Lihat sumber Kosher

{{For|hidangan Mesir|kushari}}
{{nofootnotes}}
[[Berkas:OUKosher.JPG|jmpl|ka|250px|Huruf U yang dilingkari menandakan bahwa produk ini dinyatakan ''kosher'' oleh Uni Ortodoks (OU). Kata "Pareve" menunjukkan bahwa produk ini tidak mengandung bahan-bahan yang berasal dari susu atau daging.]]
[[Berkas:Kosher McDonald's, Abasto Shopping, Buenos Aires.jpg|jmpl|ka|250px|McDonald's Kosher di [[Buenos Aires]] ([[Argentina]]).]]

'''Kosher''' atau '''kosyer''' ([[bahasa Ibrani]]: כַּשְׁרוּת kašrût), yang berasal dari kata '''kashrut''' atau '''kashruth''' ([[bahasa Ibrani]]: כָּשֵׁר kāšēr), adalah istilah dalam hukum tentang makanan [[Yudaisme|Yahudi]]. Sesuai dengan [[halakha]] (hukum Yahudi) suatu makanan disebut '''kosher''' (istilah [[bahasa Inggris]], dari istilah [[bahasa Ibrani]] ''kasher'', yang berarti "layak" (dalam konteks ini berarti layak untuk dimakan orang Yahudi).

Sebagian besar hukum dasar kosher berasal dari Kitab [[Imamat]] dan [[Ulangan]] di dalam [[Taurat|Torah]], yang secara terinci menguraikan [[hukum lisan]] ([[Mishnah]] dan [[Talmud]]) dan dikodifikasikan oleh [[Shulkhan Arukh]] dan kemudian oleh pimpinan [[rabinik]]. Ada banyak sekali alasan yang dikemukakan untuk hukum-hukum ini, yang merentang dari filosofis dan ritualistik hingga praktis dan higienis; lihat bawah untuk contoh dan penjelasannya.

Di antara berbagai peraturan dalam hukum kashrut terdapat larangan untuk mengkonsumsi hewan yang tidak kosher seperti daging babi, kerang-kerangan ([[moluska]] maupun [[Krustasea]]), sebagian besar [[serangga]] (kecuali pada pesies tertentu misalnya [[belalang kosher]]), percampuran antara daging sapi dan susu, dan hukum yang mengatur cara menyembelih hewan [[mamalia]] dan [[unggas]] mengacu pada proses yang disebut [[shechita]]. Terdapat juga hukum mengenai produk hasil pertanian yang dapat mempengaruhi layak atau tidaknya suatu makanan dikonsumsi.

Makanan yang tidak sesuai dengan hukum Yahudi diistilahkan ''treifah'' atau ''treif'' (טְרֵפָה ṭərēp̄āh) ("tercabik"); istilah yang aslinya mengacu kepada binatang (dari [[spesies]] yang kosher, misalnya [[sapi]] atau [[domba]]) yang disembelih dengan cara yang keliru atau dilukai hingga mati oleh binatang buas dan karena itu tidak layak dimakan manusia. Di antara orang-orang [[Sefardi]], istilah ini biasanya hanya merujuk pada daging yang tidak kosher.

Kata ''kosher'' telah dipinjam oleh banyak bahasa. Dalam bahasa Inggris, kata ini digunakan untuk mengartikan sesuatu yang sah, diizinkan, asli, atau otentik.

== Jenis-jenis Makanan ==
{{Jew}}
{{details|Makanan kosher}}

Makanan dinyatakan kosher bila memenuhi semua kriteria yang diberlakukan oleh hukum Yahudi terhadap makanan. Hal-hal yang membatalkannya dapat merentang dari adanya campuran daging dan susu, hingga penggunaan bahan dari Israel yang belum dikenai persepuluhan dengan semestinya, atau bahkan kerena digunakannya alat-alat masak yang sebelumnya telah digunakan untuk makanan non-kosher.

== Cara mengetahui makanan yang kosher ==
{{details|Hechsher}}

Sejak lebih dari seabad yang lalu, telah ada perkembangan di berbagai organisasi [[rabbinic]] yang melakukan sertifikasi pada produk, pabrik makanan dan [[restaurant]] kosher, biasanya dengan pemakaian simbol (disebut [[hechsher]]) untuk menunjukkan adanya dukungan dari organisasi rabbinic. Saat ini, sekitar seperenam dari orang Yahudi Amerika yang masih secara penuh menjalankan hukum kosher, dan banyak yang masih menjauhkan diri dari makanan tidak kosher, khususnya daging babi.

