A03 Question: Are the Jewish food laws important in modern day society?
Perhaps the most well-known Jewish religious practice is that of eating only foods that are "kosher." The laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) can seem strange to a non-Jew, but they have held great meaning for Jewish people throughout their history.
Different branches of Judaism disagree on just how important these food laws are.
Orthodox Jews believe that every law including the food laws should be kept because God would not have set them if he did not intend for his people to follow them and if there was not a good reason to follow them. There are many suggestions of what the purpose for having these laws in place is. One is that the laws of kashrut prevent socialization and intermarriage with non-Jews, helping the Jewish community to maintain its identity. Another is that keeping the food laws could symbolise will power and could be used to separate the ‘divine from the humane’. In the way that their God has sacrificed and given so much up to his people, the Jewish people believe they must try and give back and live their lives in accordance to the Covenant relationship that Jews are believed to have with God.
On the other hand, Reform Jews regard the laws of kashrut to be negative mitzvah and choose not to observe these laws. Reform Jews argue that keeping the laws is no longer necessary in modern day society. The laws were written thousands of years ago and are therefore considered, by followers of Reformed Judaism to not apply and be necessary to modern day society. Orthodox Jews argue that if these laws are as Reform Jews say, ‘of little importance in modern day society’ then God would have told his people this and altered the laws to suit modern day society – which he has not done.
