[Avodah] Kosher

[Daniel Israel]

Arie Folger wrote:
> I just set before you a small sample of the issues. As always, it is
> important to SYLOR, though if he is not an expert in the field, you
> should instead or in addition approach your local hashgicho agency.

Not sure what the 'S' stands for.

I just wanted to add one important (IMO) modification to the above: if 
you have a Rav, he should be the one you are asking these shailos to. 
Of course, any Rav worthy of being relied on will know when he doesn't 
have the expertise on a particular shaila, and he will either check with 
appropriate experts or refer the questioner to them.  And at a certain 
point a person may realize that for question X, his LOR will prefer him 
to simply ask R' Ploni instead.  But a person should not be finding a 
kashrus expert as a substitute or to go around his LOR, and the LOR 
should be the one making the final decision on what is an appropriate 
standard for the community.  I assume/hope you didn't intend to suggest 
otherwise.

-- 
Daniel M. Israel
dmi1 at cornell.edu