Book Review: FFOZ’s “Biblically Kosher” by Aaron Eby
Human fellowship most often revolves around food. This is universally true among the majority of cultures of the world, and it is certainly true of the Jewish culture and faith. However, the issue of food within the Messianic Jewish context can often be highly divisive, a veritable minefield fraught with many charged opinions and disagreements ready explode. It is often an obstacle to fellowship, not a path to unity. Why is that? The problem that so often divides us, as you may have guessed, is one of the pillars of Judaism, that is eating kosher food, or observing the laws of kashrut.
Messianic Jewish congregations do not lack food. Far from it, there’s usually plenty of it in our synagogues. But is it kosher? In my experience, most of the congregations only pay lip service to kashrut, often not extending it beyond not serving pork and shrimp. The same even goes for many of the leaders as well. Even worse, our Messianic Jewish conferences, the showcases of our Jewishness, of our unity and solidarity with the Jewish people and Judaism, of our allegiance to Torah, are often located far away from Jewish communities or from kosher establishments, with most participants expected to partake in the non-kosher fair served up by the hotel where the conference is taking place! One can cite many reasons for this – historic Christian anti-Judaism that has left its mark resulting in aversion to all things “rabbinic”, rampant secularization of American Jewry, unwillingness to put in the effort required, perceived and actual higher costs of keeping kosher, and often just plain ignorance. Can something be done to turn this around, to make our congregations and members more observant or at least knowledgeable when it comes to this one of Judaism’s most basic and essential Torah requirements?
Yes! This is why I was excited to get my hands on the copy of FFOZ’s Biblically Kosher by Aaron Eby. There are many books on kashrut, but this is the first book that is not only written from a Messianic Jewish perspective, but also with a deep understanding that breeds respect, instead of the usual contempt, for established traditional Jewish norms. However, the author doesn’t simply present the Jewish standards of kashrut as normative. The 190 page book, written in a masterful yet easy to understand style I’ve come to expect from Eby, provides detailed, well-researched explanations about the Biblical origins of various traditional Jewish laws of kashrut.
At first, the title of the book seems almost misleading to those involved in “Messianic” circles. Biblically Kosher? You mean just following the laws as we read them in the Bible? With a title like that, opening this book one almost expects the usual treatment often found in messianic publications on kosher diets – “the Jewish laws for eating kosher are a corruption of the Bible by the rabbis!” However, a few pages into it, one realizes that this book is a deep breath of fresh air.
The book covers such range of topics as (my short summary):
- Why keep kosher in the first place?
- Main purpose behind kashrut laws – health or spiritual?
- Why Messianic Jews ahould keep kosher
- Supposed objections from New Testament
- Torah and kashrut
- Holiness and food
- Kashrut in Messianic congregations
- Relationship of Gentiles to kosher laws and benefits for their spiritual lives
A large section of the book is devoted to the issue of ongoing legitimacy of kosher laws as found in the New Testament and the supposed cancellation of kashrut by Jesus (Yeshua). Did Yeshua, the sinless Messiah of Israel, actually declare kosher laws obsolete? Did G-d really command Peter, the devout Jew, to slaughter and eat non-kosher animals? Did Apostle Paul, the strict Pharisee who claimed to be blameless when it came to Torah, dared to overturn kashrut when he said that “nothing is to be rejected” (1 Timothy 4:1-5) or was he talking about something else entirely? Eby brings up and discusses, in great detail, many such supposed contradictions.
The book also demonstrates how the Jewish traditions are absolutely essential for us today in order to understand many of the more obscure laws of kashrut found in the Bible. As one such example, Eby notes that Torah prohibits eating of fat. But how many of those who claim to follow a supposedly “biblically kosher” diet actually observe this prohibition? Eby asks a legitimate question:
“How can one avoid eating any fat from an animal? All meat contains some amount of fat. At first glance, this law would preclude the possibility of eating any meat whatsoever.”
Eby then answers his question by citing a Jewish interpretation of what exactly constitutes prohibited fat and points out that the Jewish authorities remove this fat from all meat slated for the kosher market.
Since this book is written with not only Jews but also Gentiles in mind, Aaron Eby also addresses the issue of Gentiles keeping kosher following their own interpretations, i.e. the most common way (note: most Messianic Jews would greatly benefit from this section as well). The great majority of “independent Messianics” who say they keep kosher without the so called “rabbinic additions” refer to their diets as “biblically kosher”. In most cases, however, this simply means that they do not eat pork or shellfish and avoid consuming blood outright. In his book, Eby shows why this approach still violates many if not most of the Biblical laws of kashrut, even without rabbinical input. For example – are you planning to fire up the grill and cook up some “biblically kosher” (i.e. prepared without rabbinic supervision) burgers made with ground beef purchased at your neighborhood supermarket at your congregation’s potluck next week? Not so fast! Eby quotes a report by a prime-time television program on why your store-bought “biblically kosher” beef may not be so kosher after all:
“Dateline NBC conducted an investigation in 1998 to determine if what was being sold as pure beef was really that. They submitted 100 samples from different stores to the USDA recognized lab with 29 of those samples testing positive for meats other than ground beef.”
