Who is trustworthy?

Hi,

In the Jewish legal system, we only trust someone for matters of Jewish law if that individually is personally observant of Jewish law. [There are nuances in cases in which an individual violates only particular laws, or violates Jewish law only in private.]

Theoretically, one could trust someone who was not personally observant of Jewish law, if one knew through long-term experience with this person that he never lied, regardless of his own good. However, this would require intimate knowledge of the person over an extended period of time, with recent information as well as knowledge of his behaviour in the past.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 2:43)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Leaving the kitchen unsupervised

Hi,

One should not leave one's kitchen unsupervised, with a non-Jewish housekeeper in the home, even if cooking is never part of the housekeeper's job. The housekeeper might innocently prepare food for herself or for the family, not realizing the problem this would cause for the kashrut of the kitchen.

One who did this may use the dishes and kitchen equipment after 24 hours have passed, if they had been unaware that doing so is prohibited.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:61)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Buying packaged meat

Hi,

Normally, we do require that meat be watched by a Jew from the time of shechitah, to ensure that non-kosher meat is not substituted. There is great concern that someone might substitute non-kosher meat, since the product is identical and the kosher meat is more valuable.

Nonetheless, one may purchase meat from a supermarket where it has not been watched, so long as the package is sealed by someone who has been watching it, in a way that the consumer will be able to detect tampering, and the consumer is informed of what a properly sealed package should look like.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:56)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Credibility of companies for kashrut

Hi,

If a government-inspected company publishes a statement that they use vegetable oil rather than animal-based oil, that statement is credible, where they are not aware that the issue involved is one of kashrut. This is information the accuracy of which could easily be checked, and they would be seriously harmed by lying.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:55 [see more there])

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Trusting you to say food is kosher, Part II

Hi,

One who has a record of violating strict prohibitions is automatically untrustworthy regarding prohibitions that carry lesser punishments, in cases where he could benefit by violating them.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 119:5; Shach Yoreh Deah 119:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Trusting you to say food is kosher

Hi,

Often, we rely on the statements of others to determine that food is kosher.

One may not trust the word of a Jew regarding a particular kosher food if he is known to have eaten a non-kosher version of that type of food when a kosher option was available.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 119:1,2,4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai