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Kosher Cheese: Difference between revisions
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#There is a major dispute between the poskim whether or not soft cheese, such as cream cheese, cottage cheese and farmer's cheese, is subject to the prohibition of non-Jewish cheese. Some poskim hold that since soft cheese can be made without the use of rennet and is made with bacterial cultures, it shouldn't be considered a cheese for the purposes of this enactment and would be permitted without any Jewish involvement as long as all of the ingredients and utensils are kosher. However, others disagree and don't rely on that leniency.<ref>[http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer] explained that the OU and other kashrut organization's policy was to rely on this leniency and to give a hechsher to cottage cheese as long as all ingredients and utensils in the factory are kosher even if a Jew isn't present all of the time. | #There is a major dispute between the poskim whether or not soft cheese, such as cream cheese, cottage cheese and farmer's cheese, is subject to the prohibition of non-Jewish cheese. Some poskim hold that since soft cheese can be made without the use of rennet and is made with bacterial cultures, it shouldn't be considered a cheese for the purposes of this enactment and would be permitted without any Jewish involvement as long as all of the ingredients and utensils are kosher. However, others disagree and don't rely on that leniency.<ref>[http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer] explained that the OU and other kashrut organization's policy was to rely on this leniency and to give a hechsher to cottage cheese as long as all ingredients and utensils in the factory are kosher even if a Jew isn't present all of the time. | ||
*Igrot Moshe YD 1:50 says that we can rely on the Rama to have jews watching the cheese making process, but otherwise it is forbidden even if it all kosher ingredients. There he’s also strict on cottage cheese but says not to protest those who are lenient. In Igrot Moshe YD 2:48 he elaborates on the topic of cottage cheese and says that cottage cheese might not be considered gevinat akum since it could have been made without any rennet, so they never made a gezerat about it. He concludes that there’s a strong reason to be lenient but didn't want to establish any opinion as it being permitted or forbidden but wouldn’t protest those who are lenient. Aruch Hashulchan 115:16 implies clearly that cheese which doesn’t need rennet to become cheese is still forbidden. Chelkat Binyamin 115:60 writes that it is a unresolved question. Ben Yisrael Lamim (by R' Taharani p. 325 Birurim n. 17) is strict and proves it from the Radvaz 6:2291 regarding yogurt.</ref> | *Igrot Moshe YD 1:50 says that we can rely on the Rama to have jews watching the cheese making process, but otherwise it is forbidden even if it all kosher ingredients. There he’s also strict on cottage cheese but says not to protest those who are lenient. In Igrot Moshe YD 2:48 he elaborates on the topic of cottage cheese and says that cottage cheese might not be considered gevinat akum since it could have been made without any rennet, so they never made a gezerat about it. He concludes that there’s a strong reason to be lenient but didn't want to establish any opinion as it being permitted or forbidden but wouldn’t protest those who are lenient. Aruch Hashulchan 115:16 implies clearly that cheese which doesn’t need rennet to become cheese is still forbidden. Chelkat Binyamin 115:60 writes that it is a unresolved question.</ref> Sephardim are strict in this regard.<ref> Ben Yisrael Lamim (by R' Taharani p. 325 Birurim n. 17) is strict on cottage cheese and proves it from the Radvaz 6:2291 regarding yogurt. Yalkut Yosef (YD 81:23 Isur Vheter v. 2 p. 115) seems to conclude like those who are strict on ricotta cheese, but does cite those who are lenient in places that have the minhag to be lenient. Ultimately, he quotes the Zivchei Tzedek who says that someone pious would be careful on ricotta cheese from non-Jews.</ref> | ||
==Kosher Rennet== | ==Kosher Rennet== | ||
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##If the rennet comes from a kosher animal which was slaughtered properly by a Jew then it is kosher as long as there is 60x the milk in comparison to the rennet.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet#Extraction_of_calf_rennet Wikipedia on Rennet] points out that using the traditional method of rennet extraction one 1 gram of rennet can be used to coagulate 2 to 4 Kg of milk and the modern extraction method after concentration yields rennet that one gram of which can be used to coagulate 15 Kg of milk. Either way, this is clearly less than the ratio of 1 in 60, as [http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer] points out as well. Mishna Chullin 116a (according to Rashi) writes that since the rennet from the kosher animal is meat and it is being used to coagulate milk it is only permitted if there is 60 times the rennet in the milk otherwise there is a prohibition of eating milk and meat together. Shulchan Aruch YD 87:11 codifies this. | ##If the rennet comes from a kosher animal which was slaughtered properly by a Jew then it is kosher as long as there is 60x the milk in comparison to the rennet.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet#Extraction_of_calf_rennet Wikipedia on Rennet] points out that using the traditional method of rennet extraction one 1 gram of rennet can be used to coagulate 2 to 4 Kg of milk and the modern extraction method after concentration yields rennet that one gram of which can be used to coagulate 15 Kg of milk. Either way, this is clearly less than the ratio of 1 in 60, as [http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer] points out as well. Mishna Chullin 116a (according to Rashi) writes that since the rennet from the kosher animal is meat and it is being used to coagulate milk it is only permitted if there is 60 times the rennet in the milk otherwise there is a prohibition of eating milk and meat together. Shulchan Aruch YD 87:11 codifies this. | ||
