Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut/2

Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Health Benefit

The laws of Kashrut were instituted in order to protect the health of the members of the nation.

Sources:RashbamVayikra 11:3About R. Shemuel b. Meir, Rambam Moreh Nevukhim3 48About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim, RambanVayikra 11:13Devarim 14:3About R. Moshe b. Nachman #2, Sefer HaChinukhSefer HaChinukh Commandment 73Sefer HaChinukh Commandment 148,¹

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.

Sefer HaChinukh defends this position, claiming that we can trust Hashem to know better than any scientist which foods are healthy and which are not.

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 the laws of impurity discussed in the following chapters, 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:

Preventing Cruelty

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 EzraVayikra 11:43About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RambanVayikra 11:13Devarim 14:3Devarim 14:21About R. Moshe b. Nachman, Sefer HaChinukhSefer HaChinukh Commandment 73Sefer HaChinukh Commandment 148, RalbagVayikra 11Vayikra Toalot 11:45About R. Levi b. Gershom, Akeidat YitzchakTorah 60About R. Yitzchak Arama #2, AbarbanelVayikra 11, Question 8Vayikra 11:1Vayikra 11:13About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, SefornoVayikra 11:2-46About R. Ovadyah Seforno,¹⁰ NetzivVayikra 11:44-45About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin,

Why these animals? Almost all of the animals¹¹ and birds¹² which are prohibited are 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.

Sources:4 Maccabees4 Maccabees 1:33-34, PhiloThe Special Laws IV 100-104About Philo,²² R. BachyaVayikra 11:13Vayikra 11:44About R. Bachya b. Asher, Akeidat YitzchakTorah 60About R. Yitzchak Arama, ShadalVayikra 11:1,43HaMishtadel Vayikra 11:1Yesodei HaTorah 42 (p. 48)About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto #2,

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 select few to be off-limits for consumption.

The signs – According to this approach the signs are simply a convenient way to choose 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.

Sources:ShadalVayikra 11:1,43HaMishtadel Vayikra 11:1Yesodei HaTorah 42 (p. 48)About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto #1,²⁵

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.

¹ Sefer HaChinukh emphasizes that these foods can harm the body which is the platform for the soul.

² See Bavli KiddushinKiddushin 49bAbout the Bavli which claims, "עשרה קבים נגעים ירדו לעולם ט׳ נטלו חזירים".

³ See also Abarbanel who follows him on this point.

⁴ Shadal even notes that the camel's meat is known to be very healthy.

⁵ As such, he brings the lack of reason as a proof against this understanding of the commandment.

⁶ In fact, there, the laws are introduced by the statement, "לֹא תֹאכַל כׇּל תּוֹעֵבָה".

⁷ See R. Yosef KaraVayikra 11:44About R. Yosef Kara who explains the verse this way.

⁸ Rambam notes this regarding eating meat and milk that it is a very heavy and filling food.

⁹ For example, Rashbam on Shemot 23:19 explains the prohibition of cooking a goat in its mother's milk to be related to eliminating cruelty, while Rambam associates it with idolatrous practices.

¹⁰ Seforno relates the laws to the sin of the Golden Calf, and suggests they were only needed to perfect the people after they sinned.

¹¹ Abarbanel notes that even though pigs, camels, and rabbits are herbivores (or omnivores), they have a bad nature, and thus they too are prohibited.

¹² See Mishnah ChulinChulin 3:6About the Mishna.

¹³ See Philo who already notes that Hashem forbade all carnivorous animals, and selected only the herbivorous animals whose nature is tame and feed on gentle food. See several modern scholars such as L. Landau, Olam HaTanakh Devarim (Tel Aviv, 1994): 124, and R"E Samet "פרשת שמיני – בין החיה הנאכלת ובין החיה אשר לא תֵאכל" who explain similarly.

¹⁴ R. Bachya points to Yirmeyahu 49:22 where the prophet compares the wicked and cruel to impure birds.

¹⁵ Ralbag writes that certain animals whose material make-up is thick (עב החומר) obscure the intellect, and damage man's character:  מה שהיה עב החומר הוא נותן עכירות לשכל ומכבה אורו.

¹⁶ Chazal add two additional signs that are shared by all the Kosher animals, lack of upper teeth and presence of horns. Pure animals are missing teeth to bite those which try to attack them, and instead they have horns which they use to gore the attackers.

¹⁷ Ralbag asserts that these signs relate to a different set of criteria; as fins help the fish swim, they are an indicator that the fish moves a lot, which correlates with a "thin material make-up".  This is more compatible with man's nature and intellect and thus more appropriate for consumption.

¹⁸ See also Seforno.

¹⁹ 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).

²⁰ See the opinion of Ibn Kaspi, R"Y Albo, and Tzeror HaMor in Permission to Eat Meat.

²¹ They assert that originally man was meant to be vegetarian and that only in the aftermath of the flood was meat permitted.

²² In addition, Philo mentions the idea that the forbidden animals are all carnivores and have a bad nature.

²³ Akeidat Yitzchak explains through this the purpose of all the laws which are not self-explanatory.  Even if the commandment itself has no innate value, just the fact that one is limited to certain things has value.

²⁴ R. Bachya also says that prayer, charity, and other acts of kindness further curb one's lust.  Perhaps the act of giving counters the desire to consume.
Shadal notes that the only way for a person to overcome one's urge is by practicing secluding from pleasures, and that is accomplished by having many commandments.

²⁵ Shadal notes that this only explains the need for the laws under specific circumstances. However, when the whole world will believe in Hashem, their will be no purpose for such laws. Therefore, Shadal writes that there is an additional purpose to the laws, to teach man his limits, and serve as a constant reminder of Hashem who commanded these laws.