Kosher Spirit Nissan 5769

SPRING 2009

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Certified Soul Nutrition

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SHARE YOUR SPIRIT

QUESTIONS FOR THE ~

PUTTING THE JOY BACK IN THE PESACH SEDER

By Bassie Kohen

PESACH HOTELS

By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

REFLECTIONS

By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

KNOW THY BEANS

By Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

PESACH RECIPE WHO’S BEHIND THE ~

Interview with Rabbi H. Krinsky

WHAT IN THE WORLD? CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS MOSHIACH’S SEUDAH Compiled by Dina Fraenkel

SOUL NUTRITION

CONTRIBUTING WRITER:

Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish Rabbi Gornish is a Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~, handling ingredient and product approvals, as well as overseeing the ~’s many restaurants and caterers. He received semicha from Beis Medrash Gevoha in Lakewood, NJ. Rabbi Gornish has been with the ~ since 1997 and has a Master’s Degree in Food Science from Rutgers University.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

Rabbi Chaim Fogelman

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Dear Reader, he Pesach Haggadah is perhaps the sefer with the most printed versions of the same text. Thousands of versions of the Haggadah, each featuring different commentaries, have been printed over the years, making Haggados a feature in the collections of many seforim enthusiasts. In fact, in 2001 Sotheby’s hosted an auction in Tel Aviv, Magnificent Judaica, and the First Nuremberg Haggadah, illustrated and written by Joel Ben Simeon before 1449, sold for $1,017,000, nearly double its estimate. Erica Jesselson, a New York collector of Judaica and Jewish manuscripts, bought the Haggadah and it remains in Israel at the Israel Museum.

I recently came across a Haggadah, Tsuf Amarim, printed in 1920 (5681), that had the haskamah (endorsement) of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. This haskamah struck me, because in 1939, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok, Rav of Yekaterinoslav, was the Rav HaMachshir of all commercially produced shmurah matzah in the former Soviet Union, without compromising halacha even in the most difficult of times. In this particular Haggadah, I also found a haskamah from Rabbi Aharon Tumarkin, my maternal great-grandfather. I found a very interesting commentary on a familiar part of the Haggadah – the four sons. It says, “‫ ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול‬,‫ ואחד תם‬,‫ ואחד רשע‬,‫אחד חכם‬. Why is echad repeated for each son? When all of the echads are added together, you get 52, which is the gematria of ‫( בן‬son). This teaches us that these sons are all really one person and all of us can have these traits in ourselves.” Also, if we don’t take the opportunity to ask questions, in halacha, in kashrus, in our dealings with others, and especially about the world around us – the crumbling economy, the constant demonstrations of hate against Eretz Yisroel – then we become the she’eino yodea li’shol, the one who does not know how to ask.

In this issue, we tackle some big questions. In Rabbi Zushe Blech’s article, “Know Thy Beans,” learn the answers to the questions regarding kitniyos on Pesach. What goes in to the daunting task of setting up a hotel with a kosher l’Pesach program? Find out in Rabbi Gornish’s informative article, “Pesach Hotels.” We also took the opportunity to ask Rabbi Hershel Krinsky, Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~, a few questions about his experiences in the field of kashrus. Delve into the depths of Chassidus as we explore the custom of Moshiach’s Seudah. In Rabbi Levy’s article, read about Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m, as we mark his 21st yahrzeit – a maverick in the field of kashrus, who always knew to ask the right questions.

Speaking of the four sons in the Haggadah, the Pesach seder is geared towards the questions of children and can be especially difficult for couples experiencing the challenge of infertility who don’t have children of their own to ask the Four Questions at the sedarim. Read about Bonei Olam, the amazing chesed organization, dedicated to helping Jewish couples realize the dream of having children of their own.

EDITOR:

With best wishes for a kosher and freilichen Pesach, filled with questions, and may we have the ultimate answer of Moshiach now!

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:

Rabbi Chaim Fogelman

Dovi Scheiner

Dina Fraenkel DESIGN:

www.SpotlightDesign.com

Editor-in-Chief

FEEDBACK

Share Your Spirit

Readers share their thoughts about the last issue...

Dear Kosher Spirit,

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would like to commend you on your beautifully appointed, organized and informative magazine. Your covers are superbly designed; a true delight for the eye.

Mrs. B. Montreal

Dear Kosher Spirit,

Dear Kosher Spirit,

he Angel Foods article in the Kosher Spirit was fantastic!

Thanks to your informative featured story I am receiving a new stream of calls interested in our kitchen! The article really captured what Angel Fund does and the objectives of our Angel Foods program. Can you please send a few copies to me at the following address? Would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for your well-written article. Thanks to you, we hope to assist more culinary entrepreneurs and help them grow and maintain their food business!

very much enjoyed your article about the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts. What a wonderful opportunity for frum Jews to learn the culinary arts. I would like to add something to what you wrote, however. You mentioned how culinary students who were only able to attend non-kosher programs, were not only unable to taste the food they prepared but that since they were cooking non-kosher food, their tools automatically became treif and unusable. This is not the main reason why frum Jews are unable to attend non-kosher culinary school. The main reason is that it is written three times in the Torah, “You shall not boil a kid in the milk of its mother.” Our sages derive from this thrice-repeated mandate, that this verse includes three prohibitions:

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Sincerely, Michele Terzi Branding Director, Angel Fund Editor’s Note: In the last issue of Kosher Spirit (Chanukah 5769), we wrote, “Canned sardines do not need a mashgiach temidi, because the skin is left on the fish, and according to most Rabbonim, sardines do not require Bishul Yisroel since they are such small fish and not considered of a royal nature.” Now, in fact, sardines can also be sold skinless, so they do require a mashgiach temidi if the skin is removed.

We welcome your comments, submissions and letters to the editor.

MAIL: 391 Troy Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11213

E-MAIL: editor@kosherspirit.com

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1. One may not cook meat and milk together 2. One may not eat milk and meat together 3. One may not derive benefit from a mixture of meat & milk.

Therefore, we see that even though it is unfortunate that a chef’s tools would become treif and they wouldn’t be able to eat from the treif food they’ve made, they are actually prohibited to even cook meat and milk together, which is a large part of the required culinary school curriculum.

Sincerely, YG Dear YG, The prohibition of basar v’cholov (mixing milk and meat) only applies to kosher meat and kosher milk, so the prohibition is not a real problem for a Jewish student in a non-kosher culinary school.

Kind Regards, Kosher Spirit

www.OK.org • 3

The ~ receives many letters/emails with kosher questions...

Dear ~, Does coffee need a “Kosher L’Pesach” hechsher?

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Rabbi Steigman responds:

offee definitely needs a special hechsher for Pesach due to the many potential Pesach challenges.

The first challenge is decaffeinated coffee. One of the methods used to decaffeinate the coffee relies on the use of ethyl acetate, which can be derived from chometz.

Instant coffee poses another potential problem.

The coffee is normally spray dried, and while most coffee facilities own their own spray dryers, some send out their products to be spray dried at outside facilities. These outside facilities could be drying many other products, including grain products, which are chometz.

