Shalom Children of G-d!
Welcome back to Marie Speaks G-d’s Grace Bible Study.
This week’s Jewish terminology word is: heksher
What I wonderful Jewish terminology word for the week!
Something we all have in common at some basic level …food
and the want
or need to eat..
and the desire to like what we eat…
and to have the substance of what we chose to intake be at some level beneficial to ones self.
Well…..in Orthodox Judaism of course food and the nutriment value of the food is taken another step deeper…into the spiritual realm.
Oh- yeah that spiritual world of what ones does and of what one chooses to or consume…….. means something more than in the natural!
The world in what we do, eat, and say, and think, and focus on… not only says much about one physically, but spiritually, and now we’ll add to this world in food! Yes, food and not just that, but….. what the food or even drink one choose to intake says about them spiritually.
Let us get into this weeks definition and then I’ll explain a little about my “feelings” regarding this wonderful way of Orthodox Jewish life.
So how does The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic 2001 copyright 1st edition define heksher?
This is a Hebrew word pronounced (HECK-sure) which is an official seal of approval of kashrut on food that is issued by a mashgiach. The most common heksher on manufactured foods is the letter “u” in a circle, the trademark of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. It can also be the letter “K” or the word “kosher”. Around Pesach, foods that are pesachdik and contain no leaven are marked with a special heksher that says “kosher for Passover.” A heksher can also be a certificate, such as those poster in restaurants, to assure diner that the food served therein is kosher.
Why is kosher food a thing and where did it come from?
Kashrut’s Biblical and Talmudic Origins
Close readers of the Torah might notice that according to the book of Genesis, vegetarianism was commanded by God as the ideal diet (see Genesis 1:29). However, in the course of the biblical narratives, this changed to include a variety of different animals. According to the Torah (Leviticus 11), only certain kinds of animals are considered inherently kosher. For land animals, any creature that both chews its cud and has split hooves is kosher. For sea creatures, any fish that has both fins and scales is acceptable, and for birds, only those birds approved by the Torah (or others that later authorities have judged to be like them, a list that excludes scavengers and birds of prey). In addition, it is repeated three times in the Torah that it is forbidden to cook a baby goat in its own mother’s milk.
Mashgiach (Mahsh-GEE-ahkh) is Hebrew for “supervisor.” A mashgiach can refer to either a) the agent of a kosher supervising organization, who ensures that food is produced according to the kosher requirements; or b) the rabbi who is responsible for the performance and wellbeing of yeshivah students.
What Does a Kosher Supervisor Do?
A mashgiach may supervise a restaurant, catering facility, factory or even several factories.
The mashgiach ensures that everything purported to be kosher is indeed kosher. If the food being produced will be certified as kosher for Passover, the mashgiach will be checking for that as well.
In some facilities, the mashgiach’s focus may be on checking labels on everything entering a plant. Often, the mashgiach also checks eggs to ensure that they have no blood spots, and leafy greens to ensure that they are bug free.
Now if you’re not nauseous and ready for more…here is a second helping on this Jewish Terminology Word of the Week… hahahaha!
I think many of us can agree that when we eat healthy food, we feel and look healthy. In this understanding, one is more likely to have a healthier body and be able to live a more satisfied long life if one is taking in healthier foods and drinks.
Not suffering sickness, illness, and or disease that many of their counter parts do that chose to not only engage in unhealthy food or drink practices, can be a motivating force for many of us.
Well, another case may also be said as: what may be deemed by nutritional sources or risk statistics sources to be unhealthy can include; risky habits or addictions such as: smoking or drinking and eating over processed goods and or liquids. especially in excess.
Now, don’t get me wrong I do like sweets. Especially, cake … mmm yes.
Fun fact: my favorite cake is tres leches. I have it every birthday.
Which is coming up soon! #thankyouHaShem for another year of life!
and another chance to eat…..
TRES LECHES Cake | Homemade Tres Leches Cake Recipe
So let’s un-pack the goodness both spiritually and naturally of hekshar.
What are some hekshar symbols?
A wonderful article and list of products, I found that may help others understand that the ingredients in food matters as too determining if something is kosher or un-kosher. One may be shocked to find that things are not always as they seem with what we are sold in stores.
Knowledge is power and some times upsetting…when one looks at what we are sold here in the US for A. Praying to HaShem that soon this will all be changed for His Honor and Glory… Amen and Amen.
