The Beginner's Guide: Kosher Certification

The foods we consume become an integral part of our bodies. Non-kosher food creates impurity in the body while kosher food is nourishing on many levels. Just as it's essential to eat healthy and quality food to maintain the body, it is imperative to eat kosher food to preserve the soul.

Our sages say that non-kosher food dulls the heart, creating a blockage that makes it impossible to grasp anything spiritual, to the degree that the person may be unaware that something is wrong.

Preparing kosher food and operating a kosher restaurant increases costs for the owner. A kosher establishment requires a supervisor to be present throughout the day, kosher ingredients, inspections and cleanliness during preparation etc. For this reason, a mehadrin (strict) kosher dish will cost more due to the many detailed requirements.

Unfortunately, many people prefer to eat in non-kosher restaurants, which are cheaper or closer and more available. Basic kosher certification is therefore of high importance, even if not mehadrin, to allow kosher restaurants and stores to be accessible in the vicinity.

It is commendable to consume foods with more stringent kosher certifications that adhere strictly to all halachic rules. In higher kashrut levels, the rabbi granting the certification maintains very strict adherence to additional regulations, making the food significantly superior.

When doubts arise about certain foods, stricter kosher certifications are very diligent about even minor rules, refusing to compromise or issue leniencies. While regular kosher certifications strive to provide kosher food according to halachic standards, the more stringent options are even more rigorous.

(Photo Illustration: shutterstock)

When an individual strengthens his kashrut observance, his soul is nourished in a manner more suited to it. Even making a small improvement for one product is highly regarded by Hashem. Observance of stricter kashrut should take place gradually. Initially, one can try to purchase more stringent certifications on problematic products, such as meat and poultry, where serious prohibitions are more likelly to occur.

It's essential to maintain a high level of kashrut on products that may be infested with insects, as consuming an insect, even if dead, transgresses several Torah prohibitions.

Let's make an effort to maintain food kashrut, and as we strive and invest more, we will merit to be much closer to Hashem.

The "Kashrut" section contains numerous videos and articles to help you step by step to the peak: eating kosher food. Enter.