In addition, coffee has become quite expensive and some unscrupulous companies may possibly have an incentive to adulterate the coffee with other ingredients, which could be chometz. Some facilities that pack coffee also pack other drinks derived from grains. These are not year round concerns, but when it comes to Pesach (where many people are extrastringent) they can be a concern. Obviously flavored coffees should be avoided for Pesach unless they have a special Pesach certification.

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The Coffee or the Cup

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group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee, the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee Hashem has provided us.”

Hashem brews the coffee, not the cups… Enjoy your coffee! And on Pesach make sure it’s ~P.

JOY Putting the

What happens when there’s no one to ask…

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Back into the Pesach Seder

By: Bassie Kohen

think back to erev Pesach of a few short years ago. Cleaning the house amidst a deafening silence.

How I wished for the loud, jubilant, children’s shrieks like the ones coming from the homes of my neighbors.

How I pined for the noise and chaos of overzealous boys and girls off from school and busy with pre-Pesach chores. But I was not blessed with children.

Wherever I went there was the harsh reminder that I was without children. Supermarkets were especially difficult. Bustling with mothers and their children, or groups of siblings. I would quietly observe how they interacted with each other. Noting how it wasn’t easy towing several youngsters around while shopping, while being painfully aware of how much I would give to be able to do just that. Yet the most difficult times for me were holiday meals and Yom Tov mornings. While I could always slip out of the grocery store undetected, donning my blessed sunglasses to hide the tears forming in the corners of my eyes, at the seder it was almost impossible to avoid revealing the sadness that bubbled inside me.

It didn’t matter much if we were at my parents’ house or my in-laws’, or even at a friend’s home; the pity-

ing glances borne out of love and concern were a constant companion. During the Mah Nishtana (the four questions traditionally asked by the children at the seder), my husband and I stared intently at our Haggados, not daring to look up into the smiling eyes of our delighted, curious, proud nieces and nephews. Someone else’s children. Wherever we’d go, we played the roll of the calm, unhurried couple who would help set the table, serve and clear – because there were no little ones demanding our attention. We would sit at the seder table uninterrupted by crying infants, cranky babies and sleepy toddlers. I wondered, if I was repeatedly disturbed by my precocious little one – while saying the Haggadah, would I be as frustrated as my younger sister seemed to be? Would my husband not joyously leave the table to soothe our crying baby in another room?

Then I remember; all this was before Bonei Olam. Before we had the answers and the help we so desper-

ately sought.

My reverie is interrupted by the cry of our baby girl. I race to pick her up before her cries wake her twin brother. I relish those rare quiet moments - with each child as the other still sleeps. I abandon the cleansers and rags without a second thought.

My mother repeatedly tells me, “This house was immaculately clean for far too long… it’s time for it to display the signs of family life, the clutter and pleasant disarray where children live.”

As I sit with my daughter, I look into her eyes. I see the miracle of her birth, of her life and very existence. I see all of my hopes and dreams and answered prayers. I see the light at the end of a very long tunnel, dark and winding, full of obstacles and challenge. I see my past, my present and my future, all at once. I see Bonei Olam. www.OK.org • 5

“We quickly realized that Bonei Olam is no ordinary organization and that Rabbi Bochner and his team of volunteers are no ordinary human beings.”

Bonei Olam is a premiere Jewish organization that specializes in helping couples deal with the challenge of infertility. Bonei Olam works tirelessly to provide medical, emotional and financial support to help couples realize their dream of having children of their own.

Bonei Olam entered our lives and turned it around in a matter of days, long before our babies arrived. Bonei Olam infused us with hope, restored our faith and helped us in ways unimaginable. Bonei Olam moved mountains to get us the best possible care in addition to providing us with the funds to pay for such specialized medical care.

Our problem was a genetic one –

One in five married couples are faced with the challenge of infertility

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n 1999, the first Bonei Olam baby was born. Bonei Olam began in Brooklyn as a financial resource for couples experiencing infertility.

Treatments can cost anywhere from $18,000 to $42,000 per treatment cycle and many couples must undergo multiple treatment cycles before being blessed with success. It is not unheard of for couples to require close to $100,000 to achieve their objective.

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something which came as a complete shock. Though the chances of this happening were so minute, we were childless; we had a diagnosis without a cure. Our particular case had stumped our doctors. To our medical team we were just a challenge, an otherwise happily married couple closely approaching our tenth anniversary with no hope for a resolution to our childlessness. When we encountered Bonei Olam, we were gratified to learn that to Bonei Olam we were a precious couple in Klal Yisroel for whom a small but distinct group of people would devote countless hours, energy and every resource to help us reach the ultimate goal of having a child of our own.

After we met Rabbi Bochner for the first time, I asked my husband if he noticed how much Rabbi Bochner cared, how Rabbi Bochner spoke

Bonei Olam currently has branches across the United States as well as in Israel, Canada, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Its objective is to ease the financial burdens of Jewish childless couples wherever they may live.

In addition, Bonei Olam has volunteers in all Jewish sectors, including all Chassidishe, Yeshivishe, and Litvishe communities.

Bonei Olam’s team of counselors and medical experts provide consultations, referrals, counseling and an advanced genetics program to assist couples in their quest to become parents. Of course, confidentiality is of utmost importance to Bonei Olam and every couple’s privacy is closely guarded.

Recently, Bonei Olam celebrated the birth of their

with such conviction, such determination to help us. We were total strangers! But we quickly realized that Bonei Olam is no ordinary organization and that Rabbi Bochner and his team of volunteers are no ordinary human beings. Rabbi Bochner’s personal interest is something we are still in awe of and speak of often. Appointments were scheduled, some additional tests were run and then – the news we thought would forever elude us: the genetic mutation that stood between us and a healthy child of our own had a name. Was it the different doctor we had been to see? Of course, he was the best in the field, but – no, it had not been a medical professional per se. It was a special task force at Bonei Olam, the

1,415th baby. Though that is a remarkable accomplishment, Bonei Olam will not rest as long as there are still childless couples in our midst.

SPOTLIGHT ON GENE-ARATIONS:

One of the fastest growing and most utilized of Bonei Olam’s new programs is the genetics program, named “GENE-Arations,” which allows couples with genetic concerns to have healthy children.

Financial Assistance/ Complete Coverage For Fertility Related Genetics Diseases

The Bonei Olam GENEAration Project sponsors financial assistance and complete coverage of fertility related genetic diseases varying by individual case. As with

all Bonei Olam services, GENEA r a t i o n ’s goal is to help couples financially, thereby giving each couple a chance at becoming parents of healthy children.

Exclusive Geneticists For Bonei Olam

Bonei Olam retains private, licensed geneticists who conduct research and provide diagnostic review, referral and resolution. Working alongside geneticists whose primary goal is the consideration and treatment for Bonei Olam reduces the standard time in geneticist-laboratory-patient communications. Geneticists conduct continued studies into the discovery and treatment of infertility by genetics specifically determining and alienat-

unique project known as GENE-Arations, geared specifically to learning, researching and resolving genetics related fertility difficulties. There is no such project in operation anywhere else in the world. Bonei Olam has established a rapport with doctors internationally, all of whom have come to respect this one-of-a-kind organization and its extraordinary leadership.

