Bishul Akum: Difference between revisions

Bishul Akum (Hebrew: בשול עכו"ם, tran. ''cooking of a non-Jew'') is a rabbinic restriction that forbids a Jew from eating many foods that a non-Jew cooked. The reason for the restriction is to prevent intermarriage and to avoid eating non-kosher ingredients mixed in. There are many leniencies that relate the quality of the food or the significance of the cooking for the particular food in question. Additionally, a Jew is partially involved in the cooking process this can alleviate the issue of ''bishul akum''. This is a key reason for the need to have a hashgacha on many foods even though all of the ingredients are kosher.

#The rabbis<ref>This gezeirah is d’rabanan in nature (Meseches Avodah Zarah 38b, Yerushalmi Meseches Avodah Zarah 2:8, Ran Meseches Avodah Zarah page 28 “rebbe,” Rosh Meseches Chullin 3:61,  Issur V’heter 43:1, Rambam Hilchos Machalas Asuros 17:9, Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 113:16, Aruch Hashulchan 113:1, Sdei Chemed mareches bais page 133:69, see Teshuvos V’hanhagos 3:247 who seems to say there is a semach to a d’oraisa and therefore one should be very careful with these halachos).  Refer to Kav Hayosher 75:5. </ref> enacted a decree forbidding food that was cooked by a non-Jew.<ref>Meseches Avodah Zarah 35b.</ref> However, it is permitted to derive benefit from the food.<ref>Meseches Avodah Zarah 38b. </ref>

#Many say that any food that is fit to be served on a king's table is subject to [[bishul]] akum even if it is not eaten with bread.<ref>Rashba Meseches Avodah Zarah 38a, Toras Habayis 3:7, Levush 3, Pri Tohar 3, Tiferes Yisroel Meseches Avodah Zarah 2:52, Aruch Hashulchan YD 113:7, Darchei Teshuva 12, Shevet Ha’Levi 2:43, 10:124, [[Bishul]] Yisroel page 148:footnote 15 quoting the opinion of Harav Elyashiv Shlita.</ref> Others say that the above stipulation is to be taken literally and even an important food is only prohibited if it is eaten with bread.<ref>Ritvah Meseches Avodah Zarah 38a, Issur V’heter 43:2, Zer Zahav 2, Meiri Meseches Avodah Zarah 38a, Pri [[Chadash]] 113:3, 22, opinion of Harav Henkin zt”l quoted in Shearim Metzuyanim B’halacha 38:4, Hamesivta 5754:pages 83-84, Teharas Hamayim page 328:footnote*.  Such an example would be a fancy spread ([[Bishul]] Yisroel pages 170-172). </ref> The accepted custom follows the stringent opinion.

#There is a third, somewhat obscure exception, which permits food which does not change when it is cooked.<ref>The Shevet Ha’Levi 6:108:2 says this reason and the reason of edible raw is the same reason. Refer to the Pri [[Chadash]] 113:1. See Meseches Avodah Zarah 37b (bottom), Ohr Zeruah Meseches Avodah Zarah 2:191:page 53, Ha’go’es Ashri Meseches Avodah Zarah 2:28, Ran Meseches Avodah Zarah page 28 “rebbe”, Meiri Meseches Avodah Zarah 38a, Toras Chatos 75:16, Minchas Yaakov 75:32, Aruch Hashulchan  8. The Ran on page 15 (Meseches Avodah Zarah) says this third exception is not found in other Rishonim. See Darchei Moshe 113:3, Shach 113:1. </ref> However, most poskim maintain that this may not be relied upon to permit [[bishul]] akum.<ref>Issur V’heter 43:1, Shach 1, Be’er Heitiv 1, Pri [[Chadash]] 1, Pri Tohar 1, Aruch Hashulchan 9, Darchei Teshuva 14, Zivchei Tzedek 113:1, Kaf Hachaim 3, Chelkes Binyomin Biurim “davar” pages 60-61, Shevet Ha’Levi 2:43, Hamesivta 5754:pages 78-80.  Refer to Avnei Nezer Y.D. 96:1. </ref>

