There is no question that some of the dietary laws have beneficial health effects. For example, the laws regarding kosher slaughter are so sanitary that kosher butchers and slaughterhouses are often exempted from USDA regulations. However, health is not the main reason for Jewish dietary laws and in fact many of the laws of kashrut have no known connection with health.
To the best of our modern scientific knowledge, there is no reason why camel or rabbit meat both treif is any less healthy than cow or goat meat. In addition, some of the health benefits derived from kashrut were not made obsolete by the refrigerator. For example, there is some evidence that eating meat and dairy together interferes with digestion, and no modern food preparation technique reproduces the health benefit of the kosher law of eating them separately. The short answer to why Jews observe these laws is because the Torah says so.
The Torah does not specify a reason for these laws but for an observant Jew there is no need for a reason - Jews show their belief and obedience to God by following the laws even though they do not know the specific reason.
The ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, pure and defiled, the sacred and the profane, is very important in Judaism. Imposing rules on what you can and cannot eat ingrains that kind of self control. In addition, it elevates the simple act of eating into a religious ritual. The Jewish dinner table is often compared to the Temple altar in rabbinic literature.
Keeping kosher is not particularly difficult in and of itself; what makes keeping kosher difficult is the fact that the rest of the world does not do so. The basic underlying rules are fairly simple. If you buy your meat at a kosher butcher and buy only kosher certified products at the market, the only thing you need to think about is the separation of meat and dairy.
Keeping kosher only becomes difficult when you try to eat in a non-kosher restaurant or at the home of a person who does not keep kosher.
In those situations, your lack of knowledge about your host's ingredients and the food preparation techniques make it very difficult to keep kosher. Some commentators have pointed out, however, that this may well have been part of what G-d had in mind: to make it more difficult for us to socialize with those who do not share our religion.
Although the details of kashrut are extensive, the laws all derive from a few fairly simple, straightforward rules:. Of the "beasts of the earth" which basically refers to land mammals with the exception of swarming rodents , you may eat any animal that has cloven hooves and chews its cud. Any land mammal that does not have both of these qualities is forbidden.
The Torah specifies that the camel, the rock badger, the hare and the pig are not kosher because each lacks one of these two qualifications. Sheep, cattle, goats and deer are kosher. Of the things that are in the waters, you may eat anything that has fins and scales. Thus, shellfish such as lobsters, oysters, shrimp, clams and crabs are all forbidden. Fish like tuna, carp, salmon and herring are all permitted.
For birds, the criteria is less clear. The Torah lists forbidden birds Lev. All of the birds on the list are birds of prey or scavengers, thus the rabbis inferred that this was the basis for the distinction. Other birds are permitted, such as chicken, geese, ducks and turkeys. Of the "winged swarming things" winged insects , a few are specifically permitted Lev.
Rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and insects except as mentioned above are all forbidden. As mentioned above, any product derived from these forbidden animals, such as their milk, eggs, fat, or organs, also cannot be eaten. Rennet, an enzyme used to harden cheese, is often obtained from non-kosher animals, thus kosher hard cheese can be difficult to find.
The mammals and birds that may be eaten must be slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law. We may not eat animals that died of natural causes Deut. In addition, the animal must have no disease or flaws in the organs at the time of slaughter. These restrictions do not apply to fish; only to the flocks and herds Num. Ritual slaughter is known as shechitah , and the person who performs the slaughter is called a shochet , both from the Hebrew root Shin-Chet-Tav , meaning to destroy or kill.
The method of slaughter is a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a perfectly sharp blade with no nicks or unevenness. This method is painless, causes unconsciousness within two seconds, and is widely recognized as the most humane method of slaughter possible.
Another advantage of shechitah is that ensures rapid, complete draining of the blood, which is also necessary to render the meat kosher. The shochet is not simply a butcher; he must be a pious man, well-trained in Jewish law, particularly as it relates to kashrut.
In smaller, more remote communities, the rabbi and the shochet were often the same person. All types of shellfish are prohibited. Poultry: Jews are not permitted to eat any birds of prey. In practice therefore they only eat chicken, turkey, duck and goose. Killing of animals and birds: Jews may only eat animals and birds that have been slaughtered in a special way. This method has been shown to be a very humane way of killing animals, as it is carried out by a highly trained person called a Shochet.
Prohibition of eating of blood: The Torah commands Jews not to consume blood. If a blood-spot is found in an egg, the egg is not kosher. Once an animal or bird has been slaughtered, the meat has to undergo a special salting process which removes the blood. Many food products today may contain ingredients derived from animals which are not kosher. The most common ingredients which can render a product not kosher are:. Meat and Milk: One of the most important part of the Jewish dietary laws is the prohibition of consuming meat and milk together.
Separate sets of crockery, cutlery and utensils are used, and are also washed up in separate bowls and dried with different cloths. After eating meat, Jews wait several hours before eating dairy foods. It should also be borne in mind that Lactose is dairy, whereas lactic acid is synthetic. Buying kosher food: Today one can buy many Kosher products in normal supermarkets.
This is a label which certifies that the product has been approved or supervised by a rabbi or Kosher agency. There is a wide range of products bearing a hechsher. These include bread and meat, sweets, chocolates, soups, margarine, oil, biscuits, butter and cheese.
Keeping Kosher in Hospital: Jewish patients must be able to keep kosher when in hospital. Others observe kashrut at home but not elsewhere.
In big cities with large Jewish populations in the UK, there may be kosher supermarkets, shops and restaurants catering for the Jewish communities. Often these are located nearby synagogues. Even in smaller communities where there are fewer Jewish people, most major supermarkets will have a kosher food section. Many food manufacturers produce ordinary foods to kosher standards.
Some Jews will avoid eating out at dinner parties, non-kosher restaurants and cafes. Lots of Jews may stick to vegetarian or vegan options when eating out, as all of these foods are parev. What must land animals have in order for Jews to be allowed to eat them?
Cloven split hooves. Kosher rules Land animals must have cloven split hooves and must chew the cud, meaning that they must eat grass. Seafood must have fins and scales. Eating shellfish is not allowed. It is forbidden to eat birds of prey.
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