Makanan yang dibeli di toko dapat diidentifikasikan kosher bila ada tanda [[hechsher]] (plural ''hechsherim''), sebuah lambang grafis yang menunjukkan bahwa makanan itu telah disertifikasikan kosher oleh otoritas rabinik. (Mungkin saja seorang rabi sebagai individu, tetapi yang lebih sering adalah suatu organisasi rabinik.) Lambang yang paling sering adalah tanda "OU", yaitu huruf U dalam sebuah lingkaran (Ⓤ), yang melambangkan [[Jemaat-jemaat Uni Ortodoks]]. Namun banyak rabi dan organisasi yang mempunyai [[tanda pengesahan]] mereka sendiri-sendiri, dan lambang-lambang yang lain terlalu banyak untuk didaftarkan di sini.

Tanda ''hechsherim'' dari sejumlah otoritas kadang-kadang dianggap tidak sah oleh otoritas tertentu lainnya. Sebuah huruf K kadang-kadang digunakan untuk menandai ''kashrut'', tetapi karena tanda ini tidak dapat dijadikan [[merek dagang]] (metode untuk melindungi lambang-lambang lain agar tidak disalahgunakan), hal ini tidak berarti apa-apa selain bahwa perusahaan yang memproduksi makanan itu menganggapnya kosher.

<!--It is not sufficient to read the list of ingredients on a product label in order to determine a food's kosher status, as many things are not included in this list, such as pan lubricants and release agents (which may be derived from lard), flavorings (even "natural [[Flavouring|flavorings]]" may be derived from non-kosher substances) and others. It can, however, identify obviously unkosher substances present in food.

Producers of food items and food additives can contact Jewish authorities to have their product deemed kosher. A committee will visit their facilities to inspect production methods and contents of the product and issue a certificate if everything is in order. In many product classes, constant supervision is required.

For various reasons, such as changes in manufacturing processes, products known to be ''kosher'' on one day might not be kosher tomorrow; a change in lubricating oil to one containing tallow, for instance. Often, these changes will be coordinated with the supervising rabbi or organization, to ensure that new packaging, which will not suggest any hechsher or kashrut, will be used for the new formulation. But in some cases, the supply of preprinted labels with the hechsher may still find its way onto the now non-kosher product; for such reasons, there is an active "grapevine" among the Jewish community, as well as newspapers and periodicals, identifying which products are now questionable, as well as products which have become kosher but whose labels have yet to carry the hechsher.

==Reasons for the Biblical dietary laws==
There continues to be a debate on the purposes and meaning of the laws regarding Kashrut.

In [[Jewish philosophy]] it is recognized that many of the [[613 mitzvot]] cannot be explained rationally. They are categorized as ''chukim'', comprising such laws as the [[Red Heifer]] ([[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] 19). There are three basic points of view regarding these laws:
*One view holds that these laws ''do'' have a reason, but it is not understood because the ultimate explanation for [[mitzvot]] is beyond the human intellect.
*A second view holds that most of the laws have some historical and/or dietary significance (such as preventing the consumption of unhealthy food, or differentiating oneself from non-Jews through dietary restrictions); and
*A third view holds that these laws have no meaning other than to instill obedience.

:''Some Jewish scholars have held that these dietary laws should simply be categorized with a group of laws that are considered irrational in that there is no particular explanation for their existence. The reason for this is that there are some of God's regulations for mankind that the human mind is not necessarily capable of understanding. Related to this is the idea that the dietary laws were given as a demonstration of God's authority and that man should obey without asking for a reason'' (William H. Shea, ''Clean and Unclean Meats'', Biblical Research Institute, December 1988).

This view, however, has been rejected by most classical and modern Jewish authorities, and by modern biblical scholars. For example, [[Maimonides]] holds that all the laws given by God have a reason, that we are permitted to seek out what these reasons may be, and that we should feel comfortable in knowing that rational reasons exist for all of God's laws in the Torah, even if we are not sure of what some of these reasons are. For Maimonides, the idea that God gave laws without any reason is anathema.

Perhaps, others argue, laws in the category of chukim were given BECAUSE of the well-known Jewish tendency to rationalize and probe - a sort of reminder that yes, the Universe should be, and is explainable, but you can't understand everything.  A reminder that, just as we should not sacrifice our intelligence to the alter of Obedience, we should also refrain from sacrificing our sense of mystery, at the altar of Intelligence.

===Ritual purity and holiness===

According to the [[Bible|Biblical]] book of [[Leviticus]], the purpose of the laws is related to ritual purity and holiness. Indeed, the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word for "holiness" is etymologically related to the Hebrew word for "distinction" or "separation." This idea is generally accepted by most Jews today, and by many modern biblical scholars. Cultural anthropologist [[Mary Douglas]] has written an important work on just how the Israelites may have used the idea of distinction as a way to create holiness. Her seminal work, ''Purity and Danger'' (1966), is still studied today. One theory widely accepted today is that the laws serve as a distinction between the Israelites and the non-Israelite nations of the world. Gordon Wenham writes: "The laws reminded Israel what sort of behaviour was expected of her, that she had been chosen to be holy in an unclean world."

Similarly, the practice of Kashrut serves as a daily exercise in self-discipline and self-control, strengthening the practitioner's ability to choose other difficult paths. The ability to rationally curb one's most basic appetites can be seen as the prerequisite to living in a civilized society. Also, Jews consider the aspects of Kosher slaughter which emphasize and incorporate the need to avoid unnecessary suffering of the animal a reminder to the believer that having the power of life and death or to cause suffering, even to a farm animal born and bred to be eaten, is a serious responsibility rather than a pleasure to be sought after; and that to actually indulge in pleasure in the power to cause suffering, even in so common a practice as hunting, is to damage our own moral sensibilities.

The prohibition against eating the fruits of a tree for the first three years also represents a capacity for self-discipline and self-denial, as well as a lengthy period of appreciation for the bounty of God, prior to losing oneself in its enjoyment. Similarly, the requirement to tithe one's harvest, aside from the social justice aspect, serves as a reminder that this material wealth is not purely the result of one's own efforts, but represents a gift from God; and as such, to share the gift with one's fellows does not represent a real loss to anyone, even oneself.

===Symbolic purpose===
During the first few centuries of the common era some philosophers held that the laws of kashrut were symbolic in character. In this view, kosher animals represent virtues, while non-kosher animals represent vices. The first indication of this view can be found in the [[1st century BCE]] [[Letter of Aristeas]] (par. 145-148, 153). It later reappears in the writings of [[Philo]] of Alexandria, and in the writings of some of the early Church fathers.

This hypothesis has long since been rejected by most Jewish and Christian scholars. Modern biblical criticism also has found nothing to support this hypothesis, although the concept of the pig as a particularly 'unclean' animal persists among Jews (and among anyone who has ever lived around pigs).

Although the symbolic explanation for ''kashrut'' has been largely rejected, a number of authorities maintain that the laws are intended to promote ethical and moral behaviour. A recent authority who has reexamined the symbolic/ethical meaning of ''kashrut'' is [[Rabbi]] [[Samson Raphael Hirsch]] (Germany, [[19th century]]).

To some degree, the prohibition on combining milk with meat represents a symbolic separation between death, represented by the flesh of a dead animal, and life, represented by the milk required to sustain a newborn creature. The often-quoted humane component to this law is also of symbolic value; the [[Torah]] prohibits 'seething the kid in its mother's milk', a practice cruel only in concept, which would not be understood as cruelty by either the kid or its mother and would not cause them additional suffering; but which could still potentially inflame a human's taste for ultimate power over those creatures who are weaker. Thus, Kashrut prohibits the practice itself, even if the resulting mixture is to be discarded.

Similarly, the prohibition against consuming carnivorous mammals and birds, 'loathsome crawling creatures', and scavengers, as well as the prohibition against consuming sick or diseased animals, would seem to rely, at least in part, on their perceived symbolic character.

===Maintenance of a separate culture===
Related to the concept of kashrut being one aspect of Judaism is the practical outcome of maintaining a specific national diet which helps maintain Jews as a separate people, similar to the concept of [[reproductive isolation]] in [[speciation]]. Just as two species who can interbreed will merge into one, the theory of cultural evolution requires a degree of social separation for two cultures to remain distinct entities. The laws of Kashrut had the effect of preventing socialization and intermarriage with non-Jews, helping the Jewish community maintain its identity.  Wenham writes that 
:"[[circumcision]] was a private matter, but the food laws made one's Jewish faith a public affair. Observance of the food laws was one of the outward marks of a practising Jew, and this in turn enhanced Jewish attachment to them as a reminder of their special status" (Gordon J. Wenham, "The Theology of Unclean Food," The Evangelical Quarterly 53, January March 1981, p.6-15).

===Hygiene===
There have been attempts to provide empirical support for the view that ''kashrut'' laws have hygienic benefits (as held by Maimonides in his [[Guide for the Perplexed]]). However, this has never been the traditional Jewish view.

