Kosher Spirit Tishrei 5773

KEEPING

By Chanie Brod

THE

Rabbi

Zushe Y. Blech

Dear Reader,

Here we are once again, at the beginning of a new year, an opportune time to look back at the past year from a kosher standpoint. The year that a little kosher chocolate chip put kosher on the front page and showed the world how important the details of kosher are to the consumer.

By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

TISHREI

By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

WHO’S BEHIND THE ~ Interview with Rabbi Binyomin Neufeld

CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS

Compiled by Dina Fraenkel

SOUL NUTRITION

KOSHER SPIRIT Tishrei 5773

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rabbi Chaim Fogelman

EDITOR: Dovi Scheiner

ASSOCIATE

I must admit, at first I thought that the myriad people calling and complaining about a little Trader Joe’s chocolate chip that went from pareve to dairy were overreacting a bit… Surely there are much more important issues that need to be addressed. But, as the calls and emails kept coming in, from New York to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between, from homemakers to rabbis and community leaders, I was reminded of something that I have always known deep down. For the kosher consumer, there are no second choices. It’s either the high road or nothing at all.

Today we are blessed that we live in a free country that allows us to serve Hashem and adhere to his commandments – the best of both worlds. Today’s kosher consumer is not the same as the kosher consumer of yesterday. Today’s kosher products must be of the best quality with no compromise on kosher standards. Thus it came as no surprise when I read that more than a quarter of all new foods released each year since 2007 have claimed to be produced in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. That’s ten times the proportion of new kosher products released back in 2002, according to Mintel’s research. Moreover, all the commotion caused by the switch from pareve to dairy on a tiny chocolate chip just reaffirmed the importance of kosher in the marketplace! It just goes to show that every day the world is becoming a more kosher place and here at the ~ we are humbled and proud that we are doing our part in making this happen.

Wishing you a happy, prosperous and kosher new year,

Rabbi Chaim Fogelman Editor-in-Chief

Share Your Spirit FEEDBACK

Readers share their thoughts...

Dear Kosher Spirit,

Since I am an animal lover, I read with great interest the article about kosher dog food in your Pesach issue. Kosher food for pets is something I never thought about. Thanks for looking out for ALL of our kosher needs!

David and “Spot”

Dear Kosher Spirit,

Dear Kosher Spirit,

I felt so proud as I read Rabbi Hanoka’s article about his talk to Quality Assurance personnel. It sure is a Kiddush Hashem the way he presented the things the Torah requires us to do and its actual role in today’s modern world in a way that even a regular QA inspector in 2012 can appreciate. If only the rest of the world would look to the way the Torah advises we would all live in a better place!

Shua Landsman

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The ~ is proud to offer lots of relevant kosher info on Twitter.

For product updates, follow @KosherAlerts

Thank you for your Kosher Food Guide app. What a great help – my family and I were traveling on summer vacation in Maine, we stopped at a large supermarket and were looking for kosher products… We found Wasa bread, but I didn’t know if it was Pas Yisroel. Suddenly I remembered the ~ app and at the speed of light, right there in the supermarket aisle, with a touch and swipe of the finger I had my answer. When you’re out and about and are looking for kosher food your app is a life saver.

Thank you and keep up the good work.

Yehuda

Dear Kosher Spirit,

I like your Kosher Food Guide app, but can you make it searchable by product name? Not just the company name… Thank you.

Esther

Ed. Note: Esther, stay tuned for an app update in the near future!

For news and kosher info, follow @OKKosher ~ Twitter Map with over 1706 followers!

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

Dear

Kosher Spirit, What is the difference between ~D and ~DE?

Can you eat ~DE with a fleishig meal? Can you eat ~DE if you keep Cholov Yisroel?

The ~ responds:

TThe “~D” designation indicates the presence of actual dairy in the kosher certified product. “~DE”, however, indicates that a pareve product was made or packaged on clean equipment that is also used for dairy and has not been kashered “~DE” cannot be eaten during a fleishig meal or on fleishig keilim, but it can be consumed directly after a fleishig meal.

One who keeps Cholov Yisroel and is makpid to only use Cholov Yisroel keilim (as is the custom among Chassidim and many others), may not consume “~DE” products since the keilim are used for dairy Cholov Stam

TEN

Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth, following oil.

Coffee beans are roasted at a temperature of 500 degrees F. When they “pop” twice, they are finished roasting.

Instant coffee was invented in Guatemala in 1906

The term “Cup of Joe” comes from American soldiers (known as G.I. Joes) during World War II, because it was believed that the soldiers drank a lot of coffee.

Caffeine affects your body by causing the pituitary gland in your brain to produce adrenaline, which is normally

produced when you are faced with an emergency situation and need to act quickly and with extra strength.

90% of Americans consume caffeine in some form each day.

Unflavored coffee does not require a hechsher, but decaffeinated coffee needs a reliable hechsher for Pesach

www.KosherSpirit.com 5

Buckingham vPalace

By Chanie Brod

As a child I spent many summers with my grandparents in London. I loved the wide sidewalks that were designed for endless games of hopscotch. I loved the crisp showers replacing the humidity. I loved riding atop the red double decker busses. But it was Buckingham Palace that really captured my imagination.

As I peered through the palace gates separating my six year old self from the fairy-tale palace that was actually real, I wondered what lay beyond those doors so awesomely guarded by those live toy soldiers. I wondered what it would be like to actually dine with the Queen. Should I discover the solution to world hunger and earn an invitation to a Royal Banquet, would I even be able to eat there? I wondered whether I would have to pack my own sandwiches for my Royal dinner. I would probably choose peanut butter, or maybe tuna with cucumbers.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, pulling a peanut butter sandwich from a paper bag at a Royal Banquet wouldn’t sit

well with Her Majesty. While, for most of us, attending a Royal Banquet is merely fun to fantasize about, there are Orthodox Jews that do receive invitations. With an estimated 300,000 Jews living in Britain, the Jewish presence is represented in Parliament too. Among the 775 members of the House of Lords, Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks and Lord Levy are Jewish, Orthodox, and kosher consumers. And unlike my six year old self, they have had the honor of dining with Her Majesty. In addition to Lord Levy and Lord Sacks, other Orthodox Jews too have attended Royal banquets. The responsibilities of the Queen include strengthening Britain’s relationship with other countries. Ac-

cordingly, when a Head of State from overseas arrives in the UK on a formal visit, the Queen hosts a State Banquet in their honor. Around four times a year a kosher consumer is on the guest list, usually when the banquet is honoring an Israeli or American dignitary.

At events hosted by Her Majesty, the “term fit for a queen” is more than a cliché. It is a standard upheld with British perfection and pride. Despite having a household staff of 1,200, the Queen herself is actively involved in the banquet preparation. She chooses the menu and decides on the seating plan. The banquet tables are set with the same precision that one would expect after seeing the Changing of the Guards. Napkins are measured so that they are spaced precisely 17 inches apart. The crockery, cutlery, and six glasses are all laid with perfect symmetry, aided by the trusted tape measure. Prior to the commencement of the banquet, the Queen always comes around to personally inspect the tables. With Royal proto-

col being so particular, how are the dietary requirements of the kosher guests met? A slab of gefilte fish on a plastic plate could hardly be served alongside glazed salmon on silver gilt.

Rabbi Hillel Simon, Rabbinic Coordinator of Catering at the London Beth Din, supervises the kashrus at the Royal Banquets. The kosher menu, crockery, and serving dishes are all matched as closely as possible to those of the rest of the guests. While the Beth Din usually brings in its own equipment to avoid the need to kasher as much as possible, the Palace is a rare exception. On the morning of the banquet an area of the palace kitchen is allocated for the Beth Din and the work begins. The oven is kashered, surfaces covered, menus mimicked. The palace is highly accommodating to the extent that there are times when they even purchase new sets of crockery to ensure that the kashrus standards are maintained and the visual appeal of the banquet table is not compromised. Chances are the Palace crockery wasn’t pulled from the clearance shelf at Costco. The Beth Din in turn often kasher cutlery, silver platters, tongs, and utensils to maintain the uniformity. Wine glasses do not usually require kashering, yet they do when adorned with a gold rim as many are in the Palace.

While much thought is given to the seating plan, kosher observance is not the primary concern. In the banquet hall the few kosher guests are seated alongside the rest of the guests. Waiters are carefully briefed as to what each guest is served, but when the plate with crayfish and the plate of kosher fish are identical, how can the Beth Din guarantee that they are not accidentally switched?

Rabbi Simon laughs. “They don’t look the exact same,” he admits. “The crockery is the same, the food looks the same. But in order to easily identify the kosher plates, we fill them with a portion several times larger than the others.” So when you are invited to the Palace for a banquet and

your plate has three cups of Pommes Boulangère while your neighbor’s plate has a mere three tablespoons, you can rest assured that your food is kosher.

It’s not just the menu that has to match, it’s the wine too. Rabbi Simon recalls a situation where the palace wanted to match the quality and style of a certain wine for their kosher guests. The caterers had tried to find

other porcelain service. And of course, the kosher servings are the ones that look like they belong to Papa Bear.

Chances are that I will not be the one to solve the problem of world hunger and my attendance will not be requested at a Royal Banquet. However I noticed many parallels between our own weekly dinner with the Shabbos Queen and the Royal Ban-

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Queen and the royal palace also have a place in kashrus? Many times, when there is a she’ilah of bishulyisroel, there is a rav who calls an official at the palace and asks if the particular food is ever served formally to the Queen!

a suitable match but to no avail. “When the Palace called to say that they had the perfect wine, we thought ‘Oy vey, there’s no way that they have a suitable, mevushal wine...’ but it turned out that they did. At an earlier occasion the Israeli Ambassador had presented the Queen with an awardwinning, mevushal wine... sure enough, they brought it out for the occasion.”

The banquet itself is the most magnificent display of Royalty. The banquet, a black tie event, opens with the orchestra playing the British National anthem as the guests stand at attention. After the anthem, there are the champagne toasts to Her Majesty. The banquet menu is more than a feast for the palette; it is a feast for the eyes too. The first course, usually fish, is served on silver gilt plates accompanied by white wine. The meat course too is served on silver gilt, this time accompanied by red wine. Dessert is fruit served on a porcelain service, followed by pudding on an-

quets hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Traditionally, the Shabbos table is laid with our finest silver and china. We dress for dinner in special clothing honoring the Shabbos, although it is usually not a custom designed Tom Ford gown. The Royal Banquet commences with a champagne toast to the Queen of Britain, we rise and begin our Shabbos dinners with Kiddush – a toast to the Shabbos Queen. Following the toast, the meal is served. Both the Shabbos dinner and the State Banquets traditionally serve a fish appetizer followed by a meat course.

Dining with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is one of the greatest honors and experiences. As fantastic as it may be, it is actually one that we can experience weekly with the Shabbos Queen. Although I guess if you really want to increase the authenticity of the Royal experience you can measure the distance between the napkins – just make sure you do it before Shabbos!

BEER BEER

By Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

On Simchas Torah , Jews throughout the world conclude—and then begin again—the annual cycle of the reading the Torah, remembering the original Kabbolas ha’Torah (the receiving of the Torah ) on Har Sinai . Chaza”l tell us that, at that pivotal moment, Hashem suspended the mountain above their heads “like a keg of beer” and admonished them: “If you accept the Torah, you have done well; and if not, I will drop mountain on top of you and this will be your grave.”

Chaza”l explain that, although the Jewish people had already willingly accepted the Torah (by saying Na’aseh v’Nishma we will do and we will listen), Hashem wanted to ensure that they realized that accepting the Torah is not a voluntary contract, one that could chas v’sholom be rescinded at will. The use of a “keg of beer” as a metaphor should not, however, go unnoticed. Beer offers many important insights into halacha and kashrus and, as we shall see, has been drunk for thousands of years—even on Pesach!

Beer is but one form of the untold number of fermented beverages devised by man to slake his thirst and revive his spirit. It is the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage and, indeed, the English word “beer” comes from the Latin bibere—to drink! But to understand beer, we must first understand alcoholic beverages in general. All alcoholic beverages are produced in essentially the same manner—by converting a sugary liquid into alcohol through a process called fermentation. In this case, the fermentation involves a single-celled fungus called yeast (zymose in Greek), which works its magic by secreting an enzyme (zymase) that converts sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The difference between various alcoholic beverages is merely the

source of the sugar. For example, if we start with grape juice, we call the resulting fermented beverage “wine.” If we start with apple juice, we call it “cider,” and if we start with honey we call it “mead.” But what does one ferment when sugar is not available? The solution is to convert something else into sugar.

