Ask The Rabbi
23 November 1996
Issue #127 (Parshat Vayeitzei)
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This Issue Contains:
1.  Dry Bones and Jell-O (TM)
2.  Answer to Yiddle Riddle
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This issue is dedicated in memory of 
Edward Koppel - Yisrael Isser ben Alexander Koppel (12th Kislev 5729)
by his daughter Cheryl Steinberg and grandchildren Elana Miriam and Yisrael Isser
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     Microsoft Word formats from our web site: http://www.ohr.org.il
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DanPatents@aol.com wrote:

>Dear Rabbi,
>
>Wait a minute.  Did you say [Ask the Rabbi Issue #123] "About oinkers, the
>Torah prohibits eating the flesh only.  The hoofs, hair and bones
>(excluding the marrow), are permitted?????"  Hummmh.  Isn't unkosher
>gelatin made from pigs' hooves?  Then why is it unkosher if it's kosher?
>I always thought nothing edible about the pig was kosher.  Please expand
>on this question.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear DanPatents@aol.com,

Gelatin is made from collagen, an animal protein.  Collagen is extracted
from the skin/bones of cows or pigs.  It's soaked and cooked, then
filtered, refined and evaporated.  The finished product is gelatin.

The Torah prohibits only the meat of unkosher animals, but not the bones,
horns or hoofs.

The Sages, however, forbade any bones, horns or hoofs which contain
moisture.  According to this, food made from unkosher bones is forbidden,
unless the bones were completely dry.

But during the manufacturing of gelatin, the animal extract becomes totally
inedible, such that even a dog will no longer eat it.  Now, food which even
a dog won't eat loses its status as food.  Halachically, it's no different
than stones or dirt which are you allowed to eat!

Based on this, some authorities permit gelatin from unkosher animals, since
during the process the animal extract becomes unfit for even a dog.  Rabbi
Moshe Feinstein, zatzal, rules otherwise.  He writes that although the
animal parts are inedible in the middle of the process, this inedible state
is only temporary.  Since at the end of the process the unkosher bones are
`resurrected' into an edible product, the original prohibition remains.

In the United States, almost all kashrut organizations accept the stricter
opinion and do not endorse gelatin made from unkosher derivatives.

Speaking of animal skins:

Little girl:  Daddy, what is leather made of?
Daddy:  Hide.
Little girl:  What did you say?
Daddy:  Hide, hide! The cow's outside.
Little girl:  But, Daddy, I'm not afraid of the cow!

Sources:
o  Leviticus 11:9
o  Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prohibited Food 4:21
o  Tractate Temura 31
o  Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, Responsa Achiezer vol. 3, 3:5
o  Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Responsa Iggrot Moshe Yoreh De'ah 2:23

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Olorin <olorin@phish.nether.net> wrote:

>What about the skin, can we eat the pig skin?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Olorin:

Pig's skin which is dry and hard is permitted to be eaten.  Therefore if
you check your pig-skin wallet and find no cash for food ... you can eat
the wallet!

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Bob wrote:

>Is gelatin from a kosher animal pareve?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Bob,

During the process of making gelatin, the animal parts become inedible and
lose their status as meat.  Also, they lose any taste of meat.  In theory,
such gelatin would be pareve _ meaning you can eat it with milk.  In
practice, kosher gelatin is usually made of agar-agar _ a plant (seaweed)
derivative.

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Yiddle Riddle

Last week we asked:  Which weekly Parsha is never read (outside of Israel)
on Shabbat afternoon.

Answer:  Parshat Bereshit.  Outside Israel, Simchat Torah always falls on a
weekday.  So the only Shabbat when Parshat Bereshit is read is the
following Shabbat in the morning.  In Israel, however, when Simchat Torah
falls on Shabbat, we read Parshat Bereshit that very same afternoon.
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