[Avodah] Glatt Yosher?

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 07:45:46 -0500, "Michael Kopinsky" <mkopinsky at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 1/1/07, Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer <ygbechhofer at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I am not aware that such "Hashgocho" exists in the secular world - al
>> achas kamma v'kamma in our small world.
 
> If not formal hashgachas (which I think there are), there certainly are
> stores that make sure that all their products are produced in moral ways.
> Go to any health food store and ask them.  (Let me know what they say.)

The only formal hashgachah I know of is www.tav.org.il . They certify 40
restaurants and catering halls, and 75 businesses owned by qibbutzim
datiim. There is also no reason why a te'udat yashrut would be specific
to the food industry. Waters and kitchen staff aren't the only jobs where
the employee is frequently mistreated. But to get back to Avodah territory...

I do not think that a te'udat yashrut is possible. Too much depends on the
individuals involved, and with all that gray area, political definitions of
"proper work environment" is bound to creep in. I'm asking why we aren't
even demanding certification that basic choshein mishpat is being met, with
the exception of ve'asisa hatov vehayashar.

And again, I only asked rhetorically. I know I'm more reluctant to eat in
an establishment that is mechalel Shabbos than one that doesn't pay its
workers or other bills. I meant the opening comment as divrei his'orerus.

WRT maakah.... RMT may well be right that maakah and mezuzah are different,
which would even be reflected WRT hanging one up in a shul despite there
being no chiyuv in either. However, do you really think shuls that don't
have maakos on their duchan do so because of that difference? Or is it
simply because we've gotten to defining ourselves in terms of rite, and
therefore expect Jewish space to have a mezuzah, but do not have a parallel
expectation WRT maakah.

I think the C initiative to have a yosher certification is a noble idea. The
fact that I disagree with the politics of how they define yashrus doesn't
change my basic frustration that the idea would cross their minds, but with
one small exception (115 companies) didn't cross ours.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Here is the test to find whether your mission
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