The Talmud (P’sachim 107a) records four different types of beer, which are (as explained by the Rashbam): Shay’char (date beer), Pirzuma (barley beer), T’ainy (fig beer), and Asni (berry beer). They are called “beer” because the sugars are extracted from the fruit by boiling them in water—“brewing” – as opposed to squeezing the juice from them. [The term “brewing” refers to the steeping or boiling of the fruit in water, just as one brews coffee or tea.]

The problem, however, is that while brewing will extract sugar from fruit (such as dates, figs, and berries), barley contains virtually no available sugar. The production of beer from barley, which the Talmud notes is superior to fruit beer, requires an additional step called malting — the understanding of which offers a fascinating insight into how Hashem ensures the growth of seed.

A kernel of barley (or virtually any grain) is really a seed, designed to be

planted in the ground and sprout into a new plant. It contains three parts— the germ (the part that actually grows), endosperm (the white, starchy mass that is the vast majority of the seed), and bran (the fibrous layer that protects it). The germ is the living part of the seed and lies dormant until it becomes moist after planting, at which point it sprouts and requires sugar for nourishment.

The endosperm to which the germ is attached contains starch molecules, which are actually very long chains of glucose (sugar) molecules. Since the germ cannot metabolize such large molecules, Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave this hungry germ the ability to produce amylase enzymes, chemicals that break the starch down into the sugars that it can readily digest. Man long ago mastered the art of malting, soaking barley in water to trick the germ into producing these enzymes and converting the rest of the grain into sugar. Brewing this malted barley yields a sugary liquid, called wort that can then be fermented into beer. In essence, beer is nothing more than grain wine.

While any type of grain can be converted into sugar, malted barley has a distinctive flavor and has histor-

ically served as the grain of choice for making beer in many parts of the world. However, beer using only fermented grain would tend to be sweet—not the bitter, astringent beer that is preferred in many cultures. To address this challenge, beer makers have historically added a variety of flavorings to their creations, such as wild rosemary, coriander, ginger, anise seed, juniper berries, and wood bark. The most popular additive, however, is the flower from a vine called hops. The Talmud (Moed Katan 12b) notes that something

the natural sweetness of the brew, as well as mild sedative properties. In addition, hops act as a preservative and antiseptic, a point noted in the Talmud (Avodah Zarah 31b) Traditionally, the hops flower was added directly into the beer vats, although modern technology has made it possible to extract and concentrate the hops rosin.

Historically, fine European beer contained only barley, water, and hops—a recipe codified by William IV, Duke of Bavaria, in the Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law) of 1516.

called “K’shusa” is used to make beer. Rashi translates K’shusa as humlin which, in turn, is translated by the M’targem as hopfen—hops. [The Romans fondly referred to hops as a vine that grew “like a wolf among sheep”, and gave it the name Lupus salictarius (“the good wolf”), from which hops took its botanical name humulus lupulus.] Hops provide an astringency that serves as a counterpoint to

Today, however, many types of beer include less expensive corn and rice, and may include some color additive (usually caramel color). While none of these ingredients poses any particular kashrus concerns, some interesting issues do present themselves.

One interesting question concerns a problem that has bedeviled beer makers for centuries. In addition to starch, barley contains a certain amount of protein, a component that is not subject to fermentation. As the beer is cooled, the proteins tend to coalesce and form a haze, destroying the clarity of the product and several processes have been developed to address this concern.

One involves the use of protease enzymes to break down the proteins—a process call chillproofing— and the need for such enzymes served as one of the primary catalysts for the development of the modern enzyme industry. Papain and bromelain, naturally occurring enzymes from the papaya and pineapple plant, respectively, were originally used for this purpose, while proteases derived through microbial fermentation are generally used today.

While any type of grain can be converted into sugar, malted barley has a distinctive flavor and has served as the grain of choice in many parts of the world.

Another process involved the use of certain negatively charged fining agents that attract the positively charged proteins and thus clarify the product. One of the classic clarifiers used for this purpose is isinglass, a type of non-kosher fish gelatin. The process involves the addition of a small amount of this gelatin to the hazy liquid, with the gelatin attracting the haze particles and causing both them and the gelatin to flocculate and fall to the bottom. This sediment is then filtered out of the beer together with the gelatin, leaving a clear brew.

While the Nodah b’Yehuda (M.K. Y.D. 26) permits the use of isinglass— and virtually all authorities concur that any beer so made would be permitted due to the minor amount of isinglass used—the major kashrus agencies do not allow the use this or other types of gelatin to clarify beer under their certification.

Conventional beers from major manufacturers are flavored with nothing more than hops, and may generally be considered kosher, without requiring a kosher symbol on the label. This applies to both light and dark beers, as well as low-calorie versions. Beers with less conventional flavorings, however, should be avoided unless they bear a reliable kosher symbol since these flavors may pose significant kashrus concerns. Indeed, a product called Chelada® — a blend of beer and Clamato® — contains a small amount of clam juice!

Similarly, microbreweries often produce unconventional concoctions containing non-kosher ingredients, and one must ensure that even their

The Ta”Z (Y.D. 293 s.k. 4) notes that the 1. main drink in many countries was beer, and that it could be argued that it was critical to survival. This may be based on the fact that regular water was often contaminated, and the brewing process actually sterilized it and made it safe to drink.

Other botanicals can be used to produce 2. beer, such as root beer and ginger ale, and it need not be fermented. For purposes of this

regular brews are not compromised by such non-kosher productions. Therefore, microbrews should bear a reliable kosher symbol as well.

While beer is generally recognized as being quintessentially chometz, this is not always the case. Many of the types of beer listed in the Talmud were made from fruit, and were clearly consumed on Pesach. Indeed, “Passover Beer” has recently made a comeback by skipping the malting process entirely and using honey and molasses as the sugars, fermenting them with Passover yeast and flavoring it with hops.

One more point about beer should be noted, however. Chaza”l recognized that alcoholic beverages bring great cheer and merriment, and drinking them with non-Jews could foster a dangerous camaraderie. They therefore placed severe restrictions on wine produced or handled by nonJews, effectively precluding such partying. These restrictions were not placed on beer, however, and one may consume beer produced by non-Jews. However, the Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 114:1) rules that one may still not drink beer in a non-Jewish bar. While the Ramo is more lenient, one must be ever mindful of Chaza”l’s concerns in this regard.

On Simchas Torah we read the final Parshah of the Torah—v’Zos ha’Berachah, in which we find the posuk“v’hem tuku l’raglecha yisa midabrosecha”. Rashi explains that this verse refers to the mountain that was suspended over the Jewish people at the time of Matan Torah and how B’nei Yisroel reacted to it. Although

article, however, “beer” will refer to fermented grain products containing alcohol.

