Some Jews refer to these prohibited foods as "akum", an acronym of "Ovde Kokhavim U Mazzaloth" (), meaning "worshippers of stars and planets (or Zodiac)". "Akum" is thus a reference to activities that these Jews view as idolatry, and in many significant works of post-classical Jewish literature, such as the "Shulchan Aruch", it has been applied to Christians in particular. However, among the classical rabbis, there were a number who refused to treat Christians as idolaters, and consequently regarded food that had been manufactured by them as being kosher.