Within a short while, we were receiving fertility treatment with the sponsorship of Bonei Olam. This included many courtesies, including personal calls with Rabbi Bochner and many of the Bonei Olam crew of volunteers. Everything Bonei Olam did – large or small – was done with such meticulous care. Whether it was related to our medical file or our feelings and emotional state of mind, every allowance was made, every grievance was heard, every complaint forgiven with a genuine smile and a love only one Jew can have toward another, the kind of caring and warmth that has made Bonei Olam and Rabbi Bochner so legendary.

When we learned the news that we were expecting healthy babies, we saw a pure, undiluted joy on Rabbi Bochner’s face, reminding us of the comment Rabbi Bochner first made when he met us, “It will be okay.

There’s a solution somewhere and we will b’ezras Hashem find it.”

ing genetic mutations affecting the Jewish community.

Genetics Counseling and Medical Treatment

GENE-Arations assists individuals, couples and families needing fertility related genetics referral and resources.

Taking genetics testing to the next level, ruling out genetic mutation and potential genetic crises in families, Bonei Olam serves the community today and for generations to come. While standard premarital testing provides an

Now, as I gaze into my daughter’s eyes, I am aware that my son is beginning to stir. Soon, he too will demand my attention. It’s hard to imagine the silence now; the noise of nearby children no longer affects me, despite the fact that the babies may have slept a bit longer if not for all the racket.

The half-cleaned closet beckons, yet I linger lost in thought and filled with completeness and gratitude, which cannot be described with words. I visualize walking out on Yom Tov morning with my babies side by side, deliriously thankful that this year I will be able to look the other passersby in the eye – or in the carriage, as the case may be. I will be a prodigal Ben Chorin (Son of Freedom), free of the shackles and chains of infertility, sadness, and hopelessness. I will be a Yiddishe Mammeh and together as a family we will take part in a Yom Tov seudah we thought might never be possible.

This year, when we say Hallel (Praise) and Birchas Hamazon (grace after meals), we will give thanks to

excellent service to the entire community, there are actually many more forms of genetic mutation than those typically tested for.

GENE-Arations Broad Spectrum Services

GENE-Arations employs treatment of genetics related fertility issues far beyond common practice. Current services include genetic and embryotic testing at one facility and review at another medical center – thereby utilizing the specialists and specific specialty of

Hashem for Bonei Olam and Rabbi Bochner, who, as my husband agreed with me after that very first meeting, has a light emanating from his face, one that comes from true Ahavas Yisroel (Love for a Fellow Jew), Ahavas Chesed (Love of Giving), Ahavas Hashem (Love of G-d).

This Pesach we will know what Z’man Simchaseinu (the time of our rejoicing) really means. ~ For more information about Bonei Olam and upcoming events in your community, please call 718.252.1212.

You may also visit Bonei Olam’s website at www.boneiolam.org or email yhl@boneiolam.org.

each medical facility. Transport arrangements and payments made by the GENE-Arations Project of Bonei Olam is a profound method in treating specifically the most difficult genetics issues.

Bonei Olam In-House Research Program

The Bonei Olam GENEArations Project conducts fertility related genetic research on premises. Financing private, licensed geneticists and genetic team research is another example of Bonei Olam

determination and dedication to its GENE-Arations Project.

Bonei Olam GENE-Arations Project In-House Research Program saves both time and money in the long run. Tapping into its own resources creates awareness both in the organization and within the extended Bonei Olam community assisting individuals, couples and families dealing with genetic issues promptly and accurately. ~

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Pesach

Hotels What goes into the koshering of

By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

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or months before Passover, the public is bombarded with ads in all the Jewish publications promising you the “Best Passover Ever” to be enjoyed from the most exotic locales to within commuting distance of your workplace. The patrons avail themselves of these pro8 • www.OK.org

grams for a myriad of reasons, from simply not wishing to undergo the cleaning and cooking that preparing for Passover entails, to their house not being large enough to contain the extended family for the holiday, to wishing to experience an adventure in a posh, upscale hotel.

Program operators must begin planning many months before Passover. Of primary importance is the hotel itself. Equally important is enlisting a renowned caterer or famous chef as much of this holiday revolves around food. The entertainment is also a big concern for a successful program. Finally, choosing the proper kosher certifying agency is essential, as people are particularly

scrupulous when dealing with kashrus during Passover.

For the supervising agency, being responsible for the kashrus at a hotel during Passover is quite challenging.

The kashrus protocol must be set way in advance in order to adapt strict standards to a program wishing to service customers away from population centers. Therefore, it requires extreme experience with the complete operations of such programs.

Once underway, it is almost impossible to improvise.

The program director and the ~ schedule a meeting to determine if

the program’s needs can be accommodated by the hechsher. To be discussed are kashrus standards, number of mashgichim, and other important details. The kosher certifying agency then has a representative travel to the proposed location to visualize how the program will unfold. He inspects the kitchens, the cooking equipment and utensils to be used, the eating areas, the size of the ballrooms and their proximity to the kitchen, and guest rooms (to determine if there can be a Shabbos elevator which automatically stops on every floor as

well as if the room locks are manual, since key cards cannot be used on Shabbos and Yom Tov). Even the restrooms need to be inspected for automatic features. He also meets with the kitchen and management staff to gauge their level of kashrus understanding and experience and to educate them on the requirements of the hechsher. He also walks the perimeter of the grounds to get a mental picture of where the eruv that will encircle the hotel will be placed. An eruv is needed to give the guests the option www.OK.org • 9

of carrying items to and from their rooms to the outdoor gardens, pushing baby strollers, etc. as well as to enable the Pesach program to access a stationed refrigerated storage truck if needed, or to set up a buffet outdoors on Shabbos during the program. Interestingly, sometimes, having a location that never hosted a Passover program is helpful as many programs and kosher supervisions operate differently and the past experiences on the part of the hotel staff can create confusion.

A critical element of a successful kosher program is choosing a skilled head mashgiach or Rav HaMachshir.

As guests are understandably concerned about the kashrus, this mashgiach acts as a reassurance that the kashrus throughout the program is being monitored to the minute detail. The head mashgiach is a rabbi with great experience in the kashrus field. He must be well versed in the laws of kashrus regarding milk and meat, Passover, and the halachos of Shabbos and Yom Tov. In addition, he must be able to manage personnel, delegate responsibilities, and be a good communicator with the guests, hotel staff and management, and the 10 • www.OK.org

people running the program. Just as important is selecting a team of qualified mashgichim. These young men must be sincere and responsible.

They are carefully screened by the ~ for their ability to work together as well as their basic knowledge of the issues that may arise on Pesach. As the mashgichim must function as a finely tuned machine, it is imperative that they all meet ahead of time with the program director and chefs. It is not uncommon to have six, eight or even ten mashgichim working simultaneously throughout different parts of the hotel.

The next step is ordering supplies and provisions for the program. To do this, they must first submit their menus and coordinating ingredient lists to the ~ for review and approval. (For example: roasted meats cannot be served for the sedarim, so the kosher certifying agency needs to make sure it is not on the menu.)

Once approved, the program director in conjunction with his chef, orders the raw materials needed. As kosher for Passover goods are produced in limited supply, an individual program must often receive items weeks in advance of Passover and store

them at the program’s expense (thus adding to the overall cost of the program). Depending on the expected clientele, the program will either proclaim itself non-gebrokts or gebrokts.