It was believed by some people that kosher animals were healthier to eat than non-kosher animals. It was also noted that the laws of purity ([[Leviticus]] 11–15) not only describe the difference between clean and unclean animals, but also describe other phenomena that appear to be related to health. For instance, ''glatt'', the requirement that lungs be checked to be free of adhesions, would prevent consumption of animals who had been infected with tuberculosis; similarly, the ban on slaughtering of an unconscious animal would eliminate many sick and possibly infectious animals from being consumed. Such a rationale seems reasonable when considering the laws prohibiting the consumption of carrion birds or birds of prey (which are advantageous scavengers), as they may carry disease from the carrion they consume; shellfish, which as filter feeders can accumulate harmful parasites or toxins; or pork, which can harbor trichinosis if not properly cooked. Thus, it was natural for many to assume that all the laws of kashrut were merely hygienic in intent and origin. One of the rabbinical authorities that mention the hygiene hypothesis is [[Maimonides]] in his [[Guide for the Perplexed]].

For a number of reasons, however, this idea has fallen out of favor among biblical scholars, and has never been accepted by the majority of Jews.  Fruits and vegetables may be eaten without prohibition even though there are many poisonous herbs, seeds, berries and fruits. Additionally, this hypothesis does not explain other parts of the Jewish dietary laws; for instance forbidding the consumption of fish without true scales, such as sharks, fruit from trees which are less than four years old, or residual blood in meat.

In [[1953]] [[David Macht|Dr. David I. Macht]] performed [[experiment]]s on many different kinds of animals and fish, and concluded that the concentration of zoological toxins of the "[[Kosher_foods#Mammals:_Leviticus_11:3.E2.80.9311:8|unclean]]" animals was higher than that of the "clean" animals, and that the correlation with the description in Leviticus was 100%. In addition, the research indicated harmful physiological effects of mixtures of meat and milk, and ritually slaughtered meat appeared to be lower in toxins than meat from other sources{{fn|1}}. The conclusions of this paper were challenged in a paper by prominent biologists written at the request of a [[Seventh Day Adventist]] publication{{fn|2}}.

===Other reasons===
There is also the suggestion of a practical aspect to some of the laws of Kashrut; for instance, the [[pig]] would not be a wise choice of domestic animal for a nation which was, at the time, a [[nomad]]ic [[desert]] tribe.

The laws of Kashrut also conform to a general rule that human societies tend to separate [[food animals]] from [[companion animals]], whether [[pets]] or [[working animals]]. For instance, where dogs are kept as pets, they are not eaten; in most countries, where horses are used as [[draft animals]] they are not eaten; and in a few countries where oxen and cows are used as draft animals, such as India, they are not eaten.

Like the laws for the slaughter of animals, laws against shellfish could actually be for the good of the creature.  There is no painless method for the preparation of "bottom feeding" lobster and crab.

It is also possible that there are multiple reasons for the laws of Kashrut, with each law serving one or more than one purpose.

== U.S. Laws regarding use of word ''Kosher'' ==
In some states in the U.S. ([[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Connecticut]], [[Illinois]], [[Kentucky]], [[Louisiana]], [[Maryland]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Minnesota]], [[Missouri]], [[New Jersey]], [[Ohio]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Rhode Island]], [[Texas]] and [[Virginia]]), as well as local ordinances in two counties in [[Florida]] and the [[Independent city|Independent City]] of [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]], statutes defined "kosher" and made it a crime to sell a product which was called "kosher" if, in general, it was not processed in accordance with the Jewish religion.  Earlier court decisions upheld some of these laws.  The courts have since determined that because this represents a state [[Lemon test|establishment of a religious practice]], when such laws have been challenged, they have been struck down.
*Baltimore's City ordinance creating a kosher law was found to be unconstitutional: ''[http://www.law.emory.edu/4circuit/oct95/941918.p.html Barghout v. Bureau of Kosher Meat & Food Control]'', [[Case citation|66 F. 3d 1337]] (4th Cir. 1995).  
*New Jersey's Kosher laws were found to violate the Establishment clauses of both the New Jersey state constitution and the First Amendment: ''Perretti v. Ran-Dav's County Kosher Inc.'', [[Case citation|289 N.J. Super 618]], 674 A. 2d 647 (Superior Ct. Appellate Div 1996).  The opinion was affirmed by the [[New Jersey Supreme Court]] in which it found that the State's use of "Orthodox Jewish law" as a basis for the definition of kosher was an adoption of substantive religious standards which violated the State and Federal constitutions. [[Case citation|129 N.J. 155]].  The State's response was to create a new law which avoids any definition of a standard for what is or is not considered kosher. Instead, establishments which claim to be kosher must publicize what they mean by that, and the State will check to insure that this standard is adhered to. For example, kosher restaurants must display a poster (provided by the Kosher Food Enforcement Bureau) on which they display the name of their rabbinic certifier, how often he inspects the place, whether or not he requires all ingredients to be kosher-supervised, and so on. In this manner, government enforcement becomes a consumer-protection issue, and avoids the problems of advancing any particular religious view.
*The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit found that the challenged provisions of New York's Kosher Fraud law "on their face violate the Establishment Clause because they excessively entangle the State of New York with religion and impermissibly advance Orthodox Judaism." ''[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=2nd&navby=case&no=009116&exact=1 Commack Self-Serv. Kosher Meats, Inc. v. Weiss]'', [[Case citation|294 F.3d 415]] (2d Cir. 2002), 45 ATLA L. Rep. 282 (Oct. 2002).  The Supreme Court refused to hear the case, and denied [[certiorari]] (123 S. Ct. 1250 (mem.) (2003)).

