HHMI Newsgroup Archives
From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 1997 1:04 AM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: Re: Keeping the dietary laws From: Cheryl Guy To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Hello Hello Eddie, >I have a question for you. Do you believe Y'shua wants us to keep the dietary laws in the Old Covenant? Those that state what is clean and >unclean. Do you believe and does the scriptures state anywhere that believers who are now under the New Covenant should keep those particular >laws? > >Thank you, >Cheryl > In a perfect world today, yes. In the Messianic Age to come, yes. For salvation, no. To have a healthy body, yes. I do not keep the dietary laws as I do not completely know how but I do keep the SPIRIT of the dietary laws by trying to eat healthy and stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. This is the best that I can do for now. When I marry my Chassidic bride to be, that will probably change as she will be the cook in the house and I will better be able to keep the dietary laws. She will know how and she will be able to teach me. Eddie ************************************************************************ ---------- From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Thursday, July 17, 1997 11:51 PM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: Re: Keeping the dietary laws At 01:04 AM 7/16/97 +0000, you wrote: > > From: Cheryl Guy > To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com > > Subject: Hello > > Hello Eddie, >>I have a question for you. Do you believe Y'shua wants us to keep the dietary laws in the Old Covenant? Those that state what is clean and >>unclean. Do you believe and does the scriptures state anywhere that believers who are now under the New Covenant should keep those particular >>laws? >> >>Thank you, >>Cheryl >> > >In a perfect world today, yes. In the Messianic Age to come, yes. For salvation, no. To have a healthy body, yes. > >I do not keep the dietary laws as I do not completely know how but I do keep the SPIRIT of the dietary laws by trying to eat healthy and >stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. This is the best that I can do for now. > >When I marry my Chassidic bride to be, that will probably change as she will be the cook in the house and I will better be able to >keep the dietary laws. She will know how and she will be able to teach me. > >Eddie > >************************************************************************ > > To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com From: Paul Stringer Subject: Re: Keeping the dietary laws Eddie: Do you know of a study of the dietary laws as to what was the cause and the diseases that came from the unclean. what the reasons that G-d told Israel not to eat these items. I would like to know of a book written on the dietary unclean and clean products that was in the old testament and why they were called unclean. We know that some of the items that were not to be eaten was because we have found that they carry d ease in them that is hard to get out and only by very strict cooking or preparing of the item can man eat them with out it effecting there body. Do you know of a study and results that has been written on this subject. ************************************************************************ From: "T.Goriss & L. Fabry" To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Re: Acceptable food Ariel Berkowitz's book "The Genesis Diet" is very good on the food issues. Another excellent book is "God's Key to Health and Happiness by E. Josephson. Changed my thinking. Both books can be ordered from First Fruits of Zion organization. Luana Fabry ************************************************************************ From: "Robert A. Hocker" To: "'heb_roots_chr@geocities.com'"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: RE: Keeping the dietary laws Eddie, In your spare time ;-), could you please comment on Mark 7:19 which seems to indicate that all foods have been pronounced "clean"? Thanks, Rob. From Eddie: ************** Rob, are you sure you meant what you said ... IN YOUR SPARE TIME .... I looked up "spare time" in the English encyclopedia. I couldn't find it. What does it mean? OK, seriously ... In Matthew 5:17, Yeshua/Jesus writes: "THINK NOT that I am come to destroy the law ..." We find in Acts 10 that Peter was still keeping the dietary laws AFTER the resurrection of Yeshua. In Isaiah 66:10, 16-17 it is written: "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her ... for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst EATING SWINE'S FLESH and the ABOMINATION and the mouse shall be consumed together, saith the Lord" The GREATEST commandment is found in Mark 12:30 as it is written: "And you shall LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy HEART ..." In Mark 7:15, 19-21 it is written: "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man ... because it entereth not into his HEART, but into the