Purpose of the Laws of Kashrut/2
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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. Rashbam points to Bavli Shabbat 86b which states that non-Jews "דאכלין שקצים ורמשים חביל גופייהו". Predators and carnivores are prone to transfer diseases. Rambam further notes that pigs are particularly unhygienic and if they ere allowed to be eaten, they would be much more present in the community and market, introducing more filth into the area.
Scientific validity of health benefit claims – Many commentators question the above claims:
- Akeidat Yitzchak1 notes that this is not supported by scientific reality, as we see many non-Jews eating the prohibited foods with no unfortunate consequences.2
- Abarbanel also questions 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.
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 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. These sources might suggest that the 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 this reason been given, individuals would think they know better and decide for themselves what is healthy and what is not, rather than relying on Hashem's list. R. D"Z Hoffmann argues that if this were the true reason, it would have been better to include it as people tend to want to observe commandment which are beneficial to them.3
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – The conclusion of "וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" suggests that somehow Kashrut laws enable the nation to become holy, which does not correspond to this approach's understanding. Presumably these sources would suggest that the verse is a general statement, not related specifically to the laws of Kashrut but to general observance of Hashem's mizvot.4
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.
Is Torah a medical book? Akeidat Yitzchak questions this approach
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.
The signs
Context in Vayikra – laws of purity
Context in Devarim – laws of idolatry
"וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים" – The large number of commandments are the only way for a person to overcome his desires and control his spirit.
Similar prohibitions
- Eating meat – the prohibition to eat meat possibly is from the same root, in order to limit man from eating all he wants. See Permission to Eat Meat.
Perfecting Personality
The laws of Kashrut are to elevate the soul, as eating disgusting foods lowers the man to the level of the animal.
Sources:Ibn Ezra, Ramban, Sefer HaChinukh, Ralbag, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel, Seforno,5 Shadal, Netziv,
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 – Abarbanel6 maintains that the animals which chew their cud and have a split hove are all herbivores,7 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.8
The signs
- "מַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה וְשֹׁסַעַת שֶׁסַע"9 – Herbivores don't have nails like carnivores, rather they have a split hove to enable them to run to far distances and climb on rocks 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.
Prohibition of blood and chelev – Sefer HaChinukh explains that the prohibition of eating blood and chelev is for the same purpose, as it is eating what enables the animal to live. A person should not eat the soul of an animal.
Similar prohibitions – Ramban asserts that also the prohibitions of eating meat and milk together and of slaughtering the mother and children the same day, are to teach us not to be cruel towards animals.
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, where it is emphasized that we are a holy nation whom Hashem chose.
"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.
Similar prohibitions
