Saying a prayer over unclean meats doesn’t sanctify the meat any more than praying that you don’t get caught stealing “sanctifies” or protects you from the consequences of that transgression. Many fail to remember that, just because punishment is not always immediate, doesn’t mean that it’s been forgotten by heaven.
One thing that I should also point out is that ‘kosher’ of Rabbinical Judaism is not the same as ‘kosher’ of the Scriptures. Let me explain:
According to the Rabbinical Jews, you are not allowed to eat any meat and a dairy product in the same meal. If one eats meat for instance, then that person is not allowed to eat or drink any dairy product for six hours after that and visa versa. The Jewish people have in fact two separate fridges in their kitchens, one for meat products and the other for dairy products. Now think for yourself, is that Scriptural? (If you are not sure, then you must go study the Scriptures for yourself). It is definitely not Scriptural; I will show you why it is not.
Firstly, it is not written anywhere in the Scriptures that we are not allowed to eat meat with dairy. What has happened is that the Pharisees created what is known as the Talmud or “Oral Law”. Now the Oral Law is similar to the Torah except that it is the Instructions of the Rabbi’s and Sages and not the Instruction of YHWH (Torah). The Rabbinical Jews consider this to be the Law too and often takes precedence over the Torah.
Firstly, it is not written anywhere in the Scriptures that we are not allowed to eat meat with dairy. What has happened is that the Pharisees created what is known as the Talmud or “Oral Law”. Now the Oral Law is similar to the Torah except that it is the Instructions of the Rabbi’s and Sages and not the Instruction of YHWH (Torah). The Rabbinical Jews consider this to be the Law too and often takes precedence over the Torah.
The Scriptures that the Jews use to justify this is, (Exodus 23:19) “Bring the first of the first-fruits of your land into the House of יהוה your Elohim. Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” This command is given in three places in the Torah, the other two instances are in Exodus 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21.
The ritualistic washing of hands before handling food, as mentioned in the previous article, is also not found in the Torah, but rather appears in the Talmud. However, according to the Orthodox Jews, any food that has been handled without this ritualistic washing of hands is also deemed unkosher. The same applies to food that has been prepared by a “Goy” which is a non-Jew.
The ritualistic washing of hands before handling food, as mentioned in the previous article, is also not found in the Torah, but rather appears in the Talmud. However, according to the Orthodox Jews, any food that has been handled without this ritualistic washing of hands is also deemed unkosher. The same applies to food that has been prepared by a “Goy” which is a non-Jew.
"Unclean" animals/birds/fish are those that are carnivorous, those that are scavengers, those that eat road-kill and whatever they can scrounge, and those that eat dead things off the bottom of the ocean floor. That means that these animals carry viruses and parasites that are detrimental to our health. Please refer to this article about the make up of a pig and itsill effects on our health if eaten.
“Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you? If anyone destroys the Dwelling Place of Elohim, Elohim shall destroy him. For the Dwelling Place of Elohim is set-apart, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) The Scriptures teach us to look after our bodies as they are the Dwelling Place of Elohim. If we are going to fill our bodies with the filth of uncleanness, then our bodies are deemed unfit for Elohim to dwell in.
Now when you have found a clean animal, to eat it, all the blood has to be drained out of the animal and the blood has to return to the land and be covered by the dust, “Only, the blood you do not eat, pour it on the earth like water” (Deut 12:16)(see also Deut 15:23). We are not to eat any blood of the animal. If the blood has not immediately been drained from the animal after its slaughter, then the blood stalls in the meat and renders it unkosher even though it is a clean animal. “And any man from the children of Yisra’ĕl, or from the strangers who sojourn among you, who hunts and catches any beast or bird, which is eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust” (Lev 17:13)
I have read on someone else’s blog article that says, all you need to do to meat, if bought in a supermarket, is to drench it in salt and boil the meat to get the blood out and then it is kosher. There is one very big problem with this theory. If the animal was not slaughtered properly, then the blood stalls in the meat and there is no way of getting it out afterwards. Another problem is that the meat bought in the supermarkets do not come from kosher butchers and gets slaughtered and cut up with the same instruments that cut up the unclean meats too. This contaminates the meat and renders it unkosher. Also, you also do not know where the blood has gone when it should have been returned to the earth.
