5. To focus on the lesson derived from split hooves: In general, there is a fundamental difference between an animal’s head and its feet – as is also understood from the laws of tereifos, wounds or illnesses that render an animal non-kosher.
Even in an animal, only the feet are close to the ground. Metaphorically, this teaches that the lofty faculties even of the animal soul should not be immersed in physicality, i.e., involved with coarse and earthly matters. One should engage in such activities only with the faculties of action, and regarding those faculties, only to the extent necessary.
It is related that the Rebbe (Rashab), of blessed memory, once told a chassid who was intellectually talented and respected by his fellow chassidim, but who had gone into the business of selling galoshes, “Feet in galoshes I have seen, but a head in galoshes....”
In addition, even regarding the foot’s connection with materiality, there must be a hoof (פרסה, parsah with a hei) between the foot and the ground, creating a separation even between the feet and earthliness. The hoof, whose function is like a curtain (פרסא, parsa with an alef) – a separation that conceals, as mentioned above – must be split, allowing light to pass through. This means that even in earthly matters, there must be space for Divine light to shine through – i.e., one should be able to see G-dliness in them.
To refer to a somewhat parallel concept: Chassidus explains the concept of hair as follows – regarding a woman, her exposed hair is considered “nakedness,” and regarding the Levites, it is written, “And they shall pass a razor over their entire flesh,” implying that hair is a negative factor that must be removed for them to serve in the Sanctuary. Conversely, however, regarding a Nazirite, it is written, “He shall let the hair of his head grow,” and it is designated as holy.
The explanation for this apparent paradox – that hair is sometimes holy and sometimes unholy – is that when the flow of vitality and light is diminished, hair is a deficiency. (The reason is that hair comes about through a process of restriction, i.e., the life-force that makes it grow must pass through – and while doing so is constrained by – the barrier of the skull.) However, when the spiritual vitality and light are abundant, hair is necessary. Therefore, it is written regarding the hair of a Nazirite, “It shall be holy; he shall let his hair grow wildly.” Similarly, for an animal to be kosher, its hoof must be split to allow G-dly light to pass through.
As stated in Tanya, “Even {when involved} in earthly matters, [the Jewish people] should not be separate from echad haemes, “[G-d’s] true oneness.” Therefore – to allow G-dly light to permeate into even the lowest dimensions of material existence – the hoof must be entirely split, i.e., G-dliness should reach the lowest dimensions of physical existence.
Only then can one transform the animal within one’s own being into a kosher animal. In other words, in this way, one’s animal nature – the physical dimension of existence that is necessary for the body – will be a pure animal.
As stated in Kehilas Yaakov, composed by the author of the book Melo HaRo’im, the word בהמה (behemah, animal) is an acronym for שמיםהן מיורד השר ב (basar hayoreid min hashamayim, “flesh that descends from Heaven”). Such flesh is certainly pure, for “nothing impure descends from Heaven.”
