Going Kosher in 30 Days is a book written by Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, and it gives a simple step-by-step guide for anyone interested living a kosher life. The book covers an array of topics ranging from history and origin of kosher law, shopping kosher, transforming the kitchen into a kosher style, and definitions of various common kosher terms (Goldstein, 2012). The book is a practical guide that has been designed in such a way that it addresses people's concerns such as; how do you go about living a kosher life yet you do not have the experience of living in a kosher home? How do you venture into the guidelines without getting overwhelmed and where do you begin? The author has endeavored to address the worthiness of following and abiding by the guidelines outlined in this text by providing the personal accounts of people who decided to keep kosher lifestyle and how it has transformed their lives.
After reading through the steps that can transform one's life into going kosher, I realized that the bold action I had taken to live a Judaism life was worth it. Throughout the book, the author explains how someone can transform his or her life and live a kosher life which I have found out to have a lot of health benefits. The author begins by taking a practical step to explain to anyone who does not know kosher lifestyle by outlining the kosher principles that at first were not easy to follow but later I understood them and developed them gradually. For instance, before transforming into Judaism, I had been making an assumption that Going Kosher in 30 Days was written to address Judaism, their spiritual beliefs, and teaching people to avoid non-kosher foods (Goldstein, 2012). The philosophical ideas that Goldstein talks about in day three, four, and five addresses the common misconceptions that most people including me used to have. For example, a belief that kosher means that food has to be blessed by a rabbi before eating and also that kosher is all about personal and environmental cleanliness. On the contrary, kosher laws is an explanation of the prudent Yiddish and Hebrew laws that have improved my lifestyle as a human being.
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Designing a kosher kitchen with the 30-day steps illustrated by Goldstein is a complicated process that at first discouraged me as a beginner. However, the book is broken into small tasks spread over 30 days with a practical checklist so that a person avoids omitting essential factors while designing his or her kitchen (Goldstein, 2012). For example, on day nine provides the actual steps to take when transforming the kitchen, and the writer has given a room for day nine events to be completed later in day ten which has simple tasks that may take a short time leaving the rest of the day to spare for completing day nine activities. After accomplishing the steps from day one to day thirty, I realized that the end goal is an actual kosher kitchen which transformed my life into a more Jewish lifestyle that I have come to like.
Personally, Going Kosher in 30 Days is the book that anyone interested in going Jewish and living a kosher life should read. Even though there are many books that have recipes of kosher foods and kosher laws, this book by Goldstein has a comprehensive outline for starters on how to transform one's life into a more productive and healthy kosher lifestyle (Goldstein, 2012). Also, the book gives the economic advantages of following kosher laws which motivated me to transform my life and adopt a more authentic kosher life. Since I converted to a kosher life, I have realized that am spending 75% of the amount of money I used to spend on food while living a non-kosher life. The book outlines the type of food and methods to be followed while preparing the meals so that consumers enjoy the value of their money.
The Laws of Kashrus
The Laws of Kashrus is a book that outlines a set of Jewish religious dietary laws known as Kashrut. As written by Rabbi Binyomin Forst, is a comprehensive study assessing how prepared modern people are to deal with modern appliances that have been brought by technology in our kitchen (Forst, 2000). The book tries to solve modern real-life problems using kashrus laws based on the jurisprudence of Jewish way of living. The book covers halachic concepts that seemed difficult for me to understand because I never had prior knowledge of Kashrut laws. However, based on the dietary concepts explored in the book, I understood why certain animal products such as pork, some insects, some animal products, and shellfish should not be consumed. Binyomin gives scientific evidence through diagrams and charts that explain how certain mammals should be slaughtered and agricultural products be planted and harvested so that people can gain the nutritional value and sustainability of such products. I was able to link some of my Biblical (Leviticus and Deuteronomy) beliefs with what the author warns about animals to be eaten.
There is a close connection between kashrut and kosher because of the former talks about what foods to be eaten and how they should be prepared and eaten while the latter talks about foods that meet the Jewish standards (Forst, 2000). After reading through several chapters of this book, I have cleared the misconception I had that the laws of kashrut are merely primitive health regulations that have been rendered obsolete with the inception of modern, sophisticated methods of food preparation. On the contrary, they have been a transformation of my life due to the health benefits I have obtained from their dietary restrictions. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recognized that the kashrut laws regarding slaughtering of animals follow sanitary standards and it has allowed modern butchers and slaughterhouses to develop them (Forst, 2000). As opposed to my former eating habits, this book has taught me that meat and dairy products were not mixed in kashrut times because if co-administered they interfere with digestion. As a result, I have left my habit of eating cheeseburger which used to give me indigestion problems.