Another thing to consider is that the pots and cutlery that we use can be contaminated by unclean animals. Some can be washed and others need to be broken. “And whatever any of them in its dead state falls upon, becomes unclean, whether it is any wooden object or garment or skin or sack, any object in which work is done, it is put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening, then it shall be clean. Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls, whatever is in it becomes unclean, and you break it” (Lev 11:32). Anything that is wooden or stainless steel etc can be properly washed and will be clean again. However, pores pots, like clay pots and pooitjie pots (any South African person will know what this is), have to be destroyed if any unclean meat was ever cooked in it.
Let us now look at what Leviticus teaches us about what is clean and unclean:
“And יהוה (YHWH) spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying to them,
Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘These are the living creatures which you do eat among all the beasts that are on the earth:
Whatever has a split hoof completely divided, chewing the cud, among the beasts, that you do eat.
Only, these you do not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have a split hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the rabbit, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the pig, though it has a split hoof, completely divided, yet does not chew the cud, it is unclean to you.
Their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you do not touch. They are unclean to you.
These you do eat of all that are in the waters: any one that has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas or in the rivers, that you do eat.
But all that have not fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers, all that move in the waters or any living creature which is in the waters, they are an abomination to you.
They are an abomination to you – of their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you abominate.
All that have not fins or scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
And these you do abominate among the birds, they are not eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture,
and the hawk, and the falcon after its kind,
every raven after its kind,
and the ostrich, and the nighthawk, and the seagull, and the hawk after its kind,
and the little owl, and the fisher owl, and the great owl,
and the white owl, and the pelican, and the carrion vulture,
and the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
All flying insects that creep on all fours is an abomination to you.
Only, these you do eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth.
These of them you do eat: the locust after its kind, and the destroying locust after its kind, and the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.
But all other flying insects which have four feet is an abomination to you.
And by these you are made unclean, anyone touching the carcass of any of them is unclean until evening,
and anyone picking up part of the carcass of any of them has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening.
Every beast that has a split hoof not completely divided, or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean.
And whatever goes on its paws, among all the creatures that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean until evening,
and he who picks up their carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. They are unclean to you.
And these are unclean to you among the creeping creatures that creep on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the tortoise after its kind,
and the gecko, and the land crocodile, and the sand reptile, and the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are unclean to you among all that creep. Anyone who touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening.
And whatever any of them in its dead state falls upon, becomes unclean, whether it is any wooden object or garment or skin or sack, any object in which work is done, it is put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening, then it shall be clean.
Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls, whatever is in it becomes unclean, and you break it.
Any of the food which might be eaten, on which water comes, becomes unclean, and any drink which might be drunk from it becomes unclean.
And on whatever any of their carcass falls becomes unclean – an oven or cooking range – it is broken down. They are unclean, and are unclean to you.
But a fountain or a well, a collection of water, is clean, but whatever touches their carcass is unclean.
And when any of their carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
But when any water is put on the seed and any part of any such carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
And when any of the beasts which are yours for food dies, he who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening.
And he who eats of its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. And he who picks up its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening.
And every creeping creature that creeps on the earth is an abomination, it is not eaten. Whatever crawls on its stomach, and whatever goes on all fours, and whatever has many feet among all creeping creatures that creep on the earth, these you do not eat, for they are an abomination.
Do not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and do not make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them.
For I am יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim, and you shall set yourselves apart. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. And do not defile yourselves with any creeping creature that creeps on the earth.
For I am יהוה (YHWH) who is bringing you up out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart.
This is the Torah of the beasts and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creature that is eaten and the living creature that is not eaten.’” (Lev 11:1-47)(see also Deut 14)
Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘These are the living creatures which you do eat among all the beasts that are on the earth:
Whatever has a split hoof completely divided, chewing the cud, among the beasts, that you do eat.
Only, these you do not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have a split hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the rabbit, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have a split hoof, it is unclean to you;
and the pig, though it has a split hoof, completely divided, yet does not chew the cud, it is unclean to you.
Their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you do not touch. They are unclean to you.
These you do eat of all that are in the waters: any one that has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas or in the rivers, that you do eat.
But all that have not fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers, all that move in the waters or any living creature which is in the waters, they are an abomination to you.
They are an abomination to you – of their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you abominate.
