Monday 29 July 2013

Kashrus of Scotch

Question: I have noticed that certain Scotch whiskies now have a hechsher on them. Does whisky need a hechsher?
Answer: The poskim agree that ordinary Scotch whisky (whether single malt or blended) which has no mention of any wine casks is perfectly Kosher. The question arises when whisky has been matured in wine casks, such as the Macallan Sherry Oak. R’ Moshe Feinstein famously addresses this issue in 2 responsa: Igros Moshe YD 1:62-63. While the Shulchan Aruch (YD 134:13) forbids drinking a gentile’s beverage when it is customary to add non-Kosher wine to it, R’ Moshe follows the more lenient Rema. Providing the wine is nullified against 6 parts whisky (as opposed to the usual 1:60 ratio), the wine is Kosher. While R’ Moshe advises that a baal nefesh should best avoid such whisky, seemingly he was specifically referring to a scenario where wine had actually been added to whisky. As Scotch Whisky Regulations dictate that Scotch may only contain water, grain yeast and caramel colouring, we can be assured that wine is not added.
Many American poskim are concerned that as the entire sherry (or port, Madeira, etc.) cask is saturated with non-Kosher wine, the wine is no longer battul 1:6 in the whisky. Others, including R’ Akiva Niehaus (Sherry Casks, A Halachic Perspective) argue that R’ Moshe wasn't referring to Scotch, but to American or Canadian whiskey. Accordingly, they forbid Wine Cask Finishes, arguing that the wine adds a recognizable taste to the whisky.
Nonetheless, Rabbanim in the UK (including the London Beis Din) maintain that R’ Moshe’s rulings apply to Scotch, and follow R' Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss’s permissive ruling, too (Minchas Yitzchak 2:28).
Note, that distilleries outside of Scotland (including Ireland) are not bound by the same regulations, and their whiskies may be problematic. Thus one must consult their Kashrus authority.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Repeating Words in Davening

Question: I davened in a shul and the chazan repeated a number of words in chazaras hashatz. Should I have said something to him?

Answer: The Mishna (Berachos 33b) teaches that we must silence one who repeats modim. The Gemara explains that one who does so, appears like they are praying to two authorities, G-d forbid. Likewise, one must not repeat shema (see Shulchan Aruch OC 121:2; 68:9).

The Maharam Schick (OC 31) writes that this prohibition extends to other parts of davening too, giving five reasons for why one must not repeat words, including the transgression of bal tosif, adding onto mitzvos. Adding words can be both lying and a hefsek, an interruption. He adds that the Tur often explains the significance to the number of words in various tefillos (see Tur OC 51; 113; 114; 582).

R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 2:22) stresses that a chazan must not repeat words during chazaras hashatz even when one is not distorting the meaning of the words (see Shemesh Marpei OC 4).

The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 338:8) notes that this issue is an old one and it is difficult to change old habits. Nonetheless, we should be careful not to condemn widespread Jewish practices.

In conclusion, one should avoid repeating words, particularly in berachos and pesukim. Nonetheless, while it may be appropriate for the Rabbi of the shul to speak to the chazan, others should not criticize him.