[Avodah] Fwd: Vegetarian Restaurants - Halacha or What

[Rabbi Meir G. Rabi]

personal experiences are a moving tribute
but moving tributes are not Halacha - and we know they can be very
misleading of and even contrary to Halacha. It is sad that in these
discussions, Yiddishkeit seems to be trending towards being shaped by
stories, and Halacha by legends.

R Chaim Tatel, who served as Mashgiach for two (dairy) vegetarian
restaurants for many years, assures us that staff would TRY [emphasis mine]
to bring their own food and cook it in the Kosher utensils.
He assures us that one restaurants lost their certificate due to this.

Two points,
- the threat of losing certification is REAL
- the workers tried nonetheless
- so we are supposed to believe that in spite of the owner being aware that
he may lose his certificate and warned his staff and a Mashgiach was
ever-present and vigilant- they nevertheless continued to defy their boss,
risk losing their jobs and harm the restaurant ... needs a rather large
dose of salt.

Second point
Halacha is not concerned about these issues - as we pointed out earlier, we
provided chapter and verse - and yet here we are once again on this crazy
merry-go-round where True Reality, the Halacha, is ignored. Halacha is not
and is not supposed to be, a guarantee.

But at least it is testimony unlike another response made as though the
statement itself creates reality; made by an outside distant observer
trying to defend the indefensible with fantastic speculations presented as
facts that even the rabbi [who authorises these sub-Halachic-standard
Melbourne Australia meat establishments - that are owned and operated by
publicly Mech Shabbos and which have no full-time supervision, nor any
system by which the Kosher agency can reconcile how much meat was bought
with how much meat was dispensed] did not make.

You can watch and read the rabbis public attempt to justify - [
http://www.kosherveyosher.com/8-critical-kosher-alert.html]
Vegan Restaurants are suggested to be not Kosher but some will be quite
content to eat in an establishment such as described above, where the rabbi
is unable to explain under which Halachic rulings it is Kosher. This is not
fantasy. :)

And have a look at these related communications with AKO  [
http://www.kosherveyosher.com/ako-2013-emails.html]
= = = = =

Here is another observation that suggest we question the efficiency and
competence of some Kashrus agencies - R Ch Tatel tells us - an entire week
dedicated to preparing a restaurant for kosher certification [cleaning and
kashering  equipment, replacing those that could not be kashered,
verifying kashrut
of ingredients] was for naught. Why? Because one critical ingredient was
unavailable with Kosher certification.
Here is the equivalent in the real world - you get a builder to quote on
home renovations and AFTER youve paid your deposit and the job is started,
you discover that your renovation violates the local building codes.
One is hardly likely to recommend that builder and I would suggest we ought
not trust the competence of such a Kosher certifier; their heart may be in
the right place but they are pretty far off the mark in competence.
= = = = =

here is another issue, just now raised re Veg Restaurants - bugs in the
veggies.
Let us accept that this is a Halachic concern - so dont order the leafy
salads. Chopped or frozen or cooked leafy veg i.e. those which via
processing are likely to have any bugs pulverised or even less, just had a
leg broken off; are Kosher. Before you retch - keep in mind all wines and
many jams are without doubt, made from infested fruit. and it is Kosher
LeMeHadRin Min HaMeHadRin.



Best,

Meir G. Rabi

0423 207 837
+61 423 207 837 <+61%20423%20207%20837>
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