Re'eh

 This weeks Parsha goes over the kashrus of different animals. Hashhem gives us signs of whether or not an animal is kosher- split hooves and chews its cud are common examples. Now there is a question whether these animal characteristics are actually just signs and it shows if the actual animal is kosher, or whether these features is what makes the animal kosher. Is the fact that it has split hooves shows us it is kosher...or is it the split hooves itself that makes it kosher? The answer is important is what if an animal has some kind of defect, and its hooves arent split, or arent split all the way....or if it has another feature that would deem it unfit for a Jewish person to consume. Or the other way around, what if an unkosher animal randomly had features that would make it kosher?? Are these features merely signs or the actual intrinsic reason they are kosher

According to halacha, if an animal has some sort of feature that would make it seem unkosher, but its mother and species have that characteristic, then the animal is kosher to eat. So this means that these signs act as arrows pointing to what we need to look at to know that it is kosher or not.

However, even though these features arent the actual reason they are kosher but are signs to tell us the animal is kosher, we can still learn from these signs. Each feature has a reason and lesson we can learn from but I'm going to go into one of them

We can only eat from animals that have a split hoof. Why is that? A hoof is different than a paw in that it is elevated off the ground. The paw is in a very close and intimate state to the ground, into this lowly world.The hoof proves a point just how we are here in the earth but the way we interact with it is that we need to make sure we stay in an elevated state. We have a mission here and we can't get stuck in only the gashmius of the world. Secondly, it is split. This shows us that while we are elevated, we are still in this world and we should sue our elevated state to elevate the world around us. We should go into the world and spread kedusha instead of just staying in a secluded circle. Lastly, with the hoof being split, there is a right and left side. this demonstrates the love and fear we feel of Gd through our emotions and work. Everyone has a natural tendency towards either love or fear in their avoda and one or the other usually comes easier. The equally split hoof shows that even if one comes easier, we need to work on our avoda of both love and fear even if one doesnt come as easy. Avraham's hardest test was to sacrifice his son, which is a test of fear. His other ones were involved with love of Hashem, so they came easier and almost naturally to him. We need to work on our avoda as a whole with what comes easy and what not so easy.

With the hardships in Israel, hurricanes, and earthquakes, Hashem is telling us Moshiach is almost here, we just need to work on both love and fear and ahavas yisrael to show we are ready and merit to bring the geula!

Good Shabbos!!! =)


for a real live deer chewing its cud...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL_bGZSg634