Chewing It Over

Why do some animals chew their cud?

In Parshas Shemini, we learn about the signs of kosher animals. One of the signs is that the animal chews its cud, but what does that mean? Cud-chewing is part of a special digestive system found in animals like cows, sheep, and deer. These animals have more than one stomach chamber. When they first eat, they don’t fully chew their food. Later, they bring the partly digested food (called cud) back up into their mouths to chew it more thoroughly. This process helps them break down tough plant fibers and get the most nutrients from their food.

In this design, we see how Hashem creates animals perfectly suited to their diets and their role in the world.