Food for the Soul - The Jewish Dietary Laws

Jews observe the Jewish dietary laws and must regularly decide what they eat, when they eat, and how they prepare their food; therefore, for strictly observant Jews, eating is no longer a completely instinctive activity. The Jewish dietary laws force us to stop and reflect on daily life and stop us from letting ourselves go. To understand what the law wants us to focus on and the philosophy of the Jewish dietary laws, it is necessary to be familiar with the content of Jewish law itself. The following is a brief overview:

1. Kosher animals must be ruminant, cloven-hoofed animals - cattle, sheep, goats and deer are all Kosher, while camels and pigs (each meeting only one of the criteria) are non-Kosher. Most common poultry is Kosher, such as chicken, duck and goose, but birds of prey (eagles, etc.) are non-Kosher. Only marine creatures with fins and scales are Kosher. So most fish are Kosher (tuna, salmon, flounder, etc.), but all shellfish are non-Kosher; dolphins, whales and squid are also not Kosher foods. Any food from a non-Kosher animal is also non-Kosher. Bee honey is an exception.

2. Animals or birds must be slaughtered according to Jewish law (Shechita). This includes cutting the trachea and esophagus of the animal with a surgically sharp knife (the carotid arteries and jugular veins are also cut). The slaughter must be performed swiftly and continuously by a skilled person. This method of slaughter drops the blood pressure in the brain to zero, so the animal loses consciousness within seconds and dies within minutes.

3. Animals and birds must be free of treifot - there are 70 different kinds of injuries, diseases or abnormalities that make an animal unfit.

4. Certain fats called chelev may not be eaten. Blood must be removed from the meat by soaking, salting, rinsing or broiling. The sinew and surrounding fat on each leg must be removed.

5. It is forbidden to cook, eat or benefit from a mixture of milk and meat. A mixture of dairy and poultry is also forbidden to cook and eat.

6. In Israel, tithes must be taken from all crops. If these tithes are not separated from the harvest, the produce may not be eaten; wheat, barley or fruit are actually not Kosher until the commandment of tithing is completed.

7. Dairy products (including the rennet in cheese) must come only from Kosher animals.