Is It Permissible to Eat Turkey?

Throughout history, whenever a new type of bird was discovered, or birds were imported from one continent to another, the question arose whether this bird was kosher and fit to be served at Jewish tables, or perhaps it was among the impure birds.

Signs of purity in birds: According to the basic law, it is possible to determine whether a bird is among the pure birds based on three signs of purity, as written in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 82:2): "There are three signs of purity: an extra toe, a crop, and a gizzard that can be peeled by hand." However, Jews have practiced not to eat birds based solely on signs of purity, unless we have a tradition from our ancestors that this bird is pure and was customarily eaten (Rema, Yoreh De'ah 82:3).

Source of the custom to eat only birds with tradition: We find the source for this custom in Rashi (Chullin 62b), who relates that during the period of the Talmudic sages, they used to eat a certain bird based on signs of purity, but after some time they suddenly saw that the bird was predatory in its eating habits, like impure birds. It was then revealed to them that the examination of the signs of purity was not proper, and from then on the custom was established to eat only birds that we have a tradition our ancestors ate. From that point on, whenever Jewish sages were required to determine the kosher status of previously unknown birds, they did not rely solely on its signs of purity, but also had to determine if it was of the same species as one of the birds already customarily eaten, and if it was included in the tradition we have regarding the birds we know. Or perhaps it was a different species, and since we have no tradition that it is pure – its consumption should not be permitted.

There are traditions and there are traditions: However, even regarding the tradition they sought to rely on – the great rabbis of Israel were meticulous. This was the case about a hundred years ago, when geese of a new variety originating from deep within Russia arrived in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and the author of 'Avnei Nezer' (Responsa Yoreh De'ah 75) ruled that even though they were customarily eaten in the place from which they were imported to Poland – this could not be relied upon, because one can rely on a tradition only if it developed in a place where Torah scholars also resided.

Is there a tradition regarding turkey? Turkey was imported to Europe from the American continent. Of course, it did not arrive from America with any tradition, as there was no Jewish community in America at that time. In the books of the poskim (rabbinical authorities), it is noted that it is not clearly known on what basis the custom to permit its consumption spread, but since this is the reality – the poskim discussed whether it is indeed appropriate to do so. The Netziv of Volozhin (Responsa 'Meshiv Davar' Part 2, Section 22), who also discussed the topic, writes that despite our custom not to eat birds for which there is no tradition – this custom refers only to new birds, which we have accepted upon ourselves not to decide about their kosher status on our own. However, we did not accept upon ourselves to stop eating birds that are already customarily eaten – just because there is no tradition about them.