I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Mini-lesson on orthodox Judaism.

It's complicated.  I'm recalling the rules followed by the modern orthodox - which I do know pretty well.  the Hasidic - the guys with the black hats, long side curls, etc.  have most of this, but they have more. 

Anyway, the Torah, which is the sacred scroll that is written in hand on sheepskin, and is present in every synagogue, consists of the 1st five books of the Bible.  The rules set down in the Torah were then interpreted by rabbis and scholars and written up in what is generally known as the Talmud. 

There are more than 600 laws that the orthodox Jew observes.  These include kosher laws, laws for every holiday, things like not answering the phone, turning on electricity, driving on Sabbath or equivalent Jewish holidays. The multiple wife thing is no longer allowed.  However, when a Jewish couple divorces, the woman cannot remarry within Judasim unless she receives a religious divorce, known as a get.  The husband has to give it to her.  So, there's a lot of bribing or pressure put on the husband.  It can get ugly.  Women and men cannot sit together in the synagogue - there's separate seating, often in a balcony, for women.  they cannot dance - think of Fiddler on the Roof. Women are consider unclean for the menstral cycle and have to take a ritual bath one week after it ends before their husband can even touch their hand.

Kosher rules cover much more than just what you can or can't eat.  Any animal eaten has to be killed in a prescribed way.  Have to drain all blood. You cannot eat milk and meat at the same time. You can not eat any milk products for 6 hours after you eat meat.   Have to have 2 sets of dishes, 2 sets of silverwear, whoops, no 4, because you can't eat meat on the same plates as milk, and you have to have another set altogether for Passover.   the word Paerve, means that it is a food that can be eaten with milk or meat.

The orthodox Jews in my family pretty much treat all of these like commandments. 

The one rule - law - that has precedence over everything else is the preservation of life.  You can break any other rule for that.  For example, someone becomes critically ill on the Sabbath.  Generally, driving is not allowed, but you can do it to get the person to a hospital.  Or, you are starving - you can eat non-kosher food to preserve your life.  Or steal a car to get to the hospital.  

Non-orthodox - i.e. conservative or reform Jews have different levels of observance. Exactly what is done depends on the person, the denomination etc. My aunt who is conservative drives faithfully to synagogue every Saturday, does not eat pork or shell fish, but is not strictly kosher.

As I said, complicated.

In my mind, the reason for the kosher thing is not just sanitation - it's to preserve the Jewish identity.  Wine, for example, has to handled exclusively by Jews, from the growing to the processing to the serving in order to be kosher.  You can't really socialize with the non-Jews if you can't eat at their homes or drink their food.

Notself - I LOVED that woman on the Jay Leno show.  Inspiring - and seems so happy.  Really inspiring - and funny.  She sure is sharp - wonder what she was like as a young woman?  Must have been a pistol. 

Blue - since Mad Cow Disease became "known" especially in the UK, all offal ( organ meats) and esp. bone marrow, where the disease is most likely found - it's a prion, a form of protein, NOT killed by heat - which is why eating bone marrow has been a "no, no" for about 20 years.  Also why activists got the "rendering industry" to stop feeding dead animals to beef cows which had been a regular practice for the USA.

I'm a flexatarian, but can't face beef.  Chicken is the base of most of my curry, or stir fry cooking.

LOVE reading Alexandria, YorkieMom, Glenna, Momine so nice to have new friends.

thanks 3M - it's only beef, mainly brain, and bone marrow, but the other beef organs are suspect.  But it IS mostly brain, and bone marrow.

Sadly, the estrogenic chemicals in BGH fed beef, also means the other organs are found to have high residual chemicals.

The best book I've found on the subject, is now avail online:

MadCow: Can the Nightmare Happen Here? by John Stauber , Sheldon Rampton

but don't read it, if you're about to have a beef dinner - unless it's grass fed, organic, hopefully raised locally.

I LOVE HAGGIS.  ;-)))  McSweens in Edinborourgh Scotland, made the haggis sold in Harrods Food Halls.

uhmmm - I think you can see the same thing in sheep, but it's called something different (no NOT mad sheep ) - I'm not able to dredge it up from the depths right now.  Never had haggis.

We buy organic/grass fed beef - which is also what I grew up eating (that and moose).  I will eat beef in restaurants on occasion, but never ever hamburger, as it is my understand that prions can be found not only the brain but also the large nerves - which can end up in hamburger.  I've wondered if some of the cases of alzheimers aren't really mad cow disease.

    Just cook all meat the way I do.......Burn it,that kills all bacteria.     

Very much enjoying the discussions and the Judaism info. Thanks, everyone!



I wish I had something to add other than my "what's up with that?" directed to Christians who selectively live in the old testament while ignoring Jesus's works and exhortations. Ah well, far be it from this semi-Christian-with-atheist-leanings to debate the Bible.



Having a difficult day and evening so I am completely out of sorts. Anybody have any extra sorts lying around?

Cooked meat? Please! Not on the savannah.

((((Scoot))))

"Well done" is my mantra for meat as well. No pink at all.

Mary 

    All I have learned about the Jewish religion (other than comparing Holidays 8-1) I have learned from the author Faye Kellerman.  I dont know much about ANYTHING,however my DH says Im an expert on EVERYTHING!!!  Back to my corner so I can learn.  kad2kar

Looking for sorts for Scootaloo and will send all sorts of sorts directly to you as soon as I find them. Good wishes in the meantime.

Thank you, Lassie! I will be swimming in sorts! Sort of....

Thinking of you, scoot, PM me if you like.

I have plenty of "sorts" though most are "out of it" themselves so I wouldn't recommend them.

yorkiemom,

You are a miracle.  Tell us more.

There is room for all approaches to the unknown and unknowable.

Notself, there is so much I feel and "know." But it is only what we all "know." We all have it inside ourselves. I have semi-accessed it through 35 years of spiritual search. 

I feel so far from where I would like to be in this search. My days are full of mundane things and problems. I can write about what I "know," while I cannot truly live and most often feel it. We are all miracles. We just need to totally understand That Which Is.  We are all spiritual works in progress. 

Then i will nuke the suckers!