Parasha Shemini ends with the laws of Kashrut. One of the fundamental things that distinguishes Jews since the giving of the Torah is the way we eat. There are certain animals that are permissible and some are not, we don’t mix milk and meat ( having separate pots,china and utensils ).
In order to serve G-d properly one needs to train one’s animalistic drive- the animal soul- to stretch beyond its natural limitations. The way and what we eat has a very important influence in our souls ability to master ourselves.
Kosher food cleans the ducts of our understanding of Torah and Mitzvahs.
For an animal to be kosher it needs to have both split hooves and has to chew his cud. Fish need to have both fins and scales and birds can’t be wild. Insects are a no no.
The split hooves represents our ability to to propel into action in the service of G-d with double energy, the chewing cud is also a process of doubling where food is digested for a second time. This teaches us to not be reactive but proactive. We should have the ability to think before we act. These two characteristics are very important to our psyche. Jewish mysticism teaches us that the characteristics of the animals we eat go into our blood stream, where our animal soul is located, and we ingest this characteristics into our animal soul. That is also why Jews don’t eat blood. Because in the animals blood is its vitality and we don’t want to be animalistic, we strive to be G-dly and Holy.
The food we eat becomes a part of us. It goes into our digestive system which keeps the nutrients turning them into blood, which nourish us to be able to have energy to engage in the world.
So when they say “You are what you eat” it’s true, because this energy becomes you, it is what allows your body to be constantly regenerating itself.
“Live a little higher”
