https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics.xml /articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics xml article Kashrut: The Basics Kosher is not a kind of food. It is a system of laws governing what may be eaten, how it must be prepared, and what may be combined. The New Jew /index.xml Jewish Living /sections/jewish-living.xml Kashrut: The Basics /articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics.xml https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics.json <_xml>https://staging.thenewjew.org/articles/essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics.xml
essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics Kashrut: The Basics Kosher is not a kind of food. It is a system of laws governing what may be eaten, how it must be prepared, and what may be combined. Summary. Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law that governs which animals may be eaten (Vayikra 11, Devarim 14), how those animals must be slaughtered (shechita), what part of the animal may not be eaten (cheilev, blood, the sciatic nerve), and the strict separation of meat and dairy (derived from Shemot 23:19, repeated in Shemot 34:26 and Devarim 14:21: lo tevashel g’di b’chalev imo). The principal categories are basar (meat), chalav (dairy), and parve (neither). Reliable supervision (hashgacha) confirms compliance. essential essentials kashrut kosher food 2026-07-06T02:19:03.001Z 700 3
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https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kashrut-the-basics-ms8hpkah-04795276.png https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kashrut-the-basics-crop-ms8iqjry-b7cd59a4-large.png https://pub-73c694f3dc3c4d0ea8f98f090d227a0d.r2.dev/article-images/kashrut-the-basics-crop-ms8iqjry-b7cd59a4-thumb.png Kashrut: The Basics summary Summary. [Kashrut](/glossary.xml#letter-K) is the body of Jewish dietary law that governs which animals may be eaten ([Vayikra 11](https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.11), [Devarim 14](https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.14)), how those animals must be slaughtered ([shechita](/glossary.xml#letter-S)), what part of the animal may not be eaten ([cheilev](/glossary.xml#letter-C), blood, the sciatic nerve), and the strict separation of meat and dairy (derived from [Shemot 23:19](https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.19), repeated in [Shemot 34:26](https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.34.26) and [Devarim 14:21](https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.14.21): lo tevashel g’di b’chalev imo). The principal categories are [basar](/glossary.xml#letter-B) (meat), [chalav](/glossary.xml#letter-C) (dairy), and [parve](/glossary.xml#letter-P) (neither). Reliable supervision ([hashgacha](/glossary.xml#letter-H)) confirms compliance. Summary. Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law that governs which animals may be eaten (Vayikra 11, Devarim 14), how those animals must be slaughtered (shechita), what part of the animal may not be eaten (cheilev, blood, the sciatic nerve), and the strict separation of meat and dairy (derived from Shemot 23:19, repeated in Shemot 34:26 and Devarim 14:21: lo tevashel g’di b’chalev imo). The principal categories are basar (meat), chalav (dairy), and parve (neither). Reliable supervision (hashgacha) confirms compliance. heading Permitted and Forbidden Animals Permitted and Forbidden Animals paragraph Land animals: split hoof and chew the cud (cow, sheep, goat, deer — [kosher](/glossary.xml#letter-K); pig, camel, hare — not). Water creatures: fins and scales (most fish kosher; shellfish, eel, catfish — not). Birds: the [Torah](/glossary.xml#letter-T) lists 24 forbidden species ([Vayikra 11:13–19](https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.11.13-19)); the tradition restricts birds to those with a continuous [mesorah](/glossary.xml#letter-M) (received tradition) of kashrut — chicken, turkey, duck, goose are normative; quail, dove, pigeon are kosher. Insects: forbidden, with the exception of certain locust species in some Yemenite traditions. Land animals: split hoof and chew the cud (cow, sheep, goat, deer — kosher; pig, camel, hare — not). Water creatures: fins and scales (most fish kosher; shellfish, eel, catfish — not). Birds: the Torah lists 24 forbidden species (Vayikra 11:13–19); the tradition restricts birds to those with a continuous mesorah (received tradition) of kashrut — chicken, turkey, duck, goose are normative; quail, dove, pigeon are kosher. Insects: forbidden, with the exception of certain locust species in some Yemenite traditions. heading Shechita Shechita paragraph Permitted mammals and birds must be slaughtered by shechita — a single swift cut across the throat by a trained [shochet](/glossary.xml#letter-S) using a perfectly smooth blade. The procedure is designed to render the animal unconscious instantly and to drain the blood. The animal must then be inspected (bedikat haPnimiyut) for signs of disease. Glatt kosher (Yiddish for “smooth”) refers to lungs free of any adhesions, the strictest standard. Permitted mammals and birds must be slaughtered by shechita — a single swift cut across the throat by a trained shochet