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Cer t i f i ed Sou l Nu t r i t i on

Dear Reader,

The Pesach Haggadah is perhapsthe sefer with the most printedversions of the same text. Thou-

sands of versions of the Haggadah,each featuring different commentaries,have been printed over the years, mak-ing Haggados a feature in the collec-tions of many seforim enthusiasts. Infact, in 2001 Sotheby’s hosted an auc-tion in Tel Aviv, Magnificent Judaica,and the First Nuremberg Haggadah, il-lustrated and written by Joel BenSimeon before 1449, sold for $1,017,000, nearly double its estimate. EricaJesselson, a New York collector of Judaica and Jewish manuscripts, boughtthe Haggadah and it remains in Israel at the Israel Museum.I recently came across a Haggadah, Tsuf Amarim, printed in 1920 (5681),

that had the haskamah (endorsement) of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneer-son, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. This haskamah struck me, becausein 1939, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok, Rav of Yekaterinoslav, was the RavHaMachshir of all commercially produced shmurah matzah in the formerSoviet Union, without compromising halacha even in the most difficult oftimes. In this particular Haggadah, I also found a haskamah from RabbiAharon Tumarkin, my maternal great-grandfather. I found a very inter-esting commentary on a familiar part of the Haggadah – the four sons. Itsays, “ואחד רשע, ואחד תם, ואחד שאינו יודע לשאול חכם, .אחד Why is echad re-peated for each son? When all of the echads are added together, you get52, which is the gematria of בן (son). This teaches us that these sons areall really one person and all of us can have these traits in ourselves.” Also,if we don’t take the opportunity to ask questions, in halacha, in kashrus,in our dealings with others, and especially about the world around us –the crumbling economy, the constant demonstrations of hate against EretzYisroel – then we become the she’eino yodea li’shol, the one who does notknow how to ask.In this issue, we tackle some big questions. In Rabbi Zushe Blech’s ar-

ticle, “Know Thy Beans,” learn the answers to the questions regardingkitniyos on Pesach. What goes in to the daunting task of setting up a hotelwith a kosher l’Pesach program? Find out in Rabbi Gornish’s informativearticle, “Pesach Hotels.” We also took the opportunity to ask Rabbi Her-shel Krinsky, Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~, a few questions about hisexperiences in the field of kashrus. Delve into the depths of Chassidus aswe explore the custom of Moshiach’s Seudah. In Rabbi Levy’s article, readabout Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m, as we mark his 21st yahrzeit – a maverickin the field of kashrus, who always knew to ask the right questions.Speaking of the four sons in the Haggadah, the Pesach seder is geared to-

wards the questions of children and can be especially difficult for cou-ples experiencing the challenge of infertility who don’t have children oftheir own to ask the Four Questions at the sedarim. Read about BoneiOlam, the amazing chesed organization, dedicated to helping Jewish cou-ples realize the dream of having children of their own.

With best wishes for a kosher and freilichen Pesach, filled with questions,and may we have the ultimate answer of Moshiach now!

Rabbi Chaim FogelmanEditor-in-Chief

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

Rabbi Chaim FogelmanEDITOR:

Dovi ScheinerASSOCIATE EDITOR:

Dina Fraenkel DESIGN:

www.SpotlightDesign.com

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SHARE YOUR SPIRIT

QUESTIONS FOR THE ~

PUTTING THE JOY BACKIN THE PESACH SEDERBy Bassie Kohen

PESACH HOTELSBy Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

REFLECTIONSBy Rabbi Don Yoel Levy

KNOW THY BEANSBy Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

PESACH RECIPE

WHO’S BEHIND THE ~Interview with Rabbi H. Krinsky

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

CHASSIDIC INSIGHTS MOSHIACH’S SEUDAHCompiled by Dina Fraenkel

SOUL NUTRITION

CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

Rabbi Gornish is a RabbinicCoordinator at the ~, han-dling ingredient and productapprovals, as well as oversee-ing the ~’s many restaurantsand caterers. He received

semicha from Beis Medrash Gevoha in Lake-wood, NJ. Rabbi Gornish has been with the ~since 1997 and has a Master’s Degree in FoodScience from Rutgers University.

www.OK.org • 3

Share Your Spirit

FEEDBACK

Editor’s Note: In the last issue of Kosher Spirit(Chanukah 5769), we wrote, “Canned sardines donot need a mashgiach temidi, because the skin isleft on the fish, and according to most Rabbonim,sardines do not require Bishul Yisroel since they aresuch small fish and not considered of a royal na-ture.” Now, in fact, sardines can also be sold skin-less, so they do require a mashgiach temidi if theskin is removed.

We welcome your comments, sub-missions and letters to the editor.

MAIL: 391 Troy AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11213

E-MAIL: editor@kosherspirit.com

Readers share their thoughtsabout the last issue...

Dear Kosher Spirit,

I would like to commend you onyour beautifully appointed, organ-ized and informative magazine. Yourcovers are superbly designed; a true de-light for the eye.

Mrs. B.Montreal

Dear Kosher Spirit,

The Angel Foods article in theKosher Spirit was fantastic!

Thanks to your informative featuredstory I am receiving a new stream ofcalls interested in our kitchen! The arti-cle really captured what Angel Funddoes and the objectives of our AngelFoods program. Can you please send afew copies to me at the following ad-dress? Would be greatly appreciated!Thanks again for your well-written arti-cle. Thanks to you, we hope to assistmore culinary entrepreneurs and helpthem grow and maintain their foodbusiness!

Sincerely,Michele TerziBranding Director, Angel Fund

Dear Kosher Spirit,

Ivery much enjoyed your article about the Center forKosher Culinary Arts. What a wonderful opportunity forfrum Jews to learn the culinary arts. I would like to add some-thing to what you wrote, however. You mentioned how culi-nary students who were only able to attend non-kosherprograms, were not only unable to taste the food they pre-pared but that since they were cooking non-kosher food, theirtools automatically became treif and unusable. This is not themain reason why frum Jews are unable to attend non-kosherculinary school. The main reason is that it is written threetimes in the Torah, “You shall not boil a kid in the milk of itsmother.” Our sages derive from this thrice-repeated mandate,that this verse includes three prohibitions:

1. One may not cook meat and milk together2. One may not eat milk and meat together3. One may not derive benefit from a mixture of meat & milk.

Therefore, we see that even though it is unfortunate that achef’s tools would become treif and they wouldn’t be able toeat from the treif food they’ve made, they are actually prohib-ited to even cook meat and milk together, which is a large partof the required culinary school curriculum.

Sincerely,YG

Dear YG,The prohibition of basar v’cholov (mixing milk and meat) only ap-plies to kosher meat and kosher milk, so the prohibition is not areal problem for a Jewish student in a non-kosher culinaryschool.

Kind Regards, Kosher Spirit

The ~ receives manyletters/emails with kosherquestions...

Dear ~, Does coffee need a “Kosher L’Pesach” hechsher?Rabbi Steigman responds:

Coffee definitely needs a special hechsher forPesach due to the many potential Pesachchallenges.

The first challenge is decaffeinated coffee. One ofthe methods used to decaffeinate the coffee relieson the use of ethyl acetate, which can be derivedfrom chometz.Instant coffee poses another potential problem.

The coffee is normally spray dried, and while mostcoffee facilities own their own spray dryers, somesend out their products to be spray dried at outsidefacilities. These outside facilities could be dryingmany other products, including grain products,which are chometz.In addition, coffee has become quite expensive

and some unscrupulous companies may possiblyhave an incentive to adulterate the coffee with otheringredients, which could be chometz. Some facilitiesthat pack coffee also pack other drinks derived fromgrains. These are not year round concerns, but whenit comes to Pesach (where many people are extra-stringent) they can be a concern. Obviously flavoredcoffees should be avoided for Pesach unless theyhave a special Pesach certification.

