Cream Cheese and Gevinat Akum

Asked by Josh · December 23, 2003 · Kashrut

Question

Dear Rabbi, Based on your father's ruling many of the adherents of this website have stopped using O-U soft cheeses, myself included. You have often cited Rav Moshe's responsa on this topic, Y"D:A #50, as a source for your condemnation of the O-U's position in this regard. After following your discussions of this for some time now, I finally looked at the actual teshuva in Igrot Moshe. In a tiny paragraph at the end, he says that, "there are many reasons to permit cream cheese...because it is like butter. But I will neither permit nor prohibit. It is good to be stringent, but we need not protest against those who are lenient." Seemingly, Rav Moshe doesn't want to come out and prohibit cream cheese, but he's not too thrilled about allowing it either. But I know that your father's understanding of halacha in general and of Rav Moshe's responsa in particular is infinitely better than mine, which is why I consult this website. Is it possible that Rav Moshe is offering some support for those who are lenient with cream cheese, in view of the fact that he acknowledges that it is not clearly prohibited and refrains from ruling on the case? After all, he says not to interfere with those who are lenient, which almost sounds like a kind of semi-endorsement of what they're doing. On the other hand, Rav Abadi's position may be an independent one that is not necessarily related to Rav Moshe's in any way. However, I was unable to find anything on this topic in Or Yitschak. Could you please clarify this halacha and explain whether there is any room for heter here, especially in shat hadchak?

Answer

Answered by Aaron Abadi

Rav Moshe ends with a statement that he does not permit it. The Aruch Hashulchan says that it is clearly not allowed. My father, independantly, agrees that it is considered cheese and needs watching. Rav Moshe's slight justification was written in the context, that if there was a Moreh Hora'ah who says it is good, don't choke him to death. But there is none that we know of, and the Rav Henkin story is heresay. Nobody actually heard it or saw it written, and he wasn't the only Posek. If the OU is only accomodating a select few, let them state that. I do have some ideas to get the cheese a proper Hashgachah without costing an arm and a leg, but first the OU needs to acknowledge the problem. Until then it's useless to suggest resolutions. AA