Kosher Medicine

I've been sick for about a month now, with coughing, runny nose, and other basic symptoms. Just the stuff that drives the people that have to deal with your germs in an enclosed space on a regular basis crazy. I'm taking some pills, and one of my co-workers asked me what medicines I can take. Slow and confused as usual, I wasn't sure what she was referring to; I'm not good at taking any pills. She clarified, and asked if certain name brand pharmaceuticals weren't kosher. It happens that I had just read an article about this subject the day before by chance. Otherwise, I would have stuttered an incomprehensible response more than I did. Basically, all medicines are Kosher for consumption, regardless of ingredients. The laws of kosher only apply to foods, of which medicine is not included. That is why there is no blessing over medicine. Generally, food is considered that which nourishes. Medicine heals, not nourishes; it is for restoring the body to normal health, not a requisite for maintaining it. Therefore all is allowed. And I can go along sniffling.

Selling Chametz

For a company of it's size, Kraft really isn't into food for Passover. From what I could tell, nothing besides Maxwell House and Breakstones (which happen to be Passover classics) is Kosher for Passover. But that doesn't mean the Kosher employee is ready for Passover. Like any member of the workforce, I had to clean out all my personal areas of any food products. This consisted of about the last half hour before I left for the last time before the holiday.

But at a food job (even when not working with the food), the edible stuff is still a popular commodity. At Kraft, employees line their workspaces with company brands. My desk is of course no differenct. Actually, for the amount of time I've been here, I've got most people beat. But the collecting of food products poses a challenge for the Passover season. I'm not allowed to own any non Kosher for Passover foods. How then could I retain my massive collection without being a sinner? The magic word - compromise. Well not necessarily compromising my faith, just taking advantage of the leniencies it provides. Judaism allows for the sale of food products, to be reacquired after the holiday. (This is accomplished through a complex legal process too complicated to describe here.) However, not everybody accepts the validity of this action. In effect, they rule that such food is considered as if it had been owned by a Jew anyways, and can't be eaten as Kosher ever again. So in order not to rely on this leniency, I disposed of the actual Kosher products lining my desk before Passover. The packaging, though, I retained, allowing me to keep up the Trademark look of my personal space. Additionally, all the non-Kosher products were sold, so as not to have been owned by me during Passover. Since they are not Kosher to begin with, I have no intent to eat from them in the future anyway. I also don't consider myself the "owner" of the items. In effect, I have abandoned those items, and they are ownerless. They may decorate my space, but I have no exclusive rights to their use. I gave that up.

And such are the details of Passover on the Cube.