Identity and Pork

Jordon Rosenblum's lecture on Jews, Pork and Identity was replete with sources from academic, rabbinic, and pop, culture. I applaud his research on questions of Jewish identity and the relationship food has on its development. I feel very strengthened to know that Jews of yesteryear have adhered to the prohibition of not consuming pork.

For traditional Jews, the Torah is the only source to find answers on what is permitted to eat and what is not. The Torah is very clear about its position on the pig. The Torah singles out the pig from other animals because on a superficial level it appears to be kosher- it has split hooves, but if we examine it a little deeper, we could ascertain the pigs' status by whether or not it chews its cud- and it doesn't.

The prohibition of abstaining from pork is a direct commandment. The commandments in the Torah are classified into 3 different types. The first type are commandments that can be easily understood, for example, do not kill, do not steal etc... The second type of commandment are those that testify to G-d's creation of the world, for example, keep the Shabbos holy. The third type of commandment are those that have no rationale for doing then. Refraining from eating pork is an example of this type of law. The Torah offers no explanation other then saying that a pig is impure.

For me, the historic and cultural meanings attached to pork discussed in class have no bearing on my decision not to eat pig. Instead, because I'm Jewish, my identity is shaped by what the Torah says is allowed to eat and not by cultural norms. It appears that everyone has a rationale to offer as to why Jews don't eat pork.From Rosenblum's handout,Philo explains that by eating pig, a Jew sabotages his/her ability to think or act rationally; the Roman author, Tactious states that Jews abstain from eating pig because of the fear of trichinosis, and French writer Grimad de la Renier claims the pig to be natures perfect food so why not indulge!

When Jews follow cultural norms instead of what the Torah wants form us, we distance ourselves from G-d and thereby sever our spiritual connection with G-d. A Jewish person's identity is tied to G-d.It is not only defined by what one does or does not eat. There are many commandments a Jew is bound to, keeping kosher is only one of them. When a Jew keeps kosher he/she rises above the physical act of eating and brings spirituality into his/her life.More than this,following the commandments is where a Jewish person's identity lies.Still,when a Jew decides not to keep kosher,he/she may temporarily sever his/her connection with G-d,but the identity remains Jewish. Senator George Allen was mistaken.Eating pork chops may have distanced him from G-d,but he is very much a member of the tribe!