Straining at Gnats

Thrips: commonly found in vegetables (source)In no uncertain terms, bugs are not biblically kosher (locusts and the like excluded). Western cultures are not accustomed to eating bugs, but many other cultures of the world include different kinds of insects in their diet.

Although we do not typically eat insects knowingly or willingly, bugs make their way into the food we eat. If we do not examine fruits and vegetables carefully, we might very well eat them.

"Straining at gnats" has become a figure of speech for "being overly focused on a minor detail." It comes, of course, from what the Master said:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! (Matthew 23:23–24)

From the complete context we learn that our Master was not criticizing them for being scrupulous. The fact that they performed minor commandments was not the problem. Rather, their error was their failure to observe the weightier ones. Both gnats and camels are prohibited, or else the Torah would not have said so, and our Master’s figure of speech would have no meaning. The correct thing to do is to avoid the camels "without neglecting" straining the gnats. It is not noble to avoid the camels while ignoring the gnats. Remember, our master Yeshua also said,

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

It should not be surprising that bugs end up in vegetables. Vegetables grow in the ground. Bugs live in the ground and eat vegetables. But what is surprising is the number of bugs that can be found in vegetables, if you’re looking for them, and how sneaky they can be.

Of course, there has to be a limit on what is prohibited. If every microorganism were off-limits, we couldn't eat anything. Jewish law specifies that bugs are prohibited if they can be seen with the naked eye by the average healthy person. Nonetheless, the difficulty is not in seeing them, but finding them. They hide in cracks and crevasses, blend in with the foliage, and burrow inside the produce. They are often smaller than millimeter in length, and sometimes look like splinters or flecks.

Here are some examples of the most common bugs found in fresh produce:

Insect	Commonly Found In
Thrips	artichokes, arugula, asparagus, blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, endives, herbs, lettuce, onions, raspberries, scallions, spinach, strawberries
Aphids	artichokes, broccoli, herbs, lettuce, strawberries
Worms	arugula, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, dates, eggplant, figs, grains, greens (collard, kale, turnip), mushrooms, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, turnips
Mites	blackberries, raspberries, strawberries

Orthodox Judaism has developed a system of checking each type of produce for bugs, not so much as a matter of halachah or custom, but from a purely practical perspective. They have learned what types of bugs hide in different food items and how to find and eliminate them. The specific processes of bug-checking are too involved to cover in this document. If you wish to keep biblical kosher, it would be wise to research bug-checking tips from Orthodox Jewish sources. Much information can be found online from reputable organizations such as the Orthodox Union and Star-K.