by Cicely Richard

Created on: September 15, 2008

Jewish law is a way of life for the people who adhere to them. This way of life extends to the way in which they prepare their food. Like any culture, food is a definitive ingredient in their lives that shapes who they are and what they believe. For a person who follows Jewish customs, kosher food is a primary ingredient to their overall being. Non-Jewish individuals may wonder what kosher food is.

In general, kosher foods are foods prepared in accordance with laws outlined in Jewish law. According to the Jewish Torah, certain foods are not supposed to be consumed because they are considered unclean in God's eyes. Thus, foods containing these restricted animals should be avoided at all cost. For example, foods derived from pork are strictly avoided by practices of Judaism.

Kosher foods also have to do with the way approved animals are slaughtered; therefore, hunting and eating wild game is forbidden. The animal must be ritually slaughtered. This may sound strange, but in fact, it just means that the animal must not be killed inhumanely. The animal must not go through any stress in the process; stress would render the animal non-kosher.

Once the animal is killed, the internal organs need to be examined to confirm that non irregularities exist. If there are any irregularities in the animal, them the meat cannot be eaten in accordance with Jewish law. The blood of the animals must also be completely drained from their bodies or boiled out before they are eaten; this is because blood represents life and must not be consumed according to the Law.

When Jewish individuals prepare even approved foods, certain things have to be taken into consideration. Specific parts of kosher animals cannot be eaten, and meat cannot be consumed with dairy products. On the other hand, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy. Before fruit is consumed, it must be inspected for bugs, just as meat must be inspected for irregularities. The dairy must also come from kosher animals.

Although fruits and vegetable are permitted according to Jewish law, they do not drink grape products produced by non-Jewish individuals. This restriction goes back to the ancient law concerning eating food from peoples of other nations. Wine has a prominent place in many religious practices around the world; therefore, to avoid consuming wine that was used in a pagan ceremony, orthodox Jews avoid wine produced by non-Jews.

Once all of the dietary guidelines are in place, a person who wants to eat kosher must think about the utensils used to eat the dinner. All utensils, including pots, pans, plates, spoons, forks and knives, must be kosher. It is believed that the utensil become the food prepared in it or eaten with it. Even the stove top and the counter used to prepare the food must be kosher.

The guidelines concerning kosher food may seem daunting, but most of the rules have to do with cleanliness. The early Jews had to separate themselves from the unclean practices of the nations in order to protect their health and their spirituality. Today, even non-Jewish individuals see the reasonableness in some of the regulations surrounding kosher food.

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