Because I Said So - Parshat Shemini 5786

In Parshat Shemini, we receive the laws of kashrut, the dietary laws and regulations that are perhaps among the most widely recognized Jewish practices and certainly among the least understood. When asked why we keep kosher, the answers range widely: it was an ancient public health measure for safer eating; what we consume physically has spiritual consequence; it creates a daily, embodied practice of mindfulness and intention. All of these are true. All of them are also incomplete.