Biblical Parallels Index – Devarim 14

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Overview

This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event or law, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth.

Chosen People

Makbilot BaMikra demonstrates that Devarim 14 is one of several sections of the Torah in which the Jewish people is described as chosen. The fact is mentioned in Shemot right before Ma'mad Har Sinai, in Devarim as an introduction or conclusion to several sets of laws, and in Tehillim before listing the many acts of kindness God has done for Israel. What do the various contexts teach about what it means to be "chosen"l?

Tools

  • Use the concordance to find all instances of the word "סְגֻלָּה" (special, treasured possession) in Tanakh.  Six of the eight occurrences are found in the context of Israel being Hashem's chosen, treasured nation. Reading these verses in context can shed slight on what being "chosen" might mean and entail.

Articles

  • See God’s Beloved: A Defense of Chosenness, by R. Dr. Meir Soloveichik, for analysis of the meaning and nature of God’s love for the Jewish people and what this reflects about Jewish notions of love. He notes that in Judaism Divine love is exclusive and particularistic, while in other religions such as Christianity, love is universal and all-embracing, and does not differentiate between sinner and saint.
  • See Choosing a Theory of Chosenness, by R. Dr. Samuel Lebens, and the following articles in the series, for analysis of various issues relating to chosenness, including: the meaning and implications of chosenness, differences and commonalities between God’s relationship with the Jews and with other nations, the nature of Avraham’s chosenness, the ways in which Jewish law treats Jews differently from non-Jews, and more. 
  • See Chosenness, by R. Joshua Amaru, for a critical discussion of R. Yehudah Halevi’s conception of chosenness. R. Amaru notes that R. Yehuda HaLevi "conceived of the Jewish people as a kind of spiritual (and hereditary) nobility, with the attendant rights and responsibilities." The author then offers an alternative theory of chosenness, that the nation's chosenness stems from their having entered into a  covenantal relationship with Hashem.

Kashrut

Makbilot BaMikra points out that Vayikra 11 and Devarim 14 are the two main sections of the Torah that set forth the laws of kashrut. 

Tools

  • Use the Tanakh Lab to compare the two chapters. One difference between the two is that Sefer Vayikra suffices with providing the signs of kosher animals, while Sefer Devarim also identifies them by name.  Another difference relates to context. In Sefer Vayikra the dietary laws are placed in the unit of laws dealing with impurity, while in Devarim they are found amid a discussion of the abominations of foreign nations.  What is the import of these differences? What do both passages teach about the reason for the dietary laws?

Articles

  • See Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut for analysis of commentators'  understandings of the reason for the laws. Exegetes debate whether the laws were instituted for their physical or spiritual benefits. Thus, Rashbam maintains that their purpose is purely utilitarian, and they serve to ensure the health of the nation. Akeidat Yitzchak vehemently disagrees, claiming that all of Torah law must somehow elevate man. Hashem forbade the eating of all predatory animals since ingesting such an animal can detrimentally affect the character of the consumer. Moreover, regardless of the nature of the forbidden foods, setting limits helps man to control his desires. A third approach suggests that the goal of the laws is to separate Israel from her neighbors.
  • See Kashrut, by R. Ezra Bick, for discussion of how the notion of prohibited foods is related to holiness and morality. He develops the idea mentioned by Akeidat Yitzchak (see above), that the very act of withdrawal and learning of restraint is an end of itself.
  • See Locusts, Giraffes, and the Meaning of Kashrut, by R. Dr. Meir Soloveichik, for a review of several classic understandings of the reasoning behind the laws of kashrut and a theory that the purpose of kashrut is to develop a sense of community and national loyalty.
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