After the Torah, in great detail,
explains the criteria for distinguishing the
differences between which animals are pure and
impure (kosher and non-kosher) the Torah
concludes with the following statement:
(Leviticus; Chapter 11, Verses 46 – 47)
“This is the law of the animal, the bird, every
living creature that swarms in the water, and
for every creature that creeps on the ground,
for distinguishing between the impure and the
pure, and between the creature that may be eaten
and the creature that may not be eaten.”
Rashi (Verse 47) quotes the Toras
Kohanim that wonders what the Torah adds with
this statement. “Does it need to say that one
must be able to tell the difference between a
cow and a donkey? The Torah already explained
that a donkey is impure and a cow is pure.
Rather an individual must differentiate between
one animal whose trachea was partly cut and
another animal whose trachea was mostly cut. How
much is this difference? A hair’s breadth.”
For meat to be kosher, the animal had to
have been slaughtered with a razor sharp knife
that sliced through most of trachea and
esophagus. If only half of the trachea was cut,
the animal is rendered invalid and may not be
eaten as kosher. Halachically (according to
Jewish Law), what is the difference between most
and half, kosher and non-kosher? A hair’s
breadth.
Right and wrong are not always on
opposite sides of the spectrum. Sometimes, only
a fine line separates the two. Yet, it’s our
responsibility to recognize that line and
distinguish “between the impure and the pure”.
Shabbat Shalom
For more Divrei Torah on the Parsha