Turkeys - Are They Kosher?

TURKEYS – ARE THEY KOSHER?

 A FASCINATING HISTORY

The Baal Shem Tov teaches us everything in life one see’s teaches us a lesson. How much more so when it comes to Jewish law and it’s history.

After all said and done about Chanukah and Thanksgiving, get this: Do you know how we say Turkey in Hebrew: הודו תרנגול – or Tarnhod [1], “The  Chicken from Hod – which is India or literally translated – “The thanks chicken”.

Also called Indik or Indikeh in Yiddish[2] - the chicken of India[3].

Nutrition

Further interesting to note is that medicinally speaking Turkey has tryptophan and when eaten with a carb. induces an increase in serotonin which helps one relax and sleep well[4].

The Kosher History of the Turkey

It is known that in the west Turkey was eaten and was called ״ענגלש״י הינר״- Englishe Hiner – as it has all the signs of Kosher birds[5].We can even trace this bird back to Bagdad where some would call this bird- Ya Dich El Hand- יע״א די״ך אל הנ״ד.

In Shus Mei Be’er Siman 19[6] it is brought that this bird was eaten based on the Tradition of the Jews in Hodu – India.[7]

Rabbi Nosson Adler[8] – the teacher of the Chasam Sofer[9] also writes referring to קאשין חינא -

 Kochin Cheena or קוצ׳ין צ׳ינו - a - as the Indians would call it are permitted to be eaten.

The Custom of the Shalah

The Shalah Hakadosh[10] did not eat Turkey because he once saw a Turkey דורס hunting an animal as it’s food - and birds of prey are not kosher. With that’s said most Halachic authorities allow it and so it has become a wide spread custom to eat it.

However many descendants of the Shalah to this day do not eat Turkey as a familial custom.

Turkey Instincts

If you want to find G-d in this bird here’s one. It is taught that Turkeys, even one’s that were brought up with no mother to teach it, when seeing the shadow of a Eagle or the like – animals of prey – they would seek shelter or trot-fly away. When scientists tried to simulate a prey bird with a shadow - the Turkeys did not seem to seek shelter to defend themselves. There is no logical explanation for this other than the way G-d designed these smarti-birds. In English slang there is saying “Don’t be a Turkey” ever wonder why? It’s a actually a sarcasm – turkeys are smart little birds – it’s like the way we make fun of Chelmites – when they were actually known to be very smart people.