Difference between revisions of "Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut/2"
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<point><b>"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" / "וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים"</b> – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel<fn>See also Seforno.</fn> assert that the verses use the language of holiness and purity rather than healthy/unhealthy because they speak of a spiritual state rather than a physical one.  Hence, too, the emphasis on the law's effects on the soul: "וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת <b>נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם</b>".</point> | <point><b>"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" / "וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים"</b> – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel<fn>See also Seforno.</fn> assert that the verses use the language of holiness and purity rather than healthy/unhealthy because they speak of a spiritual state rather than a physical one.  Hence, too, the emphasis on the law's effects on the soul: "וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת <b>נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם</b>".</point> | ||
| − | <point><b>Context in Vayikra: laws of impurity</b> | + | <point><b>Context in Vayikra: laws of impurity</b><ul> |
| + | <li>Ramban explains that the unit is brought here due to the laws relating to contact with impure animals (which is clearly connected to the larger context of impurity). It was necessary to distinguish between pure and impure animals for those laws, and only tangentially does the Torah share the prohibitions regarding eating.<fn>In other words, the text 's main focus are the ordinances dealing with the status of those who touch impure animals, while the laws regarding Kashrut are secondary.  If so, this could explain why Vayikra suffices with giving the signs of kosher animals, but does not list them individually as does Devarim (whose main focus in the prohibitions of consumption).</fn></li> | ||
| + | <li>Seforno</li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>Context in Devarim: תועבות הגויים</b> – Ramban points out that impure animals are an abomination for the soul; thus their placement right after a discussion of other "abominations" is fitting.</point> | <point><b>Context in Devarim: תועבות הגויים</b> – Ramban points out that impure animals are an abomination for the soul; thus their placement right after a discussion of other "abominations" is fitting.</point> | ||
<point><b>Similar prohibitions</b> – Other food prohibitions have also been explained as being related to enhancing man's spiritual or ethical character:<br/> | <point><b>Similar prohibitions</b> – Other food prohibitions have also been explained as being related to enhancing man's spiritual or ethical character:<br/> | ||
Version as of 07:35, 12 June 2018
Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut
Exegetical Approaches
Health Benefit
The laws of Kashrut were instituted in order to protect the health of the members of the nation.
Why these animals? According to this approach all the prohibited animals are unhealthy, while the permitted animals are not. For example, Rambam notes that pigs are particularly unhygienic2 and if they were permitted to be eaten they would introduce filth into the community, further spreading disease. Bavli Shabbat 86b states that non-Jews "דאכלין שקצים ורמשים חביל גופייהו".
Validity of health benefit claims – Many commentators question the above claims:
- Akeidat Yitzchak3 argues that this position is not supported by scientific evidence, as many non-Jews eat the prohibited foods with no unfortunate consequences.4
- Abarbanel further notes that if the Torah's goal was to keep the nation healthy, one would expect it to include a complete list of unhealthy foods, yet there are many other foods which are detrimental to the body that are not mentioned.
Is Torah a medical book? Akeidat Yitzchak further questions this position by pointing out that the purpose of Torah is not to teach us medicine but rather to instill good character and deeds. As such, it does not make sense that the laws of Kashrut would have been instituted for their health advantages.
The signs – Rambam explains that there is nothing intrinsic in the signs which provide a health benefit to the animal. They are only necessary so as to differentiate between the various animals.
Why is the purpose not stated? Sefer HaChinukh claims that had the health reasons been relayed, individuals would assume that they have enough knowledge to decide for themselves what is healthy and what is not, rather than relying on Hashem's list. R. D"Z Hoffmann argues against this logic, asserting that since people tend to want to observe commandments which are beneficial to them, including the reasoning behind the ordinance would have increased observance, not diminished it.5
Context in Vayikra: laws of purity – Though, at first glance, it is difficult to find a common denominator between the laws of Kashrut and other laws of impurity related to corpses, bodily discharges and tzara'at, it is possible that all are related to disease. See, for example, Ralbag on Tzara'at.
Context in Devarim: laws of idolatry – In Devarim, the laws of impure animals follow laws that relate to the abominations of other nations.6 If the commandment is health-related it is difficult to see how the two sets of laws are connected and why then appear together. This approach might suggest that actually the directives really are unrelated and no significance should be read into their juxtaposition.
