Conclusion

Bagels: sometimes they're kosherAs you can see, there is much more to learn from the Bible about kosher law than clean and unclean species. Commercial meats from clean species contain forbidden parts of the animal as well as blood, and may not have been killed in accordance with biblical standards. Animal products can crop up in the most unexpected places. Biblical sources point to cleansing dishes through a heating process. "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk" is a deceptively narrow translation, and a simple linguistic examination can suggest a separation of meat and dairy. Thorough insect-checking of fruits and vegetables is an important part of kosher eating. On Passover, we must abstain not just from fluffy bread, but from most grain foods aside from matzah, including many foods that contain vinegar or flavorings.

Hopefully, this document has awakened you to more of the issues involved in keeping a biblical standard of kosher. There is much more that can be said about biblical kosher law. Perhaps this essay has helped contribute to your sense of respect for the definitions and interpretations that have arisen from the Jewish community as they have learned to keep the biblical law over thousands of years.

Biblical kosher practice does not have to be all or nothing. One can begin with a single step and move into more observance gradually. Every step counts. And yet, it is important to have a sense of the big picture and an understanding that keeping biblical kosher is beyond the avoidance of pork and shellfish.