In Judaism, there are various laws that determine what foods can and cannot be eaten, as well as how those foods are to be prepared. Collectively these laws are referred to as the “kosher dietary laws,” or sometimes just “kosher laws.” The word kosher is derived from the Hebrew word kosher, which simply means “proper” or “fitting” (see Esther 8:5). Foods that are considered kosher, then, are considered fit or proper for eating.