Halal and Kosher

Recently, some of my family engaged in a discussion about Kosher foods. We wondered what is meant by Halal? What is meant by “Kosher?” Are these the same? Do they relate to each other? Are these foods healthier than others? Who “keeps Kosher?”

A couple of wikipedia sites (see footnotes) provide general answers some of these questions, and I urge you to explore them more fully if you’re interested in this topic. “Halal (Arabic:حلال, ḥalāl; means lawful or legal) is a term ... used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law.“ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal Permissible foods exclude pork, blood, carrion, and alcohol; plus “...an animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored (to death), savaged by a beast of prey...” and “Food over which Allah's name is not pronounced.”

Kosher food, on the other hand, is “fit for consumption by Jews according to traditional Jewish law.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher The complex rules are set forth in the Torah. There are three categories of Kosher food – Meat, Dairy and Parve (or neutral). Meat, for example, can only come from mammals which have cloven hooves AND chew their cud. So, pork is forbidden. “Non-kosher birds are listed outright (Deuteronomy 14:12–18).” “Fish must have fins and scales to be kosher (Leviticus 11:9–12). Shellfish and other non-fish water fauna are not kosher.”

Both Islam and Judaism prescribe ritual slaughter methods, which have been called inhumane by some animal rights organizations; and both faiths’ representatives have denied it.

Who “keeps Kosher?” About one-sixth of American Jews maintain the kosher diet. Many Jews observe the Jewish rules governing food preparation and consumption partially, by abstaining from pork or shellfish, or not drinking milk with a meat dish. Some keep kosher at home but will eat in a non-kosher restaurant.

Jews comprise only about 20% of the market for kosher food in the United States. A sizable non-Jewish segment of the population views kosher certification as an indication of wholesomeness. Strict vegetarians, Muslims, Hindus, and people with allergies to dairy foods, consider the kosher-parve designation as an assurance that a food contains no animal-derived ingredients, including milk and all of its derivatives.

Americans have long had some choices of Kosher foods in major supermarkets, and now Halal foods are increasingly available as well. We can expect that to become more widespread, for, in Surah 5:5 of the Holy Qur'an it is written: "The food of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians] is lawful for you [Muslims] as your food is lawful for them." As you say your blessing for/over your next meal, you might want to give thanks for these choices.

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