Shemini 5782 – Four Non-Kosher Animals & the Umos Haolam

The Bottom Line

By using the word “because” (in the context of describing the signs of purity of four non-kosher animals), the Torah is warning us that, on a deeper level, we should not be fooled by the outwardly kosher signs of our host nations. In reality, their positive mannerisms hide increased impurity, which is cloaked in deceit and hypocrisy. This is more damaging to the existence of our nation than someone whose outward signs are non-kosher but who doesn’t hide his true feelings (i.e. tocho kebaro). Besides reminding ourselves of this lesson that has followed us throughout our history, we also have to understand that the “civilized” and “democratic” nations in whose countries most of us reside today, exhibit the middos of the chazir, by proudly pointing out their civility, respect for the individual rights and liberties on the outside, while having an inner disdain and hatred for Am Yisroel and the kol davar sheb’kedusha. And while, we, as erliche yiddin, do not, chas v’shalom, consume these animals, we nevertheless have to strengthen our resolve to further distance ourselves from the negative middos that our host nations represent and project.