Through a reading of The Laws of Kashrus, I have realized that the author was trying to show readers that kashrut laws were not only for health reasons but also for environmental purposes. For example, a camel is more useful as a source of transporting people and goods in hot and dry areas rather than using it as a source of food, and that is why kashrut laws prohibit camel meat as a source of food (Forst, 2000). Economically, there is no value in consuming an animal product if its food requirements are disproportional to its value as a source of food. In this case, animals such as pigs are uneconomical to use as a source of food. Before converting to Judaism, my father had a pig farm which used to cost us too much in looking after them, and the profit we got from selling them was not too much. My father had left me the farm which I converted into a poultry farm after adopting a Jewish life and am seeing positive outcomes that I never realized for more than five years of pig farming.
By following these rules and restrictions, the writer tells us that it was perceived as holiness and a sign of obedience to God. A more in-depth understanding of these restrictions on types of foods to eat as illustrated by Binyomin has made me realize that kashrut laws had either economical, religious, health, or environmental considerations and not mere rigidity as I used to think (Forst, 2000). I have come to believe that things never happened in the past just for the sake of it; there was a reason for everything that was passed in the past. Even though we disregard most past regulations, some have beneficial advantages that am already enjoying in my life.
Sand and the Stars
Sand and the Stars as written by Yaffa Ganz in collaboration with Berel Wein explores the journey the Jewish people took from the sixteenth century to present. The author examines the extent to which Jews had to go to survive (Wein & Ganz, 2011). The book is divided into two volumes where the first volume covered Jewish history for a period of one thousand four hundred years. The first volume commences with the destruction of the Second Temple and shows the suffering of the Jewish people under Spanish Empire and ends in 1492 when the Jews were expelled from the Spanish Empire. On the other hand, the second volume explores the new era of the Jewish people showing changes in their life that were brought about by freedom (Wein & Ganz, 2011). Even though the story might sound fictional, Yaffa and Wein tried to explain what drove the Jewish people through all the turbulent times and enabled them to stick to their traditions.
The Jewish people believed that their race was unique and chosen by God. For this reason, they always stood for each other and found the strength to protect their heritage through their beliefs (Wein & Ganz, 2011). From this, I have come to learn that believing in myself and seeing myself as unique is the only way I can reach my full potential and achieve things that I feel I cannot. Due to slavery and invasion by Spanish people, the Jewish nation became divided but the few groups that found themselves together always formed unions and tried to observe their traditions and cultural practices.
Reading through the ancient life of this people, I have come to value the power of sticking together and working together. Today, I do not give up easily as I used to do. I remember a times I could just give up my academic work and defer for a whole semester because of the workload from school. But today, I relate my hard work and fighting spirit to the motivation I found from the story of the journey of the Ancient Jewish Empire. After being banished from the Spanish Empire, they came together and built a stronger nation with proper infrastructure, loving environment, and educated people (Wein & Ganz, 2011). Jewish people have been recognized by many historians as the people behind the civilization and success of the Western nations.
The best quote that inspired me in this book is what the Jews believed in; "You must know who we are to know where we want to go and what is the best way to get there." Today I am driven to accomplish great things because I have put a purpose in my life and is inspired by the ambition of becoming the greatest philosopher who will bring a revolution to the whole world and leave a legacy that will live on forever. And I have been able to reach this point by knowing my potentials and believing in myself. The author emphasized that as a business, a person must know why he or she is living and then follow that thing that will push him or her to the next level of life (Wein & Ganz, 2011). He insists that in life, everyone has a purpose of living and it will be unjust for that person to leave earth before accomplishing it. Personally, I have been motivated to actualize my dream of becoming a great philosopher and am hoping I will be able to touch the lives of many.
Aseres HaDibros
Aseres HaDibros is commonly referred to as the Ten Commandments. The book written by Rabbi Daniel Gladstein explores the ten utterances by listing them, explaining what they stand for, and explaining how they were observed in the ancient and present Jewish times (Gladstein, 1981). The first thing I learned from this book is that the ten utterances are linked to each other. The Jewish people believe that the commandments were given to their forefathers led by Moses at Mt. Sinai so that they should guide them and improve their relationship with God and among themselves. According to the author, the Ten Commandments formed the civilization of human race (Gladstein, 1981). By observing the commandments as stipulated in this book, I have noticed that the first four commandments improve my relationship with God while the last six have enabled me to relate better to my peers.
Throughout the text, there are contradictory statements that author explores to explain how the confusion was causing division in the ancient Jewish nation. For example, the sixth commandment states that "You shall not murder" because by violating this commandment it is considered that you are eliminating a creature created in God's image (Gladstein, 1981). However, the Jewish people especially those in leadership positions believed in the saying, an eye for an eye which meant that they had to revenge against neighboring communities that killed its people. The moral dilemma was if the killing of other soldiers in the battle field was justified and if not, then what was the way forward for Jewish people if they were attacked by other neighboring nations? Despite the contradicting relationship between the commandments and the normal day-to-day activities, they are still important in our lives today. In fact, I have decided to observe and live by them due to the importance that every one of it holds in a person's life.