using a perfectly smooth blade. The procedure is designed to render the animal unconscious instantly and to drain the blood. The animal must then be inspected (bedikat haPnimiyut) for signs of disease. Glatt kosher (Yiddish for “smooth”) refers to lungs free of any adhesions, the strictest standard. heading Meat and Dairy Meat and Dairy paragraph The Torah’s thrice-repeated lo tevashel g’di b’chalev imo (“do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk”) is the basis for a sweeping [Halachic](/glossary.xml#letter-H) separation of meat and dairy. Jews maintain separate dishes, separate utensils, separate cooking equipment, and a waiting period between eating meat and eating dairy (the waiting period varies: 6 hours is standard for most [Sephardic](/glossary.xml#letter-S) and many Ashkenazic communities; German Jewish communities customarily wait 3 hours; Dutch Jewish communities customarily wait 1 hour). The reverse — dairy to meat — generally requires only rinsing the mouth and eating something parve, except in the case of hard cheese. The Torah’s thrice-repeated lo tevashel g’di b’chalev imo (“do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk”) is the basis for a sweeping Halachic separation of meat and dairy. Jews maintain separate dishes, separate utensils, separate cooking equipment, and a waiting period between eating meat and eating dairy (the waiting period varies: 6 hours is standard for most Sephardic and many Ashkenazic communities; German Jewish communities customarily wait 3 hours; Dutch Jewish communities customarily wait 1 hour). The reverse — dairy to meat — generally requires only rinsing the mouth and eating something parve, except in the case of hard cheese. heading Parve Parve paragraph Parve foods are neither meat nor dairy: fish (which is also subject to a Talmudic stricture against eating with meat at the same table, per the [Beit Yosef on Yoreh De’ah 116](https://www.sefaria.org/Beit_Yosef,_Yoreh_De'ah.116)), eggs, fruits, vegetables, grains, oils, and most processed foods made entirely of plant ingredients. Parve foods may be eaten with either meat or dairy. [Bishul akum](/glossary.xml#letter-B) (food cooked entirely by a non-Jew) is a separate Halachic category that some communities are stricter about than others. Parve foods are neither meat nor dairy: fish (which is also subject to a Talmudic stricture against eating with meat at the same table, per the Beit Yosef on Yoreh De’ah 116), eggs, fruits, vegetables, grains, oils, and most processed foods made entirely of plant ingredients. Parve foods may be eaten with either meat or dairy. Bishul akum (food cooked entirely by a non-Jew) is a separate Halachic category that some communities are stricter about than others. heading Hashgacha Hashgacha paragraph Reliable supervision (hashgacha) by a recognized kashrut agency is what allows processed and packaged foods to be marked kosher. The major American agencies include the OU ([Orthodox](/glossary.xml#letter-O) Union), OK Kosher, Star-K, Kof-K, and Chof-K. Each has its own standard mark. International agencies include the London Beth Din, Badatz (Jerusalem), and the Manchester Beth Din. The agency’s mark on a package indicates the agency stands behind that product as kosher. Reliable supervision (hashgacha) by a recognized kashrut agency is what allows processed and packaged foods to be marked kosher. The major American agencies include the OU (Orthodox Union), OK Kosher, Star-K, Kof-K, and Chof-K. Each has its own standard mark. International agencies include the London Beth Din, Badatz (Jerusalem), and the Manchester Beth Din. The agency’s mark on a package indicates the agency stands behind that product as kosher. heading Where Denominations Diverge Where Denominations Diverge paragraph Orthodox observe full kashrut, including separate kitchens and supervised processed foods. Conservative observance varies widely; Conservative kashrut at home is common, the movement’s Magen Tzedek certification adds ethical standards beyond traditional kashrut, and the movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has also ruled that the traditional separation of fish and meat may be relaxed, since the health concern once cited for it is no longer considered applicable. [Reform Judaism](/glossary.xml#letter-R) does not require kashrut but increasingly affirms it as an ethical and identitarian practice; Reform kashrut may emphasize vegetarianism, avoiding factory-farmed meat, or [eco-kashrut](/glossary.xml#letter-E). [Reconstructionist](/glossary.xml#letter-R) often follows similar lines. Sephardic kashrut is largely identical to [Ashkenazi](/glossary.xml#letter-A) with minor variations (acceptance of [glatt](/glossary.xml#letter-G) is less universal; treatment of legumes on [Pesach](/glossary.xml#letter-P) differs). Orthodox observe full kashrut, including separate kitchens and supervised processed foods. Conservative observance varies widely; Conservative kashrut at home is common, the movement’s Magen Tzedek certification adds ethical standards beyond traditional kashrut, and the movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has also ruled that the traditional separation of fish and meat may be relaxed, since the health concern once cited for it is no