Jul 14, 2020
Mehadrin Goose Liver Foi Gras on its way to Israel
Israel used to be one of the leading countries in the farming of geese and foi gras. In 2003 the Supreme Court banned it due to the cruelty involved in the process, and in 2006 instructed the Agriculture Ministry to enforce the law after a number of failed appeals.
Until recently, mehadrin goose livers and foi gras could be found in some places - some countries certified it as mehadrin kosher, while other countries would only certify it as kosher but not mehadrin. It commonly has not been found in Israel with a mehadrin hechsher for a long time, if ever, but searching online one can find old reviews of mehadrin restaurants with mention of foi gras on the menu. It definitely has been available in Israel with a Rabbanut, not mehadrin, hechsher, at least years ago.
Kikar is reporting that The Chief Rabbinate has now approved the import of foi gras with a mehadrin hechsher. Kikar calls it an historic decision, as goose liver in Israel has never been certified as mehadrin, but only regular kosher.
According to the article, one of the members of the Chief Rabbinate rabbinic council went to Hungary with a team of experts to inspect the process of the stuffing of the geese. They then returned to put together a plan for importing the mehadrin goose liver, and the Rabbanut has now approved the plan.
According to the Rabbanut, for this to work the importers will have to adhere to some strict guidelines, such as: all aspects of the farming and stuffing of the geese must take place in one location. The type of feed stuffed into the geese must be a feed that is determined to minimize any risk of ripping the esophagus of the geese (such as by cooking the corn feed to soften and dull any sharp edges and not mixing any complete seed into the feed mix). The stuffing of the geese must be performed using a silicone tube with no sharp edges. And obviously mashgichim must be available to supervise the process.
The Rabbanut's guidelines for the pace of the slaughtering is every shochet can slaughter a maximum of 4-5 geese per minute, no more, and the mashgiach must check the point of slaughter after.
This is a major change in policy.
Bon Apetit
Until recently, mehadrin goose livers and foi gras could be found in some places - some countries certified it as mehadrin kosher, while other countries would only certify it as kosher but not mehadrin. It commonly has not been found in Israel with a mehadrin hechsher for a long time, if ever, but searching online one can find old reviews of mehadrin restaurants with mention of foi gras on the menu. It definitely has been available in Israel with a Rabbanut, not mehadrin, hechsher, at least years ago.
Kikar is reporting that The Chief Rabbinate has now approved the import of foi gras with a mehadrin hechsher. Kikar calls it an historic decision, as goose liver in Israel has never been certified as mehadrin, but only regular kosher.
According to the article, one of the members of the Chief Rabbinate rabbinic council went to Hungary with a team of experts to inspect the process of the stuffing of the geese. They then returned to put together a plan for importing the mehadrin goose liver, and the Rabbanut has now approved the plan.
According to the Rabbanut, for this to work the importers will have to adhere to some strict guidelines, such as: all aspects of the farming and stuffing of the geese must take place in one location. The type of feed stuffed into the geese must be a feed that is determined to minimize any risk of ripping the esophagus of the geese (such as by cooking the corn feed to soften and dull any sharp edges and not mixing any complete seed into the feed mix). The stuffing of the geese must be performed using a silicone tube with no sharp edges. And obviously mashgichim must be available to supervise the process.
The Rabbanut's guidelines for the pace of the slaughtering is every shochet can slaughter a maximum of 4-5 geese per minute, no more, and the mashgiach must check the point of slaughter after.
This is a major change in policy.
Bon Apetit
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Apart from tsaar baalei chayim, the force-feed method has serious risks of making the bird a treifa. I believe the Chasam Sofer was against eating foie gras for this reason.
ReplyDeleteI understand they are trying to minimize the risks by these requirements, but frankly if you are makpid on mehadrin, then why are you taking a chance on something that might not be kosher at all?
many more recent rabbonim have said similarly. I think Rav Ovadia Yosef did as well.
Deleteif they can minimize the risks, they are getting rid of that chance just like with any other kashrus issue. And they arent relying on the manufacturer - they are relying no the mashgichim who say it was done properly. I am sure plenty of people wont rely on it, but plenty will. It is percentages.
"Apart from tsaar baalei chayim,"
DeleteLOL-apart from the fact that an issur duraita is involved, can we ezt it?
KT
Whehter it is deoraysa or derabbanan is a machlokes.
DeleteAnd there are poskim, including Rav Elyashiv zt"l, who held there is no issue of tsaar baalei chayim in force feeding geese for foie gras.
Not to mention that the person eating is is not engaged in any act of tsaar baalei chayim -- in this case, it is being done by non-Jewish farmers in Hungary.
In short, the matter is far from simple.
http://www.torahbase.org/%d7%a6%d7%a2%d7%a8-%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%9c%d7%99-%d7%97%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%aa%d7%a9%d7%a4/
DeleteRav Asher Weiss-צער בעלי חיים
Tzaar baalei chaim is a duraita but R’ Weiss provides thirteen possible sources for it. Hashkafically we understand that we imitate HKB”H and are merciful yet we also understand that man and animals are not on the same level.
I never liked the tzaar baalei chaim argument because we know that anything done for tangible human benefit does not get the status of tzaar baalei chaim.
Deletewadr that's a bit of an overstatement IMHO - depending on how you define tangible. Would you allow painful animal testing where a non-animal alternative is available?
Deleteif the animal testing provided a better solution, yes.
DeleteLook at your headline: sounds like אבר מן החי
ReplyDeletelol. fixed. thanks
DeleteFoi is French for faith. Foie means liver.
DeleteIf we're being honest with ourselves, just think about it and all the other changes that we make loopholes for and we can easily see the dangerous downhill path the Jewish people are going. The world is now total sheker and evil!
ReplyDelete