Bitul facts for kids

"Bitul" (say "bee-TOOL") is a cool idea in Jewish dietary laws that helps people understand if food is still okay to eat, even if a tiny bit of something not kosher accidentally got mixed in. It's like a special rule that says sometimes, if the forbidden part is super small, it doesn't count!

What is Bitul?

Bitul is a Hebrew word that means "nullification" or "making something unimportant." In the world of kashrut, which are the Jewish rules about food, bitul is used to decide if a food mixture is still considered kosher. Imagine you're making a big pot of soup, and by accident, a tiny drop of something that isn't kosher falls in. Bitul helps figure out if that small drop makes the whole pot of soup not kosher, or if it's so small that it doesn't matter.

The Idea of Bitul

The main idea behind bitul is that if a very small amount of a forbidden food gets mixed into a much larger amount of permitted food, the forbidden part might become "nullified." This means it's considered to have no real effect on the larger, permitted food. It's like a tiny drop of ink in a huge swimming pool – the pool water still looks clear!

Bitul b'shishim: The 1/60th Rule

One of the most common bitul rules is called Bitul b'shishim (say "bee-TOOL b'shee-SHEEM"). This Hebrew phrase means "nullified in sixty." This rule says that if the forbidden food is less than one-sixtieth (1/60th) of the entire dish, then the whole dish is still considered kosher.

For example, if you have 60 spoonfuls of kosher food, and less than one spoonful of non-kosher food accidentally gets mixed in, the entire dish is still okay to eat. This rule is often used for accidental mixing, not for intentionally adding forbidden ingredients.

Bitul barov: The Majority Rule

Another rule is called Bitul barov. This means "nullified by the majority." This rule is simpler: if less than half of a meal or mixture contains prohibited food, the dish might still be considered kosher. However, Bitul b'shishim is usually the more common and stricter rule applied in many situations.

Real-Life Examples: Fish and Kosher Labels

Sometimes, bitul rules come into play with common food products. For instance, some Worcestershire sauces contain anchovies (a type of fish), or marshmallows might contain fish gelatin. Fish is usually considered kosher, but some Jewish traditions have rules about mixing fish with dairy.

• If a product contains more than one-sixtieth (1/60th) fish, it might get a special label. For example, the Orthodox Union, a group that certifies kosher foods, might label such a product as "OU Fish." This tells people there's fish in it.
• However, if the amount of fish is less than one-sixtieth, the product doesn't need the "OU Fish" label. The fish ingredient still needs to be listed on the package, though, so people know what's inside.
• For Sephardi Jews, who follow traditions where fish and dairy are not mixed, products that contain fish and dairy (and the fish isn't "batel b'shishim," meaning it's more than 1/60th) are sometimes labeled "OU Dairy Fish." This helps them choose foods that fit their specific customs.