Presence

Via The Lone Ortho, the Star-K has put up a page in response to the attack launched by the Debrecin shochtim. The page includes a letter from the Star-K explaining the situation, and 6 minute, 55 second video of R. Heinemann, addressing, point-by-point, the allegations levied by Debrecin. They have also scheduled a series of lectures explaining their position, also available on tape.

All I would add is: Who's usually right in an argument? The one yelling, screaming and insulting his opponent, or the one who calmly explains himself without resorting to name-calling or denigration?

An interesting comment from R. Heinemann's video: R. Heinamann states:

In Europe, the Hechsher of a butcher facility usually consisted of the Rabbi saying the owner is a frum yid and you can rely on him and his place. Of course, according to the Halacha, this will not work for a [non-Jew]. We don’t give a Hechsher, not to a yid or to a [non-Jew]. We give a Hechsher to the product. We have Mashgichim who supervise the meat [from start to finish], from the time the animal walks into the slaughter house until the meat is packaged. We give the [certification] to the product and once it is doubly sealed, it can be sold anywhere and by anyone.

This illustrates just how much kashrus has changed over the last fifty years; in Baltimore, we still have establishments that are accepted as Kosher without hashgacha (seriously, could we survive without the Liebe's chopped liver? I don't think so). The whole concept of hashgacha as it is commonly applied today, with imported meat and restaurants, seems to be a wholly new entity. Anyone know of any good books that detail the history of hashgacha as an industry, as it developed in America or in Europe? Something that details the evolution of the modern halachos of hashgacha, from their sources in the Talmud, along with key decisions by major poskim over the last 50-100 years? If something like this does not exist, it would make a great thesis.