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From: rib@cord.UUCP (RI Block)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Glatt kosher?
Message-ID: <197@cord.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Sep-85 10:15:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: cord.197
Posted: Tue Sep 10 10:15:57 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Sep-85 06:17:54 EDT
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Disclaimer: I am not qualified to render an authoritative opinion
on kashrut.

Asher Schecter (reproduced below) has given all the technical information.
There is some additional background information that may be useful.
There are many defects that render an animal unfit as trefah,
however, since the majority of such defects are noted in conjunction with the
lungs, most of the checking occurs there.

In Eastern Europe, animals were commonly slaughtered on the owner's
premises, on an as-needed basis.  In an era before widespread refrigeration
and transportation, a trefah on a large animal was an enormous
financial loss because the carcass had minimal salvage value.
There is a direction in practical halacha that when significant loss is at
stake (hefsed merubah), certain otherwise undesirable actions are
considered acceptable.  The custom of manipulating the lungs in the
case of doubtful sirchot is well accepted in most ashkenazi communities
in Europe.

I believe that the Hungarian communities were the first to break
with this, and glatt has spread throughout the American orthodox scene
for some good and some not so good reasons:

1. Hefsed Merubah may not be applicible now that a trefah can be
sold for a resonable price.

2. The reliability (in terms of halacha) of the traditional kosher
distribution chain is suspect.  Because kosher meat looks the same
as non-kosher meat, constant surveilance by reliable (meaning
shomer shabbat, etc.) individuals is required.  While there exist non-glatt
markets of unimpeachable integrity, I have seen many where the
proprietors and workers do not meet this standard.  There is, additionally,
widespread suspicion of large-scale involvement by organized crime
in the traditional kosher distribution chain.

3. A side effect of "glatt" is that meat is soaked and salted
as soon as possible. This not only eliminates problems with the 3-day washing
requirement, but helps to see that the job gets done right.

4. Unfortunately, since many more animals are now considered defective,
the halachik presumption of majority (rov) which allowed other
possible defects to be summarily dismissed, may now be in doubt.

Since animals with sircot were only accepted because of great loss,
fowl were never involved. Nevertheless, the term glatt has been
expanded to mean "reliably kosher" and glatt kosher poultry is sold.
Similarly, in many places, unadorned kosher means "kosher style"
and glatt kosher means, simply kosher.

It goes almost without saying that anyone who plans on "keeping kosher"
needs to feel comfortable with the idea of asking questions of a
COMPETANT authority.  There are, as in all of halacha, many details,
especially in "error-recovery".  Even though many readers of this net
are experts in their own specialties,  there is generally no
sense of shame in asking questions of a hardware or software guru.
For the same reasons, there is no shame in consulting a halachik expert
on this, or any other technical aspect of jewish practice.

Asher's posting follows:
The shulkhan aruch in Yoreh Deah states that if a "sircha" (sort of membrane)
is found on the lung of an animal the whole animal is trefah. Therefore the 
Sefardim only eat from an animal that is "chalak" (smooth, without any sirchas).
The Ramma however bring down a view that if the "sircha" can be removed under
certain circumstances it is also kosher. Those who want to keep away from
any problems however eat "Glatt" (smooth, in yiddush). So Ashkenazim who
follow Ramma can eat non-Glatt kosher but the Ramma himself suggests one to
eat Glatt. For further information see Yoreh Daeh, Hilchot Trefot 33-36.

                                              Asher Schechter