Q&A: Kashrut
Kashrut
Question
Hello, I wanted to know what the proper way to conduct oneself is in matters of kashrut. A. It is known that one witness is believed regarding prohibitions, so why is certification needed, and why is the testimony of the shop owner not enough? (As far as I know, there is no rule of being an interested party in testimony about prohibitions, just as a relative is not disqualified.) B. If certification is needed, how should one choose which certification to rely on? Just as there is a flaw in a shop owner testifying about himself (if indeed there is), there is also a flaw in a kashrut organization testifying about itself, insofar as it is a commercial body. C. Is it possible to rely on what is accepted among the community of Torah scholars, who are stringent as needed? D. If one needs to ask an objective person, then what does one do when two people contradict each other?
Answer
A. This is not a formal question but a practical one: can the person actually be believed or not? So there is no point in entering into a discussion of the Jewish law of a single witness. The question is whether, when a shop owner tells you something about his merchandise, it seems credible to you. If so, then believe him. As a rule, though, that is fairly problematic.
B. That’s a splendid piece of pilpul. By that logic there would be no point in any regulator for anything, because it is just as suspect as those it supervises.
C. Usually yes.
D. Use common sense.
Discussion on Answer
In my opinion, every kashrut organization has a presumption of reliability unless proven otherwise.
A more specific question:
I don’t understand anything about certifications, and I eat anything with Rabbinate certification (aside from a few foods whose kashrut depends on differing communal customs).
If the Rabbi is familiar enough with the matter, is Rabbinate certification sufficient? Are there any products or categories that are exceptions, where one should not rely on the Rabbinate?