Upon consultation with its rabbinic leadership, Agudath
Israel of America has issued the following statement
regarding the Conservative movement's new "Hekhsher
Tzedek."
The Agudath Israel statement stresses the importance of
ethical behavior in all interpersonal and business dealings
but emphatically rejects the initiative as distorting the
meaning of kashrus. It notes that Hekhsher Tzedek is aimed
only at producers of kosher food and no one else, and that it
includes elements that are decidedly beyond halachic norms.
This indicates, according to Agudath Israel, that the goal of
the new hechsher is a redefinition of the term
"kosher." The Aguda also question whether the Conservative
movement, as a non-halacha-respecting movement, can credibly
claim to serve as arbiter of halachic conformity.
Following is the full text of the Agudath Israel
statement:
The Conservative movement has embraced a brand new
certification for kosher foods, the "Hekhsher Tzedek," which
is designed to indicate a kosher food producer's "compliance
with a set of social justice criteria." Agudath Israel of
America regards the Hekhsher Tzedek idea as misguided and
misleading. It rests upon, and will likely foster, a
distorted understanding of kashrus, and a corruption of the
halachic process itself.
To be sure, Jewish producers of kosher food "like all Jewish
businesses" are halachically bound by obligations regarding
fair treatment of employees, maintenance of a safe and
sanitary work environment, and a host of other strictures
that might be called "social justice criteria." They are, in
addition, bound by the principle of dina demalchusa dina (the
law of the kingdom is law), and must comply with all
applicable laws and regulations. More generally, Jews are
called upon to uphold the highest ethical and moral standards
in their personal and business dealings.
It is of utmost importance that these halachic mandates be
observed scrupulously. But it is also important to recognize
that they have nothing to do with the laws of kashrus.
The halachic tradition defines the term "kashrus' as relating
to the ritual suitability of food. Jews insist on kosher food
not because of ethical considerations, but because Hashem has
commanded us to observe certain ritual dietary requirements.
Terms like "kosher," "kashrus' and "hechsher' are, as a
result, rightly associated with those requirements —
those requirements alone.
The "Hekhsher Tzedek' blurs this fundamental distinction. Its
promoters may assert that the certification is not designed
to expand the traditional meaning of kashrus, but that claim
is belied by the certification's very name — and by the
fact that it is being offered exclusively to foods that are
otherwise under kosher certification. If its purpose is
simply to assure consumers that the companies they patronize
conduct themselves in accord with social justice ideals, why
limit the "Hekhsher Tzedek' to kosher food producers? Why not
extend it as well to manufacturers of all goods, services and
institutions?
It is further noteworthy, and telling, that the scope of the
proposed "Hekhsher Tzedek' goes well beyond halachic
requirements. It speaks of such matters as transparency in
corporate governance, generous maternity leave policies and
pension plans — worthy objectives, to be sure, but not
halachic mandates. If the "Hekhsher Tzedek' is simply
interested in ensuring that producers of kosher food comply
with the requirements of Jewish law, why incorporate these
types of extra-halachic factors into the certification?
The answer to these questions is clear, and deeply dismaying.
The Conservative movement, most of whose constituents do not
keep kosher, is attempting with its "Hekhsher Tzedek" a
subtle redefinition of the concept of kashrus. As
Conservative leaders have done time and time again in a
variety of modern-day contexts, they are paying lip service
to halacha while in fact seeking to reshape it. The "Hekhsher
Tzedek' is simply the latest manifestation of Conservative
leaders' tradition of exchanging Divine mandates for
contemporary constructs.
Sadly, but decidedly, the Conservative movement is not a
halacha-respecting movement. Accordingly, any effort on its
part to serve as an arbiter of halachic suitability —
whether regarding a kosher food producer's compliance with
halachic mandates or anything else — has neither
credibility nor legitimacy.
In summation, standing up for ethical practices is laudable,
but not when it is done in a way that redefines a Jewish
religious term like kashrus — and not when it is done
under the auspices of a movement whose claimed fealty to
halacha is in fact an exercise in distortion. For these
reasons, Agudath Israel of America emphatically rejects the
"Hekhsher Tzedek."
At the same time, we appeal to all our fellow Jews to
rededicate ourselves to the highest standards of proper and
ethical business conduct. Jews are called upon to serve as a
light unto the nations, people whose interpersonal dealings
cause Hashem and His holy Torah to be loved by all (Tractate
Yoma, 86a). During this season of introspection, may we all
resolve to strengthen ourselves in this respect, and thereby
merit Hashem's favorable judgment for a blessed new year.
