Bon Appetit!

I grew up in a simpler time. The America of the 1950s wasn’t a particularly religious period for Judaism. Pretty much the universal assumption was that the Conservative Movement was the wave of the future. That was especially true in the suburbs, as Jews were fleeing the inner cities. People didn’t think one could be very frum in the ‘burbs. How could everyone live within walking distance of a shul in these areas of private homes and lawns?

Somehow, by the 70s, tree lined Orthodoxy was thriving. And there was another challenge which was overcome. Afterall, those were the decades of ‘We Shall Overcome’. That other issue was keeping Kosher. In the ‘bad old days’ (pre 1960), one could see their Jewish friends and neighbors reading the ingredients on labels in aisles of supermarkets (which were BTW much less ‘super’ than today’s incarnation).

It was during the 60s that the cute, little symbols indicating Kosher products had their own population boom. Of course, initially the field was dominated by the OU symbol which had existed, in limited form, for decades. Kashrut morphed from mom and pop status into big business. 

With the spread of Kashrut availability came a phenomenon, which I find less inspiring. 

Soon, there wasn’t just a little symbol on many products. There was also a whole series of footnotes. This product is GLAT, CHALAV YISRAEL, BISHUL YISRAEL, YOSHON, and so on and so forth. I have nothing against anyone being strict upon themselves. Unfortunately, these strict positions are cause for embarrassment. Competitive Kashrut, innocently and unwittingly, can cause great discomfort. 

I remember a close friend often quoting a popular expression: I am more careful about what comes out of my mouth than I am about what goes into it. 

Periodically, there is a backlash to the ever-growing strictness in areas of Kashrut. I remember in the early 70s, when a certain famous (and wonderful) Rav pushed an anti-OU tuna campaign (because of the slim possibility of dolphins getting mixed into the catch). Rav Soloveitchik decided to protect the reputation of the OU and ate tuna every day for lunch. I was in line at the YU cafeteria and overheard the Rav say, ‘When is Rav X going to back down? I’m eating tuna every day and I don’t like tuna!’

I love that attitude! Be as MACHMIR on yourself as you want, but don’t try to convince the rest of the world to be masochists, too. The Rav was very quiet about his MACHMIR positions. On the other hand, when he had a lenient position, he was happy to communicate it. 

When I was rabbi’ing in America, I never asked anyone about their KASHRUT policies. If they kept Shabbat, I ate at their house, no questions asked. I remember when Rav Farbshtein (Rosh Yeshiva Chevron) visited a close friend of mine and looked at a package on the table and couldn’t find a HASHGACHA, he turned to his host, and said, ‘One witness is sufficient in ritual law, and you’re a good witness.’

I believe strongly that within Torah laws, there are areas to be very strict about and areas to be less strict. What are the strict areas? Well, the Ten Commandments and Mitzvot that carry the death penalty are pretty strict. Also, I want to be strict about the ten items we mention every morning, when we recite the blessings over Torah study:

These are precepts, the fruits of which humans enjoy in this world, while the principal reward is preserved for the World-to-Come. They are: honoring father and mother, [performing] deeds of kindness, early attendance in the Beit Medrash (where people prayed and studied) morning and evening, providing hospitality to guests, visiting the sick, participating in making a wedding, escorting the dead, concentrating on the meaning of prayers, making peace between fellow men and between husband and wife— and the study of Torah is equal to them all.

I love that list! Notice 7 of the 10 are about how we treat our fellow humans. Also, please note, it doesn’t talk about what to wear for davening. It emphasizes coming early and understanding what you say. When I asked, many years ago, what coming early meant, the response I got was: Be one of the first 10! I wish I could remember who told me that, when I was a rookie in the Torah leagues.

But in the greater picture, Rav Kook explains the list:

These activities contain within them, through their fulfillment the Great Light (from Creation) and the very foundation of sublime and fulfilled life. There is unified within these activities both eternal and temporal life. The roots of these lives (earthly and heavenly) move through the pathways of a Jew’s eternal Life, that Life produces ‘fruit’ (the good deeds listed every morning) which sustain us in this world, and whose treasure will exist into the Life to Come. 

In our parsha, we are informed about pure, holy, good food, on one hand and abhorrent (TO’EVA) food, on the other hand. I believe strongly that the comment of Rav Kook is teaching us that in reality our verses are a metaphor for behavior, because our true sustenance is our conduct and Mitzva performance, not food. We are ultimately sustained by our actions.

So, what are these ‘abominable’ things? Rav Amnon Bazak discusses the use of tough language in our verse: 

In our parsha this list (of forbidden animals) is found within a section dealing with KEDUSHA (sanctity), which begins and ends with the words: For you are a holy people to the Eternal, your God (Devarim 14:2 & 21). This is most significant: The natural state of every object in Creation is to be pure (TAHOR) and secular (CHOL). TUMA’AH is an aberration from the norm which is negative. Beasts which are prohibited, disgusting (M’SHUKATZIM), cause TUMA’A, and therefore that is stressed in their description. KEDUSHA, on the other hand, is an aberration from the natural norm which is positive. Therefore, the emphasis in our section is on the sanctity of the Jewish nation, and the request of them that they consume special food. Only afterward is it appropriate to point out that consuming disgusting beasts injures that KEDUSHA. 

When we follow the thinking of Rav Kook, these verses and lists point to behavior, not consumption. So, we must choose a path in this world. Will we go for TUMA’A and depart from nature negatively, or will we follow KEDUSHA and elevate our way through this realm? The first path leads to a grave oblivion; the second ascends the highway to heaven. 

Animals and food are a powerful analogy for our behavior. Ultimately, we live on our actions, not our calories. So, worry less about the food and more about the Mitzvot. Part of our kindness to others is trusting them. I remember a certain Rav telling me, as I was becoming observant: Worry less about what others do; be very concerned about your actions. I try to follow that advice to this day. 

Since embarrassing another is compared to killing them (Baba Metziah 58b), isn’t it better to consume a less prestigious HASHGACHA than making a host feel bad about their choice of rabbinic supervision? I strongly believe so. Be very strict on yourself; be very lenient on others. 

If we are what we eat, then let’s consume more Mitzvot. Most of us already eat too much food, anyway.