BELLY and goeth out into the drought purging all meats? And he said, that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from WITHIN, out of the HEART of men, proceed EVIL THOUGHTS .." This teaching of Yeshua/Jesus has been misunderstood by MANY in the Christian world and interpreted to mean that Yeshua/Jesus was doing away with the dietary laws and saying that "all food is clean". The SUBJECT of Mark 7 is WHAT/HOW is a person DEFILED? Yeshua/Jesus gave the explanation that the SOURCE of DEFILEMENT is the HEART. The SOURCE of SIN (which is defilement) is an EVIL HEART. The QUESTION was NOT, "Are the dietary laws still valid" but the question being answered was "what defiles a person". To say the same thing that Yeshua/Jesus was explaining, I am not defiled if I put my hand to the ground and pick up DIRT. DIRT is NOT CLEAN (it makes your hands dirty). Picking up dirt doesn't defile you. What defiles you are those things whose SOURCE in NOT external (like dirt) but is INTERNAL and from the HEART. In Mark 7:19, Yeshua/Jesus explains that food DOESN'T go into the HEART (the real you ... the spirit being) but the BELLY. The HEART is SPIRITUAL. The BELLY is NATURAL. Yeshua/Jesus was saying that our physical body has within it organs that deal with waste that our body doesn't need. Are all foods clean? Have you ever visited a doctor lately or a hospital or read a medical journal? MOST of our health problems can be DIRECTLY linked to what we eat. HEART DISEASE and HIGH CHOLESTROL can be DIRECTLY linked to an unhealthy diet. When we have these conditions, the doctors tell us, "Cut down on eating fatty foods". If fatty foods were "clean" then we wouldn't suffer from health problems. It is only when we think "religiously" that we say that "all foods are clean". After saying all of these and talking about that God has not done away with the dietary laws, I have also stated that I do not keep the LETTER of the dietary laws. In a perfect and ideal world, I would. I believe that I should work toward that goal. In the meantime, the BEST that I can do and I recommend to others is to keep the SPIRIT of the dietary laws which is eat healthy and exercise regularly. Your body will thank you for it and you will live longer. *********************************************************************** heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com wrote: > > From: Cheryl Guy > To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com > > Subject: Hello > > Hello Eddie, > >I have a question for you. Do you believe Y'shua wants us to keep the dietary laws in the Old Covenant? Those that state what is clean > >and unclean. Do you believe and does the scriptures state anywhere that believers who are now under the New Covenant should keep those > >particular laws? > > > >Thank you, > >Cheryl > > > > In a perfect world today, yes. In the Messianic Age to come, yes. For salvation, no. To have a healthy body, yes. > > I do not keep the dietary laws as I do not completely know how but I do keep the SPIRIT of the dietary laws by trying to eat healthy > and stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. This is the best that I can do for now. > > When I marry my Chassidic bride to be, that will probably change as she will be the cook in the house and I will better be able to > keep the dietary laws. She will know how and she will be able to teach me. > > Eddie > > ******************************************************************** > From: Jack Winterbottom To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Re: Keeping the dietary laws I could not resist an e-mail regarding your reply. Does Acts 21 settle the matter? Are Jews to be observant? Gentile Jack P.S. I find the e-mail discussions interesting and have forwarded several of them to my friends. From Eddie: *************** Jack, since Paul defends in Acts 21 that he is a torah-observant Jew, of course he kept the dietary laws. In Acts 26:5, he followed the STRICTEST SECT of the Pharisees and remained being a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5). ************************************************************************* ---------- From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Thursday, July 24, 1997 12:56 AM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: RE: Keeping the dietary laws FL:0 From: James Olin Oden To: "'heb_roots_chr@geocities.com'" <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: RE: Keeping the dietary laws > > I would like to know of a book written on the dietary unclean and clean > products that was in the old testament and why they were called unclean. > We know that some of the items that were not to be eaten was because we have > found that they carry d ease in them that is hard to get out and only by > very strict cooking or preparing of the item can man eat them with out it > effecting there body. Before I began to try to keep the Mitzvot concerning the clean and unclean animals, I often wonder what they meant to the believer in Y'shua HaMashiach (i.e. what was their typology, if any). In other words, I wanted to know what the L-RD was spiritually trying to teach through them, because, as it is written, all Spripture is good for reproof, and doctrine (paraphrase). It was not until I began to actually keep these Mitzvot that I believe the L-RD actually began to give me just a little understanding in this area. This is what I see now. A) The laws are very specific, and have several criteria. B) Some animals meet some of the criteria, but not all of the criteria. For instance the pig though it does have cloven hooves it does not chew the cud. The commandment was not just that it have cloven hooves, but that it also chew the cud. Therefore the pig is unclean. Someone might have stoped at the cloven hooves and said that pig was okay to eat, but then they would only be looking at half of the truth (a half truth is a lie). How often do we come into the same situation in other areas of our life. For instance, many stories that are read to children have good morals. Unfortunately, though, they have include the use of magic in them, and not so as to deplore its use (Acts talks of a sorcerer, but condemns the practice). So then since these stories break the commandments concerning Witchcraft, then even though they give a good moral they are wrong. In otherwords, they are unclean. This same principle may be applied to a multitude of situations in our lives, and it stems from the teaching of the clean and unclean animals. This is why Shaul could lift out of this chapter out of the context of clean and unclean animals: Be holy as I am holy and apply it to our everyday lives. James Olin Oden From Eddie: ************** James, Hallelujah! You have just grasped the SPIRIT of the Torah. It is the TEACH us about MESSIAH and the SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES of the Kingdom of God. Without this understanding, keeping the Torah does not have the same effect in our lives but rather instead starts to become legalistic and unbalanced observance. If we understand how these things teach about Messiah and God's Kingdom then everything that we do in keeping the commandments of God REINFORCES and makes us REMEMBER these SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES in our daily walk with Messiah. ********************************************************************** From: James Olin Oden To: "'heb_roots_chr@geocities.com'"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: RE: Keeping the dietary laws > >From: "T.Goriss & L. Fabry" >To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com >Subject: Re: Acceptable food > > >Ariel Berkowitz's book "The Genesis Diet" is very good on the food issues. Another excellent book is "God's Key to Health and Happiness >by E. Josephson. Changed my thinking. Both books can be ordered from First Fruits of Zion organization. > >Luana Fabry > >Ariel Berkowitz's book "The Genesis Diet" is very good on the food issues > Actually this book is by Dr. Gordan Tessler. I believe, though I could be wrong, Ariel Berkowitz had something to do (perhaps wrote) "Torah Rediscovered". Shalom...James *********************************************************************** To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Re: Keeping the dietary laws From: (Jonathan K. Landon) Eddie: I think you did a bit of a blooper, in teaching that the ideal discipline of believers in Yeshua would include keeping kasrut. Cheryl Guy: I ask you to consider the following passages from Scripture, and whether they are consistent with the whole context of Scripture. Acts 15:28-29 clearly states what part of the law is expected to apply universally to all believers in Yeshua. 1. Abstain from food sacrificed to idols... 2. from blood... 3. from the meat of strangled animals... 4. from sexual immorality. From Eddie: ************** Jonathan, You seem to misunderstand the CONTEXT of Acts 15. The ISSUE was does the non-Jew need to keep the Torah to be saved ??? In Acts 15:8-11, Peter testifies that God justifies BOTH the Jew and non-Jew by FAITH in MESSIAH. Then, the issue become what is the role of the Torah in the life of the non-Jewish believer? These things that you mentioned are STARTING POINTS regarding Torah observance and to REQUIRE MORE for a new non-Jewish believer in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah is the context of Acts 15:28-29 as it is written: "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things. That ye abstaind from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, you shall do well, fare ye well" IF this was ALL the obligation for the non-Jew, then God WOULD NOT REQUIRE ALL non-Jews to keep the Feast of Tabernacles during the Messianic Age (Zechariah 14:16-17). He wouldn't REQUIRE ALL FLESH to keep the sabbath and new moon during the days of the "new heaven and new earth" (Isaiah 66:22-23). When examining Acts 15, Christians ALMOST ALWAYS skip Acts 15:21 as it is written: "For Moses of old time has in every city THEM THAT PREACH