====What Does "Eaten Raw" Mean?====

#If it is common to eat the item raw with other ingredients, then the raw item is still considered edible raw.<ref>Gilyon Maharsha Y.D. 113, Magen Avraham O.C. 203:4, Mishna Brurah 203:11, M’Bais Levi 8:page 26:1, Chelkes Binyomin 113:6-7. Refer to [[Bishul]] Yisroel page 102, OU Document A-59 quoting the opinion of Rav Schachter Shlita, OU madrich pages 100-101. See Darchei Teshuva 113:4, [[Bishul]] Yisroel page 102 quoting the opinion of Harav Shmuel Felder Shlita. Refer to [[Bishul]] Yisroel page 463 who is not sure what status sushi has in this regard.</ref> A food which was edible raw while fresh is not considered edible raw after it dries out.<ref>Aruch Hashulchan 15. See Dugel Mervuva Y.D. 113. Refer to [[Bishul]] Yisroel pages 88-90. </ref>

#Some say that [[bishul]] akum doesn't apply to corn because it would be normal to eat corn raw, however, it is just uncommon, however, others hold that [[bishul]] akum does apply to corn since it isn't eaten raw.<ref>[http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/788653/Rabbi_Mordechai_I_Willig/Yoreh_De'ah_Shiur_06_Bishul_Akum Rabbi Mordechai Willig in a shiur on yutorah.org (min 55-57)] quotes Rav Yisrael Belsky as saying that [[bishul]] akum doesn't apply to corn since it would be normal to eat it raw, it is just that we are picky, however, Rav Hershel Schachter held that [[bishul]] akum does apply unless a majority of people eat it raw.</ref>

===="Fit to be Served on a King's Table"====

#If a non-Jew cooks a food which ''is'' edible raw then it is permitted even if it is shipped to a country where it is not eaten raw.<ref>Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita as expressed in OU document A-88, see Pri [[Chadash]] Y.D. 113:22, Shiurei Beracha 113:1, Kaf Hachaim 113:11. Refer to Shevet Ha’Levi 9:163. The reason for this is since the food is edible raw in one place there is no certainty that it will not be edible raw in the place where it is shipped since it is many days from when the food is made and the food may be dry. </ref> This is not a common issue as a food which is edible in one country is usually edible in a different country as well.<ref>OU document A-88 </ref>

#If a non-Jew prepared a food which ''is not'' edible raw in a country where it is not served on a king's table and shipped it to a country where the food is fit to be served on a king's table the food is forbidden because of [[bishul]] akum.<ref>Refer to [[Bishul]] Yisroel (teshuvos) pages 31-32. See OU document A-131.</ref> If the situation is reversed, and a non-Jew prepared a food which is not edible raw and it is fit to be served on a king's table in that country, then the food is forbidden even if it is shipped to a country where it is not eaten on a king's table.<ref>Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita as expressed in OU document A-88, opinion of Harav Falk Shlita as expressed in [[Bishul]] Yisroel (teshuvos) pages 31-34 in depth.  Refer to Shiurei Beracha 113:7, Ben Ish Chai Chukas 2:12, Chaim Shaul 1:74:6, Kaf Hachaim 113:20, Kerem Ephraim pages 62-63, [[Bishul]] Yisroel pages 61-62. In regard to tortillas see Dinei Machalei Nuchrim pages 93-101 in depth. </ref>

===Important Person===

==Types of Food==

===Frozen===

#There is a discussion among the poskim if canned food is subject to the halachos of [[bishul]] akum. Food which is cooked before it is canned and is just put in a can for storage would be forbidden.<ref>[[Bishul]] Yisroel page 34, Teshuvos V’hanhagos 3:247. </ref> However, one could argue that food cooked in a can is not fit to be served on a king's table.<ref>Refer to Mesora 1:page 86 (bottom), Mesora 2:pages 74-75, OU document A-64:4,  Star-K article entitled “Food Fit For A King” page 2, opinion of Harav Pinchus Sheinberg Shlita quoted in Divrei Chachamim pages 182-183:22. </ref> The custom seems to treat canned goods as a concern of [[bishul]] akum (if the food is not edible raw) even if it is cooked with indirect steam.<ref>Refer to [[Bishul]] Yisroel (teshuvos) pages 46-47, Teshuvos V’hanhagos 3:247. Also see [[Bishul]] Yisroel pages 34-36. Some are lenient because many products do not get changed when cooked in a can (Aleh Ezra Y.D. 5). </ref> However, this can be used as an additional factor to be lenient in certain cases.

==Utensils==

<references />

[[Category:Kashrut]]