That’s right – there may be pork in that juicy burger! According to other examples cited by Eby, dining at restaurants places one at even greater chance at consuming non-bibically kosher meat and fish products. This is just one example why attempting to keep “biblically kosher” in our modern world without relying on Jewish sources for guidance on observance and on strict rabbinic supervision of food preparation is neither biblical nor kosher. Of course, the Jewish community already knew that. Is it not then reasonable for those Messianics who claim to observe Torah to learn from the Jews who have been observing the laws of kashrut for thousands of years?
It is important to note that while Eby goes into great detail why keeping kosher may be beneficial for non-Jews for both spiritual and fellowship reasons, he nonetheless makes it very clear that neither Torah nor New Testament ever place an obligation on Gentiles to observe kosher laws in the same manner as the Jews. That said, the book outlines those laws of kashrut that all Gentiles must absolutely observe.
In short, as the book’s back cover says, “there’s much more to the Bible’s food laws than saying, “Hold the bacon.”” I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, Jew or Gentile, who is serious about understanding the reasons and the ways to do “kosher” from a Jewish, or Biblical, point of view.
Book review by Gene Shlomovich, DailyMinyan.com
“Biblically Kosher” by Aaron Eby is available now from FFOZ.com
This is absolutely fabulous and I’ve tried to make some of these same points in the past, but have been soundly rebuffed in the Messianic blogosphere. Keeping “kosher” in most Messianic groups is largely an illusion. I wouldn’t mind if they said they keep “kosher-style,” which is what they are actually doing for the most part, but as you say Gene, they insist that they are “Biblically Kosher” and that the “evil,” Pharisaic Rabbis added a bunch of man-made stuff that God doesn’t approve of.
To my way of thinking, you can’t have it both ways. If you are a Messianic Judaism, then you can’t simply ignore what Judaism means relative to Talmud and kashrut. If you choose to disregard that, then you are a “something else” besides a Judaism. It’s OK for them to admit that.
Thank you, James. I hope that this book will be a game changer in the Messianic world or at least a catalyst. I will certainly be passing it along to my MJ friends.
This book is just the tip of the iceberg…
It feels like no one in the UMJC really desires to pursue a traditional form of Judaism. Is it because they don’t want to look weird? Are they overcompensating in some way? The fact is that if you want traditional Judaism–not just a superficial form of Judaism–then you’ve got to do at least five incredibly difficult things:
(1) have a shochet: it’s not kosher without shechitah
(2) have communal mikvot (different ones for men and women): how can the communal relationships prosper if the family relationships are impure?
(3) enforce ketubot: otherwise they’re meaningless. People just get civil no-fault divorces.
(4) live within 3 miles of your synagogue
(5) have a mohel
These things shouldn’t seem radical! These are fundamental aspects of traditional Jewish communal life. How can we claim to have a healthy community without these things? How is this a good witness?
-Peter
“Is it because they don’t want to look weird? ”
Most grew up secular, matured spiritually within Christianity and many just don’t have it in them to seriously keep kosher themselves or especially introduce any change on a congregational level that would upset the proverbial apple cart (and lose members – as if members would be REQUIRED to take on kashrut themselves!). Also, many believe that anything resembling Orthodoxy will repel the audience they are trying to reach, i.e. assimilated Jews, will also make Messianic Judaism appear too alien, too judgmental, too “Pharisaic” to their Evangelical friends and will be an obstacle to fellowship. There are many layers to this onion. It may take a few generations.
My “morning mediation” for tomorrow will be called “Judaism without Jewishness,” and addresses some aspects of a Messianic Judaism that disregards such things as kashrut. This blog post will be prominently mentioned. I imagine a few people will disagree with my statements. Such is life.
Shalom Guys,
Great thoughts, Gene. I was also greatly impressed with Aaron Eby’s book.
However, I would like to respond to a point you make and also to Peter’s specific singling out the UMJC.
First, even within the UMJC there is a broad spectrum – from those who follow a more “kosher-style” approach all the way to those who keep kosher (and even here there is a range). For example, most of the MJRC rabbis are ordained by the UMJC, and yet we have a section in our standards of observance which specifically addresses the issue of kashrut.
Additionally, IMHO, your approach here assumes that the only “Jewish” approach to Kashrut is an Orthodox one. However, there are approaches to Kashrut within more traditional progressive forms of Judaism which attempt to balance the traditional sources, halachah, and the realities of the modern world. And many of these approaches are completely halachic. For example, although it is frowned upon by Orthodox Jews, there are halachic ways to eat kosher at a non-kosher establishment. It is not easy, and requires not eating meat (except fish), but it can be done. Also, for another example, the whole discussion of “eating cold dairy out.”