HIM being read in the SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY". In other words, the non-Jew should start easy and light being new believers in Messiah. Then as they learn more about the Torah "Moses being read in the synagogues every sabbath day" (as the Jew and non-Jewish believer BOTH worshipped in the synagogue at this time), the non-Jew would be able to keep more and more of the Torah. To make this requirement of keeping all aspects of the Torah UP FRONT would be a "burden" to the non-Jew not versed in keeping Torah. This is what the Holy Spirit was saying in Acts 15:28. As I have stated on this newsgroup earlier, I am not at the place yet where I STRICTLY keep the dietary laws. But, I do recognize that they are Biblical and given by God and I as a non-Jew should strive to make this a goal in my walk with Messiah and try to do the best that I can do and at the minimum follow the SPIRIT of the clean and unclean foods if I can't follow the LETTER of the commandment. From Jonathan: ****************** Taken literally, the prohibitions are clear. When I try to exegete the reason behind these prohibitions, it makes sense that all of the first three prohibitions are directly related to participation in the worship of idols. Like the Jews, pagans slaughtered animals in their temples for sacrifices. Like the Jews, as part of their worship, they consumed portions of the meat which had been sacrificed. Like the Jews, they considered the blood to be literally a vital part of the sacrifice, since it represented the substance of the life of the animal. Unlike the Jews, they would often consume part of the blood as part of the worship, in the same way as they ate the meat of the sacrifice. Unlike the Jews, it was common practice for the animal which was to be sacrificed to be slaughtered by strangulation, probably to preserve the blood for sacrifice and consumption. In fact this is a awkward and difficult way to kill an animal, and probably only an animal which had been sacrificed to an idol would have been strangled. Therefore prohibiting meat which has been strangled is really only a repetition of the prohibition against meat which had been sacrificed. This conclusion is reinforced by the writing of Rav Shaul, 1 Corinthians 8:4-13, where he says that "an idol is nothing at all in the world, and there is no God but one...But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol...but food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do....Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge EATING IN AN IDOL'S TEMPLE, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge..." Rav Shaul was present at the Council of Jerusalem, and did not go to Corinth until after the counsel, and presumably did not write the epistle to the Corinthians until after he left Corinth. Clearly he knew what the Council of Jerusalem by the guidance of the Holy Spirit had ruled and why. Rav Shaul makes it very clear that the objection isn't necessarily even actual participation in the worship of idols, but the APPEARANCE of participation in the worship of idols. (See also 1 Cor 10: 27-33) There is no reason in Acts, or anywhere else in the NT to contend that the intent of that passage was anything other than keeping the Gentile believers from actual or apparent worship of idols. It certainly did not include all the laws of kasrut, most of which are "fences around fences," and not Biblical anyway. So why the prohibition against sexual immorality? Well, throughout the whole Bible, OT and NT, it is clear that sexuality is given to be celebrated as a component of marriage, and that the marriage relationship is intended to be a teaching model of the relationship between God and humanity. In the OT, idolatry and sexual immorality are constantly being equated. 1. As God is in authority over humanity (and the whole world), and humanity is to be in submission to God, so there is to be an appropriate authority relationship and submission in marriage. 2. As God is faithful to us in love, so we are to be faithful to Him in love, and refrain from following after other so-called gods. Likewise a husband and wife are to be faithful to one another, and refrain from sharing that which is to be exclusively for the spouse with one outside the marriage. 3. As God loves us with a self-sacrificing love, so we are to prefer our spouses over ourselves, and lovingly give ourselves for and to our spouses. 4. As God created us to direct our love and devotion toward Him, so he created men and women to have an exclusive and appropriate love and devotion to one another, and that devotion is not to be directed to another than our spouse. 