[net.religion.jewish] Kosher Fishmarkets?

young@convex.UUCP (09/23/85)

My neighbors usually come to me with questions regarding Kashrut,
since I keep kosher.  Yesterday's question left me wondering what
the/an answer should be:

   Since one generally buys kosher meat from a kosher butcher,
   doesn't that imply that fish should be purchased from
   a kosher fishmarket ? 

Growing up in NYC (born in 57), I can remeber fishmarkets that closed
for Shabbat, but it seem's to me that they sold tref as well.      

Comments and/or explanations, please.

		Thanks,
                       Iris
---
Iris Young
CONVEX Computer Corp.
Washington, D.C. 

UUCP ...convex!c1east!young

de@moscom.UUCP (Dave Esan) (10/04/85)

[a "korban" for the line eater]

>    Since one generally buys kosher meat from a kosher butcher,
>    doesn't that imply that fish should be purchased from
>    a kosher fishmarket ? 

According to our rabbi here in town one does not need a kosher fish store,
merely a store with kosher fish.  The fish, besides being kosher, must
still have some scales on it, and when cut, you should ask the fishwife
(and here in Rochester, NY they really are the proverbial fishwives) to
please rinse the knife first.  Of course, if you watch the fishpeople they will
generally wash their knives anyway from fish to fish, not to contaminate with
the taste of the previous fish, and most fish still have scales attached.
The big problem is buying filets or skinned fish.

David Esan
(!ritcv!moscom!de)

teitz@aecom.UUCP (Eliyahu Teitz) (10/15/85)

> [a "korban" for the line eater]
> 
> >    Since one generally buys kosher meat from a kosher butcher,
> >    doesn't that imply that fish should be purchased from
> >    a kosher fishmarket ? 
> 
> According to our rabbi here in town one does not need a kosher fish store,
> merely a store with kosher fish.  The fish, besides being kosher, must
> still have some scales on it, and when cut, you should ask the fishwife
> (and here in Rochester, NY they really are the proverbial fishwives) to
> please rinse the knife first.  Of course, if you watch the fishpeople they will
> generally wash their knives anyway from fish to fish, not to contaminate with
> the taste of the previous fish, and most fish still have scales attached.
> The big problem is buying filets or skinned fish.

	Washing the knife might not be enough. If the knife is used for non-
 kosher fish, then the knife itself becomes non-kosher. The blade of a knife
 absorbs the non-kosher fish even if the fish is frozen. ( If cold items are
 handled with utensils [other than a knife] the utensils do not become non-
 kosher, which is why many people use silverware at ice cream establishments
 that also serve non-kosher food. A knife is different because the pressure
 used in cutting is assumed by halacha to absorb the food being cut and is
 therefore not kosher, if the food being cut is not kosher ). Therefore,
 in a fish market one would have to use separate knives for kosher and
 non- kosher fish, making it a little more difficult to get fish. This all
 applies to whole fish ( because one knows what fish it is. Fileted fish is
 not easily distinguishable so there are those who prohibit buying filets.


				Eliyahu Teitz.


	p.s. I will post sources in an upcoming posting.

slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner) (10/17/85)

> 
> 	Washing the knife might not be enough. If the knife is used for non-
>  kosher fish, then the knife itself becomes non-kosher. The blade of a knife
>  absorbs the non-kosher fish even if the fish is frozen. ( If cold items are
>  handled with utensils [other than a knife] the utensils do not become non-
>  kosher, which is why many people use silverware at ice cream establishments
>  that also serve non-kosher food. A knife is different because the pressure
>  used in cutting is assumed by halacha to absorb the food being cut and is
>  therefore not kosher, if the food being cut is not kosher ). Therefore,
>  in a fish market one would have to use separate knives for kosher and
>  non- kosher fish, making it a little more difficult to get fish. This all
>  applies to whole fish ( because one knows what fish it is. Fileted fish is
>  not easily distinguishable so there are those who prohibit buying filets.
> 
> 
> 				Eliyahu Teitz.
> 
> 
> 	p.s. I will post sources in an upcoming posting.

An easy solution is to bring your own knife and cutting board.  Make sure
you get a good quality knife or they will not want to filet the fish for
you.

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Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner

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