However, while care can be given that no foods are baked, cooked or prepared with matzah, one who requires that dishes that come into contact with matzah may not be used cannot fully keep this at a hotel, because while the kitchen atmosphere can be controlled, the guests in the dining areas cannot. A solution to this difficulty is to eat only from plastic tableware or to use brand new flatware and dishes each time you are served. In addition, following the custom of not using any utensils that fall to the ground during Passover is almost impossible to observe in a hotel.

As for koshering the hotel for Passover, sometimes a group of mashgichim travel to the hotel for a week during the winter to kosher it, prepare a freezer full of food (sealed under lock and key) and use these provisions during Passover. However, in most instances, the hotel is koshered several days before Passover. Sometimes the hotels have

An outside cleaning service is brought in to clean to the mashgiach’s satisfaction. This alone can take several days and can be quite overwhelming, even for experienced mashgichim. other functions scheduled during that period which provides the kosher agency with an extra challenge. For a kitchen to be koshered, all the surfaces of the tables, ovens, stovetop, refrigerators, freezers, deep fryers, braziers, skillets, sinks, storage areas, pots, pans, and kettles need to be cleaned spotlessly. Many utensils need to be segregated for 24 hours prior to kosherizing. An outside cleaning service is brought in to clean to the mashgiach’s satisfaction.

This alone can take several days and can be quite overwhelming, even for experienced mashgichim.

Then the mashgichim trained in the use of blowtorches begin to work.

All the surfaces of an item require kosherizing and are heated to the correct temperature. Often the local fire department is notified in advance that this activity is taking place and may even be present to deal with the inevitable triggering of fire alarms.

The grills and skillets need to be koshered with a glowing layer of hot coals. Glassware must be soaked in water for 24 hours, the water emptied and replaced. This process must be repeated twice more. Wooden surfaces such as butcher blocks must be sanded down. The dishwashers must be stripped down, meticulously cleaned and then the internal thermostat must be overridden (often with the assistance of a technician) so the cycle can be run with boiling water. During the koshering period, the entire mashgiach team generally works around the clock, all while dealing with the provisions that are arriving constantly and ensuring that they meet the ~ kashrus standards.

If the hotel has more than one kitchen, one can be kashered first to enable the chef to begin cooking. Of course this ties up one or more of the

mashgichim, making them unavailable to kosher the rest of the facility.

Sometime during the end of the kashering period begins the vegetable checking. As Passover requires several unique produce involving some that are prone to insect infestation, (such as Romaine lettuce) a large part of a mashgiach’s duties involve washing and checking these vegetables and herbs. Large sinks and a well-illuminated area are essential for proper insect inspection.

Once Pesach begins, the mashgichim are faced with a new set of challenges. Sometimes guests will try to bring their own wine or matzah to the seder meals. While hotel programs frown upon this practice (indeed many make quite a profit supplying customers with wines priced above the basic package) the mashgichim must circulate among the guests and respectfully persuade them that these items are not allowed in the eating areas.

While, ideally, arranging the

mashgichim into shifts is preferable, this does not occur until after the first two days of Yom Tov as the kitchens literally operate around the clock.

Only once Chol HaMoed begins, can this shift formation take place. The mashgichim work in shifts of 8-10 hours while the head mashgiach is constantly on call.

This year provides an additional challenge as Passover ends on a Thursday night. Many programs are offering the option of extending your stay through Shabbos. While challah will be served at the Shabbos meals, it will be bread that was purchased before Passover, frozen and sold, in order to be available for Shabbos.

The switchover will require the mashgichim to work from the moment Passover ends to supervise the Shabbos preparations.

This year the ~ is supervising several Passover programs staffed by top-notch mashgichim. You can be assured that while you are enjoying Passover at one of these programs, the ~ is looking out for your kashrus needs. As far as the mashgichim are concerned, it is only after Passover that they are able to feel the freedom of Zman Cheiruseinu. ~

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Reflec 5

Reflections

By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

Nissan is the 21st yarzheit of my father, Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m.

According to Torah, twenty is the age when the Beis Din Shel Ma’alah (the heavenly court) can judge a person for his actions. It is an age of maturity agreed upon by all halachic authorities.

Now, on my father’s 21st yarzheit, I sit back and reflect upon my father’s accomplishments and his actions to benefit the kosher consumer. After more than two decades of sitting at the helm of the ~, I can’t help but feel a touch of pride in the growth of the ~ and all of the improvements the ~ has made for the kosher consumer. My father took the ~ from a fledgling kashrus agency and built it into a kashrus powerhouse, and he left it to me, and a team of dedicated, devoted people, to mold the ~ into the internationally recognized leader in kashrus that it is today.

A Klausenberger chossid once called me up regarding a problem of insect infestation in a Brooklyn bakery. I looked into the matter and sent one of our rabbis to fix it immediately.

While talking to the chossid, I asked why he called us as the bakery had a well-known “chassidishe” hechsher.

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He told me that the previous Klausenberger Rebbe ob’m said, “You can rely on Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m, from the ~ to get an accurate answer.”

I was proud to be able to fill such shoes.

The ~ has grown leaps and bounds from my father’s handwritten reports

to a tech-savvy organization with its own state-of-the-art custom kashrus software. I often wonder how my father would approach kosher supervision if he were alive today in the computer age. However, one point is certain – he had the foresight to foresee today’s complex kashrus issues.

Two particular issues come to mind immediately. A few weeks ago there was a meeting of kashrus agencies and one of the heads of a large kashrus agency stated that since the Monsey meat debacle nothing has been done to improve the way fleishig establishments are supervised.

The Monsey meat scandal involved a so-called frum owner who was caught selling non-kosher meat. Unfortunately, this was not the first case of such a disaster. It first happened in Flatbush a year earlier, but was disguised as a less severe case.

Both cases happened as a result of a failed policy of not requiring a frum owner to have a mashgiach temidi who has sole control of the kitchen and this policy was not changed as a result of these two cases. Soon after the second misfortune, a big meeting was held in Boro Park. At that meeting, I got up and stated that my father set an ~ policy over 25 years ago that no owner can have the keys to access meat storage areas, even if he is a frum Jew! I was shocked to see the resistance by the Chareidi world to this policy. (See Kosher Spirit Winter 2007) Even as recently as last month, in Hadera, Israel, a caterer with no mashgiach temidi let non-kosher meat into his catering establishment. A few days later, in Boro Park, where the chareidi hechsherim refuse, on principal, to require mashgichim temidim, non-kosher hotdogs were served in a “kosher” restaurant on Thirteenth Avenue! From beginning to end, the situation was one big cover up and distortion of the facts.

Another case that comes to mind concerns the question of oils transported by ships from the Far East.

Over twenty-five years ago, my father was the first to travel to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and

the Philippines for various kashrus issues, including the import of oils from that area. (He was also the first to visit China for kashrus inspections, but that is a different story.) After finding out that the oils were transported on ships that possibly also carried non-kosher oils, he laid the foundation for the system later perfected by the ~ after his passing.

(See Kosher Spirit, Tishrei and Kislev 5768.) After that first visit, we started demanding from companies that we verify what was carried in the ships prior to possible kosher shipments. It took some twenty-five years for the kashrus world to wake up and see that there was an issue with transporting kosher products by ship!

welcome) other kashrus organizations to join us.

