Parshat Shmini – April 5, 2024 / 27 Adar Bet, 5784

I would have liked to really begin with a Jewish Kosher Deli Joke, but I have been told I should avoid it, having such a rye sense of humor. Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa is said to have taught that: “Before a person eats and drinks, them [being distraught] has two hearts. After a person eats and drinks, they have but one heart” (Baba Batra 12b). It is no secret that historically, the Jewish people have a strong relationship with food. Yes, many traditions have a notable bond with edible nourishment, but Judaism seems to be very specific regarding just what to eat and how to eat it. This connection between human beings and food is given special consideration in this week’s parshah, Shemini. The overall laws pertaining to living a pure life are given in Vaykira (or Leviticus) chapters 11-24, beginning with the Jewish dietary laws, or laws of kashrut, in Chapter 11 of Vayikra.

While it would likely be redundant to call out all of the laws to you today (Read Leviticus chapter 11 for the comprehensive guide), let us focus on the why of these dietary prescriptions. According to Proverbs 11:17, “One who does good to their own person is a person of mercy.” Also, the great Rabbi Hillel once said to a disciple, “Is not my poor soul a guest in my body–here today and tomorrow here no longer?” (Vayikra Rabbah 34:3) Our texts seem to tell us that all of the dietary laws of Judaism are meant to maintain a healthy soul within a healthy body. Can we not use food as one way of not just taking care of our bodies, but of taking care of our souls while they are in our bodies? We can also take steps to ensure that our food practices do not violate the principle of tzaar baalei chayim- or the prevention of cruelty to animals. 

While reading through the Torah at face value, the reasons for excluding pork, and “all that have not fins and scales in the waters…” (Lev. 11:9) might seem odd or trivial, but rest assured that the intentions are truly holy. The Jewish people were brought out of the land of Egypt in order to be a holy people, and the dietary laws differentiated the spiritually clean from the unclean. It is even written that in the Middle Ages, during horrific epidemics, the Jewish people tended to fare better than many of their neighbors. This health boost has been attributed, in large part, to the laws of kashrut. There is certainly both an earthly and Heavenly method and interplay to the rules. We were always told as youngsters, “you are what you eat,” and the dietary laws appear to agree with this notion. If what we put into our bodies is clean, so will our souls be. Now, I am not here to prescribe to you a strictly kosher diet, or to ask you if you “keep kosher.” This can be a subject of great emotion for many, as adhering to a kosher diet has been something that has kept the Jews for generations. Many Maccabees, as one example of many, chose death over the breaking of the dietary laws. While different Jewish people often view these laws disparately in the modern world, I must take a cue from great Jewish philosopher Hermann Cohen who stated that, “The mere striving after holiness in itself sanctifies.” We all have different perspectives and experiences which have led us to our current paths. 

I only wish to give a simple reminder that we must take care of our entire selves, and also the world at large, and I believe that there is much we can take from the dietary laws in terms of the grand scale. When someone is sick, we say “r’fuah sh’leimah,” which is a complete healing of the body and spirit. How do we engage in self-care, ensuring that our bodies and spirits are running at optimal capacity? Do we eat healthy foods as often as we can? Do we exercise and engage in practices that can calm down our excited sympathetic nervous systems? Do we think about where and how our food was produced and made it to our plates? Was our nourishment the result of exploitation and mistreatment of workers? Were animals treated humanely? Were the ingredients sourced ethically? What are your own personal means to a healthy mind-body-soul-world connection? Let’s look at the individual level: I make it a point to ask as many people as I can reach to tell me three things that they do exclusively for themselves in a day. If people cannot think of three things (which happens very often), I tell them that they have some thinking to do. In a Jewish sense, regular self-care practices that we engage in can serve not only to bring us good physical health, but can also enable us to cultivate a more fruitful relationship with The Divine. 

If you do adhere to the laws of kashrut, I hope that you find health, joy, and connection with G-d in this practice. For those who are on a different path, I hope you are also able to find all of these things. Let us all strive toward practices that prioritize our spiritual and physical well-being, and also do no harm to the world that we inhabit as guests in our bodies. be confident that you and our world are both worth taking care of. 

For all of us, food can certainly be a good place to start along the path to complete wellness. As Rabbi Meir said, “Grind food well with your teeth, and you will find in your feet the strength to carry your body” (B.Shab.152a). I wish you all good health of the body and soul as you continue to sojourn toward your own holiness. Nosh responsibly, however you choose to do so. This does not mean to avoid noshing at the oneg. Our Talmud states, and I kid you not…”Room in the stomach for sweets can always be found.” (Megillah 7b)

Shabbat Shalom.

– Rabbi Josh Gray