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Do objects used in food preparation and foods that have no or little chance of being not kosher really need a hechsher?

Please cite sources, if you can.

Double AA
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user2449
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  • I don't understand your question. No not everything needs a hechsher. Some things do some things don't. Are you looking for a complete list? – Double AA Feb 27 '13 at 21:03
  • @DoubleAA, I think he's looking for a yes or no answer with an explanation, not a list. – Seth J Feb 27 '13 at 21:05
  • @SethJ So if I provide one example of a food that doesn't need a hechsher and one example of a food that does need a hechsher that will completely and satisfactorily answer the question? – Double AA Feb 27 '13 at 21:05
  • I'd think that an example of a commonly used food that doesn't need one and an explanation contrasting it to foods that might be in the same category in some people's minds but do require one, would probably work wonders. I happen to know who user2449 is and we were discussing aspartame. – Seth J Feb 27 '13 at 21:07
  • @SethJ Why the same category? – Double AA Feb 27 '13 at 21:09
  • @DoubleAA, just a suggestion. Comparing plastic bags to meat might be a "duh" kind of answer, unless it's explained more thoroughly than, "duh, plastic is plastic and meat is meat." – Seth J Feb 27 '13 at 21:11
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    http://www.crcweb.org/kosher_articles/milk_and_honey.php – jake Feb 27 '13 at 21:17
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    By the way, user2449, welcome to Mi Yodeya. I hope you enjoy the site. Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. You might also think about adopting a new user name, unless you're particularly fond of the number 2449! :) – Seth J Feb 27 '13 at 21:25

2 Answers2

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Here is one agency's list of what doesn't need a hechsher http://www.star-k.org/cons-appr-no-need.htm

this is one answer about why some apparently hechsher free items might need a hechsher http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/144,2095417/Why-do-supervision-agencies-supervise-products-that-do-not-need-a-hechsher.html

this is about things that get into unsupervised food that don't appear on ingredients labels http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/529218/jewish/Do-packaged-frozen-vegetables-require-kosher-certification.htm

and this article also deals with actual problematic ingredients http://www.aish.com/jl/m/mm/Isnt_Water_Kosher.html

this one discusses relying on ingredients lists http://www.ok.org/Content.asp?ID=116

I know that the OU put out an article about processing and the mashgiach's familiarity with more than just superficial ingredients but I can't find it.

rosends
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Rabbi Yitzchak Abadi, formerly a posek in Lakewood, and currently a Rosh Kollel in Jerusalem, as well as founder of http://www.kashrut.org/. He is of the opinion that Jews should continue in the ways of the Tanaiim in figuring out for themselves whether a food product is kosher or not. Hechsherim are mostly superfluous; it's sufficient to read the ingredients intelligently. He uses his authority to bravely declare that, for example, one may eat a tuna sandwich at any Subway chain, whether under kosher supervision or not, if one follows some simple guidelines. See here, here, and here. In fact, do yourself a favor and browse this website a bit. It's an eye opening experience for most frum Jews whose minds have been cluttered by too many kashruth organizations' acronyms.

http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2007/08/you-dont-have-to-be-apikorus-to-heart.html

Hacham Gabriel
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    Though even he says some things need hechshers – Double AA Feb 27 '13 at 22:56
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    Isn't he basically the only Orthodox rabbi who holds this way? Don't all other poskim rule that all processed foods need a hechsher? On what basis could one choose to hold by the one rabbi who goes against the virtual unanimity of all other rabbis? – Kordovero Feb 28 '13 at 15:07
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    This site's policy isn't to Pasken Halacha Lemaaseh. It's to bring opinions and sources regardless of whether we agree or not and that's exactly what I did. – Hacham Gabriel Aug 21 '13 at 01:35
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    @Shmuel I disagree. Sometimes he is more strict and sometimes he is more lenient. Any posek who does not have that quality is not trustworthy IMO. – Double AA Aug 21 '13 at 04:28
  • @DoubleAA did you ever see his Pesakim in Even HaEzer? Very, very strict. – Hacham Gabriel Aug 21 '13 at 09:06
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    @Kordovero On the basis of asking your rabbi if he holds like him. That is the only way most Jews should be making halachic decisions anyway. – Double AA Jul 31 '15 at 17:45
  • Where is his kollel in Jerusalem? – Yehoshua Nov 03 '16 at 02:11