Hamas War

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Kashrut Alert, Buggy Lettuce Question

How many bugs are too many?

Well, first of all, anyone with minimal knowledge of kashrut, Jewish kosher food laws, knows that we are forbidden to eat bugs. That means that if you find bugs, especially in the plural, in your food, or a food you're about to cook, you have to check if there are more, and if the number just keeps growing, throw it out.

On Friday, as I was getting ready for Shabbat, I pulled out the nice, green leafy lettuce my husband had bought. In the package, it looked nice and fresh. It had impressive "Hechsharim," seals of rabbinic approval, and instructions to rinse, just to be safe. I put the leaves in a large bowl, and as soon as the first drops of water hit, I could see fully formed creatures, bugs swimming happily. That was even before I had added my usual salt to chase the more stubborn ones from their hiding places.

A couple of simple rinses later, I realized that there was no way this lettuce was going to be clean enough to eat. I wasn't going to waste anymore precious water or my limited time. We had lots of other salad vegetables in the fridge, and the kuzbara my husband bought was completely clean of bugs. So I trashed the lettuce.

The quantity and variety of bugs of all "ages" made it clear that this lettuce was not for us. It wasn't even about the store's storage conditions, since the leaves were very fresh and pretty.

Contrary to what was printed on the label, the growing process did not prevent bug infestation. It takes longer for the bugs to grow to full adult size than it takes for leaves to wilt and go soggy and disgusting.

Personally, I prefer as much as possible for my fruits and vegetables to be seasonal. Citrus is for winter for example. And also are leafy and flowery vegetables, such as lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli. I can easily live another six months without lettuce. And I think it's actually sinful to waste our precious limited water on cleaning the leaves.

עלי בודק Alei Bodek
Green grown specially to prevent bug infestation, sic 

5 comments:

Mr. Cohen said...

The first chapter of the Biblical Book of Daniel
reveals Daniel refused to eat foods that were
forbidden by the laws of the Torah. In modern
language, Daniel only ate foods that were kosher.

In chapter 1, verse 8, Daniel refused to “contaminate”
himself by eating foods from the table of the Babylonian
King – even though kings ate the highest-quality foods,
and even though those foods were being given to him
for free (as indicated in chapter 1, verse 5).

Isaiah, chapter 66, verse 17, teaches that Jews
who eat the meat of forbidden [non-kosher] animals
will be punished by G*D. Even though this verse
only mentions three specific forbidden animals,
the Midrash Rabah,Seder Naso,
Parshah 12, Paragraph 4, teaches that
this verse is true for ALL animals that
the Torah forbids Jews to eat.

For more information about the teachings
of the Jewish prophets:
=====================================
If Daniel Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-daniel-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
If Isaiah Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-isaiah-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
If Ezekiel Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-ezekiel-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
If Jeremiah Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-jeremiah-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
If Ezra Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-ezra-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
If Nehemiah Were Alive Today:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/04/if-nehemiah-were-alive-today.html

=====================================
Refuting the Fans of Vashti:

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2018/02/refuting-fans-of-vashti.html

Neshama said...

i do not know where it says this, but i heard/read, that insects increase on domestic produce as the transgressions increase. we now have to worry about TOMATOES! this is the latest infestation. Lettuce has always been subject to infestation. I regularly receive organic deliveries and their produce is checked before it is released for delivery. In any event, I always wash and check the water before using. You might try them, mayanvais@gmail.com. Very good items.

Mr. Cohen said...

The New York Times is filled
with anti-Israel bugs and anti-Judaism
bug, but people still continue to buy it:


https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/11/guest-post-how-to-convict-new-york-times.html

https://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/11/guest-post-nyt-erases-israel-from-map.html

http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2016/03/guest-postnyt-vs-israel.html

I never get tired of attacking The New York Times
because The New York Times never gets tired of attacking
the Jewish State, the Jewish People and the Jewish Faith.

Anonymous said...

We should never get tired of boycotting the NY Times. They are reprehensible.

Aside from that, I think this global importing of foods (it's everywhere)is the worst thing ever. When thankfully, every country is producing its own produce, it is wrong to import/export foods. Believe since this has been going on, there is no limit to infestations of bugs, bacteria, etc. Why does one need to eat summer fruits in the winter and vice versa? Everything has, literally, been turned upside down, just creating more problems. Areas of the world where there are droughts, famine; those are the places where they need food imported; otherwise, it just causes problems.

Batya said...

When we made aliyah you could only get fruit and vegetables in season. Also we knew to clean and check everything with soap, salt or vinegar.