Is It Kosher?
Sometimes, while kashering meat, questions come up. A chicken might not look perfectly healthy, or some part of it might have been injured or damaged. A question of halacha (Jewish law) is called a shailah, and such questions must be brought to a specially trained rabbi, called a Rav.
This is as true today as it was years ago in Europe and even in America, when a homemaker knew that any time she had a question about a chicken, she should bring it to her local rabbi. He would examine the chicken carefully and tell her the verdict—"kosher" or "not kosher"!
Just as we have to be careful to prepare meat and chicken in a kosher way, we also have to be careful when preparing eggs to eat. Did you ever help your mother crack the eggs for the matzah balls or the noodle kugel? Then you have probably noticed that some eggs have red spots on the yolk. Those are blood spots - and we have to be very careful to avoid eating them. So after you crack an egg, be sure to look at it carefully from all sides in a glass dish. If there's a blood spot, toss it out and try again!
Next week's parsha, Kedoshim, is jam-packed with mitzvot! There's something for everyone... don't miss it! To be continued in next week's Parsha Pizzazz!
