[Avodah] Believing companies - kashrus

[Prof. Levine]

At 05:32 PM 12/10/2009, R. Dov Kaiser wrote:

>It seems, then, that KOF-K does not follow R. Moshe Feinstein?s 
>ruling in YD1:55 that a factory may be believed when it tells us 
>that it has used vegetable oil.  The teshuva is available online at 
>http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=917&st=&pgnum=92.
>
>R. Moshe mentions at the beginning of his teshuva that one of his 
>questioner's reasons to permit reliance on the manufacturer?s 
>information was that it was responding to a person who was ill 
>(which might have enhanced the reliability of their 
>response).  However, it does not appear from R. Moshe?s subsequent 
>lomdus or his conclusion at the end of the teshuva that this was 
>relevant to his permissive ruling.
>
>That being the case, on whom does KOF-K rely to be machmir on this question?
>
>Kol tuv
>Dov Kaiser


I most certainly cannot speak for the Chof-k. However, Rabbi Lebovits 
wrote that it was Rabbi Y. Belsky's opinion that one should not use 
"regular" mouthwash.

At one point Rabbi Lebovits wrote to me

"I go with the pesakim of Rabbi Belsky Shlita."

He also wrote

"its hard for me to believe that all the mouthwashes use vegetable 
grade glycerine. Maybe they think animal ingredients has nothing to 
do with glycerin. These people who answer the phones do not know what 
goes into their products."

and

"After giving some thought to our conversation today  I want to add 
the following:
Although the non-Jew said they use vegetable ingredients there is no 
one making sure this is always done and non-vegetable glycerin is 
cheaper than vegetable. therefore, if they are not a kosher company 
there is no reason why they should use vegetable glycerin. Why are we 
believing a non-Jew to tell us about kosher. The one answering the 
phone has limited knowledge regarding the items in a product. Even if 
it is made on the same equipment as animal glycerin we do not rely on 
bitul. My opinion still stands  that I have no way to guarantee that 
only vegetable glycerin is ALWAYS used."

YL







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