Keeping kosher is about much more than the technicalities of what we can or cannot eat. It’s a framework for living that brings holiness into the seemingly ordinary act of eating. When we look at the mitzvah of kashrut, we see that it’s not just a list of dietary rules, but a spiritual practice that elevates the mundane. By observing the laws of kashrut (keeping kosher), we’re reminded that food is more than just fuel; it’s part of a larger, sacred process. Every time we sit down to eat, we have an opportunity to connect with something greater.
At its core, keeping kosher instills mindfulness. It forces us to slow down, to ask questions, to make conscious decisions about what we consume. In a world that pushes convenience and speed, kashrut pulls us back to intention. Is this food permitted? Has it been prepared in a way that aligns with Jewish values? These questions aren’t just about what’s kosher on the surface; they invite us to consider how food shapes our ethics, our bodies, and our souls.
Think about it: food sustains us physically, but it also nourishes us emotionally and spiritually. The laws of kashrut bring an awareness that what we put into our bodies matters. In fact, the Torah describes certain animals as "tamei" (impure) and others as "tahor" (pure), highlighting that even in the physical world, there is a distinction between the holy and the mundane. Kashrut is a reminder that our bodies, created in the image of G-d, deserve to be treated with reverence. We don’t just eat because we’re hungry. We eat to serve a higher purpose, to sustain ourselves with the purpose of serving G-d and others.
This intentionality extends beyond the food itself to how we prepare it, share it, and consume it. The kitchen becomes a place of sacred work, where raw ingredients are transformed into meals imbued with meaning. It’s not just about keeping kosher for the sake of being kosher; it’s about elevating the act of eating into a moment of connection—with G-d, and with each other.
But what does kashrut look like in modern times, when the world seems more disconnected from Torah? Today, we face new challenges that make keeping kosher feel either outdated or overly complicated. With globalization and mass food production, the options are endless. Why limit ourselves? Yet, this is where kashrut is perhaps more relevant than ever. It teaches us discipline, self-control, and a deep respect for the world around us. We live in an age of instant gratification, where excess is celebrated and convenience is king. Kashrut counters this by reminding us that not everything that’s available is for us, and not every desire must be fulfilled.
In the face of modern challenges like factory farming, environmental concerns, and ethical treatment of animals, kashrut gives us a framework to think critically about the food we eat. What are we eating? Is it physically healthy? Is it spiritually healthy? Where did it come from? Who provided this to me to be food? How was the animal treated (thinking beyond yourself)? While kashrut doesn’t necessarily mandate ethical food production in its entirety through written laws, the spirit of the law certainly aligns with the idea that how food is sourced and handled matters. It’s no surprise that today, many people who keep kosher look for additional ethical certifications like fair-trade, organic, or free-range, combining these concerns with traditional kosher observance. Kashrut asks us to think about more than taste—it challenges us to think about the entire chain of creation behind the food we eat including the ultimate source (G-d).
Additionally, this mitzvah also teaches us gratitude. When we keep kosher, we recognize that every meal is a gift, and we are reminded to say blessings before and after eating. In doing so, we transform the act of eating from something we take for granted into something sacred. Each bite becomes an expression of thankfulness. And after we eat, we use the energy/the breath in us to praise G-d. And through these blessings, we are drawn closer to the Source of all sustenance. In this way, the act of eating becomes a form of temple service. Our bodies are the temple, our mouths are the altar, our food is the sacrifice and it gives us the energy for our breath (smoke from the altar) to be pleasant to G-d through prayer, praise, and words of kindness towards one another.
So, while kashrut may seem at first glance like a restrictive practice, it’s actually a path to freedom—a freedom that comes from living with awareness, intention, and holiness. By choosing what we eat with thoughtfulness, we’re invited to live in harmony with the values that make us a people belonging to G-d. Through kashrut, we bring more sparks of holiness into the world, one meal at a time.
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