Days of Shovavim
The days of “Shovavim” are special days to add kedusha and tahara to our lives and detach ourselves from the tumah of Mitzrayim. Because Hashem chose us as His nation to sanctify and purify us and to separate us from the nations, He forbade us from getting close to and intermarrying with them. Chazal saw how easily connecting with them over food could lead to harm, as the posuk says (שמות ל''ד, ט''ו ) “וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו ,” immediately followed by “ולקחת מבנותיך לבניך והזנו את בניך אחרי אלהיהם .” This illustrates how one aveira leads to another. For this reason, Chazal forbade the bread of non-Jews as well as food cooked by them (בעל צדה לדרך מאמר שני הכלל השלישי פ''א ).
Common Occurrences
Factories throughout the world. Bishul akum is one of the most common issurim kashrus agencies must deal with, as industrial food plants are spread throughout the world in places where Jews do not live. To manufacture a kosher product subject to the issur of bishul akum, it must be ascertained that everything was done by a Jew according to halacha, even if the site is located at a distance that presents a significant challenge.
Non-Jewish workers in a Jewish home. Similarly, it is very common for non-Jewish workers in a Jewish home to assist with food preparation, e.g., a housekeeper who helps with the cooking in the kitchen or a foreign caregiver or aide in the home of an ill or elderly person who cooks for the patient or for themselves using the dishes in the home. In these scenarios too, one must know the halachos and how to ensure everything is being done properly according to halacha.
Restaurants, hotels. Similarly, restaurants and hotels which employ non-Jews to prepare food in the kitchen must ensure that everything complies with bishul Yisroel, especially the beginning of the cooking, which is usually inconveniently timed for the early hours of the morning.
The Issur
Chazal forbade eating food cooked by a non-Jew. Even if all the products are kosher, there are no insects or treif foods, and even all the dishes are kosher with no treif bliyos, the very fact the food was cooked by a non-Jew makes the food assur (משנה ע''ז דף ל''ה ע''ב, שו''ע יו''ד סי' קי''ג ס''א ). However, not all cooking is assur. The only foods subject to this issur are foods for which the cooking has significance attached to it, e.g., food fit for a royal / presidential meal, and food not eaten raw, as will be explained in the coming issue, אי"ה .
Reasons for the Issur
Concern for assur foods. Some Rishonim explain the reason for the issur is because we are concerned the non-Jew might mix in assur foods (רשב''ם הובא בהג' אשר''י, רש''י ע''ז דף ל''ח ע''א ד''ה אלא ).
Intermarriage. However, most Rishonim hold Chazal made a gezeira against bishul akum out of concern for intermarriage. Eating food they cook leads to closeness, and Chazal were concerned closeness would lead to intermarriage (רש''י דף ל''ה ע''ב ד''ה והשלקות, תוס' דך ל''ח ע''א ד''ה אלא, רמב''ם פי''ז מאכ''א ה''ט, ר''ן, ריטב''א דף ל''ז ע''א ועוד ).
No distinctions. Once Chazal made a gezeira against bishul akum, whatever the reason, they did not make distinctions between cases. Thus, even if the reason for the issur does not apply, most cases fall under the gezeira, as will be explained. For example, even if a Jew does not know food was cooked by a non-Jew, he must be informed; or even if a Jew does not know who cooked the food and there is thus no concern for intermarriage with the daughter of the cook, Chazal forbade the food under the gezeira of bishul akum, using the concept of לא פלוג (ס' בין ישראל לעמים פ''ה ס''ה ).
