Let's examine this week's portion, Shemini, where the laws of keeping kosher – Kashrut – are introduced. Here are the basic rules that would make an animal kosher: Animals must chew their cud and have split hooves; fish must have fins and scales. There is a comprehensive list of forbidden fowl as well.
I often get asked why is it that today, in an age of refrigeration, government inspection, and modern hygienic standards, do we still need the laws of Kashrut (which may even be termed archaic, anachronistic, or quite dispensable), let alone “kosher supervision” which can drive up the cost of kosher food?
It’s difficult to answer this question since the laws of Kashrut were never designed for health reasons to begin with. If keeping kosher happens to be a healthy lifestyle, or if it provides good hygiene, that is purely a fringe benefit. It may well be one of the perks, but it has never been the underlying reason.
Keeping kosher was not designed for our physical health, but rather for our spiritual health. It is not for our bodies but for our souls. It is a Jewish diet to help Jews remain spiritually sensitive to their innate Jewishness.
Keeping kosher guarantees that our Jewish souls remain sensitive to things that are Jewish. This is clearly a mystical concept and imperceptible to our physical senses, but according to our sages it is a fact. Just as too much red meat or fatty foods are bad for your cholesterol level, non-kosher foods are bad for your neshamah. They clog your spiritual arteries and prevent those warm, healthy Jewish feelings from circulating through your kishkes and your consciousness.
It's very important to have a mezuzah on your door. It identifies your home as Jewish. But what really defines your home as a "Jewish Home" is the kitchen. A kosher kitchen makes a Jewish home truly Jewish.
Your favorite diet may build healthy bodies, but a kosher diet builds healthy souls.