The socio-biologist Edward O. Wilson says that altruism is genetic since it is of no value to an individual and exists only for the perpetuation and benefit of the species as a whole, sometimes, indeed, to the point of being detrimental to the individual. Now, unless we are told, we cannot know precisely HaShem’s purpose in commanding us His Mitzvos. Nevertheless, it is clear that one of the side-benefits of the Mitzvos of the Torah is the ultimate good of the human species and indeed we can see that altruism is built in to the Mitzvos of the Torah and the laws of Judaism. Additionally, it makes good sense and is altogether consistent that the Torah should mandate that our food animals should be hard-wired to function the same way as we ourselves function and it appears that as a result, altruism has become a pronounced characteristic of the Jewish People.
The central dogma of molecular biology provides that the flow of information in all living systems is from DNA to RNA to protein. However, work by Howard M. Temin has shown that cancer-causing viruses have produced a reverse flow, that is, from RNA to DNA. He showed that these viruses contain an enzymic property capable of forming DNA. Then experiments in point mutations led to the discovery of “jumping genes”—DNA that leaves one place and is found in another. The genome is unstable and in a constant state of flux.
So, in the light of these things, and supposing the results are genuine even if we don’t know how they come about, let’s see how the Torah’s laws of Kashrus protect us. First, we are bidden not to eat certain specified animals, fish, insects and birds whose genetic code is thereby decreed by the Torah to be unsuitable for a Torah Jew. We eat only those animals which not only are considered by the Torah to be domesticated but naturally usually live in groups, herds, schools or flocks. (Having said that, we rely on the Torah to inform us which specific animals we may eat—we cannot categorize or define by ourselves which animals are domesticated or herded animals.) Next, we are forbidden to eat animals that have died of themselves (that is, probably in pain) or animals that were killed by other animals (typically in a death struggle, in a fight, in pain). In fact, as noted above, we are forbidden to eat animals that were killed in any way other than by Shechitah.
One of the Mitzvos of the Torah is the commandment, repeated a number of times, that we are not to eat blood. While the Jewish People are commanded 613 Mitzvos, non-Jews have only the Seven No’achide Laws. These Laws were commanded by G-d after the Great Flood, to No’ach and his family and all their descendants, that is, to all humanity, for all time, and they are: not to blaspheme the Name of G-d; the prohibition against any idolatry which excludes G-d; the prohibition against unlawful killing; the prohibition against immorality; the prohibition against stealing; the prohibition against eating meat torn from a live creature and the command to establish institutions of law and order to enforce these No’achide Laws themselves. In reality, these are seven main categories of laws and of course, these No’achide Laws are included in the 613 Mitzvos that are incumbent upon the Jewish People.
Included in the No’achide prohibition against homicide, there is also the warning concerning an animal that kills a human. The context is important. Immediately after the Flood, permission was granted to man to slaughter living creatures for food, but only on condition that the life of the creature has ended before its meat is eaten and that the blood of the creature is not eaten with the meat. At the same time, it is reiterated that the unlawful killing of humans is forbidden and the warning is given that G-d will avenge the unlawful killing of any human, whether by man or by animal. Indeed, the duty is laid upon human beings to bring to justice and to punish the unlawful killing of any human, whether by man or beast. About this the Ramban comments: G-d says, “Not only will I demand an accounting from any human being for the killing of another human, but I will demand an accounting also from any animal for the killing of any human.” However, says the Ramban, because an animal does not have any moral sense that justifies punishment or reward, I wonder if this vengeance from an animal can be meant literally. Nevertheless, it appears that it is indeed by the King’s decree that any animal that kills a human shall be killed. It being a decree of the King will explain the verse in the Torah which applies also to non-Jew No’achides as well as to Jews, that, “The killer ox shall be stoned, its meat shall not be eaten.” Now, surely this cannot be in the way of a fine for the killer ox’s owner because the same rule holds true even of a wild or ownerless ox. And it can’t be a punishment for the ox because the ox has no moral sense.
As said, another of these No’achide Laws is the command not to eat a limb severed from a live creature. Although this Mitzvah seems to have as its purpose to promote kindness and to train us not to be cruel, which it undoubtedly does, there is bound to be another side-benefit. Consider the following: The prohibition against eating the severed limb, together with the prohibition against eating blood, result in our being prevented from ingesting the meat of an animal with its blood, with its life-force, its Nefesh. We can now well understand the prohibition against ingesting this Nefesh, filled as it is with the memory of the cruel, maiming experience of the animal. In much the same way, regarding the ox that has killed a human being, the Torah commands, “The ox shall be stoned and neither shall its meat be eaten” and this, too, is quite consistent with what has been said, namely, an ox that is a killer is bound to transmit its dangerous trait to anyone who eats its meat. It seems that the Torah wants to avoid the effect of ingesting the meat of a predatory animal, bird or fish, that the seeds of its predatory nature shall not be planted in the future generations of those that eat their meat and that this nature, to be activated, needs only a refresher of the experience to take root. The Nefesh of an apathetic pig, for instance, will produce in the human eaters of its meat potentially apathetic people. G-d Almighty, the Creator of Man and the One Who knows the psyche of all the peoples and folks that He has called into existence and especially knows what will negatively affect His Chosen People, has legislated that repeatedly eating pig-meat will make it very difficult for a Jewish eater to get up early in the morning to davven, to learn, to work, to exert efforts on behalf of others, to produce or do anything worthwhile. He knows that eating the meat of an animal that was killed painfully or cruelly will perpetuate in its eater the memory of the pain, the trauma, of the experience of death. Eating the meat of a creature killed in fear has the effect that that fearfulness continues in its eater, too. Eating the meat and ingesting the Nefesh of anything forbidden or for a Jewish person to take into himself or herself foods or substances that are prohibited by the Torah somehow promote in the person who eats it a negative character trait. It somehow plants a predilection towards conduct or behaviour which the Torah says is not good.
Another example: to eat meat with milk, which the Torah forbids, signifies a lack of sensitivity and compassion for the pain of a mother whose young is seethed in its mother’s milk and could very well result in the eater a quality of callousness. Eating foods forbidden by the Torah are bound to prevent the eater from becoming a Torah Jew and are liable to make it harder for him or her to live a life that is consonant with Torah. But remember, it is not only the ingestion of food that affects the person. The repetition of behaviour too, either Torah-negative or Torah-positive, greatly heightens the predisposition to continue on that path, either for the bad or for the good.
Food remains in the body for up to four days. If more of that food is ingested within those four days, the effect of that food can be permanent. And as just said, the repetition of behaviour, too, reinforces that behaviour and helps to promote permanent character traits.
But it is not only in the person concerned that these modifications of character happen. Future generations are affected, too. That is, our own acquired, habitual behaviour can cause changes in our children’s behaviour, too. Conversely, if we do not develop the optimum capacity for doing the Mitzvos through habitually correct behaviour, we cause thereby that our children will find it that much more difficult to comply with Torah, too. If we are keen and enthusiastic about our Torah duties, this becomes the pattern of behaviour in our children, too. As Rabbi Moshe Cordevero said long ago: “The moral disposition of the parents has an influence on the future characteristics of the children.” Much of this is known today to behavioural scientists: maybe what we are seeing now is how it is that these things come about.
The Laws of Kashrus were given to us. We are expected to use our minds, our bodies and our souls to maintain the correct balance of all the energies and influences and physical properties of creation, to bring cooperation and harmony to it all; to develop a well-balanced and cooperative society in which each person has a rôle which benefits all. Eating only those foods which encourage this type of behaviour and avoiding those which are antithetical to it makes it easier to be a Torah Jew.
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