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The Coffee or the Cup

Agroup of alumni, highly established intheir careers, got together to visit

their old university professor. Conversa-tion soon turned into complaints aboutstress in work and life. Offering his guestscoffee, the professor went to the kitchenand returned with a large pot of coffeeand an assortment of cups – porcelain,plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking,some expensive, some exquisite – tellingthem to help themselves to the coffee.When all the students had a cup of cof-

fee in hand, the professor said: “If you no-ticed, all the nice looking expensive cupswere taken, leaving behind the plain andcheap ones. While it is normal for you towant only the best for yourselves, that isthe source of your problems and stress. Beassured that the cup itself adds no qualityto the coffee. In most cases it is just moreexpensive and in some cases even hideswhat we drink. What all of you reallywanted was coffee, not the cup, but youconsciously went for the best cups… Andthen you began eyeing each other’s cups.Now consider this: Life is the coffee, the

jobs, money and position in society arethe cups. They are just tools to hold andcontain Life, and the type of cup we havedoes not define, nor change the quality oflife we live. Sometimes, by concentratingonly on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffeeHashem has provided us.”

Hashem brews the coffee, not thecups… Enjoy your coffee! And on Pesachmake sure it’s ~P.

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Ithink back to erev Pesach of a fewshort years ago. Cleaning thehouse amidst a deafening silence.

How I wished for the loud, jubilant,children’s shrieks like the ones com-ing from the homes of my neighbors.How I pined for the noise and chaosof overzealous boys and girls offfrom school and busy with pre-Pe-sach chores. But I was not blessedwith children.Wherever I went there was the

harsh reminder that I was withoutchildren. Supermarkets were espe-cially difficult. Bustling with mothersand their children, or groups of sib-lings. I would quietly observe howthey interacted with each other. Not-ing how it wasn’t easy towing severalyoungsters around while shopping,while being painfully aware of howmuch I would give to be able to dojust that. Yet the most difficult timesfor me were holiday meals and YomTov mornings. While I could alwaysslip out of the grocery store unde-tected, donning my blessed sunglassesto hide the tears forming in the cor-ners of my eyes, at the seder it was al-most impossible to avoid revealingthe sadness that bubbled inside me.It didn’t matter much if we were

at my parents’ house or my in-laws’,or even at a friend’s home; the pity-

ing glances borne outof love and con-cern were ac o n s t a n tcompan -ion. Dur-ing theMah Nish-tana (thefour questionstraditionally asked bythe children at the seder), my husbandand I stared intently at our Haggados,not daring to look up into the smilingeyes of our delighted, curious, proudnieces and nephews. Someone else’schildren. Wherever we’d go, weplayed the roll of the calm, unhurriedcouple who would help set the table,serve and clear – because there wereno little ones demanding our atten-tion. We would sit at the seder tableuninterrupted by crying infants,cranky babies and sleepy toddlers. Iwondered, if I was repeatedly dis-turbed by my precocious little one –while saying the Haggadah, would Ibe as frustrated as my younger sisterseemed to be? Would my husbandnot joyously leave the table to sootheour crying baby in another room? Then I remember; all this was be-

fore Bonei Olam. Before we had theanswers and the help we so desper-

ately sought. My reverie is interrupted by the

cry of our baby girl. I race to pick herup before her cries wake her twinbrother. I relish those rare quiet mo-ments - with each child as the otherstill sleeps. I abandon the cleansersand rags without a second thought.My mother repeatedly tells me,“This house was immaculately cleanfor far too long… it’s time for it todisplay the signs of family life, theclutter and pleasant disarray wherechildren live.”

As I sit with my daughter, I look intoher eyes. I see the miracle of her birth,of her life and very existence. I see all ofmy hopes and dreams and answeredprayers. I see the light at the end of avery long tunnel, dark and winding,full of obstacles and challenge. I see mypast, my present and my future, all atonce. I see Bonei Olam.

Putting the

JOYBack into thePesach Seder

What happens when there’s no one to ask…

By: Bassie Kohen

Bonei Olam is a premiere Jewishorganization that specializes in help-ing couples deal with the challengeof infertility. Bonei Olam works tire-lessly to provide medical, emotionaland financial support to help couplesrealize their dream of having chil-dren of their own.Bonei Olam entered our lives and

turned it around in a matter of days,long before our babies arrived. BoneiOlam infused us with hope, restoredour faith and helped us in waysunimaginable. Bonei Olam movedmountains to get us the best possiblecare in addition to providing us withthe funds to pay for such specializedmedical care. Our problem was a genetic one –

something which came as a com-plete shock. Though the chances ofthis happening were so minute, wewere childless; we had a diagnosiswithout a cure. Our particular casehad stumped our doctors. To ourmedical team we were just a chal-lenge, an otherwise happily marriedcouple closely approaching our tenthanniversary with no hope for a reso-lution to our childlessness. When weencountered Bonei Olam, we weregratified to learn that to Bonei Olamwe were a precious couple in KlalYisroel for whom a small but distinctgroup of people would devote count-less hours, energy and every resourceto help us reach the ultimate goal ofhaving a child of our own. After we met Rabbi Bochner for

the first time, I asked my husband ifhe noticed how much Rabbi Bochnercared, how Rabbi Bochner spoke

with such conviction, such determi-nation to help us. We were totalstrangers! But we quickly realizedthat Bonei Olam is no ordinary or-ganization and that Rabbi Bochnerand his team of volunteers are no or-dinary human beings. RabbiBochner’s personal interest is some-thing we are still in awe of andspeak of often. Appointments werescheduled, some additional testswere run and then – the news wethought would forever elude us: thegenetic mutation that stood betweenus and a healthy child of our ownhad a name. Was it the different doc-tor we had been to see? Of course,he was the best in thefield, but – no, it hadnot been a medicalprofessional per se. Itwas a special task forceat Bonei Olam, the

One in fivemarried couples arefaced withthe challengeof infertility

In 1999, the first Bonei Olambaby was born. BoneiOlam began in Brooklyn as

a financial resource for cou-ples experiencing infertility.Treatments can cost anywherefrom $18,000 to $42,000 pertreatment cycle and many cou-ples must undergo multipletreatment cycles before beingblessed with success. It is notunheard of for couples to re-quire close to $100,000 toachieve their objective.

Bonei Olam currently hasbranches across the UnitedStates as well as in Israel,Canada, Belgium and theUnited Kingdom. Its objectiveis to ease the financial bur-dens of Jewish childless cou-ples wherever they may live.In addition, Bonei Olam hasvolunteers in all Jewish sec-tors, including all Chas-sidishe, Yeshivishe, andLitvishe communities.

Bonei Olam’s team of coun-selors and medical expertsprovide consultations, refer-rals, counseling and an ad-vanced genetics program toassist couples in their quest tobecome parents. Of course,confidentiality is of utmost im-portance to Bonei Olam andevery couple’s privacy isclosely guarded.

Recently, Bonei Olam cele-brated the birth of their

1,415th baby. Though that is aremarkable accomplishment,Bonei Olam will not rest aslong as there are still childlesscouples in our midst.

SPOTLIGHT ON GENE-ARATIONS:

One of the fastest growingand most utilized of BoneiOlam’s new programs is thegenetics program, named“GENE-Arations,” which al-lows couples with genetic con-cerns to have healthy children.

Financial Assistance/Complete Coverage ForFertility Related Genetics Diseases

The Bonei Olam GENE-Aration Project sponsors fi-nancial assistance andcomplete coverage of fertilityrelated genetic diseases vary-ing by individual case. As with

all BoneiOlam serv-ices, GENE-A r a t i o n ’ sgoal is to help couples finan-cially, thereby giving eachcouple a chance at becomingparents of healthy children.

