By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO–Kashrut observance is one of the defining rituals of Judaism. For Jews, the food we put into our mouths is equally as important as the words that come out.
Parashat Shemini cites the defining characteristics of Kosher mammals and fish. Mammals must have cleft hooves and chew their cud. Sea creatures need to have fins and scales. Shemini does not define the characteristics of Kosher birds but specifies them by name instead. In general, domesticated birds are kosher while birds of prey and scavengers are not.
Jewish sages, traditional and modern, have come up with a variety of reasons for keeping Kashrut. They range from prevention of cruelty to animals (Kosher slaughtering techniques) to avoidance of pagan practice (not cooking the kid in its mother’s milk).
Often, however, it is suggested that the laws of Kashrut have less to do with reason and more with obedience to God
One sage asked: “Why should God care whether an animal is ritually slaughtered or if it is killed some other way instead? Will the meat be better or worse either way? And why should God care if we eat cows rather than pigs? Is one animal better than another?
Obviously not! So why did God give us these rules? In order to refine [ tzareif ] humanity.”
How does keeping Kosher “refine” humanity? By teaching us to limit our choices and to live our lives within boundaries. We live in a country and time with almost unlimited freedom. However, many people have not learned that not every choice is a good choice, and that we often have to limit and narrow the things we do and acquire if we want to have rich, meaningful, and fruitful lives.
Sometimes painful decisions have to be made in order to ensure the future well being of all. This is a lesson our government, both national and local, is painfully learning now. Kashrut is one of the ways Jews practice limiting their choices.
Smoking is forbidden on Shabbat and every other day!
Sometimes there is no apparent reason other than our willingness to respond to the commanding voice of God and tradition. However, if we learn to curb our appetites when it comes to the type of food we eat, we should be well practiced when we need to make important and painful decisions in life.
*
Rabbi Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego