Kosher Bagel Rules
Today for breakfast matrushkaka, her dad, and I went to House of Bagels in the Richmond. While waiting for my whitefish and onion I overheard the store clerk explain that their bagels were kosher style, but not technicaly kosher. Being a fan of complicated religious rules I asked what the difference was.
First, kosher bagels must be baked under the supervision of a rabbi. For example the kosher bagels at H&H in New York are baked under the supervision of Rabbi Raphael Saffra. They don't have a rabbi, so they're not kosher. Their rules, so I guess that's fine, though it seems awfully convenient that the guys coming up with the rules also came up with the rule that you can't just follow the rules, you have to hire the same guys to make sure you're following the rules.
Second, kosher foods cannot be served with meat and cheese, and the bagels at HoB can be served with meat and cheese. You aren't required to buy your bagel with meat and cheese, but I was told that because it is possible for goyim to purchase non-kosher bagels from the establishment, that renders all bagels sold at the establishment non-kosher, even if yours otherwise would be. I don't really get that.
Third, the store is open on Saturday. Sabbath-keeping Jews don't have to purchase bagels there on Saturday, but apparently that de-Koshrifies all bagels sold from that establishment on any day. This seems pretty unreasonable. And what about Lender's Bagels? How is it that frozen bagels which are sold on Saturdays in grocery stores across America are somehow kosher whereas real bagels sold on Saturdays in a real store aren't? That's just nuts.
In conclusion, go Jews.
First, kosher bagels must be baked under the supervision of a rabbi. For example the kosher bagels at H&H in New York are baked under the supervision of Rabbi Raphael Saffra. They don't have a rabbi, so they're not kosher. Their rules, so I guess that's fine, though it seems awfully convenient that the guys coming up with the rules also came up with the rule that you can't just follow the rules, you have to hire the same guys to make sure you're following the rules.
Second, kosher foods cannot be served with meat and cheese, and the bagels at HoB can be served with meat and cheese. You aren't required to buy your bagel with meat and cheese, but I was told that because it is possible for goyim to purchase non-kosher bagels from the establishment, that renders all bagels sold at the establishment non-kosher, even if yours otherwise would be. I don't really get that.
Third, the store is open on Saturday. Sabbath-keeping Jews don't have to purchase bagels there on Saturday, but apparently that de-Koshrifies all bagels sold from that establishment on any day. This seems pretty unreasonable. And what about Lender's Bagels? How is it that frozen bagels which are sold on Saturdays in grocery stores across America are somehow kosher whereas real bagels sold on Saturdays in a real store aren't? That's just nuts.
In conclusion, go Jews.