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22 Av 5760 - August 23, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Opinion & Comment
Constitution Above All

by A. Yitzchaki

There is nothing surprising in the decision of a Federal Judge in New York that the American law's safeguarding of the kashrus of products violates the American constitution.

Had such a decision been made by an Israeli court, it would have drawn much attention, and surely would not have been surprising or startling.

From the point of view of the legal attitude toward the needs of the religious community, the State of Israel could long ago have been declared "a light to the nations." The State of Israel has a law that forbids deceit in kashrus. The law calls for heavy punishments for kashrus frauds. But does anyone remember when the law was enforced?

It is clear to all that we are not referring to any sort of coercion. It is clear to every intelligent person that if a food manufacturer advertises his product as gluten-free, and edible also for sufferers of celiac, woe to him if he is discovered to have fooled his customers. Such behavior is also plain and ordinary business commercial chicanery, like every other sort of chicanery. In addition it's hazardous, since the health of celiac patients is at stake.

But when the issue is one of kashrus, no sanctions are leveled against frauds. Every now and then we encounter notices of kashrus certifiers who say that a certain company fraudulently used their seal. Such notices also promise to take legal measures against these frauds. But it is difficult to recall when such legal measures were actually taken.

In addition, the existence of the law does not ensure that it will be enforced. The police can always evade taking measures against the felons, claiming that the issue lacks public interest.

In America, the attitude toward civil rights is far more serious. Therefore, the law forbidding kashrus fraud is strongly enforced. That is what brought Judge Nina Gershon to rule that the law violates the American constitution, which mandates separation between religion and state.

Common sense dictates that there is no contradiction between fraud and the American constitution. But apparently the lack of common sense isn't exclusive to Israeli judges.

Whoever wants to glimpse the dangers which lurk behind a constitution, can learn a lesson from the American Court. Every law, national or local, can be invalidated by a judge who decides that the law violates the constitution.

The judge's intelligence and qualifications for making such a decision don't count here, because it is the judge himself who has authority to decide if the law is valid or not.

The highest judicial systems in the United States will be called upon to deal with the decision of the judge, and it is hoped that they won't search for references from the courts of the Jewish State.


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