Difference between revisions of "Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut/2"
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<point><b>"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים"</b> – Seforno asserts that by adhering to these laws the nation will become as close as possible to Hashem's holiness.</point> | <point><b>"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים"</b> – Seforno asserts that by adhering to these laws the nation will become as close as possible to Hashem's holiness.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם"</b> – Akeidat Yitzchak asserts that there is nothing impure physically about these prohibited animals, rather it must be spiritually.</point> | ||
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Version as of 12:06, 24 April 2018
Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut
Exegetical Approaches
Health Benefit
All the animals that the Torah prohibited are unhealthy for the human body.
Why these animals? According to this approach these specific animals are unhealthy for the human body. However, Abarbanel notes that there are many other unhealthy foods which are not mentioned, and if the Torah's goal was to keep us healthy one would expect it to include a complete list.
- Predators and carnivores are prone to transfer diseases, as they are much less hygienic and live in waste products.
Scientific support – Many commentators note that this does not match reality, where we see many non-Jews eating these prohibited foods with no unfortunate consequences.1 Sefer HaChinukh defends this position saying that we can trust Hashem who knows better than any scientist which foods are healthy and which not.
The signs – Rambam explains that there is nothing intrinsic in the signs which provide a health benefit to the animal. The signs are only necessary so as to differentiate between the different animals.
Context in Vayikra – laws of purity – According to this position, it is not clear how these laws are connected to the laws of purity and impurity. However, it is possible that other laws of impurity are also related to disease. See for example Ralbag on Tzara'at.
Context in Devarim – laws of idolatry
Why is the purpose not stated? Sefer HaChinukh claims that had the reason been given individuals would think they know better and decide for themselves what is healthy and what not. R. D"Z Hoffmann in contrast argues that it would have been better to include the reason, because people tend to want to observe commandment which are beneficial to them.
"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם"
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – The reasoning given in the Torah does not correspond to this approach's understanding. Presumably they would suggest these verses as being the general aim of many commandments and not specifically Kashrut.
Prohibition of נבילה and טריפה – The Rambam explicitly writes that the same reasoning applies by the נבילה and טריפה which are hard to digest. Sefer HaChinukh notes that the fact the animal became a טריפה proves the animal is sick.
Spiritual Benefit
Learning Limits
The purpose of the commandment was to limit us in the number of animals we can eat, in order to train us in controlling our desires.
Why these animals?
- Philo notes that the swine is admitted to be the nicest of all meats, and the fish with no scales are the most delicate of fish, suggesting that Hashem chose to prohibit the most desired of animals.
- In contrast, Akeidat Yitzchak seems to suggest that there is no meaning to the specific animals which were chosen to be prohibited for eating.
Eating meat
"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" – The large number of commandments are the only way for a person to overcome his desires and control his spirit.
Perfecting Personality
The laws of Kashrut are to elevate the soul, as eating disgusting foods lowers the man to the level of the animal.
Why these animals? A person becomes what they eat, and therefore Hashem only permitted animals which have a good nature, and prohibited animals which own traits that Hashem didn't want humans to learn.
- Beasts – Abarbanel3 maintains that the animals which chew their cud and have a split hove are all herbivores,4 and therefore those animals are not as cruel as the carnivores who are predators. One who eats a beast of prey will turn into a beast of prey, and Hashem wants us to avoid such a lifestyle.
- Birds – The majority of the prohibited birds are birds of prey.
The signs
- "מַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה וְשֹׁסַעַת שֶׁסַע" – Herbivores don't have nails like carnivores, rather they have a split hove to enable them to run to far distances in order to collect enough food.
- "מַעֲלַת גֵּרָה" – Herbivores do not have canine and grinding teeth, and therefore they can't eat bones rather only plants. However, plants are not easy to digest and they need to chew multiple times through their multiple stomachs in order to digest them.
- "סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת" –
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – Seforno asserts that by adhering to these laws the nation will become as close as possible to Hashem's holiness.
"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" – Akeidat Yitzchak asserts that there is nothing impure physically about these prohibited animals, rather it must be spiritually.
Separation From the Nations
The purpose of the laws is for Israel to have different dietary needs than the rest of the world.
Ancient Near Eastern parallels – Shadal maintains that the same way the priests of other nations are isolated and have their own laws and prohibitions, so too every person in Israel is different from the nations.
Context in Devarim – laws of idolatry – This understanding fits with the context of the laws in Devarim, laws of idolatry, and where it is emphasized that we are a holy nation whom Hashem chose.
