The Late Founder Of KAJ Speaks Out On Glatt Meat

A new friend has informed me that the late founder of the KAJ, Rabbi Breuer, ztz"l, was opposed to glatt kosher becoming the standard for his community. During a city-wide campaign to institute glatt as the standard for all Orthodox homes, Rabbi Breuer wrote the following: (Please click on the thumbnail to see a larger document. A plain text version can be read after the jump. Thank you.)

This essay, written by Rav Dr. Yosef Breuer, ztz”l, originally appeared in Volume XI 1949/50 of the Mitteilungen. It was reproduced on pages 238 to 239 in Rav Breuer: His Life and Legacy.

If only it were so.

Click on the link below for a plain text version of the essay.

The essay below, written by Rav Dr. Yosef Breuer, Zt”l, originally appeared in Volume XI 1949/50 of the Mitteilungen. It was reproduced on pages 238 to 239 in Rav Breuer: His Life and Legacy:

“GLATT KOSHER — GLATT YOSHOR”

The conscientious and minute observance of the laws of  Kashruth belong to the sacred obligations to which we are to live up if our Jewish houses are to rise in purity before God and His Torah. Supplying our families with totally reliable foods is one of the major tasks a Kehilla has to fulfill.

We may note with satisfaction that the supervision of our meat products from the time of Shechita until they reach the customer meets all the requirements of total Kashruth. This enables our Rabbinate to assume full personal responsibility for the reliability of our Kashruth.

The concept “Glatt Kosher” refers to certain situations when an animal is rejected because of an existing “Sha’aloh” generally involving the lung — even if the halachic decision would be favorable. Just as all ethical strivings should extend beyond the prescribed boundaries — “lif’nim mi’shuras haDin” — so the practice should be adopted to declare only such meat as kosher that has not been involved in any kind of “Sha’aloh” (comp. Chulin 37b). Such practice would indeed deserve the title of “Glatt Kosher.”

A further comment: “Kosher” is intimately related to “Yoshor.” God’s Torah not only demands the observance of Kashruth and the sanctification of our physical enjoyment; it also insists on the sanctification of our social relationships. This requires the strict application of the tenets of justice and righteousness which avoid even the slightest trace of dishonesty in our business dealings and personal life.

God’s Torah not only demands of us to love our neighbor in that we concern ourselves with his welfare and property, but it insists further on a conduct of uncompromising straightness (“Yoshor”) which is inspired not only by the letter of the law but is guided by the ethical principle of honesty which, then, would deserve the honorable title of “Yeshurun.”

“He fears God who walks in uprightness” (Mishle 14:2).

We would welcome a campaign to link a drive for “Glatt Kosher” with an equally intensive one for “Glatt Yoshor.” This objective is given hopeful expression by the Prophet Zephama (3:13):

“The remnants of Israel will not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth.”

Comments

[FNULNU]

Where does this reading indicate an opposition to glatt?

As I understood this reading, he said ideally glatt would be meat for which there were no questions and would be supplemented by strict scruples in our dealings with others. He may be seen to indicate a preference for social improvement before glatt improvement but that seems the extent of it here.

[Shmarya]

Rav Breuer's opposition to the Glatt Campaign was well-known. Please read this document in its correct historical context.

[Camp Runamok]

What was R. Shimon Schwab's opinion? He was the KAJ rav of the more recent generations and, as such, is more relevant to the discussion today.

[jewishwhistleblower]

Rubashkin's plant also produces non-Glatt Kosher meat.

See discussion at:
http://www.chakira.blog-city.com/read/949093.htm

[Shmarya]

It does, but KAJ won't out its hekhsher on it. KAJ and Rubashkin made a deal with UMK (Rabbi Zeilengold) to put the UMK on it. KAJ refuses to put its hekhsher on ANY non-glatt product.

[Schneur]

Were the function's sponsored by KAJ in the 1940's and 1950's glatt kosher. I know KAJ was not into Cholov Israel. I guess they accepted the heter of rav Moshe F. and of several sefardic gedolim in Amsterdam.(Pri Chadash ?).
I see Rabbiner Dr. Breuer's statement as a call for more ethics and morality in Jewish life rather than denigrating strictness in kashruth. This scandal involving KAJ unfortunetely goes to show how far we have all traveled in the last 40 years.I once heard a similiar call in KJ by Dr. Haskel Lookstein which was absurd as many of the congregants there are not too machmir about kashruth altogether.In there case Glatt kosher is a desideradum
With this said , may I note the following, conversations with rabbis, butchers and lay people who lived in East Europe prior to WW 2 reveal the follwoing: Few people besides "Chasidim veAnshei Maaseh" ate cholok meat. There was not that much glatt product available. Sirchos were very common. My father was a kosher butcher in White Russia and was always amazed that there was so much glatt meat in America. I presume the answer is that the OU certifies as glatt meat product that would not pass muster in Lithunia and Poland.Has the biological nature of beef changed in North America that there are fewer sirchos?
There were other grades of kashruth like nit opgegossener meat etc. But few Jews could afford the luxury of eating the little glatt product that was around.The chasidim had their own shochet in some areas, but no non-chasidic Jew could care less about so-called chasidishe shechitah. What is wrong with Litvisher shechitah ?Or with the shochetim Bavaria ?
This all changed in America where all Orthodox Jews are rabbis, Lomdim, Talmide Chachomim ,Yereim mirabbim, ,oskim beTorah etc. Nothing less than glatt and chasidishe shechitah will satisfy the zolel vesoveniks and haletanis in America.