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by ChabadRabbi on May 4th, 2007
You will find that many Jews who do not observe the other Kashrut laws still refuse to eat pork.
Pork is seen as the ultimate "non-kosher" animal. The Torah considers an animal kosher if it both chews its cud AND has split hooves. The only animal species that has split hooves (trotters) and does not chew the cud is the pig family.
When you look at a pig, you will sooner notice the "split hooves" than the fact that it does not ruminate. When it lies, the pig almost seems to "show off" it's kosher qualities, as it spreads its trotters out.
So, the pig has come to represent hypocrisy, someone who shows themselves to be righteous, but is not-so-kosher on the inside. In Judaism, there is nothing more morally detestable than a spiritual charlatan.
Hence, the widespread aversion to pork among even non-observant Jews. (That's not to say that all Jews know this, it's been ingrained over centuries).
by shamrockoz on December 2nd, 2003
Also ...
1) Meat - Only those animals that have cloven hooves + chew their cud
2) Poultry - No birds of prey
3) Fish - Those that have fins + scales
This is all from memory - hopefully correct!
by Stephanie Davies on July 30th, 2003
Because in the scriptures of the bible, God deemed pigs and swine to be unclean food, and not to be eaten ( Deuteronomy Chapter 14, Verse 8). But not only Pork is considered unclean...in fact, the entire of Deuteronomy Chapter 14 really lays out very specific laws on what is or is not "clean" (Kosher) food that people can eat. Shellfish and certain type of bird are also out.
by onkponk on May 14th, 2007
Jehovah decreed in the Mosaic Law that swine was unclean and therefore unfit for consumption by His Chosen People.
See Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8.
by Anonymous on March 11th, 2005
Jews follow strict dietary requirements called kosher. This forbids pork, and other meats that have been slaughtered in a certain way. The Jews only eat meat which comes from an animal killed without experiencing pain. One can find this in the Chirstian Bible, or the Torah.
by temporary name on November 16th, 2009
You're wrong to assume that most Jewish people don't eat pork. Kashrut (Jewish food law) is only followed by observant conservative and orthodox Jews. It is generally not followed by reform Jews, and is not widely followed in Israel. I had a stir-fried pork dish at a Chinese restaurant in Tel-Aviv for instance.
by NoMorph on August 14th, 2007
In the Mosaic law God said, "You must be holy just as I am holy". The Jews had to stand out as being purer and cleaner than the other nations if they were to be God's chosen people. Swine was deemed by God as unclean and not to be eaten by his people..............Later, when Jesus was killed, Christians believe that the Mosaic Law died with him. That is why Christians feel it is ok to eat pork.
by Engeltje on May 4th, 2007
This question has been sufficiently answered by other ABers so I don't need to go over the reasons again- I just would like to add that it's not only Jews who don't eat pork.
Muslims don't eat pork and I think some Christian denominations don't eat it, for example, Seventh Day Adventists.
by Anonymous on August 14th, 2007
Well, most everyone is right: It is the cloven hooves, and chewing cud thing that does it. But, one should ask WHY, historically, did jews choose cows over pigs, or shellfish. The answer: it is because Jews/Semitic peoples were some of the very first, if not the first, amongst the human race to domesticate cows. Wanted to maintain their tradition, in reaction to a world around them that ate pork, jews chose their sacrificial cow over pork, commonly eaten by the rest of those who would be called Gentiles. This is a common feature of biblical laws: A reaction to those around the semitic tribes who were believed to be culturally inferior- at least in the sense that they were not monotheistic. Now, many secular jews eat pork because they live in a much more free society, and given the choice their tradition has become somewhat obsolete.
by iwnit on May 4th, 2007
Most Jews do not eat pork because it is not kosher, that is, eating pork is not allowed in the rules of the jewish religion.
