From the Editors Table

Let's Talk Kashrus Speaks:

According to pashut p’shat, this is our directive to increase the level of enjoyment and simchas Yom Tov through food and wine. Mar bar Ravina used to fast during the day and eat in small measures at night except for Shavuos, Purim, and Erev Yom Kippur.

Possible Cases of Leniency

Rav Yosef was known to request that an עגלא‭ ‬תלתא be served in honor of the day. And of course, among many food-related minhagim, is serving milchigs on Shavuos.

The question bears asking: at such an auspicious time, the day we remember Matan Torah and Ma’amad Har Sinai, why is there such a focus on simcha brought about by food and drink?

Perhaps one of the takeaways of Shavuos and kabbalas HaTorah can be an understanding of the role food plays in the lives of a Torah yid. Hashem created a world full of goodness; שלא‭ ‬חיסר‭ ‬בעולמו‭ ‬כלום‭... ‬ליהנות‭ ‬בהם‭ ‬בני‭ ‬אדם‭.

Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants us to enjoy His bounty, but to do so with forethought, and with utmost adherence to Torah and mitzvos. To elevate ourselves, and the food and drink we ingest. To use meat and wine in celebration of the chagim and mo’adim;

אין‭ ‬שמחה‭ ‬אלא‭ ‬בבשר‭ ‬ויין‭.‬

It is our privilege to be able to spread this message of viewing food through a lens of Torah.

B’chasdei Hashem, with the launch of the Let’s Talk Kashrus series, what started off as the seed of an idea became a worldwide movement, bringing about an inspiring amount of engagement from communities around the world. The tzibbur welcomed this initiative with open hands and eagerly consumed the content, responding with questions, comments, and halachic discourse. A common denominator was the desire for practical takeaways and guidelines to better navigate the complexities of today’s kashrus issues.

לא‭ ‬רעב‭ ‬ללחם‭, ‬לא‭ ‬צמא‭ ‬למים‭,‬‭ ‬כי‭ ‬אם‭ ‬לשמוע‭ ‬את‭ ‬דברי‭ ‬ה‮'‬‭

We’d like to extend our heartfelt hakaras hatov to AKO, the Association of Kashrus Organizations, who graciously hosted the Let’s Talk Kashrus interview series during the Worldwide 2022 AKO Conference in May. Aside from observing the camaraderie and achdus between so many kashrus delegates, we had the opportunity to conduct one-on-one interviews with talmidei chachamim, professionals, and mashgichim with years of experience on the ground. They gave of their valuable time to convey fascinating insights into the world of kashrus. Yasher kochachem.