Shmini – Reasoning and Connection

Rabbi Ezra Friedman

Every parent can testify that at some point in their child’s development they are introduced to the “why” stage. Children, as they grow begin to see the world from different angles. They become intrigued with what surrounds them. Curiosity follows, and they begin asking “why” at every turn. Why is the sky blue? Why do people pass away? Why can’t we see Hashem? These are some common questions that a parent might hear from their child. Parents realize that the answers to the “why” at this point in their development might need to be simplistic or basic, but they’re what the child needs to hear. Children can’t always understand the depths of reality, so parents have to provide them with the answers they need at that stage of their development.

There is a similar, yet much deeper idea in Judaism. Every Jew is interested in the reasoning and intrinsic logic behind the commandments they perform. The need for deeper understanding is not just for the sake of intellectual stimulation, but rather, it helps Jews internalize and connect with their service to Hashem. Jewish scholars over the generations have written and discussed different reasoning and logic behind each Mitzvah. However, an essential element, according to all Jewish scholars, is that the reasons are never the essence of the commandments and it is strictly forbidden to believe that they are. Reasons and connection behind Mitzvot can be a double edged sword. On the one hand, when we as Jews can connect on a intellectual level to our daily commandments, our dedication and passion for Mitzvot can be elevated. On the other hand, once those reasons cease to make sense to us, we might think that the Mitzvah is no longer relevant. Mitzvot have an eternal connection to our world. As the Maharal claims, the Mitzvot are spiritual food that is always nutritious. The importance of searching for reasons and logic in Mitzvot is not an end, but rather it’s a means and when that lesson is understood, Jews can really start to grasp and utilize the reasoning  we find in Rabbinic  literature.

The laws enumerated in Parashat Shemini have led to a great dispute about the reason for a kosher diet. Many commentators offer creative explanations for the obligation to eat kosher animals and the prohibition against eating non-kosher ones. The Rambam, in his Guide to the Perplexed, suggests that the difference between kosher and non- kosher stems from the fact that Hashem wants us to have a healthy diet and non-kosher food is simply less healthy. The Rashbam (Rashi’s grandson) agrees with this perspective. The Rambam claims that pork, for example, is an animal that is very unsanitary and as such, eating from it can cause sickness. Rav Yitzchak Arama firmly disagrees with this perspective. He states that the health claim demotes the Torah to a medical guide, rather than a spiritual one. Rav Arama also claims that non-Jews are permitted to eat non-kosher food and it’s not apparent that they suffer from sickness as a result. Rav Arama offers an alternative reason for kosher dietary laws. The foods that are permissible can contain nutritious vitamins and minerals on the one hand, while others contain harmful sugars and empty carbohydrates. Kosher food provides spiritual nutrients. Hashem wanted Jews to reach a higher spiritual level and material food can have a serious effect. As such, Hashem allows Jews to consume foods that contain the proper spiritual nutrition that Jews need. Non-Jews need different spiritual nutrition and, as such, their diet is different.

The Ramban and Iben Ezra offer a third approach that intertwines both the Rambam and Rav Yitzchak Arama’s commentaries. The Ramban and Iben Ezra claim that both perspectives are true. Certain aspects of the Jewish diet are for health reasons and other laws are necessary to bring about spiritual effects. According to this perspective, Kashrut is rooted in both the spiritual and the physical and both ideals are an important part of a Jew’s diet.

After seeing this dispute, we must ask, which answer is correct? The answer is all of them! As mentioned earlier, the importance behind finding reason in Mitzvot is so Jews can connect and enhance their service to Hashem. The Mitzvahs are part of an eternal bond between Hashem and Am Yisrael, However, everyone has to find his or her own frequency which allows that person to connect and maximize his or her Avodat Hashem. There are those who feel that the physical effect connects them more to the necessity for a kosher diet. On the contrary, certain individuals connect more strongly to the negative spiritual effects of a non-kosher diet and there are those who connect to both. This perspective helps open a Jew’s eyes and enables him to immerse himself in understanding every different angle of a Mitzvah. Behind every Mitzvah is a world of depth and we must open our hearts and see how we connect most strongly.

In today’s world, it is so important not to perform Jewish law out of habit or routine. Mitzvahs must be exciting and authentic. Many Jews frown on Jewish tradition because they see many Jews acting by rote, without meaning. No Jew must ever be embarrassed to ask “why”, to argue, and develop a deeper understanding of each and every Mitzvah. As Jews, a real connection to Hashem and his Torah is fundamental in order to succeed in a keeping a demanding halachic way of life. Let us delve deeply into Hashem‘s Mitzvot because from deep understanding, an even deeper connection will develop.