Kashrus Organizations, Rabbis & Jewish Law

Q

I recently called the OK with a question concerning the kashrus of my dishes. The rabbi with whom I spoke suggested that I refer this question instead to my local rabbi. Since you are a kashrus organization, isn’t it appropriate for me to address this kind of question to you?

A

The OK Labs is besieged by questions that relate to many aspects of Jewish law. This thirst for knowledge is gratifying. When the OK had its modest beginnings in the mid-1930’s, the question was whether Orthodoxy could survive the Goldene Medine, the Golden Land of America that promised fortune but threatened to strip away our spirit. Today that question has been answered with a resounding yes! Orthodoxy is alive and flourishing.

Yet is it the province of a kashrus organization to be a posek, a halachic authority, for the general public?

One is tempted to answer, why not? Especially in the realm of kosher food, the OK does possess information that often is not available to the general public. Local rabbis who serve in their respective communities, and even more well-known poskim, do not have access to the information we (and other kashrus agencies) possess.

Yet the answer is far from this simple. The traditional source for answers to questions in Jewish law has been the community rabbi, or rav. Unfortunately, in the United States today, the stature of rabbis in this regard has diminished somewhat. In many communities, the rabbis are expected to lead their synagogue, to deliver an oratorically correct sermon, to minister to the life-cycle events of their flock — bris milah, bar/bas mitzvah, weddings, funerals. But the rabbi is not called upon to answer halachic questions.

Let us state at the outset that the OK does not reject any question. Again, we are gratified to help quench the growing thirst for Torah knowledge. Moreover, through the OK’s educational arm, we support programs that enhance knowledge of Judaism.

However, the OK should not become a substitute for one’s personal rabbi. When we take on this role, the questioner loses the chance to satisfy the dictum “make for yourself a rabbi” (Ethics of the Fathers 1:16). The personal touch of a rabbi whom you know, and who knows you and your situation, is lost.

What role should a kashrus organization serve? Ideally one presents their kashrus question to their rabbi. If the question is purely a halachic one (say, milk was cooked in a meat pot), the rabbi will likely have the ability to respond on his own; if he feels unqualified to answer, he will in turn ask one of his own rabbanim. If necessary, he will consult any one of the better known poskim here or even in Israel.

Sometimes the answer cannot be given until more information is obtained. For example, the questioner wishes to know whether he can eat a certain product. If the rabbi lacks the necessary information, he would call the supervising agency to obtain the details that inform his decision. Often we get questions that are beyond our realm. A caller may wish to know whether another agency is reliable. We are unable to answer questions about other agencies, and it may well be unethical for us to do so. Again, one’s rabbi is the correct address for a question of this sort.

A typical inquiry is for a copy of the kosher certificate (the letter attesting to OK supervision) that we have issued to a company certified by us. This would seem to be a properly directed request. However, in actuallity the kosher certificate reflects an agreement between the OK and the company. Therefore, a request of this nature should be directed to the company. We are pleased to provide callers with the consumer relations phone number of companies under our certification. Companies under our supervision are more than pleased to send you a copy of their kosher certificate. In fact, most firms have a customer service division, and many have a representative who is designated to assist specifically with questions concerning kashrus.

Again, we welcome and encourage consumer questions. We will do our best to answer those questions or to guide consumers to the source that can best help them.