== How kashrut is viewed by Judaism today ==
[[Orthodox Judaism]] and [[Conservative Judaism]] hold that Jews should follow the laws of ''kashrut''. Some of [[Reform Judaism]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]] think that these laws are no longer binding to them. Some parts of the Reform community have begun to move towards a more traditional position. This tradition-leaning faction agrees with mainstream Reform that the rules concerning ''kashrut'' are no longer binding to them, but holds that keeping kosher is an important way for people to bring holiness into their lives. Thus Jews are encouraged to consider adopting some or all of the rules of ''kashrut'' on a voluntary basis. The Reconstructionist movement advocates that its members accept some of the rules of ''kashrut'', but does so in a non-binding fashion; their stance on ''kashrut'' is the same as the tradition-leaning wing of Reform.

Many Jews who do not meet the complete requirements of Kashrut nevertheless maintain some subset of the laws; for instance, abstaining from pork or shellfish.  Many Jews will likewise avoid drinking milk with a meat dish, without knowing why doing so seems alien. Similarly, many keep a degree of Kashrut at home while having no problems eating in a non-kosher restaurant.

In [[English language|English]], the term ''kosher'' is frequently used in a metaphorical sense to mean "fitting" or "correct", which is its conventional meaning in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]. It is also part of some common product names. For example, "kosher salt" (technically "kashering salt") is a form of salt which has irregularly-shaped crystals, making it particularly suitable for preparing meat in accordance with Kashrut law because the increased surface area of the crystals absorbs blood more effectively. Likewise, a "kosher pickle" is a particular style of [[pickled cucumber|pickle]] that originated in Eastern European kosher delis with a distinctive flavor.

Consumer-protection laws in many jurisdictions prohibit use of the term "kosher" unless it is shown to conform to Jewish dietary laws, however this will be defined differently for different jurisdictions and situations. For example, in some places the law may require that a rabbi certify the kashrut, and in others it is sufficient that the manufacturer believes the product to be kosher. Most packaged food products that are labelled "kosher" will therefore have some level of certification of compliance with the laws of kashrut, though individuals must determine if that level is adequate for themselves.

A new movement in Israel (reported in the ''Chicago Jewish Star'', September 30, 2005, front page) demands that an establishment - a grocery store or restaurant - will only be considered fully kosher if its employees are paid a decent wage and treated fairly, and there is access for the handicapped. This will require a second certificate of kashrut in addition to the standard one.

==Vegetarianism==
Since there are few laws of Kashrut restricting the consumption of plant products it follows that a truly [[vegetarian]] meal would usually be inherently Kosher (as long as the milk and wine and bread are supervised and the utensils were only used for Kosher food and are never used for unsupervised milk, and the fruit comes from trees older than four years). In practice, however, those who follow the laws of Kashrut do not automatically regard all restaurants or prepared or canned food which claim to be vegetarian as Kosher, due to the likelihood that the utensils were use previously with non Kosher products, and the concern that there may be non kosher ingredients mixed in, which although may still be considered vegetarian, would make the food not kosher. Many vegetarian restaurants and producers of vegetarian foods do acquire a [[hechsher|''hechsher'']], certifying that a Rabbinical organization has approved of them as Kosher. Certain vegetables would still need to be checked for insect infestation and a Jew would still need to turn on the pilot light on the oven to ensure the food was bishul Yisrael. (Bishul Yisrael means "cooking of a Jew," that is, prepared with the involvement of an observant Jew).

The situation is not always reversible, however; although ''pareve'' food can contain neither meat nor dairy, that label on a product cannot be always used by vegetarians as a reliable indication, since Kashrut considers fish to be ''parve''.  However, in practice it is rare to find fish products in ''parve'' foods; moreover, because of potential issues of mixing meat and fish (see [[Kosher_foods#Fish_and_Seafood|Fish and seafood]]) many Kashrut supervising authorities specifically indicate the presence of fish products when they are found in ''parve'' foods.