Exclusive GeneticistsFor Bonei Olam

Bonei Olam retains private,licensed geneticists who con-duct research and provide di-agnostic review, referral andresolution. Working alongsidegeneticists whose primarygoal is the consideration andtreatment for Bonei Olam re-duces the standard time in ge-neticist-laboratory-patientcommunications. Geneticistsconduct continued studies intothe discovery and treatment ofinfertility by genetics specifi-cally determining and alienat-

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“We quickly realized that Bonei Olam is no ordinary

organization and that Rabbi Bochner and his team of

volunteers are no ordinary human beings.”

unique project known as GENE-Ara-tions, geared specifically to learning, re-searching and resolving genetics relatedfertility difficulties. There is no suchproject in operation anywhere else inthe world. Bonei Olam has estab-lished a rapport with doctors inter-nationally, all of whom have come torespect this one-of-a-kind organiza-tion and its extraordinary leadership. Within a short while, we were re-

ceiving fertility treatment with thesponsorship of Bonei Olam. This in-cluded many courtesies, includingpersonal calls with Rabbi Bochnerand many of the Bonei Olam crew ofvolunteers. Everything Bonei Olamdid – large or small – was done withsuch meticulous care. Whether itwas related to our medical file or ourfeelings and emotional state of mind,every allowance was made, everygrievance was heard, every com-plaint forgiven with a genuine smileand a love only one Jew can have to-ward another, the kind of caring andwarmth that has made Bonei Olamand Rabbi Bochner so legendary.When we learned the news that wewere expecting healthy babies, we sawa pure, undiluted joy on RabbiBochner’s face, reminding us of thecomment Rabbi Bochner first madewhen he met us, “It will be okay.There’s a solution somewhere and wewill b’ezras Hashem find it.”

Now, as I gaze into my daughter’seyes, I am aware that my son is be-ginning to stir. Soon, he too will de-mand my attention. It’s hard toimagine the silence now; the noise ofnearby children no longer affects me,despite the fact that the babies mayhave slept a bit longer if not for allthe racket.The half-cleaned closet beckons,

yet I linger lost in thought and filledwith completeness and gratitude,which cannot be described withwords. I visualize walking out onYom Tov morning with my babiesside by side, deliriously thankful thatthis year I will be able to look theother passersby in the eye – or in thecarriage, as the case may be. I will bea prodigal Ben Chorin (Son of Free-dom), free of the shackles and chainsof infertility, sadness, andhopelessness. I will be aYiddishe Mammeh andtogether as a family wewill take part in aYom Tov seudah wethought mightnever be possible.This year, whenwe say Hallel(Praise) andBirchas Hama-zon (grace aftermeals), we willgive thanks to

Hashem for Bonei Olam and RabbiBochner, who, as my husbandagreed with me after that very firstmeeting, has a light emanating fromhis face, one that comes from trueAhavas Yisroel (Love for a FellowJew), Ahavas Chesed (Love of Giving),Ahavas Hashem (Love of G-d).This Pesach we will know what

Z’man Simchaseinu (the time of ourrejoicing) really means. ~

ing genetic mutations affectingthe Jewish community.

Genetics Counseling andMedical Treatment

GENE-Arations assists indi-viduals, couples and familiesneeding fertility related ge-netics referral and resources.Taking genetics testing to thenext level, ruling out geneticmutation and potential ge-netic crises in families, BoneiOlam serves the communitytoday and for generations tocome. While standard pre-marital testing provides an

excellent service to the entirecommunity, there are actuallymany more forms of geneticmutation than those typicallytested for.

GENE-Arations BroadSpectrum Services

GENE-Arations employstreatment of genetics relatedfertility issues far beyond com-mon practice. Current servicesinclude genetic and embryotictesting at one facility and re-view at another medical center– thereby utilizing the special-ists and specific specialty of

each medical facility. Transportarrangements and paymentsmade by the GENE-ArationsProject of Bonei Olam is a pro-found method in treatingspecifically the most difficultgenetics issues.

Bonei Olam In-HouseResearch Program

The Bonei Olam GENE-Arations Project conducts fer-tility related genetic researchon premises. Financing pri-vate, licensed geneticists andgenetic team research is an-other example of Bonei Olam

determination and dedicationto its GENE-Arations Project.Bonei Olam GENE-ArationsProject In-House ResearchProgram saves both time andmoney in the long run. Tap-ping into its own resourcescreates awareness both in theorganization and within theextended Bonei Olam com-munity assisting individuals,couples and families dealingwith genetic issues promptlyand accurately. ~

For more informationabout Bonei Olam andupcoming events in yourcommunity, please call718.252.1212.

You may also visit Bonei Olam’s websiteat www.boneiolam.org or emailyhl@boneiolam.org.

www.OK.org • 7

8 • www.OK.org

For months beforePassover, the public isbombarded with ads in

all the Jewish publicationspromising you the “BestPassover Ever” to be enjoyedfrom the most exotic locales towithin commuting distance ofyour workplace. The patronsavail themselves of these pro-

grams for a myriad of reasons,from simply not wishing toundergo the cleaning andcooking that preparing forPassover entails, to their housenot being large enough to con-tain the extended family forthe holiday, to wishing to ex-perience an adventure in aposh, upscale hotel.

Program operators must beginplanning many months beforePassover. Of primary importance isthe hotel itself. Equally important isenlisting a renowned caterer or fa-mous chef as much of this holidayrevolves around food. The entertain-ment is also a big concern for a suc-cessful program. Finally, choosing theproper kosher certifying agency is es-sential, as people are particularly

PesachHotels

What goes into the koshering of

By Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

www.OK.org • 9

scrupulous when dealing withkashrus during Passover.For the supervising agency, being

responsible for the kashrus at a hotelduring Passover is quite challenging.The kashrus protocol must be setway in advance in order to adaptstrict standards to a program wishingto service customers away from pop-ulation centers. Therefore, it requiresextreme experience with the com-plete operations of such programs.Once underway, it is almost impos-sible to improvise.The program director and the ~

schedule a meeting to determine if

the program’s needs can be accom-modated by the hechsher. To be dis-cussed are kashrus standards, numberof mashgichim, and other importantdetails. The kosher certifying agencythen has a representative travel to theproposed location to visualize howthe program will unfold. He inspectsthe kitchens, the cooking equipmentand utensils to be used, the eatingareas, the size of the ballrooms andtheir proximity to the kitchen, andguest rooms (to determine if therecan be a Shabbos elevator which au-tomatically stops on every floor as

well as if the room locks are manual,since key cards cannot be used onShabbos and Yom Tov). Even the rest-rooms need to be inspected for auto-matic features. He also meets withthe kitchen and management staff togauge their level of kashrus under-standing and experience and to edu-cate them on the requirements of thehechsher. He also walks the perimeterof the grounds to get a mental pictureof where the eruv that will encirclethe hotel will be placed. An eruv isneeded to give the guests the option