Here the rule which forbid eating pork:
"Leviticus 11:3 sets down that Jews may eat all animals (some translations use "beasts") that have cloven hooves and chew their cud, and Leviticus 11:4 explicitly prohibited the consumption of animals that do not have these characteristics, designating them "unclean to you." Four mammals are specifically prohibited:
The camel, because it chews its cud but does not have cloven hooves (Leviticus 11:4);
The hyrax, because it chews its cud but does not have cloven hooves (Leviticus 11:5);
The hare, because it chews its cud but does not have cloven hooves (Leviticus 11:6);
The pig, because it has cloven hooves but does not chew its cud (Leviticus 11:7); "
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods#Mammals:_11:3.E2.80.9311:8
by bolwerk on July 29th, 2009
It was prudent for Yahweh/Jehovah/Allah to proscribe pork. If his followers tried to steal pork from Wotan's people, Thor would have crushed them with Mjöllnir.
by barryzito on February 5th, 2009
Traditional Jews like myself don't eat pork because 5,772 years ago it was observed that Pigs eat leftovers.
by Doggie S on March 2nd, 2008
The prohibition comes from Torah, in the book Leviticus, Chapter 11, verses 2 through 8, in particular, verse 7:
1. And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
http://faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/04-Observance/section-28.html
by randy on July 5th, 2007
To me it is not the point of eating or not eating pork. It is the point that someone says "I do not eat pork because I am Jewish", and then orders a steak Medium rare. Consuming the blood of an animal is far more against the dietary laws of Jews but it is done all the time. Very few jews are totally Kosher, so what are the others, "part Jewish?" I guess they also look at the Ten Commandments and say, "maybe I will not kill or take the Lords name in vain, but I will screw my neighbor's wife"
by Donald on May 3rd, 2007
Because their Creator said to them that they were to be holy as he is holy. Plain and simple. It's in Leviticus 11.
by Christine on December 3rd, 2010
Maybe it is because pigs are very intelligent animals and are subjected to particularly horrible treatment on factory farms.
by Ricky_T2124 on February 21st, 2011
i like pork lcd monitor getlcdmonitor.com
by Namaste formerly future_health_educator on May 4th, 2007
Actually the reason the kashrut (kosher) started was because people who ate in a kosher manner were less likely to get food born illness. That is was salt is used in preparing the meat.
by Danielle_D2370 on December 3rd, 2010
Jewish, Muslem,Hindu or any other religion That says you can't eat certain foods cause it's unholy is crazy. You have people starving to death in every part of the world. If it means makeing my God mad at me cause I feed my kids certin animals to keep them from starving to death then so be it. That's between me and him. If it ment killing the family pet to feed my kids then I would do it.
by singwell-is off researching a lot on May 4th, 2007
The Jews were called to be God's special people, his light to the rest of the world, and the vehicle through which ultimately he would send Messiah. To set them apart, He demanded certain things of them, which, though they did not understand the reasons, they were required to do anyway eg circumcision, and abstaining from certain foods (Leviticus 11 ff), the chief of which was pork (shellfish was another, as was rabbit, birds of prey and most insects, except locusts and grasshoppers and similar).
These commands must have seemed strange to those who first heard them, but they trusted in God, and obeyed them. they Looking back, we see that the rate of food poisoning amongst the Jews, (unlike their neighbours) was low, and their health considerably better. God knew what was best to keep his chosen people alive.
Christians are under no obligation to keep these dietary laws, but we still acknowledge the wisdom of God and His protecting love for Israel, shown through them.
by biffmalibu60 on January 30th, 2010
by Joelle on April 6th, 2010
some jewish people do, it really depends on how strict the family is. my family are jews and occasionally we have a bit of bacon and ham. I have tried pork just once, and i didnt really like it. Not because its from a pig, but because it just isnt my kind of meat.
by biffmalibu60 on January 30th, 2010
If you leave any meat unrefrigerated it will make you ill if you eat it. Bacteria such as E.coli, salmonella, listeria, and parasites such as trichinella etc. are not only specific to Pork.
