Why Eat Kosher Food?

From the first man and woman on earth, we understand the meaning of eating. Adam and Eve were given a simple, clear instruction. As guardians of the Garden of Eden, they could taste everything in the garden, but with only one restriction: they could not eat the fruit of that special tree. If they violated it, they would die. Is it not curious that the first conversation between God and Adam and Eve was about which foods to eat and which not to eat? Put simply, these commands did not undermine a person's immortality; they were merely: this you may eat, that you absolutely may not - that simple.

In fact, this is the paradigm of what is required of a Jew. In other words, there are restrictions, basic rules and known guidelines, what to do and what not to do. If we eat the forbidden fruit according to our own desires, then we will be cast out by God. As we know, Adam and Eve's transgression forever changed the fate of humanity.

The desire and need for food is the most basic instinct of all living things. Eating symbolizes everyone's appetite and desire. While eating is a natural desire, this natural desire can make people act recklessly, so there need to be certain limits and boundaries for eating. At the very beginning of life, humans had a system to deal with the potential dangers of food. However, Adam and Eve did not know that even in paradise there would be boundaries that cannot be crossed. In life, some things are Kosher and some are not. If we want our world to be like the Garden of Eden, then we must first learn self-discipline, which means people have the ability to control the impulse to take a bite of those delicious foods - the forbidden fruit. That is to say, all appetites, instincts, desires and hunger need self-restraint, even though these are natural at first.

Adam and Eve had guidelines for their own benefit, so their lives could be richer and stronger. The understanding of restrictions, the acceptance of discipline and self-control are the beginning of a meaningful, purposeful and joyful life. From the very beginning, paradise had the ability to say no to oneself. A world without "no" is like a world out of control. Self-restraint is like an energy refueling station that can rein in our innate instincts and impulses. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve did not manage it.

Eating has a profound impact both physically and spiritually. Used properly, it can keep us alive and sustain our lives; conversely, it can also make us sick, suffer and shorten our lifespan. Food's impact on the spirit is less obvious. For example, recognized food sources, when prayed over before and after use, raise the food to another realm. Eating is never merely a single act, not only physically but also spiritually.

The system established for the first man and woman was to set out a series of instructions to preserve and enjoy the benefits food brings to body and spirit. What followed was the design of Jewish law to regulate people's restraint with food, aimed at maximizing the benefits of eating. These laws allow people to eat substances like apples and then transform it into a sacred, spiritual act. Because human avoidance of specific things is a restriction set by God to constantly remind humanity. Thus the ordinariness of eating is raised to a higher level. In other words, a physical act, such as eating, is elevated and strengthened, and used to become the progress of humanity and the world.

The more tempting and desirable the forbidden act, the more it means we should avoid these acts and choose the path God guides us on. When we do this, we are both servant and master - that is, the servant of God and the master of ourselves. To make the service of God more meaningful, it must also be possible not to serve Him. If there were no forbidden food in this world and the act of free will were not necessary, then Kosher food would lose its meaning.

The concept of holiness is the basic principle of Judaism. Holiness originates from the material. The Jewish dietary laws are the paradigm of all holiness, because they carry out a simple practical act and teach us to raise it to a higher, holier, stable stage, with the aim of making better Jews and better human beings. This is why eating is what God first mentioned to Adam and Eve.

The Jewish dietary laws are very similar to all other Jewish commandments and rituals, influencing people's character traits. The Jewish commandments are part of God's effort to make every Jew a better person. People living by Jewish law gradually learn to overcome their own desires and conform to God's will. Instead of asking "What do I want?" they ask "What does God want?" A person who can satisfy God's will regardless of his own desires will also do the same to others, ultimately becoming a better person - unselfish and ungreedy.

Eating is not simply consuming food and swallowing it into our digestive system. If a person eats reasonably, it is more meaningful than polite table manners, and people will like his whole character and personality. Hunger is a basic instinct, and we cannot eat these foods without asking: "Can this food be eaten? Does it contain forbidden ingredients? Has this food been properly prayed over?" And we get used to thinking before acting. When we do this for a long time, our instincts are elevated, no longer impulsive, but acting only after careful deliberation. Based on this, we gradually advance toward being conscientious, rational human beings who do not live thoughtlessly, but take control and become the master of their own daily lives.

In a sense, the qualities of a particular species can flow into our spirit and blood. For example, animals that meet the Jewish dietary rules have two consistent markers: they chew the cud and have cloven hooves. These are not merely physical signs; cloven hooves mean such an animal is not carnivorous and will not tear at the limbs of its prey. Chewing the cud symbolizes peace and contentment, that is, a ruminant animal is satisfied with whatever it eats and will not hunt more animals. In a sense, it makes its food serve a dual purpose.

Animals that do not meet the Jewish rules may have one of these characteristics, but never both. Such animals either tear prey as their food or are not content with the status quo. In other words, these animals are forbidden to eat, because when we eat their flesh and digest it, deep within us we are influenced by these animals' bad characteristics. As a person is constantly in a state of dissatisfaction with life, he will engage in exploitation and violence toward other creatures. Largely based on one's own dissatisfaction, and frequently launching exploitative and aggressive attacks on others, greatly harms our spiritual health. Jewish law does not want us to pass these qualities onto our own souls, and from this law's view, food has the ability to bring its own qualities onto us. Everything has influenced other acts, no matter how meaningful. Just like throwing a pebble into the center of a pool produces endless ripples.

Some people think that Kosher food is very clean, and therefore all Jewish laws are founded on hygiene. While the Jewish dietary laws make food cleaner and healthier, we would not need to serve God, because we could benefit from the Jewish dietary laws ourselves. (When God no longer requires anything of us, these are harmful to us. We perform the Jewish commandments because this way we can be close to God and show Him our loyalty.) God never promised that eating Kosher food would make us healthier, more beautiful, or slow aging, keep teeth white or repair hair. Whether convenient and comfortable or not, the joy of serving God is the ideal form of serving God. (Remember, this is the ideal form, having something to strive for - not an idealistic level everyone can reach.)

This law is not merely a guide to health, but God's blueprint for all humanity, teaching us how to survive successfully and how to live with dignity, purpose, joy and wisdom. Such a law not only cares about people's physical health, but also about people's mental health in every aspect - mind, emotions, soul, heart, character traits and so on. Through Jewish law, we serve God, purify our appetites, train our instincts, properly guide our desires and manage our animal-like desires.

Besides the laws on permitted and forbidden foods, there are also certain rules on how permitted animals are slaughtered and brought to the table. Although they undergo a distinctive ritual slaughter called shechita - performed by a learned, specially trained and very devout Jew, with a prayer recited before slaughter - these foods still cannot be eaten. There are more requirements before they can be eaten, such as whether all the animal's blood has been cleared from the body before cooking, and many additional preparatory steps.

Even when the meat food is ready to eat, Jews will pray before eating to thank God as the creator of this food, and will recite God's name - actually recited aloud, not meditated in the head. They say God is King, who created this bread, fruit, meat, vegetables, wine and water.

The existence of this world is not merely for humans to chat freely, but to apply it to humanity's proper needs and pleasures. It can also serve as a way of being conscious of and thanking God. In this way, the world truly becomes pleasant and sacred. How we deal with our animal-like instincts is a very important way to test humanity. When we can be strict with our appetites and restrain ourselves from certain things, even though these foods are very tempting, then we are on the path to holiness and achieving a holy life.