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From: mgross@halibut.nosc.mil (Michelle K. Gross)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: Questions.
Message-ID: <16027@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: 26 Sep 90 18:09:02 GMT
References: <1990Sep26.064354.11098@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Sender: shari@wpi.WPI.EDU
Reply-To: mgross@halibut.nosc.mil (Michelle K. Gross)
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
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Approved: shari@wpi.wpi.edu


I do not know a qualified person to pose this question to, so if you do,
please let me know the answer. As I understand it, Moslems are permitted to
use the services from two specialists of the Jewish faith--slaughterers and
circumcisers. I remember this from having grown up in LA and seeing Moslems at
our Kosher (analog of Hallal) butcher stores and hearing from our Mohels
(circumcisers) that they sometimes got calls from Moslems.

Kosher meat must be slaughtered by a trained person, with a knife tested 
for sharpness. The jugular vein (in the neck?) is severed and the animal
is bled. The animal must have been in good health and is supposed to be
in a room where it sees no blood, which might scare it.  The meat must be
sold soon after (I'm not sure what the requirement is). The sciatic nerve
must be removed or, if not, then the tissue surrounding that nerve (ie filet
mignon is out).  The retailer (the butcher) or the purchaser must then salt
the meat to further remove any blood in the tissues.  For the meat to be
considered "glatt," a mashgiach (inspecter) would check the lungs for 
lesions that could indicate sickness. Glatt meat costs more than regular 
kosher meat and is not required. 

Just because someone is Jewish does not mean that they sell kosher meat.
Just because someone sells kosher meat does not mean that is actually is
kosher. Just because someone says that Mashgiach X (Inspecter X) has super-
vised the process, does not mean that the meat is kosher. What we look for
is "reliable" seals of Heshgochah (marks from the Mashgiach). For instance,
Hebrew National Hot Dogs may be made with beef and may say that they are
kosher, but since no Heshgochah is on it, these are not considered reliablely
kosher; Hebrew National Chicken has the Heshgochah (I believe) from the
Union of Orthodox Rabbis, which indicates that inspections of the slaughter-
house are done by an outside agency, so this is considered to be reliabley
kosher.

Now, you might understand  why so many people find it easier just to
become a vegetarian!
--Michelle
mgross@nosc.mil

PS: I pay $1.79/pound for kosher chicken legs at the supermarket. I'm afraid
to look at the prices for non-kosher meat as I suspect they're a lot less.