Kosher and Theoretically Kosher

This article originally appeared in the March 11, 2004 edition of the Kosher Nexus. It still applies as much today as it did then.

A magazine devoted to matters of kashrut recently offered the following advice:“Pouring boiling water over every single inch of your stainless steel sink would make it theoretically kosher for passover, but we recommend using a liner in the sink anyway.”

Theoretically kosher for passover? How about totally kosher for passover according to a reasonable (and explicit) reading of halacha?

We don’t get it. Why do they do this? Why do they have to make it so difficult? And most important of all, why can’t they tell the truth?

In another publication we read the following: “There are no trefe ingredients in American beers, but if you drink beer without a hashgacha, you might be drinking trefe.” Come on guys, you can’t have it both ways.

That is their stock in trade: You might, perhaps, maybe, possibly, efshar be eating trefe. Hey you! Yeah, you! Stop the nonsense already. Give us halacha, not mindless posturings.

Another rabbi wrote in his opus that it is forbidden to celebrate birthdays with a cake and candles. O yeah, there is a lot of support for that one in the community.