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I am moving the discussion of different kashrus standards from Areivim to
Avodah, because I think the information below belongs on Avodah.
YL<br><br>
Please see
<a href="http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/Halachic_Policy/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/Halachic_Policy/</a><br><br>
Note the following under
<a href="http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/Halachic_Policy/Kashrut_Status_of_Oils_in_Australia.html">
<font size=3>The Kashrut Status of Oils in Australia</a> <br><br>
Following are some of the key Halachic issues, as well as the practical
situation as it relates to oils both manufactured and brought into
*Australia*. See the above URL for the entire article.<br><br>
The following is from
<a href="http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/Halachic_Policy/Kashrut_Standards_Today_-_An_Halachic_Discussion.html">
Kashrut Standards Today - An Halachic Discussion</a> Note the
sentence under The United States and Israel "Hence almost all
kosher work is done via certification and nullification can not be relied
upon." Also note the sentences under The Rest of the World
"According to the Noda B’Yehuda such products, considering the
particular circumstances, are as kosher for the final consumer as
formally certified products. The Ksav Sofer would concur only when there
was no similar product at the same price available. "
<br><br>
<b>The United States and Israel <br><br>
</b>As the kosher consuming market in those countries is very large the
normal mode of identification of kosher products is through
certification. It can universally be assumed that when a company desires
a kosher status it is to significantly attract the kosher market and
ultimately increase production. Hence almost all kosher work is done via
certification and nullification can not be relied upon.<br><br>
<b>The Rest of the World<br><br>
</b>In the rest of the world two parallel systems apply. On the one hand
there are companies who seek certification - and they do so to increase
their market potential and often to export to the larger markets of the
US and Israel. In the certification of these products nullification can
not be relied upon. However there are also companies that consider the
kosher market as totally insignificant - and they give permission to have
their products checked. They expect no significant increase in turnover
whatsoever. In such cases nullification may be employed, or at least a
less thorough sub ingredient check, as well as some other leniencies
mentioned in the poskim. <br><br>
These products are often published in lists with the notification that
indeed these are not certified products but endorsed products. Such lists
appear in Australia , South Africa and the United Kingdom as well as
other countries.10 According to the Noda B’Yehuda such products,
considering the particular circumstances, are as kosher for the final
consumer as formally certified products. The Ksav Sofer would concur only
when there was no similar product at the same price available. <br><br>
The following is from
<a href="http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/Halachic_Policy/The_Kashrut_Authority_and_Kashrut_in_Australia.html">
The Kashrut Authority and Kashrut in Australia</a> <br><br>
3. We have a third level (that does not exist in the USA). These are what
we have called “approved” products manufactured by persons not of the
Jewish faith. I have written a detailed article explaining the halachic
rationale and resultant differences as well as our current policies in
that regard and you may find it on our website
<a href="http://www.ka.org.au/" eudora="autourl">www.ka.org.au</a> in the
halachic policies section. It is in relation to this “level” that we
indeed follow the London Beth Din, The Manchester Beth Din, The
Johannesburg Beth Din, and all who currently list “approved” products.
<br><br>
Many might be tempted to say that the approved products are ‘less kosher’
than certified products – such a statement is in my opinion wrong. The
reality is that they fall under a different halachic paradigm. <br><br>
An analogy to illustrate: It is without question forbidden to add a drop
of milk to chicken soup. If one did so on purpose one would not be
permitted to eat the soup. However, if it fell in by accident, and was
<i>batel b’shishim</i> (nullified using the one in sixty rule), the
Halacha is unquestionably that one is permitted to eat the soup. Two
apparently identical occurrences, yet there are two opposite outcomes.
The reason for this is that we are dealing with two completely different
paradigms - the <i>meizid </i>(purposeful intent) paradigm and the
<i>shogeg</i> (unintentional/accidental) paradigm.<br><br>
Similarly there are two distinct paradigms in relation to supervision of
kosher foods. The <u>certification</u> paradigm, when a company comes to
you and pays you for your services as well as markets also specifically
to Jews; and the <u>approval</u> paradigm, where you initiate the visit
to the company, you are not paid by the company and the company are not
particularly interested in the Kosher market. <br><br>
In practice the following general guidelines are used by us in the
paradigm for approved products. (For further details see the above
mentioned article):<br><br>
a. If there is a definitely non-kosher ingredient then the product will
not be listed regardless of the ability to nullify. We do not rely on
<i>bitul</i> in such circumstances. <br><br>
b. If there is uncertainty as to the nature of an ingredient or if it’s
sub-components have not been able to be thoroughly investigated –
provided that there is a reasonable likelihood that it is of kosher
origin and in the worst case scenario the ingredient would anyway be
batel – the final product will be approved ( but never certified)
.<br><br>
c. Certain leniencies may be employed in relation to the kosherisation of
equipment and supervision of such kosherisation as well as frequency of
visitation. <br><br>
The OU, OK and most US agencies ONLY deal with the first paradigm. This
is largely because of the size of the kosher market and the Jewish
population of the USA. There are sufficient certified products so it is
not necessary to have approvals. Furthermore, as companies are
specifically marketing also to kosher consumers, it may not be possible
halachically to employ the approval paradigm. However in other countries,
such as the UK and Australia, where there are insufficient products and
the relative size of our kosher consuming market is small we are entitled
halachically to employ the approval paradigm.<br><br>
Note this last paragraph especially. <br>
<hr>
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See the above URL for the rest of these articles. From this articles it
should be clear why there are differences between kashrus in the US and
Israel and the rest of the world and why one should not extrapolate from
the standards of one organization in a given country to the situation in
other countries. <br><br>
YL</font></body>
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