chinese herbs grown locally-how close are we to availability?

[Guest guest]

Dear Ann,

 

Thanks for making the inquiry, but really, the issue of kosher

supervision is really not that complex, assuming that the herbs are pure,

raw and completely vegan. I understand the concerns of the farmers and I

respect them, but am anxious to know how far along is the process of

growing and cultivating Chinese herbs locally. Are we talking about

something that is a year away, 5 years or what, and are any of the

suppliers currently negotiating to use the locally produced herbs?

 

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 01:17:09 -0500 <snakeoil.works

writes:

>

> Yehuda,

>

> Just FYI, I forwarded your query to Jean Giblette who is in the

> process of growing Chinese herbs biodynamically. She responded as

> below. I can post her newsletter if any are interested.

> Ann

>

>

> Hi Ann --

>

> In my opinion, this comment concerns the level of medicine-making

> (i.e., compounding herbs and selling products based on the

> compounds) and I prefer not to get involved at that level right now.

> The reason is that our work represents an effort to educate the

> profession itself, not the public, at this time. We have to get to

> first base first. The complex issues of what is organic (not to

> mention what is kosher), also the value of trying to reverse the

> trend toward highly refined products, these must be tackled within

> the profession AFTER they have absorbed the implications of what

> we're offering.

>

> In other words, let a future medicine-maker decide if they need to

> certify kosher and then make those demands on the farmers. I would

> not invite this, our farmers have enough to do.

>

> Go ahead and post the newsletter if you feel it's appropriate.

>

> Happy spring,

> Jean

>

>

>

> Just curious, there has been a lot of talk about domestically

> grown

> herbs, or Western herb substitutes with similar or even identical

> temperatures, flavors and properties as their Asian cousins. Is

> there

> any company that has gotten as far as selling a Western grown,

> Asian herb

> pharmacopia, and if yes, would it not be prudent to encourage them

> to

> become certified kosher?

>

>

> Yehuda

>

> On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 08:29:50 -0800 " "

> <zrosenbe

> writes:

> >

> > Yehuda,

> > My point, based on my own experience, is that many Orthodox

> Jews

> >

> > have used the excuse of no kosher supervision to not take

> Chinese

> > herbs, when, in fact, I have asked authoritative rabbinical

> opinions

> > on

> > these issues several times over the years. I myself rarely use

> any

> > non-kosher animal or insect products in my prescriptions, and

> always

> >

> > recommend vegi-caps.

> > While I have petitioned Kan Herb company, which also

> distributes

> > in

> > Israel, on kosher certification on herbs, this may not be

> possible

> > unless one can go to the sources in mainland China, which would

> be

> > quite difficult and expensive. And, since most Chinese herb

> > products

> > are (or should be) by prescription, there is no potential market

> for

> >

> > same. And, since by the letter of the law, medicinal substances

> are

> >

> > permissible, with all due respects, we are splitting hairs.

> > Each individual Jew who has a question should ask their

> halachic

> >

> > authority. This is what I recommend. I have several orthodox

> > Jewish

> > patients here in San Diego, and few if any of them have

> questioned

> > the

> > herbs that I prescribe to them.

> >

> > Take care,

> >

> >

> > On Mar 24, 2005, at 11:06 PM, Yehuda L Frischman wrote:

> >

> > >

> > > Dear Z'ev and Marnae,

> > >

> > > Though on technical Halachic (Jewish legal) ground you are

> > correct, and

> > > that a prohibited substance which if eaten as a medicine is

> > permitted

> > > and

> > > one even makes a blessing on it assuming that it is not bitter

> and

> > > repulsive, nonetheless, the law clearly also states that one

> > should

> > > pursue kosher alternatives if they are available. Furthermore,

>

> > there

> > > are

> > > degrees of severity in prohibited substances: the most severe

>

> > being

> > > insects (including their shells) and reptiles, then edible

> parts

> > of

> > > non-kosher animals, animals not slaughtered in a kosher

> manner, or

> > > non-kosher sea animals, and finally inedible parts to animals

> as

> > well

> > > as

> > > inedible shells. When possible an observant Jew is required

> to

> > avoid

> > > the

> > > greatest degree of prohibition even for medicine. This is the

>

> > reason,

> > > for example that even for the most prohibited substances, for

> > example

> > > quan xie or wu gong, when taken in capsule form, they should

> be

> > > prepared

> > > with vegicaps.

> > >

> > > Happy Purim,

> > >

> > > Yehuda

>

>

>