The presence of yeast was unknown at that 3. time, and was there not an official “ingredient”. Beer fermented due to the presence of ever-present natural yeasts. This oversight was corrected in 1857, when the Reinheitsgebot was amended to recognize yeast as a fourth ingredient.

Gelatin can also be used to clarify and filter 4. fruit juices, and Kashrus organizations gener-

Hashem used the mountain as a type of coercion, the Jewish people nevertheless demonstrated their commitment to the Torah by crowding under the mountain—“tuku” from the word “toch” (inside)—and not trying to escape. We can therefore understand why Chaza”l chose the metaphor of a “keg of beer” to describe the mountain. The Hebrew word for beer is Shaychar, which contains the same letters as the word “Sachar” (reward) and, as Rashi explained, they thereby merited the receiving of the Torah

ally do not certify such products.

Some concern had been expressed that this 5. product might contaminate other conventional beers packaged on the same line. Fortunately, this turned out not to be the case.

See P’sachim 8a, where Rav Chiya requires 6. one to check his beer storehouse for chometz – clearly assuming that the beer itself was drunk on Pesach!

The Talmud records four different types of beer:

Shay’char DATE BEER

T’ainy FIG BEER

Pirzuma BARLEY BEER

Asni BERRY BEER

STRAIGHT TO THE Point

The Mitzvah of Lulav

By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

The mitzvah of taking the Arba Minim (four species) — hadassim (myrtle), aravos (willow), lulav (palm frond) and esrog (citron) — symbolizes the ultimate joy of the Yom Tov of Sukkos. As it is written in the Torah , 1 “On the first day, you should take for yourselves: The fruit of the tree…the fronds of a date palm…branches of a [myrtle] tree…and willows of the brookside. You should rejoice before G-d your G-d, for a period of seven days.”

The esrog is the most prominent of the four species; it is the only one that has a taste and aroma. In Chassidic circles, the esrog is compared to the tzaddik who studies Torah and does mitzvos. The lulav, on the other hand,

only has a taste, representing the Torah scholar whose main emphasis is the study of Torah as opposed to the performance of mitzvos. So why is it that the brocha is made on the lulav?

The lulav merits actual mention in the brocha Al netilas lulav recited upon shaking the ArbaMinim for several reasons.First, the lulav is the tallest and most noticeable of the Arba Minim. 2 In addition, the letters in lulav spell out ול (36) and בל (heart), which symbolizes the 36 hidden tzaddikim in every generation and the 36 volumes of the Babylonian Talmud. The lamed and beis also refer to the Torah (which starts with beis and ends with lamed). The numerical value of the word “lulav” is the same as “life” and one is assured a long life if they are stringent in observing the laws of lulav. 3

The lulav, part of a fruit tree, is used for a mitzvah during Sukkos (the

harvest season) to remind us that all of the produce we just gathered has a higher purpose.4 It also symbolizes the human spine which provides anatomical support to the entire body to show that the entire body needs to be utilized in serving Hashem.

The mitzvah of Arba Minim is mitzvah 324 in the Torah (Sukkah is mitzvah 325). Since the Yom Tov is named after the sukkah, and chronologically we perform the mitzvah of sukkah first (the first night of Sukkos, as opposed to lulav which is not done until the following morning), it seems that sukkah really should be listed first. The Netziv (32:43) explains that the Arba Minim represent weapons of a battle – signifying our victory in

the judgment of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. When we hold up the lulav it is a sign that we have emerged from judgment favorably. This reminds us that Sukkos is not a completely independent holiday; rather it is connected to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It symbolizes the ascent from teshuva inspired by yirah during the Days of Awe to the simcha and Ahavas Hashem of Sukkos. Listing lulav first reminds us to keep increasing and building on the teshuva of the Days of Awe.

Sukkos is the only Yom Tov mentioned twice in Parshas Emor. In the first mention, the posuk states, “On the fifteenth day of this (hazeh) seventh month5,” while the second in-

stance says, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the Land, you should celebrate the festival…6” The second mention, which goes on to detail the instructions for taking the Arba Minim does not include the word “hazeh”.

The Meforshim also ask a question here. Why is Sukkos mentioned twice, and why does the first mention include the word “hazeh” and not discuss the mitzvah of Arba Minim? Oneanswer is that when B’nei Yisroel first lived in the midbar, they were not living in sukkos as a mitzvah connected to the YomTov, so they did not build a sukkah or shake lulav for the mitzvah. That is why the first posuk

includes the word “hazeh” (the posuk was instructing for that first Sukkos in the midbar only). Another answer is that the first Sukkos in the midbar began on Shabbos and since we do not take the ArbaMinim on Shabbos, the first posuk gave specific instructions only for that specific first day of Sukkos, and therefore used the word “hazeh”.

Botany

The lulav is a shoot from the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), which is native to the Middle East and parts of South Asia. Date palms are dioecious (separate male and female plants) and the lulav can be taken from a plant of either gender.

Originally the Jewish people probably utilized a Judean variety of the date palm which was native to the Land of Israel. This Judean cultivar (variety) is described by historians of that period and depicted on coins minted in Ancient Israel. Judean date palms were renowned for their sweetness and succulence, but unfortunately became extinct shortly after the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash

While any cultivar of the date palm is acceptable as a source for the lulav, most halachic authorities forbid use of the canary palm (Phoenix canariensis), which is a close relative of the date palm. Some expertise is required to differentiate between a date

palm and a canary palm, so one should only purchase a lulav from a reputable dealer or allow a halachic expert to examine the lulav if there is reason to harbor suspicion about its origin.7

How to Choose a Lulav

When choosing a lulav it is important to look for one that has a straight spine, resembling an arrow. The leaves should be tight together, but if they start to separate the lulav is still kosher as long as the leaves are soft enough to be potentially tied together (they do not actually have to be tied). The tyumos (top leaves) of the lulav should be tight together and not split from the tip. 8

According to some authorities, it is preferable for the tyumos to be bent, since this enables the tyumos to stay intact when shaken. 9 In fact, it is a custom among many Chassidim to choose a lulav with twisted tyumos. The leaves along the entire spine of the lulav should overlap each other, or at least reach the base of the leaf above.10 Some lulavim have brown bark surrounding part of the lulav. It is better to leave this bark alone, rather than trying to remove it and risking damage to the lulav.