I have realized that the Ten Commandments have both historical and social meaning apart from the religious significance. According to Dennis Prager, the Ten Commandments transformed the whole world and gave people in the past and present a platform to gauge their behavior and activities. Before God gave the ten utterances, the Jewish people had over 600 commandments that they used to observe them. However, the uniqueness of these ten utterances is the fact that they cover all the critical aspects of the previous commandments and they are easier to remember and to observe (Gladstein, 1981). From the commandments, I have felt alive again with a platform where I can base my reasoning and behavior. They have worked as motivation to me because of the promises they carry. For instance, the fifth utterance encourages me to respect my parents because it promises me more days of life if I follow it. The simplicity of the utterances was used to keep them straightforward and easy for anyone to follow. I have come to realize that I was wrong by thinking that the small things I used to do had no major consequences. Personally, I never saw any big deal in giving false information about someone or admiring someone’s property. However, my new life has taught me that such things spoil the good relationship that should prevail between people and God.
Meat and Dairy
Meat and Dairy is an illustrated halachic guide written by Rabbi Ehud Rosenberg to elaborate on the laws of Kashrus that were observed in Judaism by the Jews. Reading through Meat and Dairy, I have noticed that consumption of certain foods and drinks in the Jewish community was subject to certain restrictions which formed the basis for dietary practices that have been adopted by various communities across the globe (Rosenberg, 1991). One of the fundamental kashrut principles is complete separation of meat and dairy products, and I have come to understand that all these regulations were for medical reasons. Dairy products inhibit digestion of meat and vice versa and therefore for someone to gain more nutritional value from these two products is to take them separately after some time. According to Jewish rules, a time-space of up to six hours was appropriate if a person has to consume the dairy products and meat. By following such regulations, I have been able to practice some proper nutritional manners which are not only beneficial to my health but also economical and yet give more health value to my overall being.
Personally, I used to love cheeseburgers, but after reading through Rosenberg's Meat and Dairy novel, I have come to understand that it is unhealthy to combine the two products used to make cheeseburgers. In Judaism, there is a common phrase also found in the Bible that says, "Do not cook a kid and its mother's milk" (Rosenberg, 1991). I remember when I was a kid and we were taught this verse I never took it seriously because I thought is one of those eye-catching phrases supposed to draw the reader's attention. On the contrary, the Jews were forbidding their people from eating or cooking meat and milk in combination. In fact, they were so strict that they made sure every kitchen had separate cooking utensils for meat and dairy products. The child, in this case, is the meat products and the dairy products are the mother's milk according to the author.
According to Rosenberg, I have learned that Jews wanted to teach people to be aware of the things that led to death and those that were meant to promote life. In this context, I have come to learn that milk, just like a mother's milk stood for eternal life, while meat represents the physical body that eventually ends up in death (Rosenberg, 1991). From this concept, I have decided to emulate a system of doing things in an orderly manner by assigning activities to specific times and making sure I accomplish them within the time I have awarded it. I have come up with schedules and timetables that help me to be time conscious which in turn has had a positive impact on my academic life. For example, being able to finish my assignments on time which has reflected in the improvements I have made from the previous examinations.
The Secret of the Jewish Femininity
The Secret of the Jewish Femininity by Tehilla Abramov is a unique book written for women by a woman. It explores various fields of family purity laws and insights of women philosophies. The author has used this book to explain Taharat haMishpacha laws that talk about marriage and the role of a woman in the home (Abramov, 2005). According to her, there are numerous health benefits for women who keep Taharat haMishpacha laws in the union. For instance, it will bring happiness in marriage, create fertility and stop various female diseases such as cervical cancer. Also, women who obey these laws will give birth to healthier children. Although this book provides fictional and relatively primitive reasons, there are logical explanations that women can borrow from this book. For instance, critics will argue that women in the present world are leading a perfect life and happy marriages without following Taharat haMishpacha laws (Abramov, 2005). However, the writer's main point of view that has inspired me is the idea that for home or marriage to be successful there has to be a set of rules or regulations to follow when addressing various matters that arise in the family. While reading this book, I reflected on the various conflicts that used to arise from my extended family over some small issues that we had no set regulations on how to address them. However, that is a thing of the past because I set some rules with the help of my parents which follow at home and I have noticed that they have brought the peace that was not there since my childhood times.