This is for the poster who said " The Jews only eat meat which comes from an animal killed without experiencing pain." Check out the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HZnQmc3U9I
by Anonymous on March 2nd, 2008
Because it is expensive.
by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on October 1st, 2009
In the old testament 'Leviticus verse 11:7 "is the answer.
by Anonymous on July 11th, 2009
Religion was created by men to control other men...
To have no religion is to be a totally free human!
by Anonymous on December 11th, 2009
Being a student of history, I have a slightly different view. We must always remember that the ancients who were the learned ones were the rabbis, the teachers. They were the ones who controlled and were responsible for society. Among those responsibilities were maintaining the health of the tribe. Pigs were thought to be dirty animals and any modern person knows that pork can make you ill if not refrigerated properly. What kind of refrigeration was available in the desert? Those in charge observed such things and related them to illness. So, logically, if you don't eat the meat of the pig, you won't get ill. A smart decision for the day. So, how did it become part of the religion? The ancient people were very superstitious and god-fearing but not necessarily willing to listen to the elders unless it was "THE WORD OF GOD". So, to get the general population to obey any of the laws that were for their own good, it had to come from GOD. Since GOD said so, it became the rule. I'm certain that after this law was enacted related illnesses decreased which was a good thing. I believe this is true for most, if not all, of the Kosher laws. I do not mean to imply that I think they are bad just that most are now outdated. One of the best and most helpful rules that has been passed down to all society is the washing of the hands. This in itself has improved mankind's health more than anything else. A great contribution! However, I believe that it came about for the same reasons that prohibit the eating of pork as stated above.
by Stu B in his fleece-lined COAT on August 17th, 2008
some of us do, including me...
by Jane on March 2nd, 2008
it started because they dont eat dirty food. many moons ago pigs used to have warms in it, DIRTY FOOD.
by Joelle on October 10th, 2008
well, basicly for us, it's like dirty meat, but some Jews arn't strict and doe tend to eat a little pork or bacon every now and then. Me...Im Jewish and me and some of my family eat bacon.
by devilgunjack on June 21st, 2008
Yo i am Jews an i eat pork!
and some other Jews belive that the pig die with pain when hes cutted in his neck
by Chris on February 23rd, 2008
Pigs are commonly thought of as a dirty animal because they roll around in their own feces. It also has something to do with their hooves, I'm not sure exactly what. But Muslims don't like it either...
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Comments
Do you know, kosher and islamic halal rules are almost identical
by Emmagirl wants to leave and not leave... on May 4th, 2007
There is something that you wrote above that is not quite true. There is another family of animals that splits the hooves, but doesn't chew the cud. They are the peccaries of North America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peccary). They do look quite a bit like pigs, but they really aren't.
by Glenn Blaylock on May 4th, 2007
Thank you, Glenn, that's very interesting. I imagine that the Hebrew term "Chazir" used by the Torah would apply to them as well, seeing as they are so similar.
by ChabadRabbi on May 4th, 2007
Just to point out the obvious...When the Torah and Old Testament were written, people of the Middle East did not know about animals native to North America...;-D...
by Old School on May 4th, 2007
Old School: That's what's so interesting- eventhough they didn't know of 1000's of species of animals, the Torah's descriptions have stood the test of time.
by ChabadRabbi on May 5th, 2007
Chabad, is it also true that the rules of kashrut are also based from the fact that in Bibical times you were more likely to become ill from food that was not prepared in a kosher manner?
by Namaste formerly future_health_educator on March 4th, 2008
While there are health benefits to eating kosher, we keep kosher because G-d said so- and we count any health benefits as perks.
by ChabadRabbi on March 10th, 2008
Okay I guess I was misinformed. I though the reason that G-d commanded us to be kosher is b/c it was better for our health. Thanks for answering my ?
by Namaste formerly future_health_educator on March 10th, 2008
Common misconception ; )
by ChabadRabbi on March 10th, 2008
Thanks.
by Namaste formerly future_health_educator on March 10th, 2008