Cultivated Meat and Kosher Considerations: The Journey of Aleph Meats to Halachic Certification

Recently, I've been reading about lab-grown meat, and it seems like it's going to revolutionize the meat industry. So, I was wondering—would this type of meat be considered kosher? And if so, would it then be classified as parve to be able to eat as a cheeseburger?

Thank you for your question.

The innovation and revolution unfolding within the food industry, especially in the meat sector, are truly fascinating. Excitingly, there is groundbreaking news; ‘Aleph Meats’, a lab-grown meat manufacturer from Rehovot Israel has recently received its certification (Hechsher) from the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau.
Let's delve into the complexities of the halachic controversies and analyze how Aleph Meats successfully navigated and resolved these challenges.

A short introduction to how lab-grown meat is generally produced:
Here's an overview of the procedure:  Cell Selection,  Scientists start by selecting specific animal cells that have the potential to grow and multiply. These cells can be stem cells or specialized cells like muscle cells.  Cell Cultivation, t he selected cells are placed in a nutrient-rich medium, which provides them with the necessary conditions to grow and multiply. This medium contains amino acids, sugars, vitamins, and minerals.   Growth and Differentiation, t he cells proliferate in a bioreactor, a device that maintains the optimal conditions for growth, such as temperature, pH, and oxygen levels. Over time, the cells differentiate into muscle cells and other types of cells needed to mimic the structure of meat.  Tissue Formation,  As the cells multiply, they form tissues that resemble the muscle tissue found in traditional meat. This process may involve scaffolding materials to help organize the cells into the desired texture and structure.  Harvesting,  once the cultured meat has reached the desired size and texture, it is harvested from the bioreactor, processed, and prepared for consumption, much like conventional meat.

Essentially, we extract cells from a living animal and cultivate them in a regulated environment. This process allows a single cell to proliferate into enough cells to produce millions of burgers.

Exploring Jewish history and the Talmud reveals that the idea of generating abundance from a minimal starting point, whether through miracles or natural processes, is a familiar one. We will explore stories from the Prophets (Nevi'im) and the Talmud to illuminate the concept of lab-grown meat.

One notable story is the miracle of the widow's oil in the book of Kings (II Kings 4:1-7), where the prophet Elisha helps a widow. She has only a small jar of oil, but through a miracle, the oil multiplies, filling many jars and providing her with enough to sell and pay off her debts. This story illustrates the concept of a small quantity expanding miraculously to meet larger needs.

The Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi) adds a detail to this story
“as this miracle happened to her, she asked the prophet, 'Is there a tithe on this oil or not?' He said to her, 'Your husband provided for prophets of the Lord in a matter that had no obligation of tithe, and you also have no tithe on your oil, for it comes from a miracle .'”

The Sefer Kli Chemdah, offers insights that illuminate the discussion on lab-grown meat. Since the initial quantity of oil, however small, was already tithed, the mass that subsequently multiplied from it is exempt from further tithing. The principle here is that the miraculous increase inherits the status of the original substance. Analogously, in the case of lab-grown meat, if the originating cells are kosher, the meat that proliferates from them retains the kosher status of the original cells. This principle suggests that the halachic (Jewish legal) status of the initial substance directly influences the status of its derivatives, regardless of the method of expansion or multiplication.

Same too we can then say that since they are extracting a piece of meat from a live cow this original piece of meat is forbidden to eat the meat is called אבר מן החי or בשר מן החי  "a limb from a living animal," is a prohibition in Jewish law against consuming meat that has been removed from an animal while it is still alive. The source of this prohibition can be found in the Torah, specifically in the book of Genesis (Bereishit) 9:4, where it is stated: "But flesh with its life, which is its blood, you shall not eat." And from the verse, "And you shall not eat the soul with the flesh" (Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 12, Verse 23).
Consequently, since the original piece of meat is prohibited for consumption, any meat that derives from this piece will also be considered "Ever min ha-chai" and will likewise be forbidden to eat.
Some might contend that extracting DNA from meat and using it to produce new meat constitutes a creation of new existence, rendering it free from its original prohibition—a concept referred to in Hebrew as 'Ponim Chadoshes.' This argument draws on a Talmudic principle(Tractate Nida 9a): while consuming blood is forbidden, the transformation of blood into milk (through natural biological processes in mammals), which is permissible to drink, illustrates that a new form does not retain the original prohibition. Similarly, extracting DNA from prohibited meat and transforming it through scientific processes into new meat could be considered Ponim Chadoshes, thus not maintaining the original prohibition of 'ever min ha-chai'.
However, many halachic authorities challenge this perspective, arguing that because the resulting meat is indistinguishable from the original in taste, texture, and other properties, it retains its original halachic status. Therefore, it remains prohibited, as it is still considered 'ever min ha-chai'.
Another argument that could be proposed is based on the halachic principle that a forbidden substance becomes nullified if it is mixed into a permissible substance at a ratio of sixty to one, known as 'batel b'shishim'. Following this logic, it could be argued that since the original piece of meat, which is 'ever min ha-chai', constitutes a minuscule proportion of the final product, it should theoretically be nullified under the principle of 'batel b'shishim'.
However, it is important to know that the law of Batel b’shishim is subject to specific parameters, and not all types of forbidden substances become nullified. as outlined in the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah (Section 87, Subsection 11), and this principle does not extend to a "davar hama’amid," or an ingredient that is essential to the formation of the product. An indispensable ingredient cannot be nullified, regardless of its quantity. This principle appears to apply to the cells that are critical for the cultivation of the meat. If these cells do not originate from a kosher source, they cannot be nullified, rendering the resulting meat non-kosher as well.

The Method of ‘Aleph Farms’:

The process begins with selecting a high-quality cell source, this involves using a fertilized egg from a specifically chosen cow. This egg is essentially the foundational building block for the meat cultivation process.
From this fertilized egg, cells are isolated that have the capacity to grow and multiply. These cells are placed in a controlled environment where they are nurtured with a nutrient-rich medium that supports their growth and division.
The method that is used is to use a fertilized egg so this way there is no problem that we raised earlier of ‘ever min Hachai’.
Rabbi David Lau explains that since the extraction occurs at a very initial phase, it is not deemed part of the animal, as detailed in the Talmud (tractate Bechorot 7b). Thus, it is not classified as meat. Consequently, the product from Aleph Farm is regarded as parve. However, Chief Rabbi Lau raised concerns regarding Marit Ayin (Shulchan Aruch Yore Dea 87,3), noting that the final product resembles real meat to such an extent that if someone were to consume it with cheese in a cheeseburger, observers might mistakenly believe one is eating non-kosher food or, even more concerning, might come to think such consumption is permissible. To prevent this misconception, Rabbi Lau has instructed ‘Alpha Farms’ that the product should be marketed explicitly as meat and not as a variant that can be consumed with cheese.

Wishing you much success.

·         Talmud, Tractate Bechorot 7b

·         Shulchan Aruch, Yore Dea 87,3

·         II Kings 4:1-7

·         Sefer Kli Chemdah 

·         Tractate Nida 9a

·         Genesis (Bereishit) 9:4

·         Deuteronomy, Chapter 12, Verse 23

·         Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah (Section 87, Subsection 11)