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FOOD
PRODUCTS LIST
While I am learning the laws of Kosher…….I have my own personal battles
One might think I battle with the letting go of unclean foods…nope…I honestly could care less about eating any pork or shrimp or anything else unclean.
It’s too much work to clean and research others might suggest……Nope, I honestly enjoy the separating or dishes and ware. Learning how to make some kashrut.
I love…cleaning and organizing a kosher kitchen. I love cleaning foods and drying and researching… I am obviously soooooo much fun! laugh out loud.
I am not perfect about it…but when I learn something new…I get more and more excited to live out what I have learned…
So what could possibly be my dilemma?
Kosher and Healthy verses Kosher and unhealthy…
Now this is fully my own personally fight within myself…. I used to be almost 300 pounds. I also had a short scare of cancer years ago. So my health is on my mind often. I want to do good and be here long enough to see G-D’s Blessings unfold. To be here for all G-D’s Blessings I beleive i have a duty to do my part and be better tomorrow than I am today.
After going from a military way of life or fitness and many times fitness programs that have left some long term damage to my body… to almost 300 pounds…. it took some time to get to a size a feel good about myself and appearance. And maintain my health and appearance in a G-D-ly manner that is not destructive to this body Merciful HaShem has given me.
This being said I have an emotional application to my personal choice in maintaining a kosher food and drink Orthodox Jewish (Religious) lifestyle.
Let me try and explain now all that has been said…..
I believe when I read the book of Leviticus and the verse speak about what is clean or unclean the verse can also be applied to … what make this body function in the best possible manner for HaShem.
Just because something is obtainable or “edible” and labeled kosher…. does not mean healthy. There are a lot of Rabbinical Laws and teaching and reasoning that goes into this, but some how a candy bar can be kosher, or alcoholic beverage, or even a drug… This does not mean in any way shape or form that the over or excessive consumption of that item may not be detrimental to ones physical or spiritual health….. as far as quality of nutrients it contains, including protein and a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Now, I am not expert… but I am going to guess that some properly washed, inspected for bugs, and prepared veggies, home cooked meat, and a grain is going to be far more beneficial to my spiritual and physical health……. then a fast food (kosher even) or even restaurant meal (kosher even). Especially if those establishments uses several (kosher) chemically treated or over-processed foods (that have to be stored or made with chemical preservative and cancer causes dyes).
I follow our great Rabbinical Laws and suggest for the koshering laws, but I stay away from what I know looks tasty, but would effect me greatly in a negative manner. that is all I am saying.
Why am I saying what I am saying…
I think many of us need to take a look at just because something is lawful (by man) and allowed ( religious observance or free will) doesn’t mean we need to go crazy on it.
CBD, medications, chips, coffee, cake, sodas…… this can be applied to anything we chose to in take.
We, in my opinion; should remember not to make food or drink a substitute for G-D’s comfort, but also remember part of that garden we are ordered by G-D Blessed be He Almighty One…..to maintain
is
our
Body
He formed from the clay or earth for us.
Those are just my thoughts… , but I will get off my box of lecture now….
Another Biblical Feast is coming up!
Additional fun times in planning and a little about our Jewish History..
When Is Passover?
- Passover 2023 will be celebrated from April 5 – April 13.
- The first Seder will be on April 5 after nightfall, and the second Seder will be on April 6 after nightfall.
- Passover is celebrated by eating matzah (unleaven bread) and maror (bitter herbs).
- For the duration of the 8 (or 7 days in Israel) of Passover, which celebrates the emancipation of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, chametz (leaven) is strictly avoided.
What Is Passover?
The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan, April 5 – 13, 2023. Passover (Pesach) commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Pesach is observed by avoiding leaven, and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.
In Hebrew it is known as Pesach (which means “to pass over”), because G‑d passed over the Jewish homes when killing the Egyptian firstborn on the very first Passover eve.
For those who would like to research and study further on heksher….. I have some links below to share…
Ask the Rabbi – Q/A #343 Can you swallow gel caps? Are they kosher and other kashrus issues
How to Clean and Remove Pesticides From Your Fruits and Vegetables
#thankyouHaShem
for it is written…. in
Leviticus chapter 11 JPS version:
יהוה spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them:
Speak to the Israelite people thus: These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals:
any animal that has true hoofs, with clefts through the hoofs, and that chews the cud—such you may eat.
