Abstract
Human society and its religions and cultures have laid out numerous guidelines, often involving dietary restrictions (Deut 14:4-5; Lev. 11:2-7). One such set of restrictions still observed by many Jews today relates to the distinction between pure and impure, edible and forbidden mammals (Talmud Bavli, Avoda Zara 35b). The ancient Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) have often perplexed both gentiles and Jews, since they appear to be arbitrary. Here we demonstrate that the separation of pure and impure animals coincides with taxonomic, biochemical, allergenic, and common nutritional properties.
Highlights
The Biblical passages addressing mammalian kashrut appear in the book of Deut.: “These are the beasts which we may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, the Ayyãl, and the Zěbi and the Yahmữr, and the Aqqổ, and the Dišổn, and the Těổ, and the zemer” (Deut 14:4 - 5)
In experimentation, milks were tested for their ability to curdle after the addition of rennin, and clotting time and degree of firmness were quantitated by the Optigraph method
The results of the analyses showed the formation of curdling in the milk of the cow (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), fallow deer (Dama d. dama), red deer (Cervus elaphus), ibex (Capra ibex), and the reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulate)—all defined as ritually pure animals
Summary
The Biblical passages addressing mammalian kashrut appear in the book of Deut.: “These are the beasts which we may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, the Ayyãl, and the Zěbi and the Yahmữr, and the Aqqổ, and the Dišổn, and the Těổ, and the zemer” (Deut 14:4 - 5). One such set of restrictions still observed by many Jews today relates to the distinction between pure and impure, edible and forbidden mammals (Talmud Bavli, Avoda Zara 35b). An additional characteristic distinction between kosher and nonkosher animals was provided by the Talmud
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