MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2021) Kosher rules are inapplicable to coronavirus vaccines, as Judaism puts human life above everything, Pinchas Goldschmidt, the chairman of the Council of Rabbis of Europe and the chief rabbi of Moscow, told Sputnik.
"A vaccine is not eaten after all, so assessing it in terms of kashrut is not entirely correct. That is, what you eat and what enters your body through injection are not the same thing. Therefore, first of all, even if we assume that a vaccine contains elements of a non-kosher animal, this does not mean that by getting vaccinated, you consumed this animal," Goldschmidt said.
Secondly, the rabbi went on, Judaism has an overall liberal approach to medicines, with restrictions being in place only for some medications and vitamins. The latter for instance have own Kosher certificates. When it comes to medicines, there are certain restrictions during Passover.
"And certainly it is important to remember Judaism's principle that puts human life first. To save human life, a person can violate almost all Torah laws. Even if a vaccine had to be chewed and it was made from pork, crab and milk � if human life depends on it � then one should take it," he added.
Kashrut is a complex of dietary laws that determine products that Jews are permitted to eat and how food must be prepared to be deemed kosher.