Therefore, I would also encourage you to not be so quick to make judgments against others whom you may see eating at a non-Kosher establishment at a conference, for example. You cannot always just assume that by doing so they are not observing kashrut. They may be just approaching things from a more progressive approach.
Let me be clear that I am not necessarily advocating for eating in non-kosher restaurants. But at the same time I recognize that not everyone has all the kosher options as I have (in my neighborhood, there are 30+ different kosher restaurants within a one mile radius, not counting the additional kosher markets, etc.). Therefore it is easy when I am at home. However, I also travel many places where there are no kosher restaurants. Yes, that makes kashrut a little more difficult, but it still can be done.
We also need to recognize that everyone is on a journey. And we should encourage people to be honest with themselves about what they do (and not label it as kosher), but at the same time help people make the best of where they are at, and help people learn how to keep a higher standard of kashrut, even if they choose to continue eating in non-kosher restaurant.
As a pulpit rabbi I cannot always expect everyone to keep the standard that I do. However, I can at least help them along on their paths and help them do something that they able to do, as well as a level they can also maintain.
Anyway … just some additional thoughts to consider.
Thanks, Joshua. You make great points. I completely agree with you that we should not be “quick to make judgments against others” and that “everyone is on a journey” (which includes our leadership). I also believe that rabbis like you are at the forefront of encouraging other Messianic Jews to live as Jews in every sphere of their life, which includes what they put in their bodies. I would like to believe that I am also here to encourage, to prod along, and to show by example.
This is why I am so heartened by this book. I see it as a step in the direction of not only taking kashrut seriously within the Messianic Jewish world (starting with our rabbis and other leaders, naturally), but first of all understanding what’s involved, that “what’s” and the “why’s”, dispelling the misconceptions and the common excuses about what qualifies as “biblically kosher” and what cannot possibly qualify as such.
Joshua said: “For example, although it is frowned upon by Orthodox Jews, there are halachic ways to eat kosher at a non-kosher establishment. It is not easy, and requires not eating meat (except fish), but it can be done.”
About keeping kosher in non-kosher establishments. In his book “Biblically Kosher” Aaron cites examples of common practices in non-kosher restaurants, such as cooking fish (and even “veggies” such as french fries) in non-kosher animal fats. Also, it’s apparently not at all uncommon (and I see see how this would be too easy with skinless fillets), according to the book, to serve the wrong (mislabeled either by malice, negligence or a simple mistake) type of fish to begin with (i.e. catfish instead of grouper). According to the book, even supposedly vegetarian salads sometimes use non-kosher fish sauces as the “secret ingredient”. So, make it VERY “not easy” to eat kosher in an unsupervised restaurant.
Joshua,
I want to tell you a story: when I lived in a small-ish town it was very difficult to keep kosher (traveling far away for meat with hechsher for example) and many other things (shomer negiah, shomer shabbos, keeping a beard). Then I came to a big city and visited the Messianic synagogue I’d always heard about. The rabbi invited me to a baseball game–this was within a few minutes of meeting him. And so we went with some other people. I couldn’t help but notice that the rabbi shaved his beard–but I didn’t say anything. And at the game the rabbi ordered a hotdog and ate it. Still I didn’t say anything. Truth was that I was more concerned about fitting in. But a part of me was very sad and felt very alone. I had hoped to find a place where I could become more observant. It didn’t turn out that way at all. There was no one remotely interested in learning about how to daven. Certainly, no one was interested in keeping kosher. No one had even heard about being shomer negiah.
So like the episcopalian priest lady in the recent video, I cancelled everything (not really). But let’s just say I’m not practicing in the way I know I ought to right now. And so I won’t judge anyone. But I will say I think we’d be better off if our leadership would stop being afraid of being Jewish. What are we all so afraid of? Are we worried about upsetting Christian neighbors? Are we programmed into thinking that it is somehow “progressive” to terminate thousands of years of tradition?
-Peter
Shalom Gene,
Agreed, Aaron did a great job pointing out the many problems with eating in non-kosher restaurants – and hence the reasons in favor of supporting kosher ones. It is indeed a gamble, but if needed, there are choices on a menu that are safer than others. But as you rightly note – it is not easy and you take a risk.
Thanks for your response. I agree with you regarding Aaron Eby’s book, and also agree that it is greatly needed within our community.
Rav brachot to you and your community and may you have an easy fast and Chag Purim Sameach!
Peter,
I am sorry you had such an experience. Sadly, if reflects all too often the realities of our movement. Yet, at the same time, there are growing numbers of leaders and congregations exactly wrestling with the issues you mention.
Thank you, Joshua. Chag Purim Sameach to you as well! I hope to one day visit your beautiful congregation.
Excellent book, much needed and good timing. Just I like to not: particular to Peter. Don’t be so harsh right away, or take it on others, take it easier, we not all come from nice “pure” orthodox background. Transitional period needed. Have more grace, even in regards to Kosher food. Nice wishes to live in 3 miles of your synagogue!!!