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of carrying items to and from theirrooms to the outdoor gardens, push-ing baby strollers, etc. as well as toenable the Pesach program to access astationed refrigerated storage truck ifneeded, or to set up a buffet outdoorson Shabbos during the program. In-terestingly, sometimes, having a lo-cation that never hosted a Passoverprogram is helpful as many programsand kosher supervisions operate dif-ferently and the past experiences onthe part of the hotel staff can createconfusion.A critical element of a successful

kosher program is choosing a skilledhead mashgiach or Rav HaMachshir.As guests are understandably con-cerned about the kashrus, this mash-giach acts as a reassurance that thekashrus throughout the program isbeing monitored to the minute de-tail. The head mashgiach is a rabbiwith great experience in the kashrusfield. He must be well versed in thelaws of kashrus regarding milk andmeat, Passover, and the halachos ofShabbos and Yom Tov. In addition, hemust be able to manage personnel,delegate responsibilities, and be agood communicator with the guests,hotel staff and management, and the

people running the program. Just asimportant is selecting a team of qual-ified mashgichim. These young menmust be sincere and responsible.They are carefully screened by the ~for their ability to work together aswell as their basic knowledge of theissues that may arise on Pesach. Asthe mashgichim must function as afinely tuned machine, it is imperativethat they all meet ahead of time withthe program director and chefs. It isnot uncommon to have six, eight oreven ten mashgichim working simul-taneously throughout different partsof the hotel. The next step is ordering supplies

and provisions for the program. Todo this, they must first submit theirmenus and coordinating ingredientlists to the ~ for review and ap-proval. (For example: roasted meatscannot be served for the sedarim, sothe kosher certifying agency needs tomake sure it is not on the menu.)Once approved, the program directorin conjunction with his chef, ordersthe raw materials needed. As kosherfor Passover goods are produced inlimited supply, an individual pro-gram must often receive items weeksin advance of Passover and store

them at the program’s expense (thusadding to the overall cost of the pro-gram). Depending on the expectedclientele, the program will either pro-claim itself non-gebrokts or gebrokts.However, while care can be giventhat no foods are baked, cooked orprepared with matzah, one who re-quires that dishes that come intocontact with matzahmay not be usedcannot fully keep this at a hotel, be-cause while the kitchen atmospherecan be controlled, the guests in thedining areas cannot. A solution tothis difficulty is to eat only from plas-tic tableware or to use brand newflatware and dishes each time youare served. In addition, following thecustom of not using any utensils thatfall to the ground during Passover isalmost impossible to observe in ahotel.As for koshering the hotel for

Passover, sometimes a group ofmashgichim travel to the hotel for aweek during the winter to kosher it,prepare a freezer full of food (sealedunder lock and key) and use theseprovisions during Passover. How-ever, in most instances, the hotel iskoshered several days beforePassover. Sometimes the hotels have

other functions scheduled duringthat period which provides thekosher agency with an extra chal-lenge. For a kitchen to be koshered,all the surfaces of the tables, ovens,stovetop, refrigerators, freezers, deepfryers, braziers, skillets, sinks, stor-age areas, pots, pans, and kettlesneed to be cleaned spotlessly. Manyutensils need to be segregated for 24hours prior to kosherizing. An out-side cleaning service is brought in toclean to the mashgiach’s satisfaction.This alone can take several days andcan be quite overwhelming, even forexperienced mashgichim. Then the mashgichim trained in the

use of blowtorches begin to work.All the surfaces of an item requirekosherizing and are heated to thecorrect temperature. Often the localfire department is notified in advancethat this activity is taking place andmay even be present to deal with theinevitable triggering of fire alarms.The grills and skillets need to bekoshered with a glowing layer of hotcoals. Glassware must be soaked inwater for 24 hours, the water emp-tied and replaced. This process mustbe repeated twice more. Woodensurfaces such as butcher blocks mustbe sanded down. The dishwashersmust be stripped down, meticulouslycleaned and then the internal ther-mostat must be overridden (oftenwith the assistance of a technician)so the cycle can be run with boilingwater. During the koshering period,the entire mashgiach team generallyworks around the clock, all whiledealing with the provisions that arearriving constantly and ensuring thatthey meet the ~ kashrus standards. If the hotel has more than one

kitchen, one can be kashered first toenable the chef to begin cooking. Ofcourse this ties up one or more of the

mashgichim, making them unavailableto kosher the rest of the facility.Sometime during the end of thekashering period begins the vegetablechecking. As Passover requires sev-eral unique produce involving somethat are prone to insect infestation,(such as Romaine lettuce) a large partof a mashgiach’s duties involve wash-ing and checking these vegetablesand herbs. Large sinks and a well-il-luminated area are essential forproper insect inspection.Once Pesach begins, the

mashgichim are faced with a new setof challenges. Sometimes guests willtry to bring their own wine or matzahto the seder meals. While hotel pro-grams frown upon this practice (in-deed many make quite a profitsupplying customers with winespriced above the basic package) themashgichimmust circulate among theguests and respectfully persuadethem that these items are not al-lowed in the eating areas. While, ideally, arranging the

mashgichim into shifts is preferable,this does not occur until after the firsttwo days of Yom Tov as the kitchensliterally operate around the clock.Only once Chol HaMoed begins, canthis shift formation take place. Themashgichim work in shifts of 8-10hours while the head mashgiach isconstantly on call. This year provides an additional

challenge as Passover ends on aThursday night. Many programs areoffering the option of extending yourstay through Shabbos. While challahwill be served at the Shabbosmeals, itwill be bread that was purchased be-fore Passover, frozen and sold, inorder to be available for Shabbos.The switchover will require themashgichim to work from the mo-ment Passover ends to supervise theShabbos preparations. This year the ~ is supervising sev-

eral Passover programs staffed bytop-notch mashgichim. You can be as-sured that while you are enjoyingPassover at one of these programs,the ~ is looking out for your kashrusneeds. As far as the mashgichim areconcerned, it is only after Passoverthat they are able to feel the freedomof Zman Cheiruseinu. ~

www.OK.org • 11

An outside cleaning service is brought in to cleanto the mashgiach’s satisfaction. This alone can takeseveral days and can be quite overwhelming,even for experienced mashgichim.

Reflections12 • www.OK.org

A Klausenberger chossid once calledme up regarding a problem of insect in-festation in a Brooklyn bakery. I lookedinto the matter and sent one of our rab-bis to fix it immediately. While talking to the chossid, I asked

why he called us as the bakery had awell-known “chassidishe” hechsher.

He told me that the previousKlausenberger Rebbe ob’m said, “Youcan rely on Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m,from the ~ to get an accurate answer.”I was proud to be able to fill suchshoes.The ~ has grown leaps and bounds

from my father’s handwritten reports

By Rabbi Don Yoel LevyReflections

5 Nissan is the 21st yarzheit of my father, Rabbi Berel Levy, ob’m.According to Torah, twenty is the age when the Beis Din ShelMa’alah (the heavenly court) can judge a person for his ac-

tions. It is an age of maturity agreed upon by all halachic authorities.Now, on my father’s 21st yarzheit, I sit back and reflect upon my fa-ther’s accomplishments and his actions to benefit the kosher con-sumer. After more than two decades of sitting at the helm of the ~,I can’t help but feel a touch of pride in the growth of the ~ and allof the improvements the ~ has made for the kosher consumer. Myfather took the ~ from a fledgling kashrus agency and built it intoa kashrus powerhouse, and he left it to me, and a team of dedicated,devoted people, to mold the ~ into the internationally recognizedleader in kashrus that it is today.

Reflectionswww.OK.org • 13

to a tech-savvy organization with itsown state-of-the-art custom kashrussoftware. I often wonder how my fa-ther would approach kosher supervi-sion if he were alive today in thecomputer age. However, one point iscertain – he had the foresight to fore-see today’s complex kashrus issues.Two particular issues come to

mind immediately. A few weeks agothere was a meeting of kashrus agen-cies and one of the heads of a largekashrus agency stated that since theMonsey meat debacle nothing hasbeen done to improve the wayfleishig establishments are supervised.The Monsey meat scandal involveda so-called frum owner who wascaught selling non-kosher meat. Un-fortunately, this was not the first caseof such a disaster. It first happened inFlatbush a year earlier, but was dis-guised as a less severe case.Both cases happened as a result of

a failed policy of not requiring a frumowner to have a mashgiach temidiwho has sole control of the kitchenand this policy was not changed as aresult of these two cases. Soon afterthe second misfortune, a big meetingwas held in Boro Park. At that meet-ing, I got up and stated that my fa-ther set an ~ policy over 25 yearsago that no owner can have the keysto access meat storage areas, even ifhe is a frum Jew! I was shocked to seethe resistance by the Chareidi worldto this policy. (See Kosher Spirit Win-ter 2007) Even as recently as last month, in

Hadera, Israel, a caterer with nomashgiach temidi let non-kosher meatinto his catering establishment. Afew days later, in Boro Park, wherethe chareidi hechsherim refuse, on prin-cipal, to require mashgichim temidim,non-kosher hotdogs were served in a“kosher” restaurant on ThirteenthAvenue! From beginning to end, thesituation was one big cover up anddistortion of the facts.Another case that comes to mind

concerns the question of oils trans-ported by ships from the Far East.Over twenty-five years ago, my fa-ther was the first to travel toMalaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and

the Philippines for various kashrus is-sues, including the import of oilsfrom that area. (He was also the firstto visit China for kashrus inspections,but that is a different story.) Afterfinding out that the oils were trans-ported on ships that possibly alsocarried non-kosher oils, he laid thefoundation for the system later per-fected by the ~ after his passing.(See Kosher Spirit, Tishrei and Kislev5768.) After that first visit, we starteddemanding from companies that weverify what was carried in the shipsprior to possible kosher shipments. Ittook some twenty-five years for thekashrus world to wake up and seethat there was an issue with trans-porting kosher products by ship!

