Why Keeping Kosher Matters for Your Health

Hashem looked into the Torah, and thus created the world. Among many things, He knew the best food fit for humanity, particularly for us, the chosen people, whose spiritual souls are uniquely structured compared to other nations.

For instance, eating pork is forbidden in Judaism. Recent studies indicate that pork contains elements that can cause a certain type of cancer and a dangerous parasite that can consume a human's brain (there's even a special hospital for this condition abroad).

The true reason for keeping kosher goes beyond the obvious and into the mystical and spiritual. Spiritually, the Jewish soul is constructed in such a way that when it interacts with the spiritual structures of forbidden animals, it suffers significant spiritual harm! This harm isn't felt in the physical sense but creates a sort of blockage concerning faith in Hashem and understanding the learning of the holy Torah.

Rambam believed that all the impure animals forbidden in the Torah have poor nutritional value, adversely affecting human health. This was also the opinion of the Abarbanel (Sefer HaChinuch Commandment 73). Rabbi Isaac Arama argued that indulging in such forbidden creatures impacts mental clarity, giving rise to confused thoughts and foreign and animal-like desires (Akeidat Yitzchak Leviticus, Parshat Shmini, Gate 60, page 33b, 38b).

In addition to commanding us to eat kosher, Hashem instructed us to slaughter kosher animals in a particular way, to avoid both physical and spiritual harm.

Several years ago, a storm hit the UK. Hundreds of butcher shops closed across the country. Thousands of cattle heads were destroyed due to the "mad cow" threat. People stopped buying beef.

Then, a study was published indicating a remarkable phenomenon: The Jewish method of kosher slaughter prevents mad cow disease! The explanation given was that the bacteria causing the disease reside in the animal's brain. Electrically stunning the animal before slaughter, which can cause severe kosher issues rendering the animal non-kosher, allows the bacteria to spread rapidly through the animal's body, posing a severe threat to those consuming it. Kosher slaughter, according to Jewish law, keeps the bacteria contained within the brain, posing no risk of spreading throughout the animal's body. This revelation occurred in England, which had contemplated banning Jewish slaughter bringing up the issue of "animal welfare" (may Hashem protect us).

Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world, "He looked into the Torah and created the world" (Zohar). Creation adheres to the blueprint of the Torah, and those who observe the Torah's commandments are safeguarded from many evils. Jews avoid eating creeping creatures because our Creator commanded us to.

It is well-known that there are numerous advantages to keeping kosher. One of which is health preservation:

1. Creeping and crawling creatures: It's known that insects found in food, through contact, inhalation, or ingestion, can cause up to nine diseases owing to the presence of wings, excretions, sheddings (old skin the insect sheds as it grows), insect eggs, webs, hairs, and other body parts.

2. Livestock: Several years ago, the Ministry of Agriculture warned that 70% of sheep slaughter and 44% of cattle slaughter in Israel were "black" – meaning without veterinary supervision, thus endangering public health (due to bacterial diseases, etc.). If the veterinary supervision seal is absent, it is likely the kosher certification is also missing or fake. More than 50 contagious diseases can transfer from cattle and sheep to humans. "Buying meat from black slaughterhouses is akin to drinking water from a puddle in the field" (Prof. Shamshoni, former chief veterinarian, Ministry of Agriculture). It goes without mentioning that observant Jews who purchase meat with stringent kosher certification are not at risk. Fortunately, the demand for strictly kosher meat – with rigorous inspections and investigations – has increased over recent years.

3. Poultry: The story with poultry is similar – kosher poultry prepared according to halacha is of superior quality compared to those processed through standard methods (study from the Faculty of Food Sciences at Pennsylvania University). These have lower bacterial counts and a longer shelf life. Their tenderness matches that of other poultry varieties. Even taste tests conducted by consumer associations have consistently found kosher poultry to be tastier (Dr. Michael Gil Karov, "From a Different Angle", Carmel News, 14.2.97).

There is no doubt that the Torah is the truth, and its laws exist for the benefit of the Jewish soul, both in this world and the next.

"And so, by eating kosher, foolishness is subdued, and intellect is elevated…" (Rabbi Nachman, Likutei Moharan, Torah 17, section 3).

To book a home lecture with the naturopath Ruth Liat Pelts at no cost, call 073-2221290