Nadene Goldfoot
I was asked why I didn't want to eat any oyster stew, and explained that I was Jewish following the laws of kashrut. That didn't go over, even with Moses telling us not to eat shellfish. Why not asked the oyster stew people? Oyster stew is a stew made with oysters. It is popular in the United States and in The Gambia. In New England cuisine, oyster stew is often associated with Thanksgiving. In Southern United States cuisine, oyster stew is often prepared on Christmas Eve. It's also just served as a soup anytime.
The short answer to why Jews observe these laws is: because the Torah says so. The Torah does not specify any reason for these laws, and for a Torah-observant, traditional Jew, there is no need for any other reason.
Some Jewish sources have suggested that the laws of kashrut fall into the category of "chukkim," laws for which there is no reason. We show our obedience to G-d by following these laws even though we do not know the reason. Others, however, have tried to ascertain G-d's reason for imposing these laws.Reform Judaism does not have a strict "all or nothing" approach to kashrut, or Jewish dietary laws. Reform Jews may choose to observe kashrut in different ways, including: Separating milk and meat, Abstaining from pork and shellfish, Eating only kosher meat, and Vegetarianism.
According to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey, 5% of Reform Jews keep kosher in their home. Some reasons why Reform Jews may choose to keep kosher include: Connection to other Jews, Ethical considerations, Acknowledging Jewish tradition, Personal expression of Judaism, and Meals as reminders of Jewish ideals and holiness.
Some Reform Jews have historically dismissed kashrut, referring to it as "kitchen Judaism". However, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, has promoted kashrut as a model for Reform Jewish dietary practice.
In his book "To Be a Jew" (an excellent resource on traditional Judaism), Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin suggests that the dietary laws are designed as a call to holiness. The ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, pure and defiled, the sacred and the profane, is very important in Judaism. Imposing rules on what you can and cannot eat ingrains that kind of self control, requiring us to learn to control even our most basic, primal instincts.
Donin also points out that the laws of kashrut elevate the simple act of eating into a religious ritual. The Jewish dinner table is often compared to the Temple altar in rabbinic literature. A Jew who observes the laws of kashrut cannot eat a meal without being reminded of the fact that he is a Jew (meaning that he has certain expectation of himself and are reminded of by the dietary laws of Kashrut).
I have found that our restricted foods are following the phylum of the creation of animals. Look at the fish, how it must have scales and fins. We don't eat camels or rabbits or pigs; all without the points cattle have which is allowed to us for meat. Cows are allowed in Kashrut law because they are considered kosher animals, which are defined as animals that have split hooves and chew their cud. Other kosher animals include sheep, goats, and deer. Animals that are not kosher include pigs, rabbits, squirrels, bears, dogs, cats, camels, and horses.
Popular non-kosher meats are from pigs, rabbits and horses eaten by several cultures.
In defense for Moses: Shellfish poisoning can occur when you eat shellfish that's contaminated with toxins produced by algae or cyanobacteria. The type of toxin in the shellfish determines the symptoms you experience. How do we know that people in Moses's era weren't experiencing this to a large degree if they ate any shellfish?
The USA's Jewish population is 2% of the total and out of that is a small group of Orthodox Jews who follow our dietary laws.
Yes, Conservative Jews in the United States generally follow the laws of kashrut, or Jewish dietary laws, but not as strictly as Orthodox Jews. Kashrut is a fundamental tenet of Conservative Judaism.
However, Reform Judaism does not have a strict "all or nothing" approach to kashrut, or Jewish dietary laws. Reform Jews may choose to observe kashrut in different ways, including: Separating milk and meat, Abstaining from pork and shellfish, Eating only kosher meat, and Vegetarianism.
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