The following, however, of those that either chew the cud or have true hoofs, you shall not eat: the camel—although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is impure for you;
the daman—although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is impure for you;
the hare—although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is impure for you;
and the swine—although it has true hoofs, with the hoofs cleft through, it does not chew the cud: it is impure for you.
You shall not eat of their flesh or touch their carcasses; they are impure for you.
These you may eat of all that live in water: anything in water, whether in the seas or in the streams, that has fins and scales—these you may eat.
But anything in the seas or in the streams that has no fins and scales, among all the swarming things of the water and among all the other living creatures that are in the water—they are an abomination for you
and an abomination for you they shall remain: you shall not eat of their flesh and you shall abominate their carcasses.
Everything in water that has no fins and scales shall be an abomination for you.
The following you shall abominate among the birds—they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, and the black vulture;
the kite, falcons of every variety;
all varieties of raven;
the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull; hawks of every variety;
the little owl, the cormorant, and the great owl;
the white owl, the pelican, and the bustard;
the stork; herons of every variety; the hoopoe, and the bat.
All winged swarming things that walk on fours shall be an abomination for you.
But these you may eat among all the winged swarming things that walk on fours: all that have, above their feet, jointed legs to leap with on the ground—
of these you may eat the following: locusts of every variety; all varieties of bald locust; crickets of every variety; and all varieties of grasshopper.
But all other winged swarming things that have four legs shall be an abomination for you.
And the following shall make you impure—whoever touches their carcasses shall be impure until evening,
and whoever carries the carcasses of any of them shall wash those clothes and be impure until evening—
every animal that has true hoofs but without clefts through the hoofs, or that does not chew the cud. They are impure for you; whoever touches them shall be impure.
Also all animals that walk on paws, among those that walk on fours, are impure for you; whoever touches their carcasses shall be impure until evening.
And anyone who carries their carcasses shall wash those clothes and remain impure until evening. They are impure for you.
The following shall be impure for you from among the things that swarm on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and great lizards of every variety;
the gecko, the land crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon.
Those are for you the impure among all the swarming things; whoever touches them when they are dead shall be impure until evening.
And anything on which one of them falls when dead shall be impure: be it any article of wood, or a cloth, or a skin, or a sack—any such article that can be put to use shall be dipped in water, and it shall remain impure until evening; then it shall be pure.
And if any of those falls into an earthen vessel, everything inside it shall be impure and [the vessel] itself you shall break.
As to any food that may be eaten, it shall become impure if it came in contact with water;. as to any liquid that may be drunk, it shall become impure if it was inside any vessel.
Everything on which the carcass of any of them falls shall be impure: an oven or stove shall be smashed. They are impure—and impure they shall remain for you.
However, a spring or cistern in which water is collected shall be pure, but whoever touches such a carcass in it shall be impure.
If such a carcass falls upon seed grain that is to be sown, it is pure;
but if water is put on the seed and any part of a carcass falls upon it, it shall be impure for you.
If an animal that you may eat has died, anyone who touches its carcass shall be impure until evening;
anyone who eats of its carcass shall wash those clothes and remain impure until evening; and anyone who carries its carcass shall wash those clothes and remain impure until evening.
All the things that swarm upon the earth are an abomination; they shall not be eaten.
You shall not eat, among all things that swarm upon the earth, anything that crawls on its belly, or anything that walks on fours, or anything that has many legs; for they are an abomination.
You shall not draw abomination upon yourselves through anything that swarms; you shall not make yourselves impure therewith and thus become impure.
For I יהוה am your God: you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not make yourselves impure through any swarming thing that moves upon the earth.
For I יהוה am the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God: you shall be holy, for I am holy.
These are the instructions concerning animals, birds, all living creatures that move in water, and all creatures that swarm on earth,
for distinguishing between the impure and the pure, between the living things that may be eaten and the living things that may not be eaten.
How beautiful are those words from our Father:
I love how much Our G-D cares for us….
“how beautiful our portion..how pleasant our lot”
#thankyouHaShem
This weeks word was selected at random from my personally owned The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic 2001 copyright 1st edition.
I’m not paid to endorse nor affiliated. This book is from my personal library. I purchased this book from Thriftbooks.com you can get your own personal low price copy using the link below.
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with love,
Marie.
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