The Foundation of Set-Apartness
The Torah, YaHuWaH’s instructions to His people, contains a detailed and clear set of guidelines regarding what foods are acceptable and what are forbidden. These laws were given to set apart Yisrael from the nations around them. The dietary laws are not arbitrary but reflect YaHuWaH’s desire to purify His people. Through these laws, the Creator teaches about purity, set-apartness, and obedience, all of which are intimately tied to His eternal covenant.
These food laws are foundational, revealing not only how to live but also the spiritual principle of separation: YaHuWaH’s people are to be set apart from the unclean practices of the world, walking in righteousness and set-apartness.
Land Animals – Clean and Unclean (Leviticus 11:3; Deuteronomy 14:6)
YaHuWaH’s instructions regarding land animals are crystal clear. He designates which animals are clean for consumption and which are unclean. The clean animals must have both split hooves and chew the cud.
Clean Animals: These include cows, sheep, goats, and deer. They are considered pure because they exhibit characteristics that reflect YaHuWaH’s principles of set-apartness, split hooves for separation (distinction), and chewing the cud as a picture of reflection (meditation on His Word).
Unclean Animals: Pigs, camels, hares, and rock badgers are prohibited because they fail to meet one or both criteria. For example, pigs have split hooves but do not chew the cud, symbolizing an inability to reflect or purify what is consumed.
The dietary law is not about taste or culture; it’s about obedience to YaHuWaH. By adhering to these instructions, Yisrael demonstrates their allegiance to YaHuWaH’s set-apartness.
Sea Creatures – Clean and Unclean (Leviticus 11:9–12; Deuteronomy 14:9–10)
YaHuWaH also specifies what creatures in the sea are acceptable. Fins and scales are the criteria for clean fish. The water, like the land, must also be separated by the Creator’s design.
Clean Fish: Examples include salmon, tuna, and bass. These creatures live in the water in a way that meets the Creator’s intended design for purity. The fins and scales enable them to move through the water in an orderly, clean manner.
Unclean Sea Creatures: Shellfish (shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters), eels, and other sea creatures without fins and scales are forbidden. They are often bottom dwellers, scavenging debris from the ocean floor, representing impurity and decay.
In rejecting these laws, many Christians believe that Yahusha’s sacrifice somehow nullifies YaHuWaH’s dietary instructions, but there is no scriptural foundation to support this. The consumption of these unclean creatures disregards YaHuWaH’s clear command to avoid what is impure.
Birds – Clean and Unclean (Leviticus 11:13–19; Deuteronomy 14:12–18)
YaHuWaH’s commandments regarding birds are similar to those concerning land and sea animals. Certain birds, especially those that are predators or scavengers, are forbidden. These animals represent impurity and are associated with death.
Clean Birds: Chicken, turkey, quail, dove, and others that are not predators or scavengers.
Unclean Birds: Eagles, vultures, owls, hawks, and other birds of prey. These birds consume carrion, symbolizing the degradation of life and the consequence of sin.
Again, these laws are not given because of cultural preferences but are a spiritual call to set-apartness. They are part of the sanctification process, reminding YaHuWaH’s people to avoid contamination by associating with what is unclean.
Insects (Leviticus 11:20–23)
Insects are mostly forbidden under YaHuWaH’s dietary laws, with a small exception for locusts and grasshoppers. These creatures were considered unclean because they were seen as defiling.
Clean Insects: Locusts, certain types of grasshoppers, and crickets. These insects were permissible because they fit within the Creator’s design for the clean creatures of the earth.
Unclean Insects: Most insects, particularly those that crawl on the earth or those that are scavengers, were prohibited. This includes flies, ants, and beetles.
In rejecting these laws, mainstream Christianity further embraces the idolatry of man’s traditions, choosing to disregard YaHuWaH’s design in favor of cultural acceptance.
Blood (Leviticus 17:10–14; Deuteronomy 12:16)
YaHuWaH specifically forbids the consumption of blood, the very life of an animal. This prohibition is meant to underscore the sanctity of life and the importance of respecting YaHuWaH’s authority over life and death.
Blood: Any consumption of blood is strictly prohibited. In ancient times, blood was often seen as the essence of life and was associated with pagan rituals and idolatry. YaHuWaH’s people were instructed to drain the blood from the animal before consuming it.
Blood, in Scripture, is also a picture of redemption, the blood of animals used in sacrifices pointed to the future ultimate sacrifice of Yahusha. To consume blood is a violation of YaHuWaH’s order, which must not be taken lightly.
Fats (Leviticus 7:22–25)
YaHuWaH forbids the consumption of certain fats, particularly the fat surrounding internal organs, known as chelev. This fat is considered sacred and is reserved for the altar as part of the peace offerings.
Clean Fats: The fats that YaHuWaH specifies must not be eaten but instead offered to Him as part of sacrificial worship. This is a reminder that everything that comes from YaHuWaH must be handled with reverence and respect.
Meat and Dairy (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21)
The famous command, “You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk,” is misunderstood by many who use it to justify rabbinical laws that prohibit mixing meat and dairy in any form. This prohibition was aimed specifically at the pagan practice of boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk, a common ritualistic practice among ancient idolaters.
Plain Text: The Scripture does not prohibit mixing meat and dairy in daily meals. Instead, it warns against participating in idolatrous practices that involve the mixing of life (a mother’s milk) and death (the slaughter of its offspring).
The Lawlessness of Christianity’s Rejection
The church has largely discarded these commandments of YaHuWaH, interpreting the New Testament through a lens that dismisses the Torah’s eternal relevance. As a result, Christianity has embraced lawlessness, a life lived contrary to YaHuWaH’s instructions.
Christianity’s rejection of the dietary laws is part of a broader abandonment of YaHuWaH’s Torah. This departure from the law has led many Christians into idolatry and disobedience, as they justify their actions by claiming that the blood of Yahusha has abolished the need for the Torah. But this is a misinterpretation of Scripture.
The apostle Paul, who is often quoted as supporting the rejection of the Torah, never taught that the Torah was abolished. In fact, he upheld it. He frequently refers to the Torah in a positive light, encouraging obedience, and emphasizing that faith is how believers are empowered to obey the Torah (Romans 3:31). Yahusha’s perfect obedience to the Torah is the model for all believers, not an excuse to break it.
The Call to Obey YaHuWaH
The bottom line is this: YaHuWaH’s food laws were never meant to be temporary or abolished. They were a part of His eternal covenant with His people. Through disobedience, many in Christianity have embraced lawlessness, and in doing so, they have rejected the clear and present will of YaHuWaH.
YaHuWaH’s commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). He has given them to us for our good and for His glory. We, as His people, are called to live in obedience, reflecting His holiness and righteousness in every aspect of our lives, including what we eat. Are we living in obedience, or are we living in lawlessness?
The choice is clear. YaHuWaH has made His instructions plain; will we choose to follow them or continue in rebellion? Will we remain faithful to the covenant, or follow the traditions of men that have led many astray?
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