People who have specific dietary needs should be aware that their standards for certain concepts may differ from the halachic standards for similar concepts.
* Many coffee creamers currently sold in the United States are labeled as "non-dairy", yet also have a "D" alongside their hechsher, which indicates a dairy status. This is because of an ingredient (usually sodium caseinate) which is derived from milk. The rabbis consider it to be close enough to milk that it cannot be mixed with meat, but the US government considers it to lack the nutritional value of milk.  Such products are also unsuitable for [[vegan]]s and other strict dairy abstainers.
* On the other hand, kashrut ''does'' recognize some processes as capable of converting a meat or dairy product into a ''parve'' one. For example, [[rennet]] is made from stomach linings, yet is acceptable for making kosher cheese{{fn|3}}, but such cheeses might not be acceptable to some vegetarians, who would eat only cheese made from a vegetarian rennin. The same applies to kosher [[gelatin]] which in some cases is an animal product, despite its ''parve'' status.
* Kashrut has procedures by which equipment can be cleaned of its previous non-kosher use, but that might be inadequate for vegetarians or other religions. For example, dairy manufacturing equipment can be cleaned well enough that the rabbis will grant ''parve'' status to products manufactured afterward. Nevertheless, someone with a strong allergic sensitivity to dairy products might still react to the dairy residue, and that is why some products will have a "milk" warning on a product which is legitimately ''parve''.

[[Genesis]] 1:29 states "And [[God]] said: Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit - to you it shall be for food." According to many classical Jewish Bible commentators, this means that God's original plan was for mankind to be vegetarian, and that God later gave permission for man to eat meat because of man's weak nature. However, others argue that people may eat animals because God gave Eve and Adam dominion over them.  Some prominent [[rabbi]]s have been vegetarian, among them the first Chief Rabbi of pre-state [[Israel]], [[Abraham Isaac Kook]], former Chief Rabbi of [[Israel]] [[Shlomo Goren]] and former Cheif Rabbi of Haifa She'ar-Yashuv Cohen.

Some Orthodox authorities have ruled that it is forbidden for an individual to become a vegetarian if they do so because they believe in [[animal rights]]; however, they have also ruled that vegetarianism is allowed for pragmatic reasons (if kosher meat is expensive or hard to come by in their area), health concerns, or for reasons of personal taste (if someone finds meat unpalatable). Some feel that the mass-slaughter of animals in this industrial age is not subject to the same scrutiny as it was in olden days, with the result that the likelihood of proper shechita is very low; some Jews abstain from meat for this reason.  Some believe that [[Halakha]] encourages the eating of meat at the [[Sabbath]] and [[Jewish holiday|Festival]] meals, and some Orthodox Jews who are otherwise vegetarian will nevertheless consume meat at these meals.

Other important Rabbis have argued otherwise: former Chief Rabbi of Ireland David Rosen considered "the consumption of meat as halachically unacceptable", and made a strong case for Jewish vegetarianism[http://www.jewishveg.com].  Several talmudic statements support this opinion.

Kabbalistic teachings, from Talmudic and Medieval sources, restrict the consumption of meat to only those who are spiritually highly developed. Others suggest that all Jews EXCEPT the spiritually highly developed can eat meat.  The soul of an animal is more complex than that of a vegetable, so requires a correspondingly complex soul to consume it. Conversely the consumption meat has often been seen as luxuriously indulgent, and therefore the highly spiritual would abstain from it as a form of self-denial.

== Kashrut and animal welfare ==
The practice of kosher slaughter emphasizes the sharpness of the knife and the accuracy and precision of the skill of the [[shochet]], in order to slit the jugular of the animal with an absolute minimum of pain and suffering. In general, over the years authorities have ruled that any unnecessary suffering by the animal can render otherwise kosher meat traife. One of the largest animal rights groups, [[PETA]] has stated that Kosher slaughter "''is less cruel than other slaughter methods in the U.S.''" Nevertheless, the method of slaughter used in strict adherence to Jewish law has been criticized as being inhumane by a number of animal rights organizations, in particular because animals are killed without the use of [[anesthesia]], often administered to cows by firing a captive bolt into the brain or by electric shock to the head for smaller species. [http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x6909e/x6909e09.htm#b3-Stunning%20methods] (Traditional kashrut would often not allow for anesthesia, as it may severely injure the animal before it is slaughtered, rendering it ''Treifa'', and because Kashrut prohibits slaughter of an unconscious animal, which might be diseased.) This has resulted in several restrictions or even an outright ban on kosher meat in a number of countries, sometimes encompassing related practices such as [[Muslim]] [[halal]] slaughter, though other countries grant ritualistic slaughter such as kashrut special exemption from the relevant regulations. However, some bans were in place before animal rights had become a general public concern.

