Alef Beis
Hebrew letters Alef and Beis. ABC basics of something. Alef Beis of Hashgocho means basics of supervision.
Basar / Bossor
Refers to meat and any meaty products. Fleishig is the Yiddish equivalent.
Bedikeh
Hebrew - "inspection" or "search". The search the shochet conducts of the internal organs to insure the animal’s fitness for consumption.
Cholov Yisroel
Refers to milk and any dairy product that is produced under constant rabbinical supervision from milking through packaging stages.
Cholov Stam
Milk which meets the official national set of requirements, whose controls are considered sufficient to prevent any mixing of cow's milk with milk from a non-Kosher animal, and therefore considered Kosher. Cholov Stam milk production is not supervised by a rabbi.
Fleishig
Yiddish - "of meat" or “meaty.“ Used to identify meat products, utensils and equipment. One of the three major food groups: meat, dairy and neutral.
Glatt Kosher
Refers to the status of meat, which is determined to be in accordance with the highest standards of Kashrut. Kosher animals that have been properly slaughtered, whose lungs are free of questionable lesions, and whose Kashrut status has never been doubted can be referred to as glatt. Glatt kosher applies to meat from animals, not to poultry or any other food product.
Hechsher
Kosher supervision. Also refers to the copyrighted symbol that appears on a product attesting to its kosher status. Each mark indicates the endorsing rabbinical authority. Currently there are several hundred rabbinical supervision authorities that provide “hechsher” services.
Kashrut / Kashrus
General reference to the subject of kosher food and kosher supervision.
Kosher For Passover
In addition to meeting the year round requirements for kosher, foods must also meet the Passover dietary laws, which prohibit the use of any fermented grain products (Chometz) during the entire Passover holiday. Many of the products that are kosher all year require additional supervision for Passover.
Kosher
Hebrew means "proper" or "fit" for use, particularly when applying to food. Food prepared according to a set of often complicated Rabbinical and Biblical dietary laws, e.g. meat and dairy may not be eaten together, etc.
Koshering /Kashering
To make something (food, utensil, equipment) kosher by using proper procedures prescribed by Jewish Law.
Mashgiach
The person who supervises, inspects, and monitors the production of kosher food.
Matzoh /Matze
Matzoh - unleavened bread eaten at Passover when leavened bread is not permitted. The grain is often used to make balls served in soup.
Milchig
Yiddish - "of milk". Used to identify any dairy product, utensil and equipment One of the three major kosher food groups: meat, dairy and neutral.
Pareve
Refers to “neutral” - a status of kosher food which is not considered either meat, poultry, or dairy, and is prepared on or with “neutral” equipment. One of the three major kosher food groups: meat, dairy and neutral.
Shechita
Hebrew - "slaughtering". Kosher slaughtering of animals.
Shochet / Schoihet
Hebrew - "slaughterer". A person highly skilled in the anatomy of animals and the Laws of Shehita. He is trained in the rituals of slaughter and is allowed to perform shechita.
Shulchon Oruch
The last major codification of Jewish law agreed on by most of the authorities. Written in the mid-16th century by R. Joseph Karo and amended by R.Moses Isserles from
Shuman /Shumon
Hebrew means "fat". The term for fat that is permissible to eat
Stam
Hebrew - "neutral". Describing food that contains neither milk nor meat. "Parve" or innocuous food
Talmud
Compilation of the Oral Law (Mishne) and the original rabbinic ruling on it (Gemoro).
Tahor /Tohor
Hebrew - "pure" or "ritually clean".
Tamei /Tomeh
Hebrew - "impure" or "ritually unclean".
T'refah / Treife / Treiyf
Hebrew from taraf "to tear". Unfit food. The opposite of kosher. Food that would otherwise be kosher can become treyf if certain certain rules of preparation are not followed.
