What Makes Animals Kosher?
In the Bible, G‑d lists two requirements for an animal to be kosher (fit to eat) for a Jew: Animals must chew their cud and have split hooves. Pigs do have split hooves but do not chew their cud, so we cannot eat pig meat and its derivatives. In the seafood department, we may only eat fish that have both fins and scales.
The Source in the Bible
Here is a translation of the original Divine command, from Deuteronomy, Chapter 14:8-10:
And the pig, because it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You shall neither eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass.
These you may eat of all that are in the waters; all that have fins and scales, you may eat.
But whatever does not have fins and scales, you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.
The Reason for Avoiding Non-Kosher
While the commandment to follow a kosher diet falls under the category of laws which do not necessarily seem logical,1 observing them only because G‑d commands us to,2 there are moral lessons we derive from them.
Here are several given:
- The birds and many of the mammals we do not eat are predators, while the permitted animals are not. We are commanded not to eat those animals possessive of a cruel nature, so that we should not absorb these qualities into ourselves.3
- The commandment refines the person and instills self-discipline.4
For more extensive information please see Which Animals Are Kosher? and Buying Kosher Meat & Fowl from our Kosher section.
For spiritual insights see Why Do We Keep Kosher? and Judaism and the Art of Eating.
Best wishes,
Chani Benjaminson
Chabad.org
Why is it bad to eat shellfish if you’re Jewish. I never understood that.
Fish with scales
I understand the rules are the rules. But consider shrimp, they eat carrion, or dead rotting fish. Crabs too. Someone drowns in saltwater, free crabs. Oysters and clams, they’re the filters of the water, where call them biological sewer treatment.
Like not eating birds of prey.
Where it seems the clean foods are cleaner creatures with a milder spirit. Gentle.
Which we are supposed to be! Which I’ve seen it said and I’ve heard a world class athlete reference eating certain foods for their spiritual nature. As the athlete he would eat meat before a fight for that killer nature! Quite a contrast to lamb and dove.
I am not answering for Jews or Judaism but just mentioning correlations as well as believes held by some ancient and spiritual folks.
Again, it might be something kept secret to Jews as far as I know. Like martial arts, they’ve been kept from westerners minus a few!
Which if a rabbi would chime in, it’d be good, but as yet, I’ve always heard the rules are the rules.
But pigs have a mild nature and are actually cleaner than chickens (pigs only like clean mud and don't poop where they rest). Pigs also have split hooves. The only thing that disqualifies them is that they do not chew their cud. But chickens don't do that either. So, I understand what the rule is, but I don't understand why Deuteronomy singles out pigs. There doesn't seem to be a sufficient argument against eating them other than "that's what is in Deuteronomy."
just dont eat them
pigs also don't have sweat glands (they absorb toxins into their flesh and fat) ie Bacon and pigs don't have veins , so if a snake bites them, it is absorbed into the fat and flash (we eat that) but it dont kill the pigs, pork the other white meat is super difficult for humans to digest, makes the body create new digestive enzymes just to digest puts a strain on your body, pork tends to require a lot more salt to season due to fat content therefore leads to high blood pressure and cardiovacular disease
Pigs do have veins as do all mammals.. how else does blood return to the heart ? Magic perhaps ?