Some [[animal rights]] groups object to some forms of kosher slaughter, claiming it can take several minutes for the animal to die and can often cause immense suffering. Others, like [[PETA]], say that Kosher slaughter is less cruel than other slaughter methods in the United States. Jewish groups point to studies showing that the technique is no more painful than conventional techniques, and in most cases quicker and less painful; the emphasis on flawless procedure and tools contrasts with the often sloppy production line methodology of the slaughterhouse resulting in failure to stun the animal, as often described by animal rights advocates in other contexts. However, the conclusions of these studies are sometimes rejected by animal rights advocates. In addition, there are campaigns to have the practice of ritualistic slaughter globally banned.

In some ways, modern slaughtering practices and kashrut practices clash, although both may have good intentions with respect to hygiene and animal welfare; for instance, kashrut prohibits slaughter of an unconscious animal, for reasons of avoiding consumption of a diseased animal as well as the possibility of inhumane means of anesthesia, and relies on the skill of the shochet and the sharpness of the knife to slit the jugular as painlessly as possible. On the other hand, for reasons of hygiene, modern slaughterhouse regulations prohibit the carcass of an animal from falling into the blood of another, so that animals are often suspended by a leg before being slaughtered; they would normally be stunned by a blow to the head to prevent suffering in this process, but the prohibition of slaughter of an unconscious animal prevents this for kosher slaughter. Of course, other, more humane, methods of supporting the carcass of the animal after it is slaughtered are available, but since they are more expensive and not routinely used for nonkosher slaughter, slaughterhouses are reluctant to adopt them, and when they do often greatly raise the price of the meat to compensate for the nonstandard technique.-->== Penjelasan Filsafat ==
Filsafat Yahudi membagi 613 [[mitzvot]] kedalam tiga kelompok:
# Hukum yang memiliki penjelasan rasional dan dapat diterima oleh sebagian besar masyarakat yang taat ([[mishpatim]]).
# Hukum yang dapat dipahami setelah adanya penjelasan, tetapi tidak akan menjadi hukum jika tidak ada Hukum [[Taurat]] (Edot).
# Aturan yang tidak memiliki penjelasan rasional (chukim).
[[cendekiawan]] Yahudi mengizinkan seseorang untuk mencari alasan atas hukum-hukum yang terdapat dalam Taurat. Beberapa ahli agama berpendapat bahwa hukum kashrut adalah simbol dari pembentukan karakter orang Yahudi. Hewan kosher melambangkan [[nilai]] (virtues), sementara hewan non-kosher melambangkan sifat buruk (vices). Sebagai contoh, Kitab [[Taurat]] melarang untuk "... masak anak (kambing, domba, sapi) dalam susu induknya". Tidak terdapat penjelasan mengenai alasan dibalik aturan ini di dalam Taurat, tetapi hal tersebut ditafsirkan sebagai bentuk perbuatan kejam dan ketidak-pekaan.

Kelompok Yahudi [[Hasidim]] percaya bahwa kehidupan sehari-hari diilhami oleh adanya hubungan dengan Tuhan, hal ini diwujud nyatakan dalam dunia secara fisik; Yahudi Hasidim berpendapat bahwa hukum mengenai makanan punya kaitan dengan hubungan tersebut, istilah yang dipakai adalah percikan kudus, adanya peran hewan dalam interaksi manusia dan Tuhan. Namun, tidak semua produk hewani dapat mendatangkan percikan kudus. Ada hewan yang secara ritual dinyatakan bersih dan juga tidak bersih.

Menurut seorang teolog Kristen, Gordon J. Wenham, tujuan hukum kosher adalah untuk membantu orang-orang Yahudi mempertahankan keberadaan mereka yang berbeda dan terpisah dari bangsa lain; ia mengatakan bahwa hukum tersebut membawa pengaruh untuk menghindari sosialisai dan perkawinan campur dengan orang non-Yahudi, hal ini untuk mencegah lunturnya identitas Yahudi. Wenham berpendapat bahwa karena makanan adalah perkara publik, maka dengan adanya hukum ini dapat menjadi pengingat tentang status mereka yang khas sebagai orang Yahudi.

== Kosher dan Islam ==
{{main|Halal#Perbandingan dengan Kosher|Halal dibandingkan dengan Kosher}}
Islam mempunyai aturan-aturan makanannya yang mirip dengan kosher, yang disebut [[halal]]. Banyak produk kosher adalah halal menurut Islam, tetapi ada beberapa produk halal yang tidak kosher menurut aturan Yahudi, misalnya daging unta atau ikan yang tidak bersisik dan bersirip. Dapat pula sebaliknya, misalnya [[Anggur (minuman)|anggur]] (dalam hal ini sari anggur yang sudah difermentasi/didiamkan hingga 3 hari dan mengalami perubahan rasa, yang mana dalam Islam dikenal dengan "''[[Khamar|Khamr]]''") dianggap kosher, tetapi tidak halal.

