[Avodah] The Wild Wild State of Kashrus

Professor L. Levine llevine at stevens.edu
Thu May 10 06:58:22 PDT 2018


>From https://goo.gl/2bPRtq


It was an innovative way of saving money. The municipality worked it out that they would outsource the financial cost of the Department of Health inspectors. From now on, it would be the restaurants themselves that would hire the health inspectors. The restaurants would pay them, they would take out the FICA taxes, the worker’s comp –– the restaurant would handle it all.

The move “worked wonders” for the state of health in the restaurants. Eateries that were previously designated with a C minus rating were now rated A plus and health violation write ups were down too.

The astute reader will detect an obvious problem here. This is what is called a classic conflict of interest. The upgraded rating and lowered violations are probably due to the unique financial arrangement.

<Snip>


When an inspector is paid by the people he supervises there is a risk that his judgment and actions will be unduly influenced. The safety of the restaurant consumers has been placed at risk. Indeed, the general public has also been placed in danger.


SAME FOR KASHRUS


The same should be true in the field of Kashrus. The mashgiach is there to protect the public from eating non-kosher or questionable items just as the health inspector is there to protect the public from anything that can compromise their health and safety.


RAV MOSHE FEINSTEIN ZT”L


Indeed, last generation’s Gadol haDor, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, in his Igros Moshe (YD Vol. IV #1:8) writes that the Mashgiach should not be paid by the facility receiving the hashgacha, but rather should only be paid by the Vaad HaKashrus itself. Indeed, he should have no direct monetary business dealings with the company.


See the above URL for more.


Keep in mind that when it comes to private hashgachos the person giving the supervision is always paid by the person or organization being supervised.


YL


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