Immediately after my father’spassing, I visited Europe and foundthat even though kosher oil wasbeing produced there, there was nosystem of checking the ports or theships for incoming oils. This includedall the various kashrus Badatzim(agencies) from Israel who employedmashgichim full time in all theirkosher plants (doing what?); how-ever, the prior shipping history wasnot checked at all. As a faithful stu-dent of my father, I set up a systemin the two largest port facilities inRotterdam to segregate the kosherand non-kosher lines, pumps andtanks. We also set up a system forbarges. Eventually, a system fortrucking was set up in Europe aswell. This system is still used mostlyby the ~ and we are waiting for (and

welcome) other kashrus organiza-tions to join us.My father was a pioneer when it

came to visiting new facilities. Hisway of giving kosher supervisionwas to visit plants going as far backto the source as possible. If a com-pany was using ingredients from an-other company, he insisted onvisiting the ingredient producer him-self. If the ingredient company usedanother company’s ingredients, hewent as far back to the originalsource as possible. By doing this, heamassed a vast knowledge of kashrusand the status of many ingredientsand products.He was a strong advocate of first-

hand knowledge. Following this pol-icy the ~ still has the uniquestandard of the Rabbinic Coor-dinators who are in charge ofcompanies having firsthandknowledge of the companiesthey administer. This ensuresthe highest standard of kashruspossible as the Rabbinic Coor-dinators have firsthand knowl-edge of the kashrus of theircompanies, rather than being“pencil pushers” or “desktopexecutives”. If a companyneeds assistance with prob-lems, our Rabbinic Coordina-tors have the expert technicalknowledge and intimate fa-

miliarity with the facilities needed toassist them immediately.

My father was always extremelycareful to have as much transparencyas possible and to have one uniformpolicy for all. He was not an advo-cate of dual policies with the excuseof a “grandfather clause” to justify in-consistency. He once said, “There is asaying in Yiddish that you can go farwith the truth, because as soon asyou tell the truth people tell you togo further.” I am proud that today, despite

tremendous growth and innovation,the ~ continues to uphold my fa-ther’s legacy of adhering to the truth,even when it is not the easiest pathto take, ensuring that every productwith the ~ symbol is kosher with-out compromise. ~

14 • www.OK.org

BeansKnowthy

www.OK.org • 15

The basic halachos of Pesach are that one may not eatnor own any chometz (leavened bread) and one must eatmatzah (unleavened bread) on the first night. By defini-tion, both chometz and matzah hail from the five majorgrains: wheat, rye, oats, barley and spelt. Chazal teachus that these grains can become chometz when they fer-ment. The fermentation of all other foods, whether wecall them a “grain” or not, is considered a sirchon (rot)and not chometz. Since matzahmust be made from a ma-terial that has the ability to become chometz, theShulchan Oruch (O.C. 453:1) establishes the rule thatmatzah may only be made out of the five grains and“not out of rice and other types of kitniyos, and thesewill also not become chometz.” The word “kitniyos” isgenerally translated as “legumes” or “beans” but, alas,the use of a name is less than an exact science, as wecan see from the language of the Mechaber, where hecombines “rice and other types of kitniyos” under oneheading. In the context of Pesach, the definition of alegume has thus sprouted to encompass many morespecies and a good deal of controversy.The real concern with kitniyos on Pesach is not based

upon their inability to make matzah, but rather on acustom discussed by some Rishonim regarding avoid-ing their use entirely on Pesach. While it would seem

Of the many minhagim that we are privileged to enjoy on Pesach,the halachic discussion surrounding the concept of kitniyos isespecially fascinating. In truth, the custom itself is somewhat

enigmatic, and its application and permutations could fill many volumes.

fine to eat foods that cannot conceivably becomechometz, these authorities were concerned that kitniyosmight in some way become confused with truechometz. First, cooked porridge and other cookeddishes made from grain and kitniyos appear similar.Second, kitniyos are often grown in fields adjacent tothose in which chometz is grown, and these grains tendto mix together. And third, kitniyos are often groundinto a type of flour that can easily be confused withchometz. For these three reasons, the Rishonim sug-gested that by avoiding kitniyos people would be bet-ter able to avoid chometz. The Vilna Gaon (HagaosHaGra, ibid.) cites a novel source for this custom. TheGemara in Pesachim (40b) notes that Rava objected tothe workers of the Raish Gelusa (the Exilarch) cookinga food called chasisi on Pesach, since it was wont to beconfused with chometz. The Tosefos (ibid.) explains that,according to the Oruch, chasisi are lentils and thus, ar-gues the Gra, establishes the basis for the concern ofkitniyos.

Based on these considerations, the custom of theJews in Europe (Ashkenazim), codified by the Ramah(ibid), was to avoid eating kitniyos. The Jews of Spainand the Middle East (Sefardim), however, follow theopinion of Rav Yosef Karo, and never accepted this cus-

Beansבין תביןBy: Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech

Knowthy

Kitniyos in the Modern World

tom. (Many Sefardim from Morocco andNorthern Africa, however, follow Ashkenaziccustoms regarding kitniyos.) To this day,most Sefardim partake of rice, beans,

maize, and other forms of kitniyos withoutcompunction. It is critical to note, however, that whilekitniyos on Pesach may be an exclusively Ashkenazicconcern, actual chometz added to kitniyos is not. For ex-ample, vitamins are often added to rice, some ofwhich pose serious chometz concerns. Even “corn” (glu-cose) syrup may contain enzymes that come from or-ganisms that are grown on chometz ingredients andglucose syrup from some parts of the world is madefrom wheat starch. Clearly, any kitniyos eaten on Pe-sach is subject to standard Pesach concerns of chometz. It is very important to recognize, however, that even

according to the Ashkenazim, kitniyos itself is definitelynot chometz. The Ramah himself notes this distinctionin several ways. One is allowed to own and derivebenefit from kitniyos, something that is prohibited withtrue chometz. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid, 7) also notesthat one who is ill may eat kitniyos even if his illness isnot life threatening, and therefore most medicines thatcontain only kitniyos may be used on Pesach. One mayalso keep kitniyos in his house on Pesach without con-cern that it may be inadvertently eaten, and one mayuse it for any purpose except eating. Furthermore, ifkitniyos becomes inadvertently mixed into a food, evenon Pesach itself, it is batul b’rov (as opposed to real

chometz, which under certain conditions may neverbecome batul) and the food may be eaten. Although virtually all authorities accept this ap-

