Fun and Kosher

Today it has become popular to accompany educational materials with illustrations, including depictions of animals. In such cases, it is appropriate to use pictures of only Kosher animals. Similarly, when a child is given an animal toy, it should resemble a Kosher animal.

There is clear precedent for this in Jewish law: It is well known, the extreme care taken after immersing in the Mikva to avoid seeing an impure animal. How much more so do we see in Jewish custom that when a baby is born we surround it only with holy images.

As we ready ourselves for the imminent Redemption, we must begin to “live” with the Redemption: At that time, “G-d will banish the spirit of impurity from the earth.” Already now, then, wherever possible, people should surround themselves only with pure and holy things.