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Hechsher Tzedek - Is it Kosher?

By Seth Dralle | Comments (6) | Posted on July 9, 2007

The Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism have recently launched a campaign to promote a new kashrut certification called hechsher tzedek (justice certification). This level of hechsher would take into account the treatment of workers at kosher food plants and their safety. One reason this issue has arisen is due to the allegations of the unethical treatment of workers at various kosher food plants in America. The Torah basis for this comes from Deuteronomy 24:14-15,

You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages...lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.

Obviously, this has caused an uproar in the Orthodox world. First, they don't seem too pleased that Conservative/Masorti organizations are meddling with kashrut laws. Orthodoxy by and large does not recognize Conservative Judaism as legitimate. Second, the argument is made that even if there is mistreatment of workers, this does not render food unkosher. It's mixing two different sets of laws in the Torah that do not relate. Such violations of ethical business standards, they allege, should be left to government agencies, not kashrut organizations.

I can see the points of both sides. One the one hand, Torah is Torah. We can't separate mitzvot into separate categories. Even rabbinic law renders food made on Shabbat as unkosher, why not food by those who cheat employees?

But on the other hand, food is food. Would my Hebrew National hotdogs become unclean if I accidentally blurted out a swear word if I burned myself on the grill? Or does the breakfast in my stomach become unclean if I forgot to say Grace After Meals when I was done? It doesn't seem that the kosher status of my food is dependent on ethical perfection.

Despite that, I mostly see the hechsher tzedek as a good thing. The current trend in Conservative and even Reform Synagogues is to return to some level of kashrut observance, and with that, so-called "liberal" ideals of organically-grown, humanely-treated animals, and socially-just labor practices for workers are going to be a big emphasis in their standards of kashrut.

So what do you think? Is hechsher tzedek kosher? Would you support it? How concerned should we be with the treatment of the workers who produce our food? How do you think the Master and the Apostles respond to this modern-day issue of labor issues and kashrut standards?

About the Author: Seth Dralle is the fulfillment and shipping department manager and a research and teaching assistant for FFOZ. He is also a contributor to messiah magazine, the Monthly eRosh and the Torah Club Online Dictionary.

Visitor Comments

B"H

I think another question to consider within the laws of kashrut is the reliability of hechshers from rabbinical organizations who are either 1) guilty of financial corruption such as accepting money in exchange for certification or 2) those who are very lax in their inspection of food processing establishments. Are these hechshers to be accepted as well? What would be the Master's view on these organizations?

***Seth: Good point Brian, I think these fall into the same category as the problems hechsher tzedek is trying to correct. I'm reminded of the Master's admonition against "swallowing camels." Though the Pharisees of the day were straining at gnats, he told them to continue to do so, as long as the weighty matters were not neglected. Ethics and straining gnats were important to Him.***

Posted by: Brian Reed | July 9, 2007 11:32 AM

Seth,

One thing to think about is how the workers deal with their mistreatment. If these workers are living out an orthodox life style or at least observing the dietary laws themselves then I would think they would value the quality of their work, thus not lash out and do something to render the product non-kosher. What if, though, the workers are just a regular Joe that goes to church on Sunday if at all and eats crab legs and hot links. Maybe this person would be more likely to do something to the product to make it non-kosher because he is angry at the employers. Now we have a problem. Shalom, good article.

-Jay

***Seth: Yes, part of the problem is that many of the workers involved in packaging (not the slaughter or inspection) are immigrant workers, thus it is easier to mistreat them. However, it should be said that these are allegations at this point (at least to my knowledge), and that if real violations exist, government labor agencies will take appropriate action. ***

Posted by: Jay | July 9, 2007 12:02 PM

I do think the treatment of the animals and the workers should be something we care about & should factor into our buying decisions. We live in a culture that is very disconnected from our food sources, and sometimes we can only rely on what others tell us about those foods. I can see heshcher tzedak as being helpful in our food buying decision-making process.

Shalom!
Pati in WA

Posted by: Pati in WA | July 9, 2007 2:21 PM

b''h

We make a distinction between the holy and the profane. That is our duty. To define our food simply as 'fit for consumption' we have Torah boundaries that define what is fit and unfit (kosher and treif).
If I have NO knowledge that a product is obtained through unjust means, no guilt is incurred. The status of the product remains unchanged: By simple definition, it is 'fit for consumption'. It is kosher. At the assurance of capable kashrut supervision, an item is to be considered set-apart (holy).

Conversely, if I know a supplier uses unfair practices to obtain our food and with that knowledge I buy the product anyway, then guilt is attributed to me. The guilt incurred is NOT for the kosher food I'm purchasing legally, for I have done well in choosing to consume that which is fit for consumption. Rather, I will have shared in the guilt with the supplier for knowingly supporting their unjust practices by purchasing the product.

It was said, 'Justice, justice shall you PURSUE.' David HaMelech would not even consume water that was brought at the risk of life and limb with all good intention. David knew. The water was still kosher, fit for consumption, yet king David would not drink of it for he would benefit unfairly. Do you see the parallel to our issue? This great king poured out the water before Hashem as an offering. The king poured out kosher water before Hashem. David would not knowingly present what is unfit for offering.~|

***Seth: Good distinction***

Posted by: Caleb | July 9, 2007 3:27 PM

I myself would like to also a concern for the treatment of animals, particularly in the area of kosher slaughter. I see this hechsher a good thing that may challenge the status quo.

Posted by: Toby Janicki | July 10, 2007 8:41 AM

For whatever reason, I know one of the main conservative rabbis that began the hechsher tzedek initiative. The irony is that his congregation has no trouble pronouncing a blessing over a lesbian union. I used to daven there.

So even if I was to accept the notion of an ethic's related hechsher, I would be reluctant to accept the authority of such a hechsher arising from an organization which seems to have lost its own moral compass.

***Seth: Wow, I knew that this initiative originated in Minneapolis, but what a small world! You bring up a good point Daniel. It would seem that even the Conservative movement has its issues with selective mitzva observance.

I think one thing I should clarify in the post is that this is an additional hechsher meant to compliment one that certifies the kosher status of the food. Hechsher tzedek builds off of a kosher hechsher to bring in the social justice perspective.***

Posted by: D. T. Lancaster | July 10, 2007 10:06 AM

We Thank You offers a simple and innovative liturgy for disciples of Yeshua by weaving the ancient meal blessings of Judaism together with recently discovered prayers of the early believers.

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Hechsher Tzedek - Is it Kosher?

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