food in the storing, cooking, packing, shipping process then there still is another hurdle one must leap before eating the item: Bishul Akum. The Rabbis (as recorded in Gemara Avodah Zara) decreed that one may not eat any food that was cooked exclusively by a non-jew. Rashi gives to reasons for this either because it would lead to intermarriage, or perhaps if the jew gets into the habit of eating food cooked by a non-jew one day the non-jew (whether by accident or on purpose) will come to feed the jew some non-kosher food. Tosfos provides a Nafka Mina (practical difference) between these two schools of reasoning: what if the non-jew cooked the food in a Jews home using only ingredients from the Jews cupboard (couldn't have said pantry, or cabinet, but cupboard is soo Old School)? According to the reasoning of Intermarriage- the prohibition would still apply (you are developing a bond with the non-jew), however if the reasoning is we are worried the non-jew will serve you traif- here there is nothing to worry about. In the coming weeks we will hopefully discuss when this issur applies, to what food items does it apply to and are there any leniency's. In the meantime if you have any questions please feel free to email thehalachaboy@gmail.com or any responsible Rav.