Choosing what we Chew as Jews

Chapter 11 of parashat Shemini, talks about all the forms of life that
we Jews are permitted to eat.  It begins with a description of animals
which have split hooves and chew their cud, proceeds to everything in
the water that has fins and scales, and then to fowl that are not
birds of prey.  The list even includes insects that may and may not be
consumed.  The basic laws of what we may and may not eat are provided
to us in a very specific way in this week's parasha.

Yet, whenever I speak to non-Jewish groups about kashrut, I often find
myself saying, "it is the Jewish way of eating, although not all Jews
choose to eat that way."

In this day and age, with all of our sophisticated talk about eating
and food, many of us have come to believe that "you are what you eat."
 Healthy eating is touted as a way of insuring one's well-being.  Few
would argue with the notion that in order to be fit and healthy you
need to maintain healthy eating habits.  We might not all be champions
of a macrobiotic diet, but I do think the majority of us have an idea
about which foods we ingest that might promote a healthier  state of
being.

There are many reasons that have been stated for keeping kosher.  I
will go through them shortly, but prior to doing so, I don't truly
believe any is the reason that one should keep kosher.  They might be
nice explanations, but I don't personally believe that kashrut is a
system that comes with a rationale.  I believe it is a system of
eating that is commanded with the expectation that Jews should eat
that way only because it was commanded to do so.  Laws of kashrut are
part of the covenant we entered into when we were given the Torah.


With that said, however let's look at a rationale others have created
for the laws presented to us in Shemini:

Why should we eat only animals with a split hoof?  Why only animals
that chew their cud?  Why not birds of prey?  The one thing all of
these animals have in common is that they are not predators.  They eat
a vegetarian diet.  They remind us that in order to be truly human in
the best sense of the word, violence is to be avoided.  We are
permitted to eat only non-aggressive, non-predatory animals as a
reminder of how we are to approach life.  We are reminded that we too
are not supposed to be vicious.  We are to approach the animal world
with the same sense of respect for life that we are to show to
humankind.

Some have touted the idea that keeping a kosher diet, maintains the
identity of the Jewish people.  It reminds us of who we are, each and
every time we sit down to eat, and it also makes it more difficult to
"break bread" with others who do not eat in the same way.  It is
harder to eat among others when you cannot eat what they are eating!

Still others have promoted the idea that watching and limiting what
one eats is a way to discipline one's life.  Following the rules for
kashrut requires self-discipline just as does living an ethical, moral
life.

For some, thinking about kashrut when they eat, elevates eating into a
religious ritual not just a matter of satisfying one's physical needs.
 It takes an act that is basically profane and turns it into one that
is in the realm of the sacred.

There is a parable that was written in Tanchuma 6, that goes like this:
"A doctor went to visit two patients.  He saw that one had a fatal
illness.  He told that patient's family, "Give him any food he wants."
 The doctor saw that the other patient had a chance to survive.  He
said to that patient's family, "He should eat these foods and not
these foods."  They said to the doctor, "What's going on?  Why do you
tell this one to eat whatever he please, and to the other you forbid
so many foods?"  The doctor said, "I told the one who will live, "Eat
this and do not eat that, but I told the family of the one who will
die," 'Give him whatever he wants, for he will not live."

The parable is meant to teach us that the people of Israel is destined
to live.  We are to follow G-d's commands because they will allow us
to become holy just as we believe that G-d is Holy.  As a people, we
have survived throughout the ages, striving to be holy, striving to
realize our mission in life.  Perhaps keeping kosher fits into that
scheme seemlessly, helping us to find a way of maintaining our lives
with G-d in mind at all times.

Shabbat Shalom.