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – The conclusion of "וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" (Vayikra 11:44-45) suggests that Kashrut laws enable the nation to become holy. If the purpose of the laws is simply utilitarian (good health), however, it is not clear why, of all laws, these should be said to promote "holiness". These sources could suggest that the verse is a general statement, not related specifically to the laws of Kashrut, but to general observance of Hashem's ordinances.7
Similar prohibitions – The Rambam explicitly writes that the same reasoning applies to the similar prohibitions of eating an unslaughtered animal (נבילה), a torn beast of prey (טריפה) or fat, pointing out that they are all difficult to digest.8 Sefer HaChinukh, following Ramban, also notes that the fact the animal became a "טריפה" proves that the animal was sick and therefore has the potential to transmit its disease to any who eat of it. Nonetheless, these commentators are not consistent in explaining all prohibited foods in this manner. 9
Spiritual Benefit
The prohibition helps man perfect his character. This approach subdivides regarding the specific benefit received and how this is achieved:
Perfecting Personality
The laws of Kashrut elevate the soul and prevent men from becoming cruel. Since what you eat affects who you are, animals with negative traits are prohibited.
Sources:Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Sefer HaChinukh, Ralbag, Akeidat Yitzchak #2, Abarbanel, Seforno,10 Netziv,
Why these animals? Almost all of the animals11 and birds12 which are prohibited are carnivorous and predatory.13 Since a person's character is developed by what they eat, Hashem prohibited these to ensure that humans don't similarly become beasts of prey.14 Hashem further prohibited animals whose make-up affects the soul and intellect negatively.15
The signs
- "מַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה וְשֹׁסַעַת שֶׁסַע"16 – Split hooves are signs of herbivores. Carnivores instead have claws used for killing their prey.
- "מַעֲלַת גֵּרָה" – This, too, is a sign of an herbivorous animal. Since plants are not easy to digest, such animals regurgitate their food so as to chew it a second time.
- "סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת" – As many scaled fish are still carnivorous, the permitted status of such fish is somewhat inconsistent with this approach.17
"וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם" / "וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel18 assert that the verses use the language of holiness and purity rather than healthy/unhealthy because they speak of a spiritual state rather than a physical one. Hence, too, the emphasis on the law's effects on the soul: "וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם".
Context in Vayikra: laws of impurity
- Ramban explains that the unit is brought here due to the laws relating to contact with impure animals (which is clearly connected to the larger context of impurity). It was necessary to distinguish between pure and impure animals for those laws, and only tangentially does the Torah share the prohibitions regarding eating.19
- Seforno
Context in Devarim: תועבות הגויים – Ramban points out that impure animals are an abomination for the soul; thus their placement right after a discussion of other "abominations" is fitting.
Similar prohibitions – Other food prohibitions have also been explained as being related to enhancing man's spiritual or ethical character:
- The original prohibition to eat meat – Several commentators20 assume that before the flood all meat was prohibited,21 because of its deleterious effects on man's moral fiber. They assert both that the act of killing an animal for it's meat leads man to become cruel and that the consumption of animals tarnishes the soul and intellect.
- Prohibition of blood – Sefer HaChinukh explains that eating the life-source of an animal instills cruelty into the consumer.
Learning Limits
The laws of Kashrut limit the number of animals one can eat, in order to train people to control their desires.
Why these animals?
- Philo notes that swine is considered to be the nicest of all meats, and fish which lack scales are the most delicate of fish, suggesting that Hashem chose to prohibit the most desired of animals.
- Alternatively, there is nothing inherent in the animals chosen to be prohibited; the purpose was simply to choose a selection to be off-limits for consumption.
The signs – According to this approach the signs are simply a convenient way to select a category of animals to be prohibited.
Context in Vayikra: laws of purity
Context in Devarim: laws of idolatry
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – R. Bachya assumes that to be holy means to seclude one's self from luxuries and to overcome one's desires. A similar term is used in Vayikra 20:7 after the list of prohibited sexual relations.
Similar prohibitions:
- R. Bachya writes that many commandments23 have a similar purpose of controlling one's spirit, such as prohibited sexual relations and fast days.24
- Vegetarianism – This approach might agree with those who maintain that ideally humans were meant to be vegetarian, as Hashem wanted them to learn limits.
Separation From the Nations
The purpose of the laws is for Israel to have different dietary needs than the rest of the world.
Context in Devarim: laws of idolatry – This understanding fits with the context of the laws in Devarim, laws of idolatry, where it is emphasized that we are a holy nation whom Hashem chose of all the nations in the world.
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – These verses emphasize how Hashem separated us and took us out of Egypt, and therefore these commandments are to remove us from the abominations of the Egyptians. "קְדֹשִׁים" in many cases means separate.
Similar prohibitions – The laws of Kashrut are part of many other laws which are food-related. Together they make it very hard for a Jew to eat with a gentile, considering all the restrictions which exist.
Ancient Near Eastern parallels – Shadal writes that the priests in other nations were isolated from the rest of the people having their own laws and prohibitions. The laws of Kashrut have a similar aim, to differentiate Israel from the rest of the nations, and therefore the laws apply toe very person and not only to the priests.
Why these animals? According to Shadal, there is no difference between the permitted animals and the prohibited ones. The purpose of the laws were to separate us from the nations in that some animals will be prohibited, and not a particular animal.
