Question:
I am looking at taking an important supplement for my health after gallbladder removal: ox bile.
Clearly the source is not kosher but I have heard that in instances like this supplements are considered okay as they are clearly not being consumed for food or enjoyment.
What do the sources say?
Answer:
Interesting question. I sent your question to a kashrus professional, and this is what he answered.
“The issue with all these things is that it is never certain whether there is really any therapeutic advantage to them that is real enough to use the heterim of tzorech refuah.
Putting that aside, it is not clear to me that neveilah is chal on bile. It could be that it is just pirsha b’alma. I am not even certain that there is an issur d’Rabbanan.
So, if this is really l’torech refuah, you have that plus that it is not k’derech hana’aso.”
Best wishes
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