* Why is rennet from a non-Kosher animal not nullified and rennet from a kosher animal permitted if it is less than one in sixty? The Ri Migash (cited by Torat Habayit 90a) explains that this is different than rennet from a non-Kosher animal which isn't nullified because it is a coagulating agent and is intrinsically forbidden unlike kosher rennet. Rambam (Maachalot Asurot 3:13, 9:16), Rashba Chullin 116a, and Ritva Avoda Zara 35a agree. Shach 87:35 agrees. However, the Tosfot Avoda Zara 35a s.v. mipnei and Raavad (Torat Habayit 90b) argue that fundamentally rennet from a kosher animal is the same as non-kosher rennet in that they are nullified if it isn't tasted but since the issue of meat and milk is only rabbinic if it is a cold mixture it is permitted in cases of doubt. Maharshal Chullin 8:106 agrees.</ref> In terms of actual process of how the rennet is extracted from the Kosher animal so that it should be permitted even initially is complex discussion.<ref>Chatom Sofer (responsa 81, cited by Pitchei Teshuva 87:19), Rabbi Akiva Eiger (responsa 1:207)</ref> | * Why is rennet from a non-Kosher animal not nullified and rennet from a kosher animal permitted if it is less than one in sixty? The Ri Migash (cited by Torat Habayit 90a) explains that this is different than rennet from a non-Kosher animal which isn't nullified because it is a coagulating agent and is intrinsically forbidden unlike kosher rennet. Rambam (Maachalot Asurot 3:13, 9:16), Rashba Chullin 116a, and Ritva Avoda Zara 35a agree. Shach 87:35 agrees. However, the Tosfot Avoda Zara 35a s.v. mipnei and Raavad (Torat Habayit 90b) argue that fundamentally rennet from a kosher animal is the same as non-kosher rennet in that they are nullified if it isn't tasted but since the issue of meat and milk is only rabbinic if it is a cold mixture it is permitted in cases of doubt. Maharshal Chullin 8:106 agrees.</ref> In terms of actual process of how the rennet is extracted from the Kosher animal so that it should be permitted even initially is complex discussion.<ref>Chatom Sofer (responsa 81, cited by Pitchei Teshuva 87:19), Rabbi Akiva Eiger (responsa 1:207)</ref> | ||
##If the rennet comes from an animal which was not slaughtered properly it is forbidden and can't be nullified since it is the agent which solidifies the milk into cheese.<ref>Avoda Zara 35a says that a maamid (coagulating agent) is forbidden even if it isn’t recognizable and has no taste since its accomplishment of transforming the food is recognizable. Mishna Chullin 116a states that cheese made with rennet from an animal that lacked a properly ritual slaughter is forbidden. Rambam (Machalot Asurot 3:13) writes that the non-Kosher rennet isn't nullified since it is the agent used to coagulate the cheese. Shulchan Aruch YD 87:11 codifies this. The Maharshal Chullin 8:106 comes to the conclusion that even non kosher rennet is nullified one in sixty like the Raavad (cited by Rashba Torat Habayit 90b) unlike Rambam Maachlot Asurot 3:13. Shach YD 87:35 and Magen Avraham 442:9 reject the Maharshal. Dagul Mirvavah 87:4 supports the Maharshal from Rashi. Igrot Moshe YD 2:32 disagrees with the Dagul Mirvavah's proof. Nonetheless, Igrot Moshe is lenient for the Maharshal after the fact for a rabbinic prohibition or something that is a doubt if it is | ##If the rennet comes from an animal which was not slaughtered properly it is forbidden and can't be nullified since it is the agent which solidifies the milk into cheese.<ref>Avoda Zara 35a says that a maamid (coagulating agent) is forbidden even if it isn’t recognizable and has no taste since its accomplishment of transforming the food is recognizable. Mishna Chullin 116a states that cheese made with rennet from an animal that lacked a properly ritual slaughter is forbidden. Rambam (Machalot Asurot 3:13) writes that the non-Kosher rennet isn't nullified since it is the agent used to coagulate the cheese. Shulchan Aruch YD 87:11 codifies this. The Maharshal Chullin 8:106 comes to the conclusion that even non kosher rennet is nullified one in sixty like the Raavad (cited by Rashba Torat Habayit 90b) unlike Rambam Maachlot Asurot 3:13. Shach YD 87:35 and Magen Avraham 442:9 reject the Maharshal. Dagul Mirvavah 87:4 supports the Maharshal from Rashi. Igrot Moshe YD 2:32 disagrees with the Dagul Mirvavah's proof. Nonetheless, Igrot Moshe is lenient for the Maharshal after the fact for a rabbinic prohibition or something that is a doubt if it is biblical. | ||
* Is Maamid a | * Is Maamid a biblical concern? The Bach assumes that it is. Shach 87:32 argues that for milk and meat it isn't since it is a cold mixture. Magen Avraham 442:9 writes that in general maamid is biblical since it is like the prohibition is still intact. Chok Yakov 442:16 argues.</ref> | ||
#Alternative sources of rennet include vegetable rennet, microbial rennet, and Fermentation-produced chymosin.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet#Alternative_sources_of_rennet Wikipedia on Rennet]</ref> | #Alternative sources of rennet include vegetable rennet, microbial rennet, and Fermentation-produced chymosin.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet#Alternative_sources_of_rennet Wikipedia on Rennet]</ref> | ||
#Even if the rennet is kosher it is still possible for other ingredients added to the cheese to be non-Kosher such as lipase, an enzyme used to hasten the breakdown of fat and give it a more powerful taste.<ref>[http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer]</ref> | #Even if the rennet is kosher it is still possible for other ingredients added to the cheese to be non-Kosher such as lipase, an enzyme used to hasten the breakdown of fat and give it a more powerful taste.<ref>[http://www.kashrut.com/articles/cheese/ Rabbi Avraham Gordimer]</ref> | ||
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==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
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{{Kashrut}} | |||
