And the pig, because it has a cloven hoof that is completely split, but will not regurgitate its cud; it is unclean for you.
Act Now, Perfect Later
In the future, says the Ohr Hachaim, the pig will regurgitate its cud and will thereby become a fully kosher animal (since it already has split hooves.) This is alluded to in the words of the verse above, ‘‘the pig [is unkosher] because it has a cloven hoof but will not regurgitate its cud,’’ which the Ohr Hachaim interprets to mean that it is unkosher only so long as it does not do so. Implied is that its nature and status is subject to change.
Notably, the notion of a non-kosher animal being transformed in the future is unique to the pig, whose current “deficiency” is that it does not regurgitate its cud. Animals that regurgitate but lack split hooves will remain forbidden forever. Why?
An animal that regurgitates its cud, thoroughly processing its food in order to make the food more digestible, symbolizes a person whose inner character is refined and up to par. In contrast, the pig does not process its food as thoroughly, but it bears the other sign of a kosher animal on the limbs with which it moves—it has split hooves. The pig thus represents a person whose inner character is unrefined but whose actions are nevertheless satisfactory.
In his current state, this person is deficient. In the future era of Moshiach, however, the entire universe will be elevated and refined, including the individual. Therefore, combined with his ample good deeds, this person will bear both spiritual qualities represented by the kosher signs, as is evidenced by the pig becoming fully kosher. Animals that only regurgitate their cud, however, will remain non-kosher even in the era of Moshiach, symbolizing that even exceptional inner refinement (such as that which the coming of Moshiach will bring) cannot compensate for a dearth of actual mitzvos performed and practical good accomplished.
—Sefer Hasichos 5751, vol. 1, pp. 162–163, fn. 78
