In the beginning, God told the Jews what not to eat: the camel, the coney, the rabbit and the pig; the eagle, the vulture and “all creatures in the seas … that do not have fins and scales” (Lev. 11). Most famously, God said: “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk” (Deut. 14:21). From these and other verses, the rabbis developed the rules of kashrut (keeping kosher) that millions of Jews observe today.
About The Author
Lisa Miller
Lisa Miller is a contributing editor at New York magazine. She is the former religion columnist for the Washington Post, former senior editor of Newsweek magazine, and author of “Heaven: Our Enduring Fascination with the Afterlife.” She is a multi-year winner of the New York Newswomen’s Club prize for feature writing and has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award.