The spine of kosher lulav must be at least 4 tefachim long, excluding the tyumos. The preferred size is 16 thumb-lengths, but 13 1/3 thumb-

lengths is the minimum length. 11 There is no maximum height for a kosher lulav. A lulav harvested during a shmitta year may be purchased and used for the mitzvah of Arba Minim 12 In fact, during a shmitta year, many dealers sell the lulav for an extravagant price and include the esrog as a “gift” since the esrog is subject to the laws of shmitta and may not be sold or purchased.

Ownership of the Lulav

One’s ability to perform the mitzvah of Arba Minim is dependent on actual ownership of the lulav and esrog. There are a variety of halachos regarding the kosher status of stolen lulav, as well as how to lend a lulav to someone else. A stolen lulav is posul, but if one steals it and then cuts it to size one can fulfill the mitzvah without a brocha. 13 If the original owner has not given up hope (which would render it hefker – ownerless) of reclaiming his lulav, others may use the stolen and cut lulav, but not on the first day of Sukkos. However, a stolen lulav (that has not been cut to size) may not be used by the thief. If one buys a lulav from a non-Jew, it is best to watch him cut it directly from the tree to ensure that it was not stolen.14

One may borrow a lulav from another person without informing him, since that person would not mind if his property was used for a mitzvah 15 On the first day of Yom Tov, one must own the lulav and cannot borrow one from someone else.16 It is permissible to give someone one’s own lulav on the condition that the receiver gifts it back to the original owner. If the second person fails to return the lulav he will not have fulfilled the mitzvah of lulav since he broke the condition and, therefore, did not actually own the lulav he used to make the brocha. 17

When someone is handed the lulav without specification, the assumption is that he must gift it back

The Date Palm, a kosher lulav tree, (Phoenix dactylifera).

The Canary Island Palm is not kosher for lulavim, (Phoenix canariensis).

to the owner.18 One should not give their lulav and esrog to a child on the first day before all of the adults in the household have used it, because a child is not halachically able to gift the lulav back to the owner.19 A child who understands how to shake lulav must have his own lulav, at least for the first day of Yom Tov It is preferable to buy the child his own lulav so he can shake it during Hallel with the congregation.20

One may purchase a lulav in partnership for the mitzvah of Arba Minim 21 In the past, many congregations would purchase the ArbaMinim together (women did not have to contribute) in order to be able to perform the mitzvah of lulav since it was often very difficult to obtain a personal set of Arba Minim. Although a partnership is permissible, it is always preferable to have one’s own private set of ArbaMinim. 22

When No Kosher Lulav Is Available

There were many times in our history that it was impossible to purchase a kosher lulav. Sometimes this was due to war or import limitations, drought or disease of the plants, and, more commonly, extreme poverty. If one cannot obtain a kosher lulav, one should use a non-kosher one without a brocha. 23 If the lulav is not kosher because it is dried out, it is permissible to recite the brocha over it if there is no other kosher lulav available. However, a non-kosher species of lulav should not be used even if no kosher one is available.24 Obviously, one may not substitute an entirely different item as a substitute for a kosher lulav, since it may cause another person to mistakenly use the wrong plant.

Preparing the Arba Minim

Only one lulav should be used for the mitzvah25 as is decreed from the verse םירמחתפכ which is spelled in the singular, but read as plural. The preferred way to perform the mitzvah of Arba Minim

The Ideal Lulav

• Color should be green and fresh

• Height of spine should be at least 13 inches (excluding tyumos).

• Lulav should be perfectly straight

• Leaves should be tightly connected to each other and only separate when shaken with force.

• Tyumos should be not be split at the tip

Factors that Render a Lulav Not Kosher

• Most of the leaves are dangling downwards 46

• Most of the leaves are not attached to the spine.47

• Most of the leaves are split along the length of the lulav. (Even if the lulav grew this way, it is not kosher.)48

• The top leaves (tyumos) are split more than a tefach

• The top of each leaf does not reach the bottom (or higher) of the leaf above it.49

• The lulav is dried out. (While some authorities are very lenient with this rule, one should not use a lulav that is no longer green.)50

• Most of the leaves have the tips removed. 51

• The tyumos are missing 52

• The lulav is split at the top (in a “V” shape).53

• A lulav that is bent 54

• The top of the lulav spine is bent, resembling a hook.55

is by shaking all four species together, but one may take each one separately and make a separate brocha on each item (only if receives each of the species separately and speaks in between each brocha).26

The three species – lulav, hadassim and aravos – should be bound together with a knotted binding (not tied in a bow).27 [Some have the custom to tie the three species with a bow, instead of a knot.28] The spine of the lulav must always tower over the other species by a tefach when bound together.29 While it is permissible to use any material to knot the species together, it is preferable to use a component of one of the three species to tie them together.If one did not tie the three species before Shabbos or YomTov, they can be tied with a bow since it is forbidden to make knots on Shabbos and Yom Tov. 30

The three species should be tied at the bottom portion so that all three are in one’s hand when shaking. The custom is to tie three separate knots around the lulav (one that connects the species and two for niceness) to symbolize the three patriarchs –Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.31 Some authorities stipulate that the three knots are in addition to a primary connecting knot. One must leave a tefach of all three species above the highest knot to allow the lulav to shake properly.32 Some have the custom to remove the three knots around the lulav and some remove two of the five knots (not those holding the three species together) on the last day of Sukkos. 33 A lulav brought

1. Vayikra 23:40.

2. Taamei HaMinhagim 798.

by a non-Jew from outside the t’chum for the use of the mitzvah may be used by a Jew on YomTov. 34

One may return the lulav to water on Yom Tov, and some authorities allow one to initially place a lulav in water on Yom Tov. One can also add fresh water to the container, but it cannot be emptied and refreshed until Chol HaMoed 35

How to Perform the Mitzvah of the Arba Minim

In order to perform the mitzvah of the Arba Minim,one takes the lulav in the right hand (a left-handed person should use the left hand). The brocha of al netilas lulav should be recited while standing and the brocha shehechiyanu is recited after al netilas lulav 36 One may shake the lulav while it is in a holder specially prepared for lulavim, but not in a utensil (like a cup) or wrapped in a cloth37 (we even remove tefillinshel yad [for those who wear tefillin on Chol HaMoed] before shaking lulav). One shakes the lulav when preforming the mitzvah, as well as during Hallel. The method of shaking includes pointing the lulav in each of the six directions – above, below, front, back, left and

right – in sets of three while pausing to shake it when his arms are extended and then the hands and Arba Minim are brought back to the heart.38 There are different customs regarding the order of the six directions. One cannot perform the mitzvah of lulav if any of the other species are missing.39

When to Perform the Mitzvah of the Arba Minim

The mitzvah of lulav is always performed during the day.40 It is preferable to shake lulav first thing in the morning and again during Hallel at Shacharis. One may not eat before shaking lulav, especially on the first day of Sukkos 41 A woman is not required to shake lulav, but she is permitted to do so, so the lulav is not muktza for her on YomTov 42 Biblically, the requirement is to shake lulav seven days only in the Temple and on the first day everywhere else.43 However, we shake all seven days in remembrance of the Temple service.44 We do not shake lulav (and it is muktza) on Shabbos, even if it falls out on the first day of Sukkos, since one might carry it in a public area.45

As mentioned, in our times we shake lulav all seven days only as a remembrance of the Temple. In this merit, may we soon actually shake the lulav seven days, as commanded, in the rebuilt Beis HaMikdash with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.

9. Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 645:20 in

10. Shulchan Oruch, Orach Chaim 645, Be’er Halacha on Rema

11. Ibid 650:1.

12. Rambam, Hilchos Shmitta 88:11.

5. Vayikra 23:34.

6. Ibid 23:39.

13. Shulchan Oruch, Orach Chaim 649:1.

14. Ibid 649, Rema.

15. Ibid 649:5, Rema.

16. Ibid 658:3.

17. Ibid 658:4.

18. Ibid 658:5.

19. Ibid 658:6.

20. Ibid 657:1.

21. Ibid 658:9.

22. Ibid 658:9, Rema.

23. Ibid 649:6.

24. Ibid 649:6, Mishna Berurah 53.

25. Ibid 651:1.

26. Ibid 651:12, Rema.

27. Ibid 651:1.

28. Ibid 651, Mishna Berurah 8.

29. Ibid 650:1.

30. Ibid 651:1.

31. Ibid 651, Be’er Halacha 5.

32. Ibid 651:1.

33. Ibid 664:1.

34. Ibid 655:1.

35. Ibid 654:1.

36. Ibid 651:2-3.

37. Ibid 651:7.

38. Ibid 651:9.

39. Ibid 651:12.

40. Ibid 652:1.

41. Ibid 651:2.

42. Ibid 654:1, Mishna Berurah 1.

43. Ibid 658:1.

44. Ibid 658:1, Mishna Berurah.

45. Ibid 658:2.

46. Ibid 645:2.

47. Ibid 645:2, Rema.

48. Ibid 645:3, Rema.

49. Ibid 645; Be’erHalacha 1.

50. Ibid 643:5; 649:6 Rema.

51. Ibid 645:6.

52. Ibid 645:6, Rema.

53. Ibid 645:7.

54. Ibid 645:8.

55. Ibid 645:9.

3. Shulchan Oruch, Orach Chaim 645, Biar HayTayv 9.

4. Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 324.

7. Igros Moshe 4:123.

8. Shulchan Oruch, Orach Chaim 645:1-3.

the name of the Rosh.

Braciole

Serves: 6

Braciole is a traditional Italian stuffed meat. The challenge for kosher cooks is how to substitute the cheese that is customarily added to the stuffing. To add earthiness and flavor, we used mushrooms and thyme in the stuffing for an irresistible, tender roast. Serve braciole with papperdelle pasta, a wider version of fettuccine. Pappardelle soaks up the sauce and adds a dramatic look to the dish.

2 pounds top of rib beef (butterflied: slice in half but leave end attached, to form one large flat piece of meat)

¼ cup fresh parsley

¼ cup panko bread crumbs

2 garlic cloves

3 sprigs thyme

8 ounces/1 cup of baby bella/crimini mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup wine (any good quality wine works)

1 24 ounce jar basic marinara sauce

Place butterflied meat on cutting board. Fill with chopped parsley, panko crumbs, garlic, thyme, and chopped mushrooms. Drizzle with oil. Starting at a short end, roll up the meat jelly-roll style to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher’s twine, tie the steak roll to secure.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat large sauté pan on medium/high heat, add a tablespoon of oil. Sear meat on all sides. Pour wine in pan to deglaze. Deglazing the pan picks up all the flavor and bits of meat that may have gotten stuck to the pan. Add marinara sauce to pan. Bring sauce to a boil; simmer for ten minutes so flavors combine.

Transfer meat and sauce to oven. Cook, covered, in oven for 1½ hours. Allow roast to cool, slice and re-heat when ready to serve.

TIP: make the braciole with chicken breast or turkey or veal breast; simply lessen cooking time in the oven to 25 minutes.

Singapore and Malaysia

REVISITED PART II

By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

My first stop upon arriving in Singapore was the Menashe Meyer Shul to daven shacharis. There

I met my good friend Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, who spent years helping the Jewish community grow into a vibrant frum community. That afternoon I went to make an initial visit at a port facility in Singapore. A company in Malaysia, certified by the ~, wanted to ship ingredients to another ~ certified company in Singapore by boat. As part of the shipping process, the company wanted to use a storage facility located on Jurong Island, Singapore.

Jurong Island has very strict security protocols due to terrorist concerns, so even getting onto the island is process in itself! The security there is stricter than getting through the Singapore border and customs! We had to notify the security personnel in advance that we planned to come to Jurong Island.

Port facilities are part of the shipping chain in the liquid product industry. Liquids (in this case oleo chemicals) are shipped either in drums or other bulk methods and can be stored in various places. There are different types of bulk transport

methods. As mentioned in previous articles,1 liquid products can be shipped in huge deep sea vessels and are often offloaded to barges that can go enter rivers or canals (Holland for example) which are not deep enough for deep sea vessels. Liquids are also transported in rail cars or road tankers that we often see driving around the city or on highways.

When a shipping boat comes to a city it first arrives at a port to offload its contents. There are two methods for offloading – directly onto barges, or into tank farms. The ~ has a long history in dealing with international

tank farms. The ~ was the first kosher supervision agency that went to Rotterdam, in Europe, and set up the major tanks farms with systems to monitor kosher shipments.

There are multiple steps necessary in order to set up a proper system for the transport and storage of kosher products. First, we need to monitor the incoming products. In this case, the product was an oleo chemical from Malaysia that transported by boat. We need to know the cargo history of the ship to discern what products were held in the vessel prior to the kosher product. In some cases, the previous cargo requires the holding vessel to be properly kosherized. Then, we have to see how the product is offloaded. In Rotterdam, for example, we can actually monitor the incoming products and the lines and pumps used to transport them to storage vessels through the port’s computer system.