5. Because the Holy Spirit is resident in us, sexual sin defiles the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is to be kept holy. Other parallels could definitely be made. So what specific behaviors are prohibited? Depriving one's spouse of sexual love (1 Cor 7:3-5, actually this one is advice, not a commandment); Divorce (except under specific circumstances) (1 Cor 7:10-15); marriage to an unbeliever (except when one partner became a believer after the marriage) (1 Cor 7:12-15); Joining oneself sexually with a prostitute (1 Cor 6:15-16); Prostituting oneself (1 Cor 6:9); Homosexuality (1 Cor 6:9); "self abuse" (Some think that's supposed to mean sado-masochism, some think that's masturbation) (The term is not used in the NIV, but it's there in the Greek, and is translated literally in the KJV, in 1 Cor 6:9-10); Fornication (1 Cor 6:9) KJV, rendered as "sexual immorality" in NIV (i.e. premarital sex); Adultery (1 Cor 6:9) (i.e. extramarital sex); It is reasonable that some others might be included, given the principles that "those who have lusted after a woman have committed adultery with her in their heart" and that one who leads another into a sin has sinned against the one who stumbles. One might reasonably place the following sins in these categories. Dressing so as to stir up lust; Transvestism - as a rebellion against the sexual identity and role God determined for us at our conception, or as an attempt to stir up homosexual lust; Transsexuality (so called "sex change") - for the same reason as transvestism. Pornography (either production or consumption) - because it directs sexual desire at one who is not the spouse of the consumer. These last four (except pornography - I think) are specifically prohibited in the OT, but not specifically mentioned (that I can recall) in the NT. To make a long story short, the text and context makes it clear that it is not a salvation issue or even a moral ideal for Gentile Christians to keep kasrut. Abstinence from foods which are physically harmful (or moderation in regard to those which are harmful in excess) is a matter of stewardship of our bodies, and should be guided by the best available knowledge. Admittedly the actual Biblical guidelines for kosher diets seem in line with science and medicine, but keeping kasrut does not guarantee a healthy diet. Check out a traditional Pesach cookbook and see how many high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods are listed. Adherence to the restrictions of kasrut might be offered by an individual as a sacrifice of self-denial for the glory of God, or God might lead a particular individual to keep kasrut in order to give that person access and credibility to be able to witness to Jews, but those are individual situations, not an ideal for all Gentile Christians. Of course, the issue of whether Jewish believers should keep kasrut is a different question. Jonathan K. Landon From Eddie: *************** FYI, the non-Jewish believers in Yeshua/Jesus as Messiah in the 1st century DID keep the dietary laws as well as the sabbath and the Biblical Festivals. So, they understood that the ruling in Acts 15 did not exclude these things but was a starting point of observance for the non-Jew. After all, the New Covenant is the TORAH written upon our heart. (Jer 31:33). It was written upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit so that we would keep more than just four things. ************************************************************************ From: Neil Walters To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Re: Kosher on a Scale of 0 to 10? Priority: normal Outline: Part 1 - My suggested scale 0-10 for the age old question - Do you keep kosher? Part 2 - Misc Ramblings Part 3 - Websites relating to Kashrut -------------------- Part 1 - My suggested scale 0-10 for the age old question - Do you keep kosher? -------------------- I have been told that you are either Kosher or you are not. But it seems like we could have a "Kosher Scale" from 0 to 10: 0 - Does not honor any Kosher laws 1 - Admits Kosher laws are good, but can't help themselves 2 - Does not eat "the biggies" - swine-flesh & shellfish except not to offend non-observant believers or unless marooned in New Orleans 3 - Never eats "the biggies" - swine-flesh & shellfish This means you always have to ask. Does this meatloaf have any pork in it? What are the appetizers made of? 4 - Carefully reads labels and avoids products containing hidden "biggies" - e.g. lunchmeats, frozen-prepared dinners 5 - Studies to be aware of the hidden items: items such as non-kosher gelatin (made from horse-hooves instead of cow-hooves, it might be that kosher gelatin is not made from bone at all?) Sorry folks - no more marshmallows (it has gelatin) and therefore none of those "Rice Krispie" bars. This also rules out a lot of cheeses - they use pig parts to help set or ferment the cheese. Also, I have heard that many cereals are "vitamin-enriched" with pig-blood. Sorry if this grosses you out. You only learn about these things when you hang around with people who try to be Kosher. 