A Project Genesis website

JewishAnswers.org

Ask the Rabbi: answers from Project Genesis rabbis

Limitations on Jewish Occupations

Question

Are there any jobs that Jews are not allowed to hold because of Jewish law?

Answer

That is a jam packed question. The answer is yes: Any job that would require you to violate a Jewish Law would be prohibited. For example, any job that requires working on the Sabbath, or some jobs dealing with non-kosher food, etc.

Another example of this is that a kohen cannot become a doctor. The reason for this is that Jewish law prohibits kohanim from coming in contact with the dead (with few exceptions). A doctor (at least in his training, if not professionally) has to regularly come in contact with the dead. This would be yet another example of a profession that is forbidden (at least to kohanim) by Jewish law.

Please let me know if there is something more specific that you had in mind.

Take care,
Rabbi Landis

Answered in cooperation with STAR-K Kosher Certification, Baltimore, MD