Gevinas Yisroel

Q. What manner of mashgiach involvement in a non-Jewish factory renders cheese Gevinas Yisroel and not Gevinas Akum?

A. The Rema (YD 115:2) writes that cheese is considered Gevinas Yisroel when a Yisroel supervises the cheese making process and makes certain that kosher rennet was used. The Shach (YD 115:20) disagrees with the Rema and maintains that cheese is considered Gevinas Yisroel only when a Yisroel is physically involved in the cheese production by adding the rennet to the milk. With observation alone the cheese would be Gevinas Akum. The Pischei Teshuva (YD 115:6) writes that the halacha follows the opinion of the Rema, and Igros Moshe (YD 3:16) also writes that this is the accepted custom. Nonetheless, when possible, kashrus agencies follow the Shach and instruct the mashgiach to add the rennet. This is done as a stringency, and when not possible, the Rema’s position is followed. This is the case on Shabbos, when it is forbidden for a Jew to add rennet to milk. Causing milk to curdle is a form of boneh (construction), which is one of the 39 categories of melacha that are prohibited on Shabbos. Though a Jew may not add the rennet on Shabbos, he may supervise the cheese production and observe the introduction of the coagulant, and in this way, the cheese is considered Gevinas Yisroel.

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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.