My father was a pioneer when it came to visiting new facilities. His way of giving kosher supervision was to visit plants going as far back to the source as possible. If a company was using ingredients from another company, he insisted on visiting the ingredient producer himself. If the ingredient company used another company’s ingredients, he went as far back to the original source as possible. By doing this, he amassed a vast knowledge of kashrus and the status of many ingredients and products.

He was a strong advocate of firsthand knowledge. Following this policy the ~ still has the unique standard of the Rabbinic Coordinators who are in charge of companies having firsthand knowledge of the companies they administer. This ensures the highest standard of kashrus possible as the Rabbinic Coordinators have firsthand knowledge of the kashrus of their companies, rather than being “pencil pushers” or “desktop executives”. If a company needs assistance with problems, our Rabbinic Coordinators have the expert technical knowledge and intimate familiarity with the facilities needed to assist them immediately.

My father was always extremely careful to have as much transparency as possible and to have one uniform policy for all. He was not an advocate of dual policies with the excuse of a “grandfather clause” to justify inconsistency. He once said, “There is a saying in Yiddish that you can go far with the truth, because as soon as you tell the truth people tell you to go further.”

I am proud that today, despite tremendous growth and innovation, the ~ continues to uphold my father’s legacy of adhering to the truth, even when it is not the easiest path to take, ensuring that every product with the ~ symbol is kosher without compromise. ~

ctions Immediately after my father’s passing, I visited Europe and found that even though kosher oil was being produced there, there was no system of checking the ports or the ships for incoming oils. This included all the various kashrus Badatzim (agencies) from Israel who employed mashgichim full time in all their kosher plants (doing what?); however, the prior shipping history was not checked at all. As a faithful student of my father, I set up a system in the two largest port facilities in Rotterdam to segregate the kosher and non-kosher lines, pumps and tanks. We also set up a system for barges. Eventually, a system for trucking was set up in Europe as well. This system is still used mostly by the ~ and we are waiting for (and

www.OK.org • 13

Know thyB

14 • www.OK.org

‫ין‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ין‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ת‬ wBeans

y

By: Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

O

Kitniyos in the Modern World

f the many minhagim that we are privileged to enjoy on Pesach, the halachic discussion surrounding the concept of kitniyos is especially fascinating. In truth, the custom itself is somewhat enigmatic, and its application and permutations could fill many volumes.

The basic halachos of Pesach are that one may not eat nor own any chometz (leavened bread) and one must eat matzah (unleavened bread) on the first night. By definition, both chometz and matzah hail from the five major grains: wheat, rye, oats, barley and spelt. Chazal teach us that these grains can become chometz when they ferment. The fermentation of all other foods, whether we call them a “grain” or not, is considered a sirchon (rot) and not chometz. Since matzah must be made from a material that has the ability to become chometz, the Shulchan Oruch (O.C. 453:1) establishes the rule that matzah may only be made out of the five grains and “not out of rice and other types of kitniyos, and these will also not become chometz.” The word “kitniyos” is generally translated as “legumes” or “beans” but, alas, the use of a name is less than an exact science, as we can see from the language of the Mechaber, where he combines “rice and other types of kitniyos” under one heading. In the context of Pesach, the definition of a legume has thus sprouted to encompass many more species and a good deal of controversy.

The real concern with kitniyos on Pesach is not based upon their inability to make matzah, but rather on a custom discussed by some Rishonim regarding avoiding their use entirely on Pesach. While it would seem

fine to eat foods that cannot conceivably become chometz, these authorities were concerned that kitniyos might in some way become confused with true chometz. First, cooked porridge and other cooked dishes made from grain and kitniyos appear similar.

Second, kitniyos are often grown in fields adjacent to those in which chometz is grown, and these grains tend to mix together. And third, kitniyos are often ground into a type of flour that can easily be confused with chometz. For these three reasons, the Rishonim suggested that by avoiding kitniyos people would be better able to avoid chometz. The Vilna Gaon (Hagaos HaGra, ibid.) cites a novel source for this custom. The Gemara in Pesachim (40b) notes that Rava objected to the workers of the Raish Gelusa (the Exilarch) cooking a food called chasisi on Pesach, since it was wont to be confused with chometz. The Tosefos (ibid.) explains that, according to the Oruch, chasisi are lentils and thus, argues the Gra, establishes the basis for the concern of kitniyos.

Based on these considerations, the custom of the Jews in Europe (Ashkenazim), codified by the Ramah (ibid), was to avoid eating kitniyos. The Jews of Spain and the Middle East (Sefardim), however, follow the opinion of Rav Yosef Karo, and never accepted this cuswww.OK.org • 15

tom. (Many Sefardim from Morocco and Northern Africa, however, follow Ashkenazic customs regarding kitniyos.) To this day, most Sefardim partake of rice, beans, maize, and other forms of kitniyos without compunction. It is critical to note, however, that while kitniyos on Pesach may be an exclusively Ashkenazic concern, actual chometz added to kitniyos is not. For example, vitamins are often added to rice, some of which pose serious chometz concerns. Even “corn” (glucose) syrup may contain enzymes that come from organisms that are grown on chometz ingredients and glucose syrup from some parts of the world is made from wheat starch. Clearly, any kitniyos eaten on Pesach is subject to standard Pesach concerns of chometz.

It is very important to recognize, however, that even according to the Ashkenazim, kitniyos itself is definitely not chometz. The Ramah himself notes this distinction in several ways. One is allowed to own and derive benefit from kitniyos, something that is prohibited with true chometz. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid, 7) also notes that one who is ill may eat kitniyos even if his illness is not life threatening, and therefore most medicines that contain only kitniyos may be used on Pesach. One may also keep kitniyos in his house on Pesach without concern that it may be inadvertently eaten, and one may use it for any purpose except eating. Furthermore, if kitniyos becomes inadvertently mixed into a food, even on Pesach itself, it is batul b’rov (as opposed to real

The criteria for determining what is – and what is not – kitniyos is less clear than the actual custom.

chometz, which under certain conditions may never become batul) and the food may be eaten.

Although virtually all authorities accept this approach to kitniyos as the normative halachic basis for the custom, some authorities ascribe a more significant source to it. The Chok Yaakov (ibid., s.k. 4) quotes a Hasagos Ha’Ra’avad in the first chapter of Hilchos Chometz U’Matzah to the effect that although the Rambam rules that the “material” may not be true chometz, it may nevertheless become chometz noksheh – “hard” chometz, which is still prohibited as a lo sa’aseh (negative prohibition). Most editions of the Yad Hachazaka indicate the Ra’avad’s remarks as referring to the Rambam in Halacha 2, where he rules that flour mixed with fruit juice will never become chometz, and the Ra’avad comments that it may nevertheless become chometz noksheh. The Chok Yaakov, however, notes that in some editions, this Ra’avad is actually referring to the 16 • www.OK.org

first Halacha in the Rambam, where the Rambam writes that rice and other kitniyos can never become chometz.

