Why is it that the Jewish community cannot eat pork?

Question

also - is alcohol accepted? I want to learn why..

Answer 1

Yes, we are allowed alcohol. In fact, at some of our festivals, such as Purim, it is encouraged! Though not to excess.

We don't eat pork, or seafood as they are 'forbidden'; the reasons aren't necessarily clear but personally, I suspect it was because they knew back then that these foods can carry serious diseases.

Kosher meat is meat that has been killed in the most humane way possible. Jews are not allowed to consume meat with blood in it, nor meat from any animal that has died from ill health.

Not all Jews adhere to the 'kosher' rules about food; I eat prawns and I have eaten bacon.

Answer 2

Jews cannot eat pork due to a series of laws about what to eat and what not to eat in the Torah (the Old Testament). Things that we are allowed to eat are known as "kosher." I've heard two different ideas for why pork is unkosher. The first is that it has to due with health at the time of the Bible. The second is that pigs are found disgusting because they are the only animal that humans raise just to be killed.

There are some rules concerning how alchohol is made, but it in itself is not unkosher. In fact, on many holidays it is a mitzvah (good deed) to drink wine. Every Friday night, on the sabbath we make a blessing over the wine. We also make other versions of this blessing on other holidays. Lastly, on Purim (a joyous holiday), it is a tradition to get so drunk that you almost cannot tell the difference between Mordechai (the hero) and Hamman (the villian)

Answer 3

For land animals the rule is that the animal has to have a cloven hoof AND chew the cud. With birds specific familes are mentioned (they are all fown and not raptors or carrion eaters), fish have to have scales and fins (thus no sea food is kosher).

With land animals- a few are specifically mentioned since otherwise their may have been confusion over whether they were kosher or not. Example: the hare which has a split foot (rather than hoof), by it being mentioned we know the kind of hoof that is kosher. The camel which chews the cud but does not have a cloven hoof- specifically excludes animals which only have that trait (another animal in this category is the horse). Then you get the pig- the ONLY animal that has a cloven hoof but does NOT chew the cud. Not only does this teach us that the animal must chew the cud AND have the cloven hoof- it also is seen as especially repugnant for another reason- it is seen as being decitful, clean on the outside, with its impurities hidden within, thus the particlar disgust aimed at the pig by the Torah.

As a side note- the kashrut laws are NOT based on health issues. Kashrut is one of those laws which are referred to as a "chok" (chukot in the plural in hebrew). the defining characterisitic of chukot is that they are not rational and nit subject to being completely understood. never the less, Rabbis across the millenia have tried to at least offer some explanations.

When it comes to kashrut- the most accepted explanation is that it helps to enhance our overall spirituality. Judaism sees our mission on earth as being one of learning, of spiritual growth. It is the time for our souls to grow and increase in their holiness snce only in this world is there enough free will to make the challenge meaningful. So what has this to do with kashrut? Think of it this way: the bodies our souls are housed within are the same as any other animals bodies with the same physical needs. This means we need to find some way to change fulfilling those sphysical needs from the purely animalistic to the holy in order to uplift our bodies to the level of out soul. So sleeping is made holy through saying specific prayers before going to sleep and as we wake up, sex through marriage- and eating through kashrut.

The person who stated it is because of some resemblance to the devil is completely incorrect- Judaism does not even believe in the devil.

As for alchohol- it is allowed though there are special rules in regards to any product made from grapes.

Answer 4

The Torah has a long list of clean and unclean foods that Jews are allowed and not allowed to eat. Several animals are listed in the Torah as being forbidden but three in particular...the rabbit, the camel, and especially the pig are considered especially unclean and they are specifically mentioned as being meat that Jews are forbidden to eat. The Jews consider the pig to be the filthiest of animals, as do the Muslims, so they don't eat it.

You can kind of see the sense in that as well, since pigs do carry a lot of parasites that aren't always killed off by cooking and pork is just generally bad for you anyway.

Answer 5

Jewish nutritional regulation regarding mammals has surely no longer something to do with actual well-being and the actual cleanliness of animals. after all, if those 2 subject concerns have been the foundation for the nutritional regulations, chickens, that are the two fairly grimy and carry salmonella, would not be allowed. additionally, the reality that the Jewish nutritional regulations are no longer regarding actual well-being has documentation going back over 2000 years. besides the fact that maximum individuals are conscious of the prohibition against the intake of purple meat in Jewish regulation, they do no longer understand that pigs are only one in all hundreds of prohibited mammals. in actuality, the animals that are deemed in good condition for intake could nicely depend employing your arms with the aid of fact the record is so short. Now, for the surely clarification why lots of animals are no longer seen in good condition for intake in accordance to Jewish regulation is that the Torah specifies that animals could the two chew their cud and have split hooves. alongside with the specification, is a catalogue of diverse animals that the two seem to fulfill those 2 standards yet do no longer or meet only one yet no longer the two standards. Pigs are only an occasion of animals that have split hooves yet do no longer chew their cud.

Answer 6

They believe that pork is unclean and just choose not to eat it - they are under their laws which say that some animals are unclean - I don't know everything about it really. Concerning alcohol - I believe they don't drink it - although I'm sure there are some who do, as with any other substance abuses. I hope this helps dear one. God bless you.

They may drink wine though - just thought of that.

Answer 7

Beasue God tells all people not to. Not just Jews but everyone.

Lev 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you.


Lev 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you.

Answer 8

Historically undercooked pork caused illness. Therefore they were thought to be unclean animals. But believe me they (Jewish people) can drink.

Answer 9

They can't eat pork the same reason Christians can't have premarital sex. God told them not to.

Answer 10

The reason is totally unbelievable; it`s because the pig has a cloven hoof and the devil has a cloven hoof so, in their reckoning, the pig is related to the devil.
I know, sounds stupid, but so is all religion of all sorts.