proach to kitniyos as the normative halachic basis forthe custom, some authorities ascribe a more signifi-cant source to it. The Chok Yaakov (ibid., s.k. 4) quotesa Hasagos Ha’Ra’avad in the first chapter of HilchosChometz U’Matzah to the effect that although the Ram-bam rules that the “material” may not be true chometz,it may nevertheless become chometz noksheh – “hard”chometz, which is still prohibited as a lo sa’aseh (nega-tive prohibition). Most editions of the Yad Hachazakaindicate the Ra’avad’s remarks as referring to the Ram-bam in Halacha 2, where he rules that flour mixed withfruit juice will never become chometz, and the Ra’avadcomments that it may nevertheless become chometznoksheh. The Chok Yaakov, however, notes that insome editions, this Ra’avad is actually referring to the

first Halacha in the Rambam, where the Rambam writesthat rice and other kitniyos can never become chometz.Were the Ra’avad to be referring to this part of theRambam, he would seem to be indicating that kitniyosmay be indeed pose a concern of chometz noksheh andbe prohibited m’doraisa! (One may bring a slight proofto this position, based upon Tosefos Pesachim 40bnoted above, where they seem to say that kitniyos tendnot to become chometz “as much” as true chometz. SeeMa’Harsha, however, who dismisses this proof.) Inany event, although he makes this observation, theChok Yaakov himself seems to accept the position ofvirtually all other authorities and bases the concerns ofkitniyos upon other factors. As we have noted above, however, the criteria for

determining what is – and what is not – kitniyos is lessclear than the actual custom. Rice and beans are cer-tainly included. However, the Poskim discuss severaltypes of seeds (e.g. “anise” and “kimmel”) that it seemswere prone to being contaminated with kernels ofwheat, and for this reason their use was prohibited.Contemporary authorities question the exact transla-tion of these items, and for that reason many have thecustom to avoid seeds such as caraway, cumin, or fen-nel that are similar to anise and kimmel. Similarly, au-thorities insist that coriander be carefully cleaned,since it is common to find grains of wheat or oatsmixed into this spice. Mustard, according to the

Ramah (O.C. 464:1), should also not beeaten on Pesach. The reason for thiscustom is a bit more obscure, but theTaz (453:1) explains that mustard issimilar to beans in that they bothgrow in pods. In the late 15th century, the cornu-

copia of foods from the New Worldbrought items – such as maize and pota-

toes – to the fore. Both quickly became staples inthe Old World, and although clearly not technicallylegumes, the question arose as to whether they shouldnevertheless be included in the category of kitniyos.Maize is generally considered to be kitniyos, whereaspotatoes are not. Interestingly, the etymology of thenames of these foods may give us some insight intothis dichotomy. While the common name for maize(from the Tahino word “mahis”) is “corn” – and in theUnited States this usage is quite clear – the origin ofthe word “corn” is quite different. The word “corn”can be traced back to the ancient Indo-European word“grn,” which literally meant a small nugget. In Ger-man, this word became “korn” and in Latin, “grain,”both of which include any edible grass seed. In prac-tice, these terms refer to the predominant grain in agiven country. In the Americas, it refers to maize, in

16 • www.OK.org

The criteria for determining what is –

and what is not – kitniyos is less clear

than the actual custom.

Scotland to oats, and in Germany to wheat or rye. In-deed, old English translations of Pharaoh’s insomniacpremonitions refer to “seven sheaves of corn,” whichwas really one of the five grains. Yiddish speakers aresimilarly prone to this confusion, since they often usethe term “korn” to refer to grain. It seems, however,that the popularity of corn – and its resulting assump-tion of this sobriquet – was sufficient for the minhag ofkitniyos to extend to this new “grain.” Potatoes, on the other hand, were never considered

grain, and therefore generally considered to have es-caped the kitniyos categorization. (It is interesting tonote that the Chayei Adam was of the opinion that po-tatoes should indeed be considered kitniyos. Much toour relief, however, this opinion was definitely not ac-cepted.) Note: Rabbi Pinchas Epstein of Eida Hacharei-dis in Yerushalyim, who is of Lithuanian descent,considered potatoes kitniyos and the Eida did not ap-

prove it. When the Minchas Yitzchok, Rabbi Weiss, as-sumed the position of Gavad he accepted potatoes.Many plants, such as soy, peanut, and corn, are

processed into oil, and there is much discussionamongst the poskim as to whether the minhag of kitniyosextends to oil produced from these plants. For this rea-son, many who do not eat peanuts on Pesach will nev-ertheless use peanut oil, since there is anadditional reason to be lenient. Some au-thorities are also of the opinion that rape-seed oil (also known as Canola oil) cansimilarly be permitted, since rapeseeds are farremoved from conventional kitniyos in thatthey are not eaten and were not generally avail-able in previous generations. On the other hand,others contend that since rapeseed is a memberof the mustard family, it should be subject tothe custom cited earlier concerning mustard. In

soybeans

quinoa

kitniyos because Jews before had neverused it! Following the idea that new typesof kitniyos cannot be created, these au-thorities permit all manner of bakedgoods to be made out of this exotic cereal.Others are less sanguine to this point,however, and reason that since quinoa ex-hibits properties classic to kitniyos, itshould be so considered (as is the casewith maize). Others have also pointed outthat quinoa may nevertheless pose a con-cern because it is often processed onequipment that is also used for wheat andother grains. A competent halachic au-thority should therefore be consulted be-fore using quinoa.

The status of different typesof beans is not quite clear. Thegeneral custom is to consider soybeans

kitniyos, and we therefore do not use

soybean oil for Pesach. Peanuts, on the other hand, are a

source of controversy that goes to theheart of kitniyos itself. Rav Moshe Fein-stein zt”l (Igros Moshe, O.C. III: 63) is of theopinion that peanuts are not kitniyos. Hereasons that kitniyos is not a halacha (law)but a minhag (custom). While minhagim

often have the force of halacha, RavMoshe argues that the minhag cannot beextended beyond what was actually in-cluded in the custom. Since peanuts werenot in common use in Europe when theminhag of kitniyos was instituted, there isno halachic basis to extend it to newitems, even if they are arguably identicalto other kitniyos in form and use. Indeed,there are communities that have a customto eat peanuts (and Kosher l’Pesachpeanut butter!) on Pesach. While this maynot be the generally accepted approachof most people, there are certainly amplegrounds on which to rely in this regard.

Some contemporary authorities evencarry this logic one step further. A type ofgrain, from the Andes Mountains, called“quinoa” has recently become popularand had certainly never been considered

peanuts

www.OK.org • 17

addition, it has been determinedthat rapeseeds are commonly con-

taminated with wheat kernels, thusmeeting one of the classic definitions of

kitniyos. The Alter Rebbe specifically forbidsoils derived from kitniyos.Some authorities carry concerns of kitniyos

oil to an even more stringent conclusion. The gener-ally accepted custom in the United States (based upona p’sak of the Tzelemer Rav) is to permit the use of cot-tonseed oil. In addition to the general leniencies relat-ing to oil, cottonseeds are not even edible and thusarguably not subject to being considered kitniyos in thefirst place. However, the Minchas Yitzchok (III:138) andothers bring proof that neither of these arguments iscorrect, and for this reason many people have the cus-tom to avoid using cottonseed oil and content them-selves with olive, walnut or palm oil. (It should benoted that the minhag of the Minchas Yitzchok, whichis followed by his Talmidim and the B’datz EidaHacharedis of Yerushalyim, is to prohibit cottonseed oil.However, the Minchas Yitzchok himself, in a subse-quent Teshuva (IV: 114), seems to be less sanguine onthe matter. He quotes the opinion of Rav Meir Arik inthe Minchas Pitim (Introduction of O.C. 453) thatwould seem to permit this product, and thereforequestions his original prohibition.)Sunflowers are a common source of oil in Eastern

European countries, and some authorities considerthis species to be the type of kitniyos referred to as“shumshmin” (see Marcheshes I:3, who makes the lin-guistic comparison between the name “sunflower” andthe Hebrew word for the sun – “shemesh” – which heassumes to be the source of the name “shumshmin”).

