No Longer the Sin-A-Bon….
First, some background: A few months ago, my holy husband, ever-intent on pissing off the religious establishment (like any nice Jewish boy), stumbled across the very interesting kashrut.org. Under the auspices of Rav Abadi, a Lakewood posek and talmid of the Chazon Ish, and run by his three sons, this site seeks to re-empower the Jewish community to open a Shulchan Aruch instead of relying solely on the teshuvot of KosherCorps, i.e. the kashrut industry which possesses a vested financial interest in whether or not things are “kosher.”
But that’s another story. This just in: CINNABON IS KOSHER. WE’RE FREAKING SERIOUS.
Halacha never tasted so good.
On the site, it explains why. One reason is that cream cheese isn’t really cheese. Who knew? (and what is it then, anyway?) More on that here.
We recommend that you explore the site’s Q&A Forum a bit–it’s fascinating. Don’t be put-off by the draconian restrictions when it comes to gender issues. Just focus on the CINNABON.
And you can buy my husband one to say thank-you.
So you like the heterim on food products, but you don’t like the “draconian” gender rulings … give me a break … if you’re going rely on Rabbi Abadi’s lenient rulings, try opening your mind to those rulings of his that are outside your comfort zone.
yeesh. lighten up.
Reginald: A) It’s not a heter. A heter is how a posek allows one to do what is normally assur. This is not normally assur. This is the use of the halachah to explain why it is entirely mutar to rely on the ingredients list, and why halachically the product we refer to as “cream cheese” is actually not a cheese at all, and therefore the halachot of gevinat akum are not relevant. B) As this is not a heter, one who now decides to enjoy a nice cinnabon is not relying on his heter. One is merely using the sources, references, and research he used in his ruling to come to a conclusion about the requirements of the shulchan aruch regarding eating this particular product. One should engage in the same process regarding all of the other topics, gender-related an otherwise.
Rely on Rabbi Abadi at your own risk. Calling him idiosyncratic is being kind. Calling him a Lakewood posek is simply wrong. He hasn’t lived in Lakewood in years and even before he left he was totally marginalized. Is he brilliant? Yes. Is he normal? No. I don’t know why you think mainstream rabbis are all ignorant and corrupt? It ain’t so.
lchayim:
I don’t think they’re ignorant and corrupt, but I do think that the current religious establishment is “part of the problem” so to speak. There has been a drastic shift to the right in the “traditionally Torah observant” or “orthodox” or however we want to call it world in the last decades and century. This shift has entrenched a mentality of ever-expanding chumras and an emphasis on what the Rabbis say over what the texts say. Individuals must re-empower themselves, and take back what is fast becoming a corporate Judaism.
For an interesting illustration, google some pictures from various yeshivas in Europe. They’re out there. The older the pictures, the shorter the beards, the less black hats, the less women with covered hair, etc… (not that I am saying that covering hair for a married woman is or is not required. That’s not an issue that I’ve learned out for myself, what with my not being, and not anticipating ever being a married woman). It seems like as time goes on, the Torah-observant community becomes more centered around what “seems” kosher and acceptable, and on the various traditions/superstition s/customs that have been added to our various minhagim, and less centered around the actual halachah.
Yaakov, I trust Rabbi Abadi in matters of kashruth. I like the empowerment aspect. Enjoy the cinnabun.
But to rely on a posek (which is the case here) and then in the same breath dismiss that same posek for espousing “draconian” views?
(An anectode to futher annoy the Jewschool readership:)
There was a man who spent his entire life looking for kulahs (leniencies) in all aspects of halacha (Jewish law) – whatever it was, he would search around until he found a rabbi who had a more lenient opinion he could rely on.
After 120 years, he came up to the gates of Shamayim. Hashem looked at the man’s life record and said, “Well, you certainly did everything I asked of you. Angels, please take this man straight to Gan Eden!”
The angels escorted the ecstatic man straight into the gates of heaven and brought him into a small room. But when they arrived, all there was in the room was a dark, damp cell, a table, and one small candle! The man was shocked and quickly looked angels and asked in horror, “This is Heaven???”
The angels looked at him and said “According to some opinions.”
hah! great story reginald, but you may want to consider distinguishing between “kula-searchers” for the sake of laziness and relying on more lenient opinions when there is something about those particular opinions that resonates strongly with that individual jew’s sense of yashrut and halacha. also keep in mind that just by acting out a kula in one arena of halacha, a person is usually forced to act out a chumra in a complementary arena.
nice one reginald!
Well, personally, I can skip the cinnabon, kosher or no kosher. (Even though I keep kosher)They’re just way too sweet, man.
I finally found some kosher protein powder a few weeks ago. I’d been looking and looking for some. It doesn’t taste that great, but if you mix it in orange juice long enough it doesn’t taste terrible. Kinda tastes like playdoh, but hey, when you cant afford kosher meat and you need your protein, gotta do what you gotta do.
d (and husband)– I’m in love with this site