The “Why”
Why do Jews keep meat and dairy separate?
Because the Torah commands not to cook/eat meat and milk together.
What does it mean when you see an OU, OK, or Star-K symbol on food packaging?
It means the food is certified kosher by a supervising agency.
Why do kosher kitchens usually have two sets of dishes?
To keep dairy and meat separate at all times.
After eating meat, how many hours do most Jews wait before having dairy?
6 hours
what are the 2 ways that a utensil can become fleishig?
either through heat or sharp/spicy foods
why do your actions affect everyone in the dorm?
because if you make a utensil treif, then everyone using that utensil is eating treif
Why isn’t it enough to just “look at the ingredients list” to decide if food is kosher?
Because some ingredients sound harmless but come from non-kosher sources.
What’s one way people mark dishes so they don’t mix them up?
Color-coding dishes, marking with stickers, or keeping them in separate places.
Which category of foods can be eaten with either meat or dairy?
Pareve foods — like fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, etc.
What’s usually more serious: mixing hot dairy with hot meat, or mixing cold dairy with cold meat?
Mixing hot dairy and hot meat is much more serious.
Why do kosher rules sometimes seem stricter than what Torah says clearly?
to prevent us from actually making our food not kosher
Why might even kosher ingredients baked in a non-kosher oven be a problem?
Because the oven itself can absorb non-kosher taste and transfer it to the food.
Why do jews normally have two ovens?
To stop meat and dairy from mixing through steam or smell.
Give an example of a pareve food that can become dairy depending on how it’s cooked or processed.
Example: Pareve cookies baked in a dairy oven without wrapping.
whats the 1st question a Rav would ask if you used a fleishig blender for a milkshake?
what makes the fleishig blender fleishig?
did you blend meat inside?
Why is it important to ask a Rabbi if you’re unsure, instead of just guessing?
Because Rabbis know the halachic details — mistakes can make food treif.
Why should you double-check candy or snacks, even if they look like they should be kosher?
Because candy might have gelatin (from animals) or dairy mixed in.
If lasagna is baked uncovered in a meat oven, why might the oven need to be cleaned before being used again?
Because steam or grease from the lasagna could make the oven “dairy.”
Do we eat fish and meat together, and Why?
NO, We don’t eat fish and meat together — for health reasons.
A hot dairy spoon stirs a pot of chicken soup. What’s the first step before deciding if the pot is okay?
Ask: Was the spoon clean, was the food hot, and how hot was it?
Why does keeping kosher help us bring holiness into our lives?
because when we eat, we make the physical act of eating a spiritual one, elevating the food and connecting us to Hashem.
If you’re at a friend’s house and they offer food, what’s one polite way to handle it if you’re not sure it’s kosher?
Politely thank them, and explain you can only eat food with kosher certification.
Why do people keep separate sponges or dish racks for meat and dairy?
To avoid tiny bits of meat or dairy from getting onto the wrong dishes.
If I cut an onion on the dairy side and want to use it for a turkey sandwich, can I use it if its cold?
No. Because of its acidity, onions are considered "hot" even when raw.
If a clean meat knife is used to cut a cold block of cheese, what should you do with the cheese?
You usually cut off a thin layer from where the knife touched, because the knife can hold absorbed meat taste.