Hechsher
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Hechsher (IPA: /hɛxʃəʁ/, הכשר Hebrew: "kosher approval" , plural: hechsherim) is the formal granting of certification, usually by an authorized rabbi, that a product is certified as kosher (meaning "fit" [for consumption].) A hechsher is usually conveyed to the public by a special certification marking on products (generally foods) certifying that the item is certified as kosher. It is usually Orthodox rabbis who assume the jobs of mashgichim (singular: mashgiach, "supervisor"), meaning they "supervise" the products and processes that manufacture kosher food to ensure that all ingredients are kosher and meet the required standards of the original hechsher.
In Halakha, (or "Jewish law"), the laws of kashrut, ("dietary laws"), specify food items that may be eaten and others that are prohibited as set out in the commandments of the Torah. Observant Jews generally will only eat permitted foods. To assist Jewish consumers, rabbinic authorities allow manufacturers to place their "certification stamps", known as hechsherim, on foods that they have inspected and found to contain only kosher ingredients and produced in accordance with Halakha.
Some mistakenly believe that a rabbi merely "blesses" food for it to be considered kosher. This is not true.
At the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee, contestant Saryn Hooks correctly spelled "hechsher," but her spelling was ruled incorrect. A few minutes later, the judges realized their printed spelling of "hechscher" was incorrect and reinstated Hooks, thanks to 7th grader Lucas Brown, who noticed the error and called it to the attention of his father. As the word is a transliteration from Hebrew, it's possible that either spelling could be considered acceptable. A transliteration of Hebrew for German speakers would favor the "sch" transcription of the letter Shin.
Rabbinic organizations and authorities and their hechsherim
- See Identification of kosher foods.
The best known hechsher symbol in the world is the "OU" symbol of the Orthodox Union based in New York City in the United States. They employ hundreds of rabbis as mashgichim.
There are many other hechsher logos; examples include: Star-K based in Baltimore, Maryland, Cape Town Beth Din logo used in South Africa, and MK Vaad Hair based in Montreal, Canada. Near the logo, some descriptive qualifier might also appear, such as Pareve (the neutral food class), Meat, Dairy, or Kosher for Passover.
External links
- Kof-K Kosher Supervision
- Urban Legends Reference Page on the Jew Tax conspiracy theory
- Kashrus Agencies
- Reliable Kosher symbols
- Official website of OU Kosher
- Organized Kashrut
See also
- Kosher foods
- Taboo food and drink
- Clean animals
- Unclean animals
- Kashrut
Categories: Kosher food | Hebrew words | Certification marks