6,7,8 - ??? Other levels - can anyone fill in these gaps? Maybe #6 - Buys only Kosher meat or uses the salting and/or broiling techniques to Kasher the meat at home. Maybe #7 - Doesn't trust labels, only buys fresh fruits & vegetables or food labeled Kosher (the little circle-K or circle-U - called "hechshers" 8 - Never Eats Out (except in Kosher restaurants) (You never know where that butcher knife has been - and you don't know what was cooked on the same grill or in the same oil). Unless you live in New York or Israel - this one eliminates most of us. Maybe this should be at # 5 on the scale? 9 - Does not eat meat and dairy in the same meal 10 - Has two refrigerators and two sets of plates (to keep meat and dairy separate) Let me know what you think of this scale - or if you can help I too often hear the phrase "I keep Biblically kosher". I don't have the evidence, but supposedly most Kosher halacha had been worked out by the time of Yeshua. Thus, is there a distinction between Biblically kosher and Talmudically kosher? Personally, I'm about a four-and-a-half on the above scale. With greater knowledge comes greater obedience. -------------------- Part 2 - Kosher Misc -------------------- Is eating Kosher healthy? Yes and No. As quoted on one of the web sites below, foods that are prepared under kosher supervision are considered more healthy (perhaps less bacteria, contanimination, etc...) . However, many Kosher foods are high-fat cholesterol-city! I also feel responsible for eating a low-fat healthy diet as well. Kashrut Trivia: How does non-dairy creamer relate to our Jewish roots? For those that keep meat and milk separate, that rules out putting milk or cream in the coffee during a meat meal. Thus, some clever person or company came up with the idea of using other (petroleum?) products to simulate the coveted taste. Suggestion: Next time you fly - request a Kosher meal. You'll probably be surprised at the special attention you get. It will come hermetically sealed - and your bread will be "HaMotzi". You are supposed to say the blessing over the bread before you eat it, but you are supposed to wash your hands before saying the blessing. This might be inconvenient, so the blessing has already been said for you. -------------------- Part 3 - Kosher Web Sites -------------------- To learn more about Kashrut (Kosher-ness) - check out these web sites: (note that "il" is the country code for "IsraeL" - so you can know if a site is Israeli if it ends in this code.) http://www.empirekosher.com (a private business, the world's largest kosher poultry processing plant) http://www.kashrut.com (even includes lists of mislabeled products) http://kosher.org/ Check this out, they have a great picture of an American Indian eating a sandwich - and the caption says "You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Kosher food." This site is put together by "Kosher Overseers of America". http://www.primenet.com/~kosher/ Kosher Supervision of America - a news article at this sight states that 8,100 companies make 36,100 Kosher products for 7 million Americans who regularly buy Kosher - resulting in a $3 Billion/year industry. This article states that Muslims and Seven-Day Adventists follow the laws of Kashrut, with Jews accounting for only 19% of Kosher product purchases. Many people "buy Kosher" because it is associated with "because 'Kosher' is identified with quality, health and fine preparation. The sub-page http://www.primenet.com/~kosher/whatis.htm contains a list of the Kosher symbols you may see on many grocery-store products. http://www.koshermall.com A miscellany of Kosher topics, including "Go Kosher!" which tells you how to Kosher your kitchen. Interesting quote: By making your home kosher, any Jew, from anywhere in the world will feel welcome in your home, and by taking this important step, you will also be saying that you wish to identify with the Jewish people, and be a part of their cultural legacy. Also includes some recipes and page http://www.koshermall.com/qanda.htm includes frequently asked questions. http://www.ou.org/kosher/ The Orthodox Union - presents overviews and product alerts (products that may incorrectly be labeled with a hechsher. http://shamash.nysernet.org/kosher/krestquery.html Search for a Kosher Restaurant in your town (Note: the "name" field is not for your name but the restaurant name; leave it blank and search by city or metroplex name). http://www.pswtech.com/~stevenw/jewish/kosher/index.html Steve Weintraub's online class - Kashrut - Theory, Law, and Practice (designed for four three-hour sessions). I have not had time to read this - but it's on my list. He also has Sukkah building instructions (so you can build your own this fall!). http://www.kosher.co.il (by the UKA - United Kashrut Authority, includes "a comprehensive database of everything kosher). Note: I have been to this site several times in the past, but it was not working today (Sunday, July 20th). http://microlib.cc.utexas.edu/ftp/student/cjso/Kosher/kpamphlet.html An online pamphlet written by the Kashrut Committee of the Lubavitch Women's Organization. Neal Walters Hooked on Hebrew - Windows Computer Tutorial http://www.amerisoftinc.com/prod01.htm **************************************************************************