longer considered applicable. Reform Judaism does not require kashrut but increasingly affirms it as an ethical and identitarian practice; Reform kashrut may emphasize vegetarianism, avoiding factory-farmed meat, or eco-kashrut. Reconstructionist often follows similar lines. Sephardic kashrut is largely identical to Ashkenazi with minor variations (acceptance of glatt is less universal; treatment of legumes on Pesach differs). heading Sources Sources paragraph Torah: [Vayikra](/glossary.xml#letter-V) 11; [Devarim](/glossary.xml#letter-D) 14; [Shemot](/glossary.xml#letter-S) 23:19, 34:26; Devarim 14:21. Torah: Vayikra 11; Devarim 14; Shemot 23:19, 34:26; Devarim 14:21. paragraph [Mishnah Chullin](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Chullin); [Talmud Bavli, Chullin](https://www.sefaria.org/Chullin) (entire [tractate](/glossary.xml#letter-M)). Mishnah Chullin; Talmud Bavli, Chullin (entire tractate). paragraph [Shulchan Aruch](/glossary.xml#letter-S), [Yoreh De’ah 1–127](https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Yoreh_De'ah.1-127). Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 1–127. paragraph [Rabbi Yosef Karo](/glossary.xml#letter-Y) and [Rema](/glossary.xml#letter-M), Shulchan Aruch on Basar B’Chalav. Rabbi Yosef Karo and Rema, Shulchan Aruch on Basar B’Chalav. paragraph [Waiting Periods Between Meat & Dairy](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/133896/jewish/Waiting-Periods-Between-Meat-Dairy.htm) — Chabad.org. Waiting Periods Between Meat & Dairy — Chabad.org. paragraph [Customs for Waiting Between Meat and Milk](https://www.aish.com/atr/Customs-for-Waiting-Between-Meat-and-Milk.html) — Aish. Customs for Waiting Between Meat and Milk — Aish. paragraph [Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Foods 1](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah,_Forbidden_Foods.1) — Sefaria. Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Foods 1 — Sefaria. paragraph [Chullin 63a](https://steinsaltz-center.org/portal/library/Talmud/Chullin/chapter/63.a) — Steinsaltz Center. Chullin 63a — Steinsaltz Center. heading Further Reading Further Reading paragraph Rabbi Binyomin Forst, The Laws of Kashrus. Rabbi Binyomin Forst, The Laws of Kashrus. paragraph Blu [Greenberg](/glossary.xml#letter-R), How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household. Blu Greenberg, How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household. paragraph James M. Lebeau, The Jewish Dietary Laws. James M. Lebeau, The Jewish Dietary Laws. heading III. Essential Reading III. Essential Reading essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew Who is a Jew? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew.xml essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god What Does Judaism Teach About God? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god.xml essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife.xml essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus Why Do Jews Not Believe in Jesus? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah Sukkah deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species Lulav and Etrog (The Four Species) deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species.xml going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah Hanukkiah (Menorah) deeper /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah.xml Ashkenazi אשכנזי Describing Jews whose families trace to Central and Eastern Europe, and the customs, liturgy, and Hebrew pronunciation of those communities. The broad counterpart terms are Sephardi and Edot HaMizrach. Devarim דְּבָרִים The fifth book of the Torah — Deuteronomy — consisting of Moshe's farewell addresses. The name means 'words.' Eco-Kashrut Eco-kashrut extends the traditional categories of kosher and non-kosher to include ethical and environmental concerns — the treatment of workers, animal welfare, and ecological impact — alongside the classical dietary rules, and is most associated with progressive and Reform approaches to kashrut. essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics Halacha הֲלָכָה Jewish law — literally "the way one walks" — the legal system that develops from the Torah's mitzvot through the Mishnah, Talmud, and the great codes; the movements differ on how binding it is, not on its centrality to the tradition. essentials-essential-questions-what-is-halacha Kashrut כַּשְׁרוּת The system of Jewish dietary law — which foods may be eaten, how animals must be slaughtered, and the strict separation of meat and dairy. essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics Moshe Isserles משה איסרליש Rema Rabbi Moshe Isserles (1530–1572), known by the acronym Rema, added Ashkenazi glosses (the Mappah) to Rabbi Yosef Karo's Sephardi-oriented Shulchan Aruch, so that the combined text could serve as law for the whole Jewish people. essentials-essential-questions-what-is-halacha Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism holds Halacha as fully binding and the Shulchan Aruch as its canonical code; it spans Haredi and Hasidic communities as well as Modern Orthodoxy, and is the starting point from which this Field Guide is written, even as it engages seriously with other denominations. how-to-use-this-field-guide