All that have not fins or scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
And these you do abominate among the birds, they are not eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture,
and the hawk, and the falcon after its kind,
every raven after its kind,
and the ostrich, and the nighthawk, and the seagull, and the hawk after its kind,
and the little owl, and the fisher owl, and the great owl,
and the white owl, and the pelican, and the carrion vulture,
and the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat.
All flying insects that creep on all fours is an abomination to you.
Only, these you do eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth.
These of them you do eat: the locust after its kind, and the destroying locust after its kind, and the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.
But all other flying insects which have four feet is an abomination to you.
And by these you are made unclean, anyone touching the carcass of any of them is unclean until evening,
and anyone picking up part of the carcass of any of them has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening.
Every beast that has a split hoof not completely divided, or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean.
And whatever goes on its paws, among all the creatures that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Anyone who touches their carcass is unclean until evening,
and he who picks up their carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. They are unclean to you.
And these are unclean to you among the creeping creatures that creep on the earth: the mole, and the mouse, and the tortoise after its kind,
and the gecko, and the land crocodile, and the sand reptile, and the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are unclean to you among all that creep. Anyone who touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening.
And whatever any of them in its dead state falls upon, becomes unclean, whether it is any wooden object or garment or skin or sack, any object in which work is done, it is put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening, then it shall be clean.
Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls, whatever is in it becomes unclean, and you break it.
Any of the food which might be eaten, on which water comes, becomes unclean, and any drink which might be drunk from it becomes unclean.
And on whatever any of their carcass falls becomes unclean – an oven or cooking range – it is broken down. They are unclean, and are unclean to you.
But a fountain or a well, a collection of water, is clean, but whatever touches their carcass is unclean.
And when any of their carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it is clean.
But when any water is put on the seed and any part of any such carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
And when any of the beasts which are yours for food dies, he who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening.
And he who eats of its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening. And he who picks up its carcass has to wash his garments, and shall be unclean until evening.
And every creeping creature that creeps on the earth is an abomination, it is not eaten. Whatever crawls on its stomach, and whatever goes on all fours, and whatever has many feet among all creeping creatures that creep on the earth, these you do not eat, for they are an abomination.
Do not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and do not make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them.
For I am יהוה (YHWH) your Elohim, and you shall set yourselves apart. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. And do not defile yourselves with any creeping creature that creeps on the earth.
For I am יהוה (YHWH) who is bringing you up out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart.
This is the Torah of the beasts and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creature that is eaten and the living creature that is not eaten.’” (Lev 11:1-47)(see also Deut 14)
We are living in a time where food is mass produced and customized to taste a way that is not how the food substance originally tasted. This is because people do not like the taste of natural raw foods and has to be adapted. Another reason, and possibly the greatest reason, is because of costs to the manufacturer. It is much easier and cheaper to use flavorants, stabilizers, preservatives etc. to make the food taste better and last longer. The problem with this is that they get these flavorants and preservatives from unclean animals.
You can Google "kosher foods" to find lists of "unkosher" foods, such as Jell-O (gelatin contains horse hooves to make the "gel"), and things that contain certain dyes which are made from certain "unclean" bugs, etc. The list is endless and, after awhile, you'll just begin to "know" what to look for at the grocery store....
You can Google "kosher foods" to find lists of "unkosher" foods, such as Jell-O (gelatin contains horse hooves to make the "gel"), and things that contain certain dyes which are made from certain "unclean" bugs, etc. The list is endless and, after awhile, you'll just begin to "know" what to look for at the grocery store....
So it is slightly harder for us, especially if we live in Western world gentile countries, to find kosher foods, especially meat. This is however not really a problem as there are many products that have kosher markings on them saying that there are no unclean ingredients in that product. There are also many kosher substitutes for products that are not kosher. As stated above, within no time at all, you will know exactly what is kosher and not kosher and shopping will be no different to before.
One last thing that I would like to bring to your attention is that we have to check everything before consuming it, this is not only food products but also medicines and sweets etc. I am not going to go in to that now, but is something for you to consider too.
May we all start to eat kosher as the Scriptures command us to do and we will see many restaurants and food markets either close down or become kosher too themselves!!!
May we all start to eat kosher as the Scriptures command us to do and we will see many restaurants and food markets either close down or become kosher too themselves!!!
Thank you for sending this blog. Now, I understand the laws of Casher (pronounced "Kosher" in the West).
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