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Michael Makovi

A New Hearing for Kol Ishah

By Michael Makovi
Posted February 1, 2010 - 2:15pm
Michael Makovi is a member of the University Network of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. He studied at Machon Meir in Jerusalem for three years and in Yeshivat Hesder Petah Tikva during this academic year. He will be attending Bar-Ilan University this coming school year.
I.

The topic of kol ishah, the halakhic prohibition on men from listening to a woman's singing voice, is obviously a matter of concern for religiously observant Jews. Yet, there are various interpretations as to what exactly constitutes the prohibition. The present essay aims to clarify the prohibition, demonstrating that it is far less restrictive than is commonly believed.

Thoughts on Kashruth Certification Policies

By Michael Makovi
Posted July 27, 2009 - 3:33pm
Michael Makovi is a member of the University Network of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. He is currently studying in Israel. He has written this article, and readers are welcome to share their views as well by emailing mdangel@jewishideas.org.

Thoughts on Kashruth Certification Policies
By Michael Makovi

In my naivete, I have only recently become aware that the Israeli Rabbanut offers hashgahat kashrut (kosher certification) only for those establishments which are closed on Shabbat. Any establishment which is open for Shabbat will be denied supervision, no matter how kosher their food may in fact be.
This policy is based on the halakha that one may not benefit from forbidden labor that was performed on Shabbat. Therefore, the Rabbanut denies kosher supervision to establishments open on Shabbat, since any food cooked on Shabbat is forbidden according to hilkhot shabbat (although not hilkhot kashrut). Additionally, a hekhsher, if present, is assumed to condone the Shabbat violation.

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