Whether you are relatively new to the idea of ‘keeping kosher’ or already quite knowledgeable of the issues, this book is for you. I recommend this book as a beginning place for understanding how rooted in Scripture kashrut is, and its importance for those at the beginning of their journeys.
Rabbinic vs. Biblical Kosher
Some people use the term "Biblically Kosher" to describe something that meets the basic food laws in the Bible. The term "Rabbinically Kosher" likewise describes something that rises to what they perceive are unnecessary, added stringencies beyond what is in the Bible.
Traditional Judaism teaches that it is important to distinguish between commandments that rest directly on Biblical authority and which ones are a matter of Rabbinic decree. Biblical commandments are termed de'oraita (Aramaic for "of the Torah"), and Rabbinic commandments are called derabbanan (Aramaic for "of our rabbis").
Many Rabbinic commandments serve as "fence laws." For example, the Torah states that the children of Israel may not work on the Sabbath, and that one who does so wilfully without extenuating circumstances is liable to the death penalty. In order to prevent people from violating the Sabbath, they also ruled that handling work-related tools is forbidden.
This kind of prohibition is perfectly reasonable. After all, just as we punish people for drinking while driving (even if they were not intoxicated and didn't crash), fence laws serve as a deterrent to prevent a much worse situation.
Yeshua (Jesus) was no stranger to fence laws. For example, he taught:
Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:33–37 ESV)
Likewise, he hyperbolically stated that if one's eye or hand causes them to sin, he should remove it so as to prevent himself from sinning. If implemented, that would be an extreme fence law!
True enough, kashrut as observed today includes observances that are both de'oraita and derabbanan. It is good to be clear about which is which. However, there are many aspects of kashrut that people assume are rabbinic when they are in fact biblical. Some examples of these are the proper method of slaughter, using heat to purge ("kasher") dishes, and avoiding the combination of meat and dairy. To learn about how these concepts can be found in the Torah, get a copy of Biblically Kosher.