Pesach פֶּסַח Passover — the spring festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, observed with the seder meal, matzah, and the removal of chametz from the home. holidays-shalosh-regalim-pesach Rabbi Yitz Greenberg Rabbi Irving 'Yitz' Greenberg (b. 1933), a Modern Orthodox rabbi and Holocaust theologian known for the principle that no Jewish theological statement should be made that would not be credible in the presence of burning children; author of The Jewish Way. holidays-modern-observances-yom-hashoah Reconstructionist Judaism Founded by Mordecai Kaplan, Reconstructionist Judaism understands Judaism as an evolving religious civilization rather than a fixed set of supernatural commandments, and was an early adopter of patrilineal descent and full gender egalitarianism. how-to-use-this-field-guide Reform Judaism Reform Judaism treats Halacha as a source of values and meaning rather than binding law, emphasizing individual autonomy, ethical monotheism, and tikkun olam; it was the first movement to fully recognize patrilineal descent and ordain women as rabbis. how-to-use-this-field-guide Sephardi סְפָרַדִּי A Jew whose family traces to medieval Spain and Portugal — and, in common usage, to the broader communities of the Mediterranean and Middle East that follow Sephardic law and liturgy. The plural is Sephardim. Shemot שְׁמוֹת The book of Exodus — the Torah's second book, called by its opening Hebrew word, 'names'; also the name of that book's first weekly portion. Shulchan Aruch שולחן ערוך Literally 'the set table' — the authoritative 16th-century code of Jewish law by Rabbi Yosef Karo, printed with the Ashkenazi glosses of Rabbi Moshe Isserles. It remains the baseline reference for halachic practice. Torah תּוֹרָה The Five Books of Moses — the scroll at the center of Jewish life — and, more broadly, the whole of Jewish teaching. 'Learning Torah' can mean anything from Chumash to Talmud. Vayikra ויקרא The Book of Leviticus, third of the Five Books of the Torah, named for its opening word, 'And He called'; its concerns are the sanctuary, the offerings, and holiness. Yosef Karo יוסף קארו Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488–1575), a Spanish exile who settled in Safed, authored the Shulchan Aruch (1565), the code of Jewish law that remains authoritative in Orthodox and, with adaptation, Conservative practice today. essentials-essential-questions-what-is-halacha basar בָּשָׂר Meat — one of the three categories of food in kashrut, kept strictly separate from dairy (chalav). The third category, parve, is neither. bishul akum בישול עכו"ם A kashrut category: food cooked entirely by a non-Jew, which traditional halacha restricts even when every ingredient is kosher. How the concern is handled in practice varies by community. chalav חָלָב Dairy — one of the three categories of food in kashrut, kept strictly separate from meat (basar). cheilev חֵלֶב Specific fats of cattle, sheep, and goats — chiefly those once offered on the Temple altar — that the Torah forbids eating. Their removal is part of preparing kosher meat. glatt גלאַט Yiddish for "smooth" — strictly, meat from an animal whose lungs were free of adhesions; colloquially, a shorthand for a stricter standard of kashrut. hashgacha הַשְׁגָּחָה Kosher supervision — the oversight by a reliable authority that certifies food as kosher; the same word also means divine providence. kosher כָּשֵׁר Fit or proper according to Jewish law — said mostly of food, but equally of a Torah scroll, a sukkah, or anything else that meets halachic requirements. essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics masechet מַסֶּכֶת A tractate — one of the 63 subject-organized volumes of the Mishnah and Talmud, such as Berakhot (blessings) or Shabbat. mesorah מְסוֹרָה The received tradition — the unbroken chain of teaching and practice handed down from generation to generation, by which the Torah is transmitted and applied. parve פַּרְוֶה Food that is neither meat nor dairy — fish, eggs, produce, grains — and may be eaten with either under the laws of kashrut. essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics shechita שְׁחִיטָה Kosher slaughter — the swift method required for meat to be kosher, performed by a trained shochet with a flawless blade. essentials-essential-facts-kashrut-the-basics shochet שוחט A trained, certified ritual slaughterer who performs shechita, the method of slaughter required for meat to be kosher. parent Jewish Living /sections/jewish-living.xml related Who is a Jew? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-who-is-a-jew.xml related What Does Judaism Teach About God? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-what-does-judaism-teach-about-god.xml related Do Jews Believe in an Afterlife? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-do-jews-believe-in-an-afterlife.xml related Why Do Jews Not Believe in Jesus? /articles/essentials-essential-questions-why-do-jews-not-believe-in-jesus.xml related Sukkah /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-sukkah.xml related Lulav and Etrog (The Four Species) /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-lulav-and-etrog-the-four-species.xml related Hanukkiah (Menorah) /articles/going-deeper-deeper-judaica-hanukkiah-menorah.xml