Beit Or ~ The House Of Light

Aike writes...

Shalom,

In the dietary laws in Vayikra (Leviticus) 11, what is the significance of not eating fish with scales, whats wrong with fish without scales? Also how about shellfish and pork.

Thank you for your time in answering my Torah questions.

Shavua Tov...

Rabbi Isaac Levy responds...

Shalom ve-chag same-ach.

What caused the fall of men? Was it murder, rape, or blasphemy? None of the above, it was food.

Ultimately it was disobedience to God the creator of Heaven and Earth and all its fullness. Does God have the right to love us and care for us? Did he create all the food chain from fruit, vegetables, to grains, meats, and all fishes? If so would He not know what is good for His children? Yes He does and He wants us to be blessed so he gave us a list of the foods we should eat to help us be strong healthy and keep our mind clean, He also gave us a list of the things He created that were not to be eaten they were made to clean the seas, lakes, and the earth, in that list he tells us what animals and fishes we cannot eat for our own good, because wrong foods do effect our thoughts and our mind.

Shell fish for example were created to clean the oceans and lakes from mercury lead, and other pollutants, they were never created to be eaten but to keep the ecology clean- they are called bottom dwellers. Ravens, pigs, eagles and such they are scavengers, they were not created to be eaten but to keep the earth from pollution, from diseases, and bad smells.

Men from the beginning of time has been defiant to God walking in disobedience, making his own laws, and religions; forsaking and neglecting the very laws that God put for us to protect us from hurting ourselves. The same goes across the total walk of obedience, it is found in the Sabbaths of Adonai, it is the reason why we should not fornicate, or marry a divorce. It all boils down to one thing- God Loves us. He cares for us and wants only the best for us; so He gave us rules, laws, ordinances, precepts, statutes, and commandments. All these were given for our own good.

Some will ask me, "Rabbi- medical science has found that pigs have a certain deadly diseases, is this why you don't eat it pig? Also they found that rabbits carry tuberculosis, is this why you don't eat it rabbits?"

My answer to this types of question is- no. This is not the reason I don't eat the forbidden foods that God Commanded not to be eaten, I abstain from these foods because God commanded that these unclean animals should not be eaten. It has nothign to do with their health remifications. Even if science tells me that the unclean foods will make me strong, and are the best food to be eaten my answer is always- no, it is the law of God.

God gave us identifying markers like fins, scales, cloven hoofs, chewing the cud so that we can tell the clean from the unclean as described in the book of Leviticus (Vayikra)

Hope I made some sense with my answers.

Chag same-ach, chatima tova,

Rabbi Isaac