Is Honey From Other Insects, Such as Wasps, Permitted as Well?

The Talmud (Bechoros 7b) says that the status of wasp-honey is contingent on the two opinions that we quoted in the last Halacha Yomis. Chachamim allow bee-honey because it is not a secretion of the bee. The same logic applies to wasp honey. In contrast, Rebbi Yaakov derives the allowance of bee honey from the exegesis of a verse in Vayikra 11:21, and that allowance applies specifically to bee-honey, for various reasons. Do we rule in favor of Chachamim or Rebbi Yaakov? The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 81:9) brings two opinions, and the Rama follows the strict opinion that wasp-honey is not kosher. Nonetheless, the Rama writes “that because wasp-honey is not commonly used, we need not suspect that bee-honey is adulterated with wasp-honey”.

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.