Posted to PSA on

Shabbos at the Besht: Does Cholov Stam Exist?

This Shabbos at the Besht, Rabbi Shmuel Kopel will lead a discussion on the topic: Does Cholov Stam Exist?

99---Shoftim---Kopel

Related Articles

7 Comments

    • a beshter

      Brilliant answer. You must be a genius. Maybe come to the shiur to see if you’re right.

  • Milhouse

    That depends on what you mean by the question. The substance that people call “cholov stam” clearly exists; you can see it, touch it, buy it, sell it, and (according to Reb Moshe) drink it. Claiming it’s all an elaborate illusion is silly.

    But the category “cholov stam” does not exist in halacha. You will not find such a term in any source. It’s a made-up term that seriously misrepresents its referent, and contributes to people misunderstanding it.

    The halacha only recognises two categories of milk that was milked by a goy: That which a Jew saw, and is therefore kosher, and that which he did not, and is therefore treif. Reb Moshe did not introduce a third category; rather, his shita is that commercial milk has a din of cholov yisroel. However, since it’s a chidush, he doesn’t recommend relying on it, so in effect he’s created a subdivision of cholov yisroel into “type A” or “classic”, and “type B” or “new CY”, which he holds is perfectly kosher, but which he says it’s a hiddur to avoid.

    Of course not everyone holds like Reb Moshe. He was not the “posek hador”, and a lot of rabbonim (including Lubavitch) do not agree that his psak was correct. And if it was incorrect, then commercial milk is not an inferior sort of cholov yisroel, it’s cholov akum, which Reb Moshe agrees is 100% treif.

  • response to millhouse

    Ok so you feel reb moshe was not the posek hador but there were many and are many who disagree with youm but thanks for sharing you r opinion.
    Agav If reb moshe ztl was not the posek hador who was? The rebbe sent many people with very tough shaylos to reb moshe to pasken because no one else was at his level in psak halacha lemaaseh.
    Agav you taka gave a very good overview though I must admit. Not like most am haaratzim who post on halachic issues without knowing what they are talking about