Editing Mivtza Kashrus

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'''Mivtzah Kashrus''' is one of the ten mivtzoyim (campaigns) announced by the Rebbe. The Rebbe announced this campaign in 1975.

As part of the campaign, special teams of volunteers visit homes, upon request, to make the kitchen and its utensils kosher. The campaign also includes distributing literature and educational materials about the importance of kashrus.

== History of the Campaign ==
On Wednesday of Parshas Pinchas, 16 Tammuz 5735 (1975) and on [[Shabbos|Shabbos Kodesh]] Parshas Matos-Massei 5735, the Rebbe dedicated extensive discussions to this matter. The Rebbe made an emotional appeal to Jewish men and women to strengthen themselves especially in the mitzvah of kashrus. The Rebbe said that the corruption and spiritual deterioration in the state of Yiddishkeit in recent generations is an external symptom caused by: a) lack of kashrus observance; b) non-observance of the laws of taharas hamishpacha.

According to the Rebbe, "It is explained in sifrei kodesh (and also in natural science books) that a person's natural characteristics are greatly influenced by the type of food and drink they consume. This is because food, after digestion, becomes 'blood and flesh like their flesh' of the person eating (Tanya Chapter 7), and just as the quality of food affects physical health, it also influences the character traits of the nefesh. The negative influence of non-kosher food is not only on sensitive traits but also on intellectual perspectives. It is therefore understood that eating non-kosher foods (which are contrary to Torah's will) has a most harmful effect on the refinement and purity of the Jewish intellect, to the point of intellectual tendency contrary to Torah perspective and emunah."

At the conclusion of the sicha, the Rebbe announced his desire to participate and help any Jew who would request assistance in setting up a properly kosher kitchen, and for this purpose established a special fund that would participate in 50% of the kitchen kashering expenses.

The Rebbe emphasized that the importance of keeping kashrus applies even to young children, and moreover, for a child the influence of keeping kosher and mehudar foods is greater, and it also affects the child's physical beauty, making them a more beautiful child.

== Two Sets of Utensils ==
When the Rebbe spoke about the fund, he noted that several Jews volunteered to establish the fund that would assist in making kitchens kosher. The Rebbe even specified: "for buying two sets of utensils (milchig and fleishig)."

He further added that the personal details of those interested should be kept confidential and private, and determined that they should contact the "mazkirus" (at 770) or Chabad institutions located throughout the world, and hundreds of families annually approached the center and made their kitchens kosher.

The one who merited to take part at the head of the volunteers for this campaign was the chassidic philanthropist Reb Avraham Parshan from Canada. He informed the Rebbe that he was ready and willing to bear the financial burden of the fund. The Rebbe announced this publicly.

== Initiatives Related to Operation Kashrus ==
In 1974, even before the Rebbe publicly announced Operation Kashrus, the Rebbe instructed N'shei Chabad of New York to prepare a cookbook for cooking according to kosher kitchen standards, and was involved in all stages of preparation for printing, with the goal being increasing kashrus observance.

== See also ==

* Kashrus

== Further Reading ==

* "This is Not a Lubavitch Business" - An overview of Mivtza Kashrus in the 'Chayei Rebbi' section of Kfar Chabad weekly magazine, issue 1932, page 48
* "The Required Precision in Eating and Drinking" - The Rebbe's manuscripts in the 'MiBeis HaMalchus' section, Kfar Chabad weekly magazine, issue 2054, page 22

[[Category:Mivtzoim]]