We also monitor the holding tanks to ensure that the tanks used for certified products are kosher approved.

The previous cargo load history is constantly monitored and tanks are sealed with identifying tags to maintain the kosher status of the product.

Complete cooperation from ~ certified companies is essential to the certification of bulk liquid through the transportation and storage process. In addition to the kosher certified products, we need the company to provide information about the other product stored in the facility. In this particular facility, we first sat down and familiarized ourselves with the setup in the storage area. This included finding out how many tanks there were, what is stored in all the tanks and the possibility (if any) of cross-contamination. Companies are of course hesitant to give out this type

(The same way bulk products come into the facility by boat, they must also ship out by tanker.) We had to see how many lines there were for shipping out and which line would be used for our kosher product. We also had to verify what mode of transport would be used to deliver the product to our company.

During our investigation we received the list of all the products stored at the facility on Jurong Island. It was not just a few different products, but almost one hundred different products! We then needed to review the list to see if the other stored products were acceptable or did they necessitate the segregation of kosher and non-kosher products.

The next few days were spent

stearates. Stearates are used in many medicines and tablets to help the tablets slip the through the production machinery without sticking to the machines. Stearic acid requires kosher certification because it can be produced either from plant or animal sources.

Shabbos was interesting for me as I had just been informed that my daughter in Florida had a baby boy on Thursday night. The Abergels, with whom I stayed for Shabbos, were gracious enough to make a SholomZachor for in honor of my grandson. It interesting to note that my grandson had SholomZachors held for him worldwide — one in Florida where he lives, one in Israel where his grandmother lives, one in Brooklyn made

of information and sometimes we must “convince” them of the necessity of being open with us.

After we received our “education” concerning the above we went for a field trip. This included going to the actual port where the boats unload to see which lines would be dedicated for kosher. Then we had to follow the lines and pumps to each holding tank. That morning there had been a heavy tropical rain (quite frequent in this area) and some of the areas where flooded so it was not an easy task to follow the lines. After ascertaining the above information we now had to inspect the outgoing shipment area.

across the causeway from Singapore, in a city called Pasir Gudang, Malaysia, where we have many oleo chemical plants. As mentioned in my last article, when I first started visiting Malaysia we had a few plants in the northern end of the country near the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Today many of the Malaysian plants we certify are in Pasir Gudang. They include plain oil refineries, oleo chemical plants, hardened oil and margarine plants, biodiesel plants (although they produce fuel, glycerin is a byproduct) and other oil related facilities.

On Friday I visited some plants in Singapore, one of which produces

by my wife, and one in Singapore! Thank G-d, I was able to make it home in time for the bris

Editor’s Note: Throughout our many travels to the Far East and Europe, the ~ have pioneered kosher supervision methods for bulk liquid transport and storage. The ~ is the leader in implementing strict regulation systems to monitor and kosherize bulk transport and storage tankers, lines and cargo holds. When you see the ~ symbol on an oil based product, you can be assured that no stone was left unturned or unmonitored during the production, transport and storage of the product.

The ~ was the first agency to set up the major tanks farms with systems to monitor kosher shipments...

Jurong Island, Singapore

Pasir Gudang, Malaysia

WHO’S BEHIND THE ~

MEET OUR STAFF: BEHIND

Interview with Rabbi Binyamin Neufeld

Rabbi Binyamin Neufeld

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

RBN: I was born and raised in Yerushalayim, where I studied in the Dushinsky yeshiva

KS: What did you do after yeshiva?

RBN: After yeshiva, I studied for “Yore Yore”semicha in the Shomrei Hachomot kollel in Yerushalayim. A few years later, I entered the kashrut field.

KS: What is your current position at the ~?

RBN: I am currently a Senior Rabbinical Coordinator at ~ Israel, where I am in charge of ingredient approval.

KS: What prepared you the most for your current position at the ~?

RBN: I worked for another kosher agency for 10 years, investigating ingredients to determine their kosher status. The experience I acquired helped me tremendously in my work in the ~.

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

RBN: The best thing about working at the ~ is that the work methods and policies are consistent and professional. Rabbi Levy sets the standards and make sure they are met by every staff member and certified company. The fact that every approval of a new plant is made personally by him

is invaluable. Rabbi Haskel, who heads ~ Israel, is amazingly well acquainted with all of the office departments, knows all of our clients and their unique needs, and he is involved in every detail of our kosher work.

KS: How would you describe the ~ today?

RBN: Today, the ~ is an international kosher agency with a reputation for high standards and no compromises. Kosher customers rely on us because they know we will never, ever, cut corners. We stand behind our kosher certificates 100%.

KS: Can you share an interesting experience that you had while working at the ~?

RBN: Once, I was visiting a Chinese plant and I felt the staff was untrustworthy. Once the guided tour ended and they gave me their own account of the production process, I asked permission to tour the facility alone. After touring and checking the equipment, I drew a chart of the production process based on my experience with the product in question. My drawing was completely different from what they told me. When I showed them this document, they burst into laughter and admitted they were not quite honest before; they were very impressed with the fact that the rabbi knew their industry so well.

This facility was one of many belonging to the same

company and when the company contact person came with me to the next facility, he told the staff something in Chinese and laughed. “I told them,” he explained to me, “that they shouldn’t bother to try and trick you – it will not work.”

In the past, there was a mentality among many companies that they could tell the rabbi whatever they wanted and he would never figure it out. Now, companies are well aware that the ~ rabbis know exactly what goes on in production facilities and are extremely familiar with most production processes. For the most part, companies now know that lying to the rabbi is not worth the effort.

“

What Other People Say About Rabbi Binyamin Neufeld

Tovlashamatim vetov labrios. Rabbi Neufeld brings both expertise in kashrus and at the same time is well liked and respected by all. This includes the facility personnel and other highly respected kashrus agencies that have their own very high standards.”

Rabbi Don Yoel Levy Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification

Rabbi Neufeld joined the ~ with a strong background in kosher certification at Badatz Eida HaChareidis. He specializes in investigating ingredients thoroughly in order to determine their kosher status. This work requires long hours and includes visiting the manufacturing facilities since differences in production process can change the kosher status of an ingredient. Rabbi Neufeld’s great contribution is in enlarging our pool of kosher ingredients on one hand, and on the other hand – in minimizing the ‘gray area’ by providing clear-cut answers to the kosher status of ingredients. Additionally, Rabbi Neufeld is responsible for training our mashgichim in ~ policy, so both the US office and the Israel office work according to the same standards. He travelled to New York last year to help advance this goal, and he was also honored in the 2011 mashgichim conference.