Were the Ra’avad to be referring to this part of the Rambam, he would seem to be indicating that kitniyos may be indeed pose a concern of chometz noksheh and be prohibited m’doraisa! (One may bring a slight proof to this position, based upon Tosefos Pesachim 40b noted above, where they seem to say that kitniyos tend not to become chometz “as much” as true chometz. See Ma’Harsha, however, who dismisses this proof.) In any event, although he makes this observation, the Chok Yaakov himself seems to accept the position of virtually all other authorities and bases the concerns of kitniyos upon other factors.

As we have noted above, however, the criteria for determining what is – and what is not – kitniyos is less clear than the actual custom. Rice and beans are certainly included. However, the Poskim discuss several types of seeds (e.g. “anise” and “kimmel”) that it seems were prone to being contaminated with kernels of wheat, and for this reason their use was prohibited.

Contemporary authorities question the exact translation of these items, and for that reason many have the custom to avoid seeds such as caraway, cumin, or fennel that are similar to anise and kimmel. Similarly, authorities insist that coriander be carefully cleaned, since it is common to find grains of wheat or oats mixed into this spice. Mustard, according to the Ramah (O.C. 464:1), should also not be eaten on Pesach. The reason for this custom is a bit more obscure, but the Taz (453:1) explains that mustard is similar to beans in that they both grow in pods.

In the late 15th century, the cornucopia of foods from the New World brought items – such as maize and potatoes – to the fore. Both quickly became staples in the Old World, and although clearly not technically legumes, the question arose as to whether they should nevertheless be included in the category of kitniyos.

Maize is generally considered to be kitniyos, whereas potatoes are not. Interestingly, the etymology of the names of these foods may give us some insight into this dichotomy. While the common name for maize (from the Tahino word “mahis”) is “corn” – and in the United States this usage is quite clear – the origin of the word “corn” is quite different. The word “corn” can be traced back to the ancient Indo-European word “grn,” which literally meant a small nugget. In German, this word became “korn” and in Latin, “grain,” both of which include any edible grass seed. In practice, these terms refer to the predominant grain in a given country. In the Americas, it refers to maize, in

peanuts soybeans

The status of different types of beans is not quite clear. The

general custom is to consider soybeans kitniyos, and we therefore do not use

soybean oil for Pesach.

Peanuts, on the other hand, are a source of controversy that goes to the heart of kitniyos itself. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe, O.C. III: 63) is of the opinion that peanuts are not kitniyos. He reasons that kitniyos is not a halacha (law) but a minhag (custom). While minhagim

often have the force of halacha, Rav Moshe argues that the minhag cannot be extended beyond what was actually included in the custom. Since peanuts were not in common use in Europe when the minhag of kitniyos was instituted, there is no halachic basis to extend it to new items, even if they are arguably identical to other kitniyos in form and use. Indeed, there are communities that have a custom to eat peanuts (and Kosher l’Pesach peanut butter!) on Pesach. While this may not be the generally accepted approach of most people, there are certainly ample grounds on which to rely in this regard.

Some contemporary authorities even carry this logic one step further. A type of grain, from the Andes Mountains, called “quinoa” has recently become popular and had certainly never been considered

Scotland to oats, and in Germany to wheat or rye. Indeed, old English translations of Pharaoh’s insomniac premonitions refer to “seven sheaves of corn,” which was really one of the five grains. Yiddish speakers are similarly prone to this confusion, since they often use the term “korn” to refer to grain. It seems, however, that the popularity of corn – and its resulting assumption of this sobriquet – was sufficient for the minhag of kitniyos to extend to this new “grain.”

Potatoes, on the other hand, were never considered grain, and therefore generally considered to have escaped the kitniyos categorization. (It is interesting to note that the Chayei Adam was of the opinion that potatoes should indeed be considered kitniyos. Much to our relief, however, this opinion was definitely not accepted.) Note: Rabbi Pinchas Epstein of Eida Hachareidis in Yerushalyim, who is of Lithuanian descent, considered potatoes kitniyos and the Eida did not ap-

quinoa

kitniyos because Jews before had never used it! Following the idea that new types of kitniyos cannot be created, these authorities permit all manner of baked goods to be made out of this exotic cereal.

Others are less sanguine to this point, however, and reason that since quinoa exhibits properties classic to kitniyos, it should be so considered (as is the case with maize). Others have also pointed out that quinoa may nevertheless pose a concern because it is often processed on equipment that is also used for wheat and other grains. A competent halachic authority should therefore be consulted before using quinoa.

prove it. When the Minchas Yitzchok, Rabbi Weiss, assumed the position of Gavad he accepted potatoes.

Many plants, such as soy, peanut, and corn, are processed into oil, and there is much discussion amongst the poskim as to whether the minhag of kitniyos extends to oil produced from these plants. For this reason, many who do not eat peanuts on Pesach will nevertheless use peanut oil, since there is an additional reason to be lenient. Some authorities are also of the opinion that rapeseed oil (also known as Canola oil) can similarly be permitted, since rapeseeds are far removed from conventional kitniyos in that they are not eaten and were not generally available in previous generations. On the other hand, others contend that since rapeseed is a member of the mustard family, it should be subject to the custom cited earlier concerning mustard. In www.OK.org • 17

addition, it has been determined that rapeseeds are commonly contaminated with wheat kernels, thus meeting one of the classic definitions of kitniyos. The Alter Rebbe specifically forbids oils derived from kitniyos.

Some authorities carry concerns of kitniyos oil to an even more stringent conclusion. The generally accepted custom in the United States (based upon a p’sak of the Tzelemer Rav) is to permit the use of cottonseed oil. In addition to the general leniencies relating to oil, cottonseeds are not even edible and thus arguably not subject to being considered kitniyos in the first place. However, the Minchas Yitzchok (III:138) and others bring proof that neither of these arguments is correct, and for this reason many people have the custom to avoid using cottonseed oil and content themselves with olive, walnut or palm oil. (It should be noted that the minhag of the Minchas Yitzchok, which is followed by his Talmidim and the B’datz Eida Hacharedis of Yerushalyim, is to prohibit cottonseed oil.

However, the Minchas Yitzchok himself, in a subsequent Teshuva (IV: 114), seems to be less sanguine on the matter. He quotes the opinion of Rav Meir Arik in the Minchas Pitim (Introduction of O.C. 453) that would seem to permit this product, and therefore questions his original prohibition.)

Sunflowers are a common source of oil in Eastern European countries, and some authorities consider this species to be the type of kitniyos referred to as “shumshmin” (see Marcheshes I:3, who makes the linguistic comparison between the name “sunflower” and the Hebrew word for the sun – “shemesh” – which he assumes to be the source of the name “shumshmin”).

Other authorities, however, question this linguistic relationship (the correct pronunciation is “sumsimin”, which is unrelated to the word “shemesh”), and permit the use of sunflower oil on Pesach.

Another common use of kitniyos is in the manufacture of glucose from cornstarch (corn syrup).

Although we noted that some allow the use of oil from kit-

18 • www.OK.org

niyos, most authorities agree that corn syrup has the same halachic status as the kitniyos cornstarch itself rather than that of the oil expressed from it. Corn syrup, and its specialized high fructose version, has long replaced sugar as the sweetener of choice for use in soda, which would pose a significant problem of kitniyos on Pesach. Fortunately, this is the “Pesach generation,” and the major soft drink manufacturers make special productions of the world’s favorite beverages for Pesach the old fashioned way – they use liquid sugar.

