What is Kashrut?
Also spelled / known as: Kashruth, Kashrus, Jewish dietary law, Kosher laws
In brief
Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law derived from the Torah, defining which foods are permitted (kosher) and forbidden (treif), how animals must be slaughtered, and how meat and dairy must be kept separate.
Kashrut explained
Kashrut (also spelled kashruth or kashrus) encompasses the entire system of Jewish dietary law. Its biblical foundations are primarily in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, which list permitted and forbidden species, along with Exodus 23:19 ('you shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk') which is the source for separating meat and dairy. Over millennia, the Talmud and rabbinic authorities have elaborated these laws into a comprehensive system covering every aspect of food production, preparation, and consumption.
Real-world examples
Kashrut governs which animals are permitted (split hooves + cud chewing for mammals)
Requirements include shechita (ritual slaughter) and salting meat to remove blood
The separation of meat and dairy — including separate dishes, utensils, and waiting periods
Hechshers (certifications) on products verify kashrut compliance
Context & nuance
For observant Jews, kashrut is a daily practice that shapes shopping, cooking, eating, and social interactions. Beyond the well-known prohibitions (pork, shellfish, meat-dairy mixtures), kashrut includes positive obligations like shechita, salting meat, using separate utensils, and checking vegetables for insects. The entire kosher food industry — certification agencies, inspectors, restaurants, specialty manufacturers — exists to enable observant Jews to maintain kashrut in the modern world.
Frequently asked questions
- What is kashrut?
- Kashrut is the body of Jewish dietary law that defines which foods are kosher (permitted) and which are treif (forbidden). It covers everything from which animals can be eaten, how they must be slaughtered, the separation of meat and dairy, and what ingredients and equipment can be used in food preparation.
- What are the main rules of kashrut?
- The main categories are: (1) permitted species — mammals with split hooves and cud chewing, fish with fins and scales, specific permitted birds; (2) proper slaughter (shechita) for meat; (3) removing blood via salting; (4) separating meat and dairy at all times; (5) avoiding foods produced without kosher supervision.
- Where in the Torah does kashrut come from?
- The primary biblical sources are Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, which list permitted and forbidden animals. The prohibition against mixing meat and milk comes from Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21. The Talmud elaborates these laws into the comprehensive system observed today.
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Where Kashrut shows up
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Related terms
Hechsher
A hechsher is the symbol printed on a kosher product or displayed by a kosher establishment indicating which rabbinic agency has certified it as meeting kosher standards.
Treif
Treif (literally 'torn') refers to any food that is not kosher — including forbidden animals (pork, shellfish), improperly slaughtered meat, mixtures of meat and dairy, and foods without kosher supervision.
Fleishig
Fleishig (Yiddish for 'meaty') refers to kosher foods containing meat or poultry — these cannot be eaten with dairy and require a waiting period before consuming dairy afterward.
Milchig
Milchig (Yiddish for 'dairy') refers to kosher foods containing milk or dairy products — these cannot be eaten with meat and require separate dishes, utensils, and equipment.
Pareve
Pareve (also spelled parve) refers to kosher foods that are neither meat nor dairy — fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, grains, and most beverages — and can be eaten with either meat or dairy meals.
Shechita
Shechita is the Jewish method of ritual slaughter that renders an animal kosher — requiring a trained shochet to sever the trachea and esophagus with a single, swift cut using a perfectly smooth blade.
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