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Kashrut (Jewish Dietary Law)

kahsh-ROOT
Also Known As Kosher

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The body of Jewish dietary law governing which foods may be eaten and how they must be prepared: the separation of meat and dairy, ritual slaughter (shechita) by a trained slaughterer, and the exclusion of certain animals such as pigs and shellfish. It is public law and practice, documented extensively in rabbinic legal literature, not a restricted or secret tradition.

Facts
Origin Period, From (Year)
538 BCE to 332 BCE 1
Reflects the scholarly consensus dating of the Pentateuch (containing Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the Torah source of most kashrut law) to its final written form in the Persian period, 538-332 BCE. This dates the codification of the written law, not necessarily the earlier origin of the underlying dietary customs, which may predate the text.
Origin Region
Ancient Israel and the Levant; the core dietary laws are set out in the Torah's books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, later elaborated in the Mishnah and Talmud. 2
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Leviticus (Wikipedia)
WikipediaComposition section
Quote, Composition section
The majority of scholars have concluded that the Pentateuch received its final form during the Persian period (538-332 BC).
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2. Kashrut (Wikipedia)
Wikipediasection: Categorizations
Quote, section: Categorizations
Most of the basic laws of kashrut are derived from the Torah's books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
View the Source
The Oxford Companion to Food
Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press, 2014entry: Jewish dietary laws
Kashrut: History and Development (My Jewish Learning)
My Jewish Learningpage header pronunciation guide
Quote, page header pronunciation guide
Pronounced: kahsh-ROOT, Origin: Hebrew

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