Kashrut - Prohibited Foods

Prohibited Foods

The laws of kashrut can be classified according to the origin of the prohibition (Biblical or rabbinical) and whether the prohibition concerns the food itself or a mixture of foods.

Biblically prohibited foods include:

• Non-kosher animals and birds (based on Leviticus 11:3–8 and Deuteronomy 14:3–21): mammals require certain identifying characteristics (completely cloven hooves and being ruminants), while birds require a tradition that they can be consumed. Fish require scales and fins (thus excluding catfish). All invertebrates are non-kosher apart from a certain type of locust on which most communities lack a clear tradition. No reptiles or amphibians are kosher.
• Carrion (neveilah): meat from a kosher animal that has not been slaughtered according to the laws of shechita.
• Injured (tereifah): an animal with a significant defect or injury, such as a fractured bone or particular types of lung adhesions
• Blood (dam): blood of kosher mammals and fowl is removed through salting, with special procedures for the liver which is very rich in blood
• Particular fats (cheilev): particular parts of the abdominal fat of cattle, goats and sheep must be removed by a process called nikkur
• The twisted nerve (gid hanasheh): the sciatic nerve, as according to the Bible (Genesis 32:32) the patriarch Jacob's was damaged when he fought with an angel, cannot be eaten and is removed by nikkur
• Limb of a living animal (ever min ha-chai): according to Genesis 9:4, a limb torn from an animal that is still alive may not be consumed; this law is considered applicable even to non-Jews
• Untithed food (tevel): produce of the Land of Israel requires the removal of certain tithes, which in ancient times were given to the Kohanim (priests), Levites and the poor (terumah, maaser rishon and maaser ani respectively)
• Fruit during the first three years (orlah): according to Leviticus 19:23, fruit from a tree in the first three years after planting cannot be consumed (both in the Land of Israel and the diaspora)
• New grain (chadash): in Leviticus 23:14 the Bible prohibits newly grown grain (planted after Passover the previous year) until the second day of Passover; there is debate as to whether this law applies to grain grown outside the Land of Israel
• Wine of libation (yayin nesekh): wine that may have been dedicated to idolatrous practices

Biblically prohibited mixtures include:

• Mixtures of meat and milk (basar be-chalav): this law derives from the broad interpretation of the commandment not to "cook a kid in its mother's milk" (Exodus 23:19, 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21); other non-kosher food may be used for other benefit (e.g. sold to non-Jews), but mixtures of meat and milk are prohibited even with regards to other benefit
• Plants grown together (kilayim): in the Land of Israel plants are to be grown separately and not in close proximity. A specific subdivision of this law is kil'ei ha-kerem, the prohibition of planting any grain of vegetable near a grapevine; this law applies throughout the world, and one may not derive benefit from the produce

Rabbinically prohibited foods include:

• Non-Jewish milk (chalav akum): milk that may have an admixture of milk from non-kosher animals (see below for current views on this prohibition)
• Non-Jewish cheese (gevinat akum): cheese that may have been produced with non-kosher rennet
• Non-Jewish wine (stam yeinam): wine that while not produced for idolatrous purposes may otherwise have been poured for such a purpose or alternatively when consumed will lead to intermarriage
• Food cooked by a non-Jew (bishul akum): this law was enacted for concerns of intermarriage
• Non-Jewish bread (pat akum): this law was enacted for concerns of intermarriage
• Health risk (sakanah): certain foods and mixtures are considered a health risk, such as mixtures of fish and meat