Kosher Cheese: Difference between revisions

##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 (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.</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. Even though the Shach 87:35 quotes the Maharshal who says that even rennet from non-Kosher animals is nullified, he rejects that opinion.</ref>