Question about the dietary laws

To discuss Jewish topics and issues

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
shnarkle
Guru
Posts: 2054
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:56 am

Question about the dietary laws

Post #1

Post by shnarkle »

Why does the Torah prohibit the consumption of unclean animals in some places while allowing it in others? At first I thought that perhaps it might be prohibited to the priesthood, but allowable to everyone else. This didn't seem to be all that compelling of an argument, especially with God calling the whole nation to be holy, "you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." (Ex.19:6).


15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water....22 The unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life" Deuteronomy 12:15,16,22,23

Why is it allowable here, but not in other places?

User avatar
Goat
Site Supporter
Posts: 24999
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:09 pm
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 207 times

Re: Question about the dietary laws

Post #2

Post by Goat »

shnarkle wrote: Why does the Torah prohibit the consumption of unclean animals in some places while allowing it in others? At first I thought that perhaps it might be prohibited to the priesthood, but allowable to everyone else. This didn't seem to be all that compelling of an argument, especially with God calling the whole nation to be holy, "you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." (Ex.19:6).


15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water....22 The unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life" Deuteronomy 12:15,16,22,23

Why is it allowable here, but not in other places?

it is not talking about 'unclean meat'. It is talking about people who are in the status of 'unclean'. There are a number of conditions that people meet that will make them 'unclean' so they can't enter the temple. Handling a dead body for example will make someone 'unclean', or a woman who is havng her period is 'unclean'. A person who is 'unclean' can 'cleanse' themselves with a mikvah bath. So, it doesn't matter what status a person is, they can still eat the meat slaughtered in the towns, as long as the meat is properly drained of blood to make it kosher.

Commentary on this passage can be found here
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�

Steven Novella

shnarkle
Guru
Posts: 2054
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:56 am

Re: Question about the dietary laws

Post #3

Post by shnarkle »

Goat wrote:
shnarkle wrote: Why does the Torah prohibit the consumption of unclean animals in some places while allowing it in others? At first I thought that perhaps it might be prohibited to the priesthood, but allowable to everyone else. This didn't seem to be all that compelling of an argument, especially with God calling the whole nation to be holy, "you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." (Ex.19:6).


15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water....22 The unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life" Deuteronomy 12:15,16,22,23

Why is it allowable here, but not in other places?

it is not talking about 'unclean meat'. It is talking about people who are in the status of 'unclean'. There are a number of conditions that people meet that will make them 'unclean' so they can't enter the temple. Handling a dead body for example will make someone 'unclean', or a woman who is havng her period is 'unclean'. A person who is 'unclean' can 'cleanse' themselves with a mikvah bath. So, it doesn't matter what status a person is, they can still eat the meat slaughtered in the towns, as long as the meat is properly drained of blood to make it kosher.

Commentary on this passage can be found here
Thanks for your response, and the link as well. It never ceases to amaze me how I can read something and see something completely different from what it actually says. I read the commentary with great interest, but one of the comments really caught my eye because it seemed to be saying that both unclean and clean people may eat together which a lot of Christians assume wasn't allowable up until the time of Peter's vision in the Acts of the Apostles. This is an interesting revelation for me.

"the unclean and the clean [may eat thereof]: Since they formerly had holy status, about which it is stated: “And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten� (Lev. 7:19), it is necessary to give explicit permission for both the unclean and clean person alike to eat [from the meat, even] from the same dish…"

User avatar
bluethread
Savant
Posts: 9129
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:10 pm

Re: Question about the dietary laws

Post #4

Post by bluethread »

shnarkle wrote:
Goat wrote:

Commentary on this passage can be found here
Thanks for your response, and the link as well. It never ceases to amaze me how I can read something and see something completely different from what it actually says. I read the commentary with great interest, but one of the comments really caught my eye because it seemed to be saying that both unclean and clean people may eat together which a lot of Christians assume wasn't allowable up until the time of Peter's vision in the Acts of the Apostles. This is an interesting revelation for me.

"the unclean and the clean [may eat thereof]: Since they formerly had holy status, about which it is stated: “And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten� (Lev. 7:19), it is necessary to give explicit permission for both the unclean and clean person alike to eat [from the meat, even] from the same dish…"
This is the issue that Paul and Peter disputed about, even after Peter's vision. The Jewish followers of Yeshua were refusing to eat with the gentile believer's because they were afraid that the gentiles might not be careful with regard to being clean. These Jewish believer's did not want to risk not being permitted into the temple proper. Gentiles were not permitted into the Temple proper for this reason, hence the court of the gentiles, which was not in the Mishkan(Tabernacle). This fence may very well be warranted given the Christian doctrine of the "dietary laws" being done away with. However, Paul's confrontation of Peter to his face puts the lie to that doctrine. The gentile believer's must have been getting direction on the laws regarding what is clean and unclean, because anyone who wished to go to the Temple proper, including Paul, would be required by the Priests to be "clean".

Post Reply