Islam dan Yahudi sama-sama setuju—walau dengan penerapan yang berbeda—bahwa makanan dari hewan darat boleh dimakan setelah disembelih melalui lehernya dan dikeluarkan darahnya, bahwa makanan yang diolah tidak boleh bercampur dengan yang tidak boleh dimakan maupun diolah dengan peralatan bekas makanan non halal atau kosher—kecuali peralatan tersebut telah disucikan lagi.

Biasanya, sebelum disembelih hewan kosher akan diberkati atau didoakan, yang mirip dengan aturan Islam yang mengharuskan pembacaan nama Allah ([[basmalah]]), sehingga seorang muslim perantauan dapat memakan makanan kosher bila tidak mendapat makanan halal di tempatnya. Lagipula hal ini didukung oleh Al-Quran. Tetapi masalah lain muncul takkala penyembelih tidak mengucap berkat tersebut, dan hal tersebut masih dianggap kosher oleh mereka [lihat: Hukum Maimonedes tentang Berkat 11:5].

== Lihat pula ==
* [[Yudaisme]]
* [[Masakan Yahudi]]
* [[Pajak kosher]]
* [[Hukum makanan dalam Islam]]
* [[Halal]]
* [[Makanan dan minuman yang ditabukan]]

== Catatan ==
# {{fnb|1}} Macht D, (1953). "An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of Levitcus XI and Deuteronomy XIV". Bull Hist Med 27:444-450 [http://members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/Macht1953.pdf PDF] {{Webarchive|url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20070630112056/http://members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/Macht1953.pdf |date=2007-06-30 }}.
# {{fnb|2}} [https://archive.is/20070709234205/members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/web/ministry-1954-March-p37.htm Ministry Magazine, March 1953, p37-38 "This Question of Unclean Meats"] Tanggapan terhadap studi Macht dari kepala-kepala Departemen Biologi.
# {{fnb|3}}''Rennet harus kosher, entah mikrobia atau dari produksi khusus rennet binatang yang menggunakan jeroan sapi yang Kosher.''[http://oukosher.org/index.php/articles/single/2828/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306151416/http://oukosher.org/index.php/articles/single/2828/ |date=2012-03-06 }} Diambil pada 10 Agustus 2005.

== Bacaan lebih lanjut ==
* James M. Lebeau, ''The Jewish Dietary Laws: Sanctify Life'', [[United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism]], New York, 1983
* Samuel Dresner, Seymour Siegel and David Pollock ''The Jewish Dietary Laws'', United Synagogue, New York, 1982
* Isidore Grunfeld, ''The Jewish Dietary Laws'', London: Soncino, 1972
* [[Isaac Klein]], ''A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice'', JTSA, 1992
* ''Shechita: Religious, Historical and Scientific Perspectives'', Munk, Feldheim Publishers, New York, 1976

== Pranala luar ==
=== Sumber-sumber tentang praktik kosher ===
* [http://www.badatz.org Kosher Food Certification]
* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=113424 Pedoman untuk mempraktikkan kosher]

=== Tentang penyembelihan ritual ===
* [http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/700/Gurtman05.rtf Shehitah- Hukum-hukumnya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051102010706/http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/700/Gurtman05.rtf |date=2005-11-02 }}
* [http://www.jewishaz.com/jewishnews/041203/peta.shtml Pertikaian tentang pengaduan PETA baru-baru ini] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025200929/http://jewishaz.com/jewishnews/041203/peta.shtml |date=2005-10-25 }}
* [http://www.grandin.com/ritual/kosher.slaugh.html Studi tentang rasa sakit pada penyembelihan]

=== Lain-lain ===
* [http://www.koshercertification.org.uk Kosher Certification for Indonesia and all Asia]
* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=93784 Resep makanan tradisional kosher]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030424111703/http://schwartz.enviroweb.org/view-torah.html Torah dan vegetarianisme]
* [http://www.brook.com/jveg/ Eko-Kosher: Mitzvah Vegetarian]
* [http://www.halalguide.info/2009/03/19/antara-halal-dan-kosher/ Perbandingan Halal dan Kosher - Halal Guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619002153/http://www.halalguide.info/2009/03/19/antara-halal-dan-kosher/ |date=2015-06-19 }}

[[Kategori:Yahudi]]