[Avodah] Clarifying Why the Muscovy Duck is Kosher: A Factually Accurate Response

[Prof. Levine]

The latest issue of Hakirah contains the article
<http://www.hakirah.org/Vol%208%20ZelcerM.pdf> 
<http://www.hakirah.org/Vol%2011%20Zivotofsky.pdf>

    Clarifying Why the Muscovy Duck is Kosher: 
    A Factually Accurate Response 
    by Ari Z. Zivotofsky and Zohar Amar

    The authors detail the problems with and shortcomings of a Psak
    that said that Muscovy ducks are not kosher. In particular, this
    particular Psak is not, IMO after reading this article, based on
    fact. The article is well worth the read. It concludes with

    There is nothing new under the sun, and an analysis of the recent
    debate reveals that practically all of the arguments raised to
    prohibit it 100 years ago were raised again and that, "surprisingly"
    all of the century-old responses were ignored. Those seeking to
    prohibit the bird mobilized all tactics including utilized rumors,
    hearsay, suppression of facts, and simple lies.18 There is no question
    that the discussion of the kashrut of the Muscovy was not carried
    out as a legitimate halchik discussion, the facts were not verified
    or examined in depth and thus the process and the conclusion are
    invalid from the start. This is a reckless ruling that should never
    have seen the light of day and through it the honorable names of
    Torah scholars of earlier generations and the masses who ate the bird
    relying on the earlier ruling were besmirched. It is legitimate and
    understandable if one personally wants to refrain from eating Muscovy
    due to a questionable mesorah, the issue of force-feeding ducks,
    or any of a host of other reasons. But one may not, in the name of
    "chumra" or "frumkeit," misrepresent the truth, distort the Torah,
    and make the pure impure.

    Indeed, how many other piskei halacha have been issued that "in the
    name of 'chumra' or 'frumkeit,' misrepresent the truth, distort the
    Torah, and make the pure impure"?

Yitzchok Levine