Dietary Laws

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Kosher rules

Land animals must have cloven (split) hooves and must chew the cud.

Seafood must have fins and scales. It is not permitted to eat shellfish.

Birds of prey cannot be consumed. Only clean birds, ie those that do not consume other animals, can be eaten. Poultry is allowed.

Meat and dairy cannot be eaten together, as Exodus says "do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk". For example, this means Jews cannot eat cheeseburgers. Often this rule is extended further, so that people have to wait up to six hours after eating meat before they can eat dairy.

Trefah

Food that is not allowed is called trefah. Examples include shellfish, pork products and food that has not been slaughtered in the correct way. No animals that have died naturally can be eaten.

Animals must have their throats cut with a sharp knife by a shochet, who is a person trained to slaughter animals in a kosher way. The blood must then be drained from the animal. The batte din regulate kosher butchers.