Other authorities, however,question this linguis-tic relationship (thecorrect pronunciationis “sumsimin”, whichis unrelated to theword “shemesh”),and permit theuse of sunfloweroil on Pesach.

Anothercommon useof kitniyos is

in the manufactureof glucose from corn-starch (corn syrup).Although we notedthat some allow theuse of oil from kit-

niyos, most authorities agree that corn syrup has thesame halachic status as the kitniyos cornstarch itselfrather than that of the oil expressed from it. Cornsyrup, and its specialized high fructose version, haslong replaced sugar as the sweetener of choice for usein soda, which would pose a significant problem ofkitniyos on Pesach. Fortunately, this is the “Pesach gen-eration,” and the major soft drink manufactur-ers make special productions of the world’sfavorite beverages for Pesach the oldfashioned way – they use liquid sugar.(Some soft drink aficionados seek out the

Pesach version of the “Real Thing”, since it followsthe original formula by using sugar instead of cornsyrup!) One final point concerning the application of the

rules of kitniyos should be noted. Corn syrup and itsderivatives are often used as the starting point formaking other food chemicals. Citric acid is used as aflavoring agent in candies, jams, and many otherfoods. Erythrobic acid is used to maintain the red colorin pickled and cured meats, and xanthan gum (xan-than gum from Europe is chometz) is used as a thick-ener. Aspartame is used as an artificial sweetener, andenzymes are used to make fruit juice and cheese. Allof these products are routinely produced through fer-mentation and corn glucose, and their Pesach statushas been the subject of much halachic discussion. RavMoshe Feinstein zt”l indeed ruled that the minhag ofkitniyos never extended to such distant relations ofcornstarch, and thus permitted citric acid producedthrough the fermentation of corn glucose. Somekashrus agencies rely on this approach to permit oneor more of the above products, and it is the responsi-bility of the consumer to verify the standards of thecertifying agency with regards to these issues whenpurchasing products for Pesach. As we have seen, issues relating to kitniyos have

burgeoned over the centuries. Foods unknown whenthe concept of kitniyos was instituted have now be-come staples, and modern food science has found amyriad of ways to incorporate them into our foods inunforeseen ways. The halachic underpinnings of suchkitniyos issues are indeed fascinating, and serve as in-teresting grist for the Pesach mill. ~

Foods unknown when the

concept of kitniyos was

instituted have now become staples.

18 • www.OK.org

Rabbi Blech’s new book, Kosher Food Production: Second Edition, hasjust been released and is available for purchase at Jewish bookstores.

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1 quart water

Fish bones (not salmon)

1 onion, cut in smallchunks

2 stalks celery, slicedthickly

1 carrot, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

1-1/4 pound whitefishfillet, ground

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon whitepepper

1-1/2 teaspoons lemonjuice

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons ice water

1-1/2 teaspoons potatostarch

Gefilte Fish

Combine water, fish bones, onion, celery, carrot, and salt in 4-quart saucepan. Bring toa boil; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain. Heat oil in small skillet.Add onions; sauté until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool.In a bowl, combine fish, sautéed onions, egg, salt, pepper, lemon juice, sugar, and water

blended with potato starch. Shape into 5 or 6 oblongs. Arrange a strip of fish skin aroundcenter, if desired. Gently place fish oblongs, one at a time, into fish stock. Gently shakepan to arrange fish. Let simmer, covered, for 1-1/4 hours. Remove fish with slotted spoonto dish. Cover and refrigerate fish and stock separately. To serve, arrange gefilte fish onlettuce. Garnish with carrot curls. Serve with Beet Horseradish. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

PesachRecipe

20 • www.OK.org

The following types of lettuce must be checked according tothe instructions below: ARUGULA, BOSTON LETTUCE,CHICORY, ESCAROLE, GREEN LEAF, ICEBERG,ROMAINE, RED LEAF

1. Separate leaves from the head, opening all foldsand creases. Soak the lettuce in water with kosherl’Pesach dish soap for five minutes, and then rub eachleaf between your fingers. Empty basin by removinglettuce with both hands (holding loosely) in smallbunches and shaking them under the water.

2. Put lettuce in a clean basin of fresh water. Swishvigorously. Repeat this step until there is no foam onthe surface of the water.

3. Rinse each piece of lettuce, one-by-one, under astrong stream of water.

4. Check one-by-one (on both sides) against afluorescent light. A light box is recommended for thisprocedure.

Please do not order any salad mixes containing FRIZEE. If found, removethe frizee, it must be checked the same way as lettuce.

Lettucewashing instructions

www.OK.org • 21

~

KS: Where did you grow up? Where did you go toyeshiva?RHK: I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and learnedin Crown Heights at Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch at 770Eastern Parkway.

KS: What did you do after yeshiva?RHK:After yeshiva, in the summer of 1975, I married mywife Sterna and we lived in Crown Heights. In CrownHeights, I learned in kollel and traveled back and forth toBoston, Massachusetts were I worked as a shochet andhead mashgiach at a chicken shechitawhere I representedRav Zalman Shimon Dvorkin (a”h).

KS: When did you get involved in hashgocha work?RHK: I first got involved in hashgocha work in the mid-1970s when I worked in Boston. Then, in 1979 I was ashochet at a duck farm in Long Island and I also served asthe head mashgiach responsible for the kashrus there.

KS: When did you start working for the ~?RHK: I started working for the ~ in the 1980’s. I was amashgiach for ~ certified companies in the New Yorkarea.

KS: What is your current position at the ~?RHK: I am currently a Rabbinic Coordinator for the ~and I have held that position since 1999. I oversee the

kosher supervision of many ~ certified companiesand I specialize in companies that produce dairy prod-ucts.

KS: What prepared you the most for working at the~?RHK:My nine year stint doing shechita and hashgochaat the duck farm, coupled with the hashgocha workthat I did in the 1980s and 1990s for the ~ and forother agencies, was definitely the best preparation forworking as a Rabbinic Coordinator at the ~.

KS: What is the best thing about working at the ~?RHK: There are many great things about the ~, buttwo stand out most. First, the ~ is unique in that ithas a custom-designed computer system to manageall data, from the rabbis’ observations at inspectionvisits to all of the ingredient and product informationof our certified companies. This computer system en-ables all of our knowledge and data to be sharedamongst our entire network of rabbis, mashgichim andsupport staff to ensure the highest level of kosher su-pervision. Secondly, there is great camaraderie and co-operation amongst the rabbis at the ~. Every rabbican be counted on to share his knowledge and experi-ence with others and work as a team to provide ex-cellent supervision and service.

Interview with Rabbi Hershel

Krinsky

BEHINDWHO’S BEHIND THE ~

MEET OUR STAFF:

22 • www.OK.org

Rabbi Hershel Krinsky

“He is not afraid to speak his mind, and leaves nostone unturned during his investigations of

kosher standards and processes”– Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,

Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification

“ “What Other People SayAbout Rabbi Hershel Krinsky

Over the many years that I have known Rabbi Krin-sky, he has always impressed me with his exactand meticulous approach. He is not afraid to speak hismind, and leaves no stone unturned during his investi-gations of kosher standards and processes. Reb Her-shel has developed expertise in many fields of kashrusand the companies he works with all admire and re-spect him. ~ Kosher prides itself on the very high cal-iber of our Rabbinic Coordinators, and Rabbi Krinskyperfectly exemplifies that standard.

Rabbi Don Yoel Levy,Kashrus Administrator, ~ Kosher Certification

Rabbi Krinsky is very knowledgeable in all areas ofkashrus and can always be relied upon for his ex-pertise. He is studious, always seeks to delve into newdepths of learning, and is always concerned with theneeds of the companies he oversees. Rabbi Krinsky isa pleasure to work with and I am grateful to have him asa colleague.