Rabbi Ahron Haskel

Executive Rabbinic Coordinator, ~ Israel

Most of us are lucky to meet one really special person and working with Reb Binyomin allows me to experience a special person in constant action. He makes all that he does for world-wide kashrus look effortless.

Rabbi Levi Marmulszteyn Rabbinic Manager

“Rabbi Neufeld brings both expertise in kashrus and at the same time is well liked and respected by all...”

– Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification

Tefillas CHANA

Compiled by Dina Fraenkel

Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the holiest time in the Jewish calendar, is the day we proclaim Hashem as King over the entire world. Is it proper then, on such a holy day, that many of our prayers ask Hashem to fulfill our material and personal needs? Would any of us approach a human king during the coronation and ask a personal request?

The prayers for our personal and communal needs are, in fact, a part of the machzor, and, according to the Rambam1, a part of our Torah obligation to pray2.

A deeper understanding of the conundrum of, “What can we pray for?” can be found in the story of Chana, mother of Shmuel HaNavi. Chana had been married for many years, but was still childless, and each year she traveled with her husband Elkanah to Shiloh to offer sacrifices and daven. One year, Chana left the feast and entered the sanctuary to daven to Hashem for a son. She stood for a long time, moving her lips, but not making a sound, while she begged Hashem to fulfill her prayers. Eli, the Kohen Gadol, approached Chana and asked her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine.” “No, my lord,” replied Chana. “I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have not drunk wine or strong drink; I have poured out my soul before G-d…” And Eli answered, “Go in peace. May the G-d of Israel grant your request…”3

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that Eli never saw Chana as literally drunk, or else he would have dismissed her from the sanctuary. Eli saw that Chana was sincere and spoke figuratively of her drunkenness. He could not understand how Chana could stand before Hashem and ask for a personal request. He

purpose with these seemingly material things. Chana was not motivated by personal desire. We see this from her vow to pledge her son “to G-d all the days of his life.”6 As soon as she explained herself to Eli, he offered her his blessing, that Chana should be granted this innermost need of her neshama. Our own desire for

considered her to be “drunk” with personal desires. But Chana replied, “I am not drunk.” (I am not concerned with myself.) “I poured my soul before G-d.” (My desire for a son came from my soul, not from a selfish desire.)

Chassidus explains that our physical desires are not always selfish –these desires can come directly from our neshama. Since everything in our world contains a spark of Hashem (a chelek Elokai mi’maal mamash), we are tasked with elevating the entire material world in every aspect to reveal the G-dliness hidden inside. The Baal Shem Tov explains this through a verse in Tehillim, “Hungry and thirsty, their soul longs within.”4 Why are they hungry and thirsty? Because their soul seeks the G-dly energy in the food and drink.5

Even if we are unaware of the spiritual motivation for our desire, it is there. A Jew wants children, health, success, etc. in order to fulfill a G-dly

physical things is part of our acceptance of Hashem’s Kingship. We need our material needs fulfilled in order to serve G-d fully, and not be distracted by our material needs.

The prayer of Chana continues, after she is blessed with a son, “May He raise high the standard of His anointed [Moshiach]…”7 When Moshiach is here the clear connection between the material and spiritual will be revealed and all of our efforts to use our material bounty to elevate G-d’s world will be apparent. May the day come speedily when we no longer have to struggle and ask for our material needs and we can focus solely on serving G-d with the complete Redemption.

...our physical desires are not always selfish – these desires can come directly from our neshama.

1. Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Tefillah 1:1-2.

2. Devarim 11:3.

3. I Shmuel 1:12-17.

4. Tehillim 107:5.

5. Keser Shem Tov, sec. 194, p. 25c; see also Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, p. 177.

6. I Shmuel 1:11.

7. I Shmuel 2:10

Rosh Hashanah

There once was a chossid who came to the Chiddushei HaRim before RoshHashanah. He told his Rebbe: “A whole year went by and I didn’t accomplish much – not in davening, not in learning…I didn’t have a good year.” The ChiddusheiHaRim told the chossid that with even one second of true teshuva he could fix the entire year, as it states in Gemara: if someone marries a woman on the condition that he is a tzaddik, even if he is a rasha the kiddushin is valid. Why? Because maybe for one second he entertained the thought of doing teshuva and therefore became a tzaddik for that moment.

Rav Aharon Karliner related: On ErevRoshHashanah, during mincha, even though the year is practically over, and only a few minutes remain, we still say “Boruch aleinu…es hashanahhazos. Bless this [the past] year.” In that one second, the whole year can be rectified.

Yom Kippur

The Mishna in Masechta Shabbos 2:7 states that every Erev Shabbos one should say three things: םתרשע – isartem (Did you give ma’aser from all of the food so we can eat on Shabbos?), םתברע – iravtem (Did you make sure there is an eruv techumim so we can walk as far as we need?), and תורנה תא וקילדה – hidliku es haneros (Are the candles ready for Shabbos?).

Perhaps we should also say this Erev Yom Kippur, Shabbos Shabbason: םתרשע – Did you take advantage of the ten days of teshuva (רשע)? םתברע – Did you take responsibility and do teshuva for all you did last year (like a guarantor— ברע)? וקילדה – Did you light your neshama (is it on fire to become one with G-d)?

Sukkos

Sukkos is a continuation of the teshuva of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. On Sukkos, the teshuva is done through simcha. Sukkah – הכוס is rosheiteivos “VayomerHashemSalachtiChidvarecha.”

Sukkos is our time of joy, but we still remember and long for Yerushalayim of old; like the posuk states “Im loaalehes Yerushalayim al rosh simchosi.” Aaleh – הלעא is rosheiteivos of the Arba Minim – esrog, aravos, lulav and haddasim.

Simchas Torah

On Simchas Torah we celebrate what we will learn in the future, not what we’ve learned in the past. As the Kotzker said, “Is there anyone who can say he learned everything already?”

KOSHER BY THE NUMBERS

Anuual global Kosher food sales are nearly

Amount the Jewish community in the New York area has grown since 2002. 10% 55%

32%

of Jews keep kosher homes and the number at least double during holidays.

increase in sales of kosher foods, with an average annual growth of 12%. 25% Jewish population in New York. 1,500,000+ $6 BILLION

Percentage of total US kosher food sales sold in the NY area.