Food mixtures – Principles and Concepts

Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah simanim 98 to 119 is the section of the Jewish code of law that deals with mixtures of food. There are many twists and turns in this legal text, and over the next few months I will use this and other blog posts to explore the text. This specific blog post will list out the various principles and concepts as we encounter them in the text.

Terminology related to Jewish law in general

Se'if

this is a subsection within a siman. For example, siman 98 of Yoreh Deah (the section covered by the page that you are now reading) is made up of 9 se'ifim (plural of se'if).

Siman

This is a distinct section of one part of the Shulchan Aruch. You can think of it as a chapter. The word siman itslef in Hebrew means sign.

Terminology specific to food mixtures

Ben yomo

A utensil that was used to cook non-kosher food on the same day as the case now under consideration.

Cancellation (bittul)

Cancellation of the prohibition of a mixture, resulting in the mixture being permitted to the consumer for whom it was originally prohibited. The cancellation can be facilitated by means of one of the following methods:

Calculation of the relative amounts of the issur and the heter
Tasting the mixture on the part of someone to whom the mixture is not prohibited to determine if any elements of the issur are discernible. This method only applies if the mixture is a type of food mixed with food not of its own type (min beshe'aino mino).

Heter

The term means something permitted. In this context, the term refers to food that is permitted to eat under Jewish law.

Issur

The term means something forbidden, and in this context it refers to forbidden food. There are many reasons why a food might be forbidden under Jewish law. A simple example is cheilev, the hard fat around the organs of an animal. Even cheilev from kosher animals such as cows and sheep is forbidden and therefore consititutes issur.

Kebeitzah or Kebei'a

A measure of food that equates to the volume of an egg. This is a larger food measurement. See also the smaller kezayit.

Kezayit

A measure of food that equates to the volume of an olive. This is a smaller food measurement. See also the larger kebeitzah.

Malkut

Punishment for transgressing a negative (Thou shalt not) Torah commandment, consisting of 39 lashes administered by the Beit Din.

Min bemino

A mixture of foods with the same taste. In this case it is not possible to taste the mixture to determine if the forbidden food has given taste to the permitted food. An example of min bemino is neveilah meat in kosher meat.

Min beshe'aino mino

A mixture of foods with different tastes. In this case there are two methods for checking whether the mixture if prohibited: a person to whom the mixture is not prohibited can taste it to determine whether the taste of the forbidden food is discernible, or the ratio of forbidden to permitted food can be determined, and the mixture can be permitted if this ratio is one in 60, or less. An example of min beshe'aino mino is forbidden fat that got mixed up with meat.

Ta'arovet

A food mixture, such as a forbidden food (issur) that got mixed up with a permitted food (heter). For example, terumah that became mixed with chullin. In this case, the prohibition applies to a Yisrael, while both categories are permitted to a Kohen.