Volume 15 - RJJ Journal of Halacha and ... - YU Torah Online

CANNED TUNA"the particular fish in question itself has never been examined forthese characteristics.6,1Still, even though each fish need nol be examined as long aswe know that it belongs 10 a kosher species, Ihe question arises thaicanned tuna is a tolal unknown to us, for all traces of fins andscales have been removed along with the skin. How can we be surethat the can contains tuna? Can we rely on the inspection of theGentile factory workers in Puerto Rico? We know that thetestimony of a non-Jew in kashrut matters is generally not accepted.Let us, however, consider the question from a different vantagepoint.D. No craftsman willingly jeopardizes his livelihood.It is a wel1~established halachic principle that although we maynot rely on the evidence of a non-Jew relevant to the kashrut of afood item, yet if can be certain that he is telling the truth, in certaincases we may rely on him. Jewish law operates on the principle thatevery individual, including the non-Jew, is concerned withmaintaining his reputation as a reliable craftsman or worker; it isnot worth it to him to endanger his livelihood by selling an object6. See D",rkei Ttshuvah 83: he notes that according to Minchal Chin",h(Mitzvah 154). one who ate a fish and examined it only for the presence offins but did not search for scales, has violated the precept of inspecting a fishfor its kosher traits. Darkei Tnhuvllh, however, comments that this appliesonly to a fish which is not recognizable to us as being of a kosher species.But if we discern that it is of a kosher species, then all concur that it isunnecessary to check it for kosher characteristics on every occasion.Darkei Telh"vllh 79 reiterates this position when dissenting from SeferHIlCltinuclt (Mitzvah 153), who states that it is a positive precept to e::