Secondly, there are ways in which women are expected to conduct themselves and carry themselves once they get married. Women in the ancient Jewish nation sacrificed their time and devoted their energy to ensure the success of their families and communities at large. It was the role of women to provide peace, love, and unity was fostered in the homes. Comparing the setting of Jewish society with other ancient communities and the modern society, there are significant differences between the two entities (Abramov, 2005). For instance, we read from historical books how women were discriminated in the culture and considered as less-humans or people who could not make decisions. A good example is an Elizabethan woman in the Ancient England where women were regarded as objects of pleasure, and all they could do was to make sure their husbands were happy. Today, various activist groups are championing for women's rights. Most of the critical factors that they address are things that Jewish societies practiced in the ancient times. I have become an active member of one group on my locality which I support their agendas of fighting for gender equality.
Another thing that cannot go without noticing in this book as Abramov elaborates on the command of humility that women of the ancient Jewish period had when interacting with people of the opposite sex. Women used to dress decently by Judaism specifications (Abramov, 2005). The dresses were such that they never attracted undue attention. If a woman decides to wear a dress or a skirt it was supposed to cover her knees. And the hair was supposed to be covered with a scarf or a hat. The book also suggests that men were supposed to dress decently especially in long trousers. Another important issue addressed in the book that both men and women were supposed to adhere to is that married men and women were not supposed to touch in public, and people of opposite sex that are closely related were prohibited from making any contact (Abramov, 2005).
Looking at these regulations, I found out that if modern people changed their way of living and adopted the Jewish system, then the immoral and unethical behaviors that exist in our society today would not be existing. We live in a society where dressing and inappropriate contact in public are not critical ethical issues for the community to address. However, I have seen the light in my life, and I have transformed my wardrobe into a more decent attire which has made me gain respect from most people I interact with. In fact, I have secured a job with an insurance company for my proper dressing.
The Duties of the Heart
The Duties of the Heart was written by Chovos Halevavos and is divided into ten sections referred to as ‘gates' which address the most significant principles that constitute human spiritual life. The author refers to the ten laws as the treatise, and they include the treatise on unity, examination, service to God, trust, devotion, submission, repentance, examining the soul, abstinence, and commitment to God (Halevavos, 1925). Looking at how well informed these principles are, I have felt like they are the exact definition of living a righteous life. The book has encouraged me to have a positive attitude and be optimistic while facing various privileges and challenges in life such poverty or riches, healthy or sickness, in good times or suffering or hardship periods. I found out that there is more to being religious. My actions and motives define who I am and not my religious stand or beliefs.
In my opinion, this book has a close relation with Aseres HaDibros because both recognize God as the only Supreme Being and that it is through real spirituality that one fulfills God's desires. According to the author, in Judaism, people believed that the world was created by God in the form of a house. The sky resembled the roof of a house, the earth formed the floor, the stars and the sun formed the lamp that gave brightness to the house, and the man was the owner of everything in the house. From this, I realize that God puts us as the caretakers of the earth to use animals, vegetables, and minerals for our survival and the betterment of our life in the world (Halevavos, 1925). I have decided to create a good relationship with God and cultivate it by abiding by the Ten Commandments and obey the ten treatises. As a result, I noticed that most things in my life had started taking a proper direction as opposed to some time back when I had not crossed the bridge to a Judaism way of living.
Reading through this book, I have denounced some things I used to like that do not comply with what God wants such as throwing waste papers on the road and wasting water and electricity. In today's world, it is quite difficult for people to trust one another, people are so full of themselves, and today no one is devoted to serving God abiding by His word (Halevavos, 1925). However, I have come to understand why churches and religious people call upon those who have not received spiritual healing to start believing in God because according to the author, only those devoted in serving God are preparing their ways for reception by the Supreme Being.
References
Abramov, T. (2005). The secret of Jewish femininity: Insights into the practice of Taharat HaMishpachah . Cologne, MN: Taschen Publishers.
Forst, B. (2000). Pitḥe Halakhah: The Laws of Kashrus: a Comprehensive Exposition of Their Underlying Concepts and Applications . Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications.
Gladstein, R. D. (1981). Aseres HaDibros: The Ten Commandments . Brooklyn NY: Mesorah Publications.
Goldstein, R. Z. (2012). Going Kosher in 30 days . Monsey, NY: The Jewish Publishing Group.
Halevavos, C. (1925). Duties of the Heart. New York, NY: Bloch Publishing Company.
Rosenberg, E. (1991). Meat and Dairy: An Illustrated Guide for the Kosher Kitchen (Artscroll Halachah). Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications.
Wein, B. & Ganz, Y. (2011). Patterns in Jewish History: Insights Into the Past, Present, and Future of the Eternal People . New York, NY: The Toby Press/Korean publisher.
