With the New Year approaching Rabbi David Woznica offers a twist on the popular resolution of beginning a diet. This week he offers inquiries into Torah teachings that elevate the act of eating. Here are his thoughts about this spiritual diet.
Why Keep Kosher:
Which Animals are Kosher and Why?
The Torah mandates that for fish to be kosher, it must have fins and scales (Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14). That is why salmon and tuna are kosher and shellfish (shrimp, crab, scallops, lobster) are out of bounds. Kosher land animals are those with a cleft hoof and chew their cud—making cow, sheep, and goat kosher—while pig, rabbit and horse are not. For fowl (birds) to be kosher, they cannot be birds of prey.
It’s noteworthy with the exception of fish, all kosher animals are herbivorous (vegetarian). Therefore, a Jew is not to eat an animal that has taken the life of another. Combine that with the Torah law forbidding all humanity from consuming blood of animals and you have a deeper understanding of Judaism’s dislike of violence and bloodshed.
There is also a vital moral element to the kosher laws. The lives of the permissible animals must be taken in a prescribed manner, with a focus on minimizing their pain. For thousands of years compassion for animals has been central to Judaism.
— Rabbi David Wonica
Tomorrow: “What’s the Big Deal about Cheeseburgers?”
Rabbi Woznica can be reached via email at [email protected].