Rabbi Dovid Steigman,Rabbinic Coordinator, Platinum Accounts

Rabbi Krinsky is extremely thorough in his evalua-tions of certified facilities. It almost seems as thepotential kashrus problems “line up to shake handswith him”! Rabbi Krinsky also has a unique focus anddevotion to solving any issues that come up and he per-severes until the issue is resolved satisfactorily. Rabbi Leizer Teitelbaum,Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

KS: How would you describe the ~today?RHK: Technologically, the ~ is themost advanced kosher certifyingagency and we utilize the latest tech-nology available to ensure koshercompliance and data security. In ad-dition, the ~ is a pioneer in technol-ogy-backed kashrus and always thefirst agency to utilize new technol-ogy.

KS: Can you share a unique expe-rience that you had while workingat the ~?RHK: A few years ago, I did a two-week inspection trip in India and theFar East. During my travels, I wrotea daily log of what I did and the in-teresting things that I saw there(aside from the actual kashrus in-spections) and sent it out to thewhole office staff. I was quiteamazed by the level of airport secu-rity in India. My bags were x-rayed, I was searched numeroustimes by army personnel, my bagswere hand-stamped by officials toshow they were inspected, and I(along with my carry-on luggage)was inspected yet again by armypersonnel after I boarded theplane! Everyone was very in-trigued by my experiences in Indiaand I received numerous com-ments about my adventures. ~

www.OK.org • 23

Rabbi Hershel Krinsky

What in the World?!?Can you figure out what thesezoomed-in images represent?

Answer:Pictures represent the Ten Plagues in Egypt. (correct order is:) 1. Blood, 2. Frogs, 3. Bugs, 4. W

ild Animals, 5.Pestilence, 6. Boils, 7. Hail, 8. Locust, 9. Darkness, 10. Death of the Firstborn.

FUN PAGE

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The last day of Pesach, called Acharon Shel Pesach,is connected to the coming of Moshiach and ismarked by a special meal featuring matzah and

four cups of wine. This meal is called seudas Moshiach.The purpose of having a meal is to translate our intel-lectual knowledge of the Rambam’s ikar of “Anima’amin…b’vias haMoshaich” (I believe…in the com-ing of Moshiach) into a physical action to bring a spir-itual concept into the physical world.This custom of celebrating Moshiach’s seudah, was

instituted by the Ba’al Shem Tov, founder of Chas-sidus. However, the connection between Acharon ShelPesach and Moshiach is enumerated by the third Lubav-itcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. He explains: “Thelast day of Pesach is the conclusion of that whichbegan on the first night of Pesach. The first night ofPesach is our festival commemorating our redemptionfrom Egypt by Hashem. It was the first redemption,carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was thefirst redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day ofPesach is our festival commemorating the final re-demption, when Hashemwill redeem us from the lastexile through our righteous Moshiach, who will be thefinal redeemer. The first day of Pesach is MosheRabbeinu’s festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach’sfestival.”This explanation by the Tzemach Tzedek is not the

only reason that Moshiach’s seudah is celebrated on thelast day of Pesach. According to Chassidus, the last ina sequence is not only significant because of its nu-merical order. The last has its own special function.The camp of Dan, described in the Torah as “ma’asafl’chol hamachanos” (gatherer of all the camps), was thelast group in the procession of Jews that left Egypt.

Rashi explains this as meaning that “The tribe ofDan...would journey last, and whomever would loseanything, they would restore it to him.” Our service of Hashem is comprised of many journeys,

and the conclusion of the service ensures that nothing ismissing from the service, just like Dan, the “gatherer ofall the camps”. As the Tzemach Tzedek explained, Pesachis a Yom Tov of redemption and our service to Hashem isfocused on bringing the final redemption, the GeulahShleimah. In case our service to Hashem was lacking dur-ing the first seven days of Pesach, the final day, AcharonShel Pesach, serves as the “gatherer of all the camps” torectify our service and regain anything we may havelost, spiritually, over the course of the Yom Tov. There-fore, Moshiach’s Seudah, a celebration of the imminentGeulah Shleimah, is the culmination of the service of Pe-sach, the holiday of redemption.The concept of “gatherer of all the camps” does not

only apply to our individual Divine service. It also ap-plies to Klal Yisroel as a group. When the Jews werewandering in the desert, after leaving Egypt and be-fore reaching Eretz Yisroel, they took forty-two jour-neys. Each of the forty-two journeys enabled them toleave behind one of forty-two levels of bondage theyexperienced in Egypt. This entire period alludes to ourcurrent Golus. Just as the Jews who left Egypt jour-neyed in exile until they reached Eretz Yisroel, we arejourneying in exile until Moshiach comes. Our gener-ation, the generation of the footsteps of Moshiach, thelast generation before the Geulah Shleimah, is the“gatherer of all the camps” for all of Klal Yisroel. Wehave the power to rectify any missing portions of ourcollective Divine service and accomplish any lastmitzvos necessary to bring Moshiach. ~

Compiled by Dina Fraenkel

Moshiach’sSEUDAH

Chassidic Insights:

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SOUL NUTRITION

The 613 mitzvos represent thebody – the 248 positive mitzvos

correspond to the 248 limbs of thebody and the 365 negative mitzvos rep-resent the 365 organs. The Pesach sederis the mitzvah of the mouth, as we arecommanded, “V’higadeta le’bincha.Drink the four cups of wine and eatmatzah.” You can see this in the nameof the festival as well – Pesach = peh(mouth) + soch (speaks).

“HaChodesh hazeh lachem” refersto the month of Nissan, as our

Sages say: “In Nissan we were re-deemed and in Nissan we will be re-deemed.” “HaChodesh hazeh lachem” isthe same gematria as “Moshiach bendovid” (424), but one must rememberthat the emphasis is on “lachem” – it’sup to us, it’s in our hands, to bringMoshaich!

How do we know that we startto speak about the laws of Pe-

sach thirty days in advance? In theTorah it is written, “Va’amartem zevachpesach hu.” Zevach can also mean tocut in half – if you cut each letter ofפסח in half, you get מלד. When you re-arrange the letters, you have למד (30),hence, you should speak (Va’amartem)of Pesach 30 days before the festival.

On Pesach

Wine, in moderation, can loweryour bad cholesterol, increase yourgood cholesterol, lower your bloodpressure, increase your bone den-sity, reduce your chances of havingkidney stones and increase yourmemory.

WineFactsResveratrol, a compound foundin red wine, reduces the risk ofdeveloping cataracts.

1 ton of grapes makes about 60cases of wine, which equals 720bottles.

Wine has somany organicchemical com-pounds it is con-sidered morecomplex thanblood serum.

The famous scholar, Rabbi Shlomo benYitzchok (Rashi) was a wine maker inTroyes (in the Champagne valley).

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Where do you see the Four Questions in the Torah?

The essence of the questions are: ,Maror—ומרור ,Matza—ומצה ,Dipping twice—טבילה

Reclining. These add up to 737, which—והסיבהequals: והיה כי ישאלך בנך מחר—When your son will

ask you tomorrow…” (Shemos 13:14).

Rabbis from around theworld began a two-day

kashrus seminar at the~ headquarters in NY.

3/4/09 9:30am

2/24/093:00am 17 seconds

411436

Rabbi Steigman, ~ RabbinicCoordinator, kosherizes Tropicana

plant and starts Passover production.

It is interesting to note that Tropicanawill revert back to their original

packaging beginning with the Passover production

The amount of time ittook the ~ to determineif any products were affected by the Peanut Corp of America recall.

The number of minutes that elapse

between each time an~ mashgiach adds ren-net to a vat of cheddarcheese, for a total of 23times in a 16-hour shift.

The number of miles the RestaurantRabbinic Coordinator traveled by carin one week to make unannouncedspot checks in ~ certified restaurantsin the tri-state area.

Kosherby

the Numbers•

Kosher Without Compromise.

KOSHERCERTIFICATION

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Kosher Spirit, 391 Troy Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213

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