Jewish & Gentile Grapes ?

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Jewish & Gentile Grapes ? - 8/26/2008 7:58:57 PM

zippz

Posts: 233
Joined: 6/28/2008
From: Chicago IL USA
Status: offline

even though none of it makes much sense to me
i am well aware of what constitutes kosher
but when i ran across this little outline/list
in the food/restaurant review section of the tribune today
i couldn't help but notice one that was totally new to me
(here's a scan and crop of the outline/list from the article)

"Grape products made by non-jews may not be eaten."
does this also translate to...
"Grape products made by non-jews may not be drank." ?
sounds a bit elitist/racist ... no?
can someone please explain this logic/lunacy to me...
what do jews have against gentile grapes ?
and while you're at it...
please also explain the other dietary laws
they may have made sense back in the day they where written
but how do they server any purpose in today's world
other then being a tradition/dogma/superstition ?

_____________________________

“See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil... just Drink wine” ~ CT mantra

Post #: 1

No, it's not elitist or racist, just kosher... - 8/27/2008 7:06:25 AM

SteveG

Posts: 32
Joined: 5/21/2008
Status: offline

Since wine has many ritual uses, the regulations defining kashruth are very specific: to be kosher the wine must either be made by observant (particularly Sabbath-observant) jews, or it may be 'mevushal', which is briefly heated to render it (as I understand it) unfit for irreligious use (which may work the process is apparently not to helpful to the taste!).

Leaving aside the mevushal option, the fact is that wine produced by non-observant jews is just as un-kosher as that produced by gentiles, much as meat produced under the supervision of anyone less than an ordained (and trained) orthodox rabbi will not be strictly kosher.

(in reply to zippz)

Post #: 2

& regarding the rest of the dietary laws... - 8/27/2008 7:15:59 AM

SteveG

Posts: 32
Joined: 5/21/2008
Status: offline

I am hardly qualified to pontificate on the subject, but I would simply observe that if one believes that the kosher laws (just as well as the rest of the Torah, the Ten Commandments, etc.) are G-d's holy prescription for a righteous life, then certainly one must feel compelled to follow them. Their practical use or health-beneficial considerations don't really enter into the picture. The possibility that leading such a relatively (within the context of a largely gentile world) circumscribed life might function as a constant reminder to observant jews of their larger and very specific responsibilities to G-d and to their neighbors would also be a justification.

(in reply to SteveG)

Post #: 3

RE: & regarding the rest of the dietary laws... - 8/27/2008 8:43:19 AM

zippz

Posts: 233
Joined: 6/28/2008
From: Chicago IL USA
Status: offline

interesting...
maybe peer-pressure and competition
also fuel this drive to follow the word of YHVH to a "T"
... keeping up with the Jones' or in this case... keeping up with the Katz
to show who is the most devoted/righteous of the congregation?

the fundamentalist mentality... of all strips and colors...
has a very strong group-think quality... similar to cults and dictatorships
fascinating to note to what extremes people will go
to show/prove their loyalty/commitment/honor
when an absolute authority is omnipresent

_____________________________

“See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil... just Drink wine” ~ CT mantra

(in reply to SteveG)

Post #: 4