(Some soft drink aficionados seek out the

Foods unknown when the concept of kitniyos was

instituted have now become staples.

Pesach version of the “Real Thing”, since it follows the original formula by using sugar instead of corn syrup!)

One final point concerning the application of the rules of kitniyos should be noted. Corn syrup and its derivatives are often used as the starting point for making other food chemicals. Citric acid is used as a flavoring agent in candies, jams, and many other foods. Erythrobic acid is used to maintain the red color in pickled and cured meats, and xanthan gum (xanthan gum from Europe is chometz) is used as a thickener. Aspartame is used as an artificial sweetener, and enzymes are used to make fruit juice and cheese. All of these products are routinely produced through fermentation and corn glucose, and their Pesach status has been the subject of much halachic discussion. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l indeed ruled that the minhag of kitniyos never extended to such distant relations of cornstarch, and thus permitted citric acid produced through the fermentation of corn glucose. Some kashrus agencies rely on this approach to permit one or more of the above products, and it is the responsibility of the consumer to verify the standards of the certifying agency with regards to these issues when purchasing products for Pesach.

As we have seen, issues relating to kitniyos have burgeoned over the centuries. Foods unknown when the concept of kitniyos was instituted have now become staples, and modern food science has found a myriad of ways to incorporate them into our foods in unforeseen ways. The halachic underpinnings of such kitniyos issues are indeed fascinating, and serve as interesting grist for the Pesach mill. ~

Rabbi Blech’s new book, Kosher Food Production: Second Edition, has just been released and is available for purchase at Jewish bookstores.

upon the significance of your hile hoping for for a better future.

Rite has traditional favorites, Kosher for Passover and imported Israeli specialties for for y your our Passo Passover celebr celebration. ation.

pp

Pesach Recipe 20 • www.OK.org

Gefilte Fish 1 quart water

1 tablespoon oil

Fish bones (not salmon)

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 onion, cut in small chunks

1-1/4 pound whitefish fillet, ground

2 stalks celery, sliced thickly

1 egg, beaten

1 carrot, sliced 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons ice water 1-1/2 teaspoons potato starch

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Combine water, fish bones, onion, celery, carrot, and salt in 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain. Heat oil in small skillet.

Add onions; sauté until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool.

In a bowl, combine fish, sautéed onions, egg, salt, pepper, lemon juice, sugar, and water blended with potato starch. Shape into 5 or 6 oblongs. Arrange a strip of fish skin around center, if desired. Gently place fish oblongs, one at a time, into fish stock. Gently shake pan to arrange fish. Let simmer, covered, for 1-1/4 hours. Remove fish with slotted spoon to dish. Cover and refrigerate fish and stock separately. To serve, arrange gefilte fish on lettuce. Garnish with carrot curls. Serve with Beet Horseradish. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Lettuce

washing instructions The following types of lettuce must be checked according to the instructions below: ARUGULA, BOSTON LETTUCE, CHICORY, ESCAROLE, GREEN LEAF, ICEBERG, ROMAINE, RED LEAF

1. Separate leaves from the head, opening all folds and creases. Soak the lettuce in water with kosher l’Pesach dish soap for five minutes, and then rub each leaf between your fingers. Empty basin by removing lettuce with both hands (holding loosely) in small bunches and shaking them under the water.

2. Put lettuce in a clean basin of fresh water. Swish vigorously. Repeat this step until there is no foam on the surface of the water.

3. Rinse each piece of lettuce, one-by-one, under a strong stream of water.

4. Check one-by-one (on both sides) against a fluorescent light. A light box is recommended for this procedure.

Please do not order any salad mixes containing FRIZEE. If found, remove the frizee, it must be checked the same way as lettuce.

www.OK.org • 21

~ BEHIND M EE T O U R S TAFF:

WHO’S BEHIND THE ~

Interview with

Rabbi Hershel Krinsky Rabbi Hershel

KS: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to yeshiva?

RHK: I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and learned in Crown Heights at Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch at 770 Eastern Parkway.

KS: What did you do after yeshiva?

RHK: After yeshiva, in the summer of 1975, I married my wife Sterna and we lived in Crown Heights. In Crown Heights, I learned in kollel and traveled back and forth to Boston, Massachusetts were I worked as a shochet and head mashgiach at a chicken shechita where I represented Rav Zalman Shimon Dvorkin (a”h).

KS: When did you get involved in hashgocha work?

RHK: I first got involved in hashgocha work in the mid1970s when I worked in Boston. Then, in 1979 I was a shochet at a duck farm in Long Island and I also served as the head mashgiach responsible for the kashrus there.

KS: When did you start working for the ~?

RHK: I started working for the ~ in the 1980’s. I was a mashgiach for ~ certified companies in the New York

area.

KS: What is your current position at the ~?

RHK: I am currently a Rabbinic Coordinator for the ~ and I have held that position since 1999. I oversee the

22 • www.OK.org

Krinsky

kosher supervision of many ~ certified companies and I specialize in companies that produce dairy products.

KS: What prepared you the most for working at the ~?

RHK: My nine year stint doing shechita and hashgocha at the duck farm, coupled with the hashgocha work that I did in the 1980s and 1990s for the ~ and for other agencies, was definitely the best preparation for working as a Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~.

KS: What is the best thing about working at the ~?

RHK: There are many great things about the ~, but two stand out most. First, the ~ is unique in that it

has a custom-designed computer system to manage all data, from the rabbis’ observations at inspection visits to all of the ingredient and product information of our certified companies. This computer system enables all of our knowledge and data to be shared amongst our entire network of rabbis, mashgichim and support staff to ensure the highest level of kosher supervision. Secondly, there is great camaraderie and cooperation amongst the rabbis at the ~. Every rabbi can be counted on to share his knowledge and experience with others and work as a team to provide excellent supervision and service.

“He is not afraid to speak his mind, and leaves no stone unturned during his investigations of kosher standards and processes” – Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,

Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification

“

“

What Other People Say

About Rabbi Hershel Krinsky

KS: How would you describe the ~ today?

RHK: Technologically, the ~ is the most advanced kosher certifying agency and we utilize the latest technology available to ensure kosher compliance and data security. In addition, the ~ is a pioneer in technology-backed kashrus and always the first agency to utilize new technology.

KS: Can you share a unique experience that you had while working at the ~?

RHK: A few years ago, I did a twoweek inspection trip in India and the Far East. During my travels, I wrote a daily log of what I did and the interesting things that I saw there (aside from the actual kashrus inspections) and sent it out to the whole office staff. I was quite amazed by the level of airport security in India. My bags were x-rayed, I was searched numerous times by army personnel, my bags were hand-stamped by officials to show they were inspected, and I (along with my carry-on luggage) was inspected yet again by army personnel after I boarded the plane! Everyone was very intrigued by my experiences in India and I received numerous comments about my adventures. ~

O

ver the many years that I have kno wn Rabbi Krinsky, he has always impressed me with his exact and meticulous approach. He is not afraid to speak his mind, and leaves no stone unturn ed during his investigations of kosher standards and processes. Reb Hershel has developed expertise in many fields of kashrus and the companies he works with all admire and respect him. ~ Kosher prides itse lf on the very high caliber of our Rabbinic Coordinator s, and Rabbi Krinsky perfectly exemplifies that standar d.

Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,

Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher

R

Certification

abbi Krinsky is very knowledge able in all areas of kashrus and can always be relied upon for his expertise. He is studious, always see ks to delve into new depths of lear ning, and is always concer ned with the needs of the companies he overse es. Rabbi Krinsky is a pleasure to work with and I am grateful to have him as a colleague.

Rabbi Dovid Steigman,

Rabbinic Coordinator, Platinum Acco

R

unts

abbi Krinsky is extremely thorou gh in his evaluations of certified facilities. It alm ost seems as the potential kashrus problems “lin e up to shake hands with him”! Rabbi Krinsky also has a unique focus and devotion to solving any issues that come up and he perseveres until the issue is resolved satisfactorily.

Rabbi Leizer Teitelbaum,

Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

www.OK.org • 23

Answer: Pictures represent the Ten Plagues in Egypt. (correct order is:) 1. Blood, 2. Frogs, 3. Bugs, 4. Wild Animals, 5.Pestilence, 6. Boils, 7. Hail, 8. Locust, 9. Darkness, 10. Death of the Firstborn.

F U N PA G E

What in the World?!?

Can you figure out what these zoomed-in images represent?

24 • www.OK.org

Chassidic Insights:

Moshiach’s T

SEUDAH

Compiled by Dina Fraenkel

he last day of Pesach, called Acharon Shel Pesach, is connected to the coming of Moshiach and is marked by a special meal featuring matzah and four cups of wine. This meal is called seudas Moshiach.

The purpose of having a meal is to translate our intellectual knowledge of the Rambam’s ikar of “Ani ma’amin…b’vias haMoshaich” (I believe…in the coming of Moshiach) into a physical action to bring a spiritual concept into the physical world.

This custom of celebrating Moshiach’s seudah, was instituted by the Ba’al Shem Tov, founder of Chassidus. However, the connection between Acharon Shel Pesach and Moshiach is enumerated by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. He explains: “The last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of Pesach is our festival commemorating our redemption from Egypt by Hashem. It was the first redemption, carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of Pesach is our festival commemorating the final redemption, when Hashem will redeem us from the last exile through our righteous Moshiach, who will be the final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe Rabbeinu’s festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach’s festival.”

This explanation by the Tzemach Tzedek is not the only reason that Moshiach’s seudah is celebrated on the last day of Pesach. According to Chassidus, the last in a sequence is not only significant because of its numerical order. The last has its own special function.

The camp of Dan, described in the Torah as “ma’asaf l’chol hamachanos” (gatherer of all the camps), was the last group in the procession of Jews that left Egypt.

Rashi explains this as meaning that “The tribe of Dan...would journey last, and whomever would lose anything, they would restore it to him.”

Our service of Hashem is comprised of many journeys, and the conclusion of the service ensures that nothing is missing from the service, just like Dan, the “gatherer of all the camps”. As the Tzemach Tzedek explained, Pesach is a Yom Tov of redemption and our service to Hashem is focused on bringing the final redemption, the Geulah Shleimah. In case our service to Hashem was lacking during the first seven days of Pesach, the final day, Acharon Shel Pesach, serves as the “gatherer of all the camps” to rectify our service and regain anything we may have lost, spiritually, over the course of the Yom Tov. Therefore, Moshiach’s Seudah, a celebration of the imminent Geulah Shleimah, is the culmination of the service of Pesach, the holiday of redemption.

The concept of “gatherer of all the camps” does not only apply to our individual Divine service. It also applies to Klal Yisroel as a group. When the Jews were wandering in the desert, after leaving Egypt and before reaching Eretz Yisroel, they took forty-two journeys. Each of the forty-two journeys enabled them to leave behind one of forty-two levels of bondage they experienced in Egypt. This entire period alludes to our current Golus. Just as the Jews who left Egypt journeyed in exile until they reached Eretz Yisroel, we are journeying in exile until Moshiach comes. Our generation, the generation of the footsteps of Moshiach, the last generation before the Geulah Shleimah, is the “gatherer of all the camps” for all of Klal Yisroel. We have the power to rectify any missing portions of our collective Divine service and accomplish any last mitzvos necessary to bring Moshiach. ~ www.OK.org • 25

SOUL NUTRITION

On Pesach The 613 mitzvos represent the body – the 248 positive mitzvos correspond to the 248 limbs of the body and the 365 negative mitzvos represent the 365 organs. The Pesach seder is the mitzvah of the mouth, as we are commanded, “V’higadeta le’bincha.

Drink the four cups of wine and eat matzah.” You can see this in the name of the festival as well – Pesach = peh (mouth) + soch (speaks).

“HaChodesh hazeh lachem” refers to the month of Nissan, as our Sages say: “In Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan we will be redeemed.” “HaChodesh hazeh lachem” is the same gematria as “Moshiach ben dovid” (424), but one must remember that the emphasis is on “lachem” – it’s up to us, it’s in our hands, to bring Moshaich!

How do we know that we start to speak about the laws of Pesach thirty days in advance? In the Torah it is written, “Va’amartem zevach pesach hu.” Zevach can also mean to cut in half – if you cut each letter of ‫ פסח‬in half, you get ‫מלד‬. When you rearrange the letters, you have ‫( למד‬30), hence, you should speak (Va’amartem) of Pesach 30 days before the festival.

Wine Facts Wine, in moderation, can lower

your bad cholesterol, increase your good cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, increase your bone density, reduce your chances of having kidney stones and increase your memory.

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The famous scholar, Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchok (Rashi) was a wine maker in Troyes (in the Champagne valley).

Resveratrol, a compound found

in red wine, reduces the risk of developing cataracts.

1 ton of grapes makes about 60 cases of wine, which equals 720 bottles.

Wine has so many organic chemical compounds it is considered more complex than blood serum.

Where do you see the Four Questions in the Torah?

The essence of the questions are: ‫—טבילה‬Dipping twice, ‫—ומצה‬Matza, ‫—ומרור‬Maror, ‫—והסיבה‬Reclining. These add up to 737, which equals: ‫—והיה כי ישאלך בנך מחר‬When your son will ask you tomorrow…” (Shemos 13:14).

3/4/09 9:30am

17 seconds

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2/24/09

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3:00am

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The number of minutes that elapse between each time an ~ mashgiach adds rennet to a vat of cheddar cheese, for a total of 23 times in a 16-hour shift.

The number of miles the Restaurant Rabbinic Coordinator traveled by car in one week to make unannounced spot checks in ~ certified restaurants in the tri-state area.

• Ko rs

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1436

Rabbi Steigman, ~ Rabbinic Coordinator, kosherizes Tropicana plant and starts Passover production.

It is interesting to note that Tropicana will revert back to their original packaging beginning with the Passover production

Rabbis from around the world began a two-day kashrus seminar at the ~ headquarters in NY.

The amount of time it took the ~ to determine if any products were affected by the Peanut Corp of America recall.

www.OK.org • 27

Kosher Without Compromise.

~KOSHER

CERTIFICATION

Kosher Spirit, 391 Troy Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213 718-756-7500 • info@ok.org • www.ok.org