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Since the Torah is quite specific, a simplistic answer would be as follows:
Q. What are the limitations that The Torah impose upon us as to what we may eat?
A. The Torah only allows us to eat food that is Kosher.
Q. What does the Torah prohibit us from eating?
A. The Torah prohibits us from eating food that is not Kosher. Period.
But before we shut the door on this issue, let us discuss a Halacha that might just be pertinent to these issues.
This is the Halacha that deals with questions of Life and Death.
Q. To what degree is it incumbent on a Jew to not to violate a precept of the Torah? Would it mean that that one would have to be ready to die so not to violate a commandment?
A. With three exceptions, the Torah commands us to place the value of life above everything, even above the laws of the Torah.
When a person’s life is in danger, not only ‘may’ he take non-kosher medication, but he ‘must’ take such medication [only if no comparable Kosher medication is available at hand]. Should the person refuse, he or she should be advised that the sin of refusing such medication is akin to and perhaps even worse than the sin of eating non–Kosher food.
In the case of a life-threatening illness which requires a non-kosher medication; there should be no hesitation in taking such medications. Any young baby’s illness, according to the Torah, is considered ‘life threatening’.
Anyone with an illness that if left untreated would turn into a life threatening situation may take non-Kosher medication as he is now already considered to be in a life-threatening situation.
Anyone with a high temperature is to be considered as possibly turning into a ‘life threatening’ situation.
So much for a ‘life threatening’ illness.
There are two other forms or degrees of ‘sicknesses’ which have Halachic implications. One is an illnesses which is not life threatening. The other form of illness would be when one experiences ‘discomfort’.
In both instances, before running to take just anything, one must bear in mind the simplistic but inescapable rule we mentioned right at the beginning. Now that we know that one can’t just have a ‘free ticket’ for just about anything, it becomes equally important to explore the Halacha a little deeper, to learn what one may do and what one should not do, so that in the merit of keeping to the will of G-d, one can merit a recovery to good health.
Oral Medications come in different forms. Ordinary pills, Coated Pills, Capsules, Elixirs or liquids and finally (at least for this discussion), tablets to be chewed.
Ordinary pills – The vast, vast majority of medications today are chemicals and by themselves would not present Kosher concerns. The problems then consists of either the binders that keep the medication together in a pill form, and the coatings or Capsules which in most cases consist of non-Kosher gelatin.
Rabbis have ruled that non-Kosher binders present no Kosher concerns.
But what does one do with coated medicines and with capsules when one is ill but not with a life threatening illness?
Many Rabbinical authorities have ruled in cases of such illnesses as follows: True, the Torah forbade us to ‘eat’ anything that is not Kosher, but in case of illness, one may ask just exactly do we call ‘eating’? The normative explanation of eating means to take the thing in the mouth, either chew it, or savor the flavor, and then to swallow. Those are the steps involved in ‘eating’. But when one takes a pill and swallows it, usually with a liquid, that is not considered ‘eating’. The Torah only forbade ‘eating’ something that is not Kosher, swallowing without eating is not considered ‘eating’. In the case of a non-threatening illness it might be permitted.
[Other Rabbinical authorities don’t go so far, but suggest that one wrap the pill in a small piece of tissue paper and swallow the pill with water that way. Others yet break the capsule and pour the medicine in to a spoon and take the medication only and discard the capsule.]
What would this do to liquids (like cough medications, anti-gas syrups, etc.)? What about Chewable Tablets.? Certainly these medications fall into the category of ‘eating’. The answer is that one may not take such medications if they are not Kosher. In instances where there is a strong need for such medications, and in instances where the illness is strictly discomfort, a Rabbi should be consulted on finding ways to be allowed to take such medications.
Now the question is whether vitamins or medications taken for cosmetic purposes are required to be Kosher? We know that most of such energy drinks, shakes or syrups, and many vitamins contain glycerine, which may be derived from animals. Normally, such cases are not considered as ‘medications’ - and therefore should not be taken without a reliable certification.
If you can’t find a Kosher substitute, consult your local learned Orthodox Rabbi for other suggestions
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Acids & Acidulants