Today I noticed that Snickers and Twix in Israel are not under the
hashgacha of the rabanut of Israel. They are under the hashgacha of
the triangle K, with the approval of the rabanut of Israel.
Apparantly, the rabanut gives a rubber stamp approval to certain
kashrut organizations from the US and the triangle K is on the list.
While I don't really know any solid reason why we don't eat triangle
K, it is a generally accepted principle in the US, not to eat that
hechsher. I looked at the Twix bar today and it specifically said it
contains gelatin. This could be the reason why we don't eat triangle
k, because our rabbinic leadership has said that gelatin is treif (not
kosher).
NEWSFLASH: BABY RUTH IS UNDER THE OU.
For those that do not know what gelatin is, my understanding is that
it is made from finely ground up non kosher animals. There is an
argument in halacha if something that finely ground up is still
considered the animal. We paskin that it is, and we do not eat it. I
once had a discussion with someone on this topic and he said that for
those considering it treif, it was treif as pork.
I suggested that assumedly everyone would agree it is not treif as
pork and the argument was whether it was better not to eat it
anyways. In terms of bitul bshishim, one issue is that in this case
they made the mixture on purpose, which while still halachically
permissible for those that did not make the mixture, is considered
problematic.
We never resolved this issue and if anyone has a clue please feel free
to post your thoughts.
3 comments:
I don't know if that is the issue with triangle K or no... I do know that it is an issue with some yogurts/milkeys/candies/random things that are completely kosher according to their rabbanut dairy hashkachah given and made in Israel. I do feel strongly that however you hold, it ain't no pork.
This issue hit me a few years ago when I found triangle-K food in our local makolet. Since its under the hashgacha of our local Muqata mashgiach, I gave him a call.
In fact, they removed the products, even though they have the hasgacha ot the rabbanut on it (who basically rely on the triange-K).
Its a problem, but thankfully, not a huge one. I wonder what the source of geliten is used in Elite marshmellows.
I may be off, but this is my recolection.
Gelatin from a non-kosher source is a machloket(debate). As part of the proceccing, it passed through a stage in which it is not edible. Based on this, some rabbis (I think R' Ovadya and others) allow gelatin to be used because the say that the non-edible stage is it's source rather than the non-kosher cow stage. Other rabbis (R' Moshe and others) disagree because the interem stage is intended to go on to a food stage and as such is still considered food the whole way through. Hence we have a food with a non-kosher source.
The Rabbanut has a general policy of using any legitamate ruling to allow food and make like easier on people to eat kosher. The issue comes up when I want to rule according to Rabbi X who's ruling was not the one the Rabbanut used.
In our case, if I am an American Jew (who follows R'Moshe's halachic rulings), can I eat Rabbanut products which (may) contain gelatin? Or Triangle-K stuff?
The above was off the cuff, from memory, and second-hand. Ask your L(O)R.
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