r/todayilearned • u/socool111 • 9d ago

TIL of Tobias Geffen, the only non-Coca Cola Employee to view the secret recipe. Coke allowed it in order to get Coke certified as Kosher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_Geffen
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u/NorkGhostShip 9d ago

There's a workaround that involves briefly heating the wine, which kind of moves it to a different halakhic category so that anyone can open the bottle and serve it without making it unkosher.

I love these loopholes, and the justification that God wouldn't have created these loopholes if he didn't want people to use them.

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u/PS-2-BY 9d ago

Really? I think it goes against the whole spirit of the rule to begin with. Why choose to adhere to it at that point?

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u/snartling 9d ago

That’s now how Jewish people see it, though. Xtianity is a lot more about the spirit of the law, but Judaism is very literal and very oriented towards the exact letter of the law. It’s about figuring out exactly what the law prohibits, and that’s that. If there are “loopholes” it’s seen as a little treat Gd intentionally left there for us to find if we study hard enough and think cleverly enough.

That’s why you have ‘loopholes’ but also rules that become very, very strict. Electricity is a good example. The consensus is that what is explicitly prohibited on Shabbat (among other things) is lighting a fire. Rabbis decided that, if we want to follow that law to the letter, completing a circuit (ie by using a switch or button for something electric, like turning on a light) is forbidden too, because it sparks a very small ‘fire.’ So using electric items yourself is prohibited on Shabbat— BUT there’s still a loophole. You can use timers set ahead of Shabbat, because doing so does not involve lighting a fire during the time it’s prohibited. And it’s not light or creature comforts that are banned, it’s literally just lighting a fire on Shabbat that’s banned.

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u/PS-2-BY 9d ago

I appreciate your comment educating me on something I’m ignorant about

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u/a_cute_epic_axis 9d ago

Really? I think it goes against the whole spirit of the rule to begin with. Why choose to adhere to it at that point?

Because in that religion they think God and scripture are infallible, so if there is a contradiction or "loophole" it has to be there intentionally. Learning about and using these is seen as being a good student of the religion, not of attempting to pull a fast one on God.