Sh’Mini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47) — Do Bacon Double Cheeseburgers Make You Unholy?
This week’s Torah Portion continues the instructions for Aaron and his sons, who serve as priests. We also see in this chapter the repercussions of taking the priesthood’s responsibilities lightly, as Nadab and Abihu are killed for offering “strange fire” to the Lord. The Torah Portion then closes with a recitation of food to be eaten and food to be avoided—in other words, this is the beginning of the Kosher food discussion.
Speaking of Kosher food, I am often asked about the eating of non-kosher food as a believer in Jesus. In other words, can someone eat bacon and pork chops if they are also proclaiming a faith in Messiah Jesus? Are Kosher rules still to be followed today? Are we still obligated to observe laws that seem to have served their purpose? Can I eat a cheeseburger (or a bacon double cheeseburger) and still be alright with God? Yes, it always seems to revolve around the bacon issue.
The answer to almost all of these questions is that it depends. Should I eat a BLT while trying to witness to a Jewish person, especially an Orthodox Jewish individual? Of course not! Not because the act of putting bacon and tomato on a sandwich is the unpardonable sin, but because it could become a stumbling block to the hearing of the Gospel message. Could I eat a pork chop with my mama when she was still living, because she decided it was high time that I ate a good meal? Of course. For it is not the action of eating pork, even though I have never been a fan of pork, that is the sin, but the motivation behind it.
God himself stated this truth in 11:44-45 of the portion when he declared that they needed to be holy because HE is holy. The act of sinning if one ate an owl (11:17) or a gecko (11:30) is not the point of this chapter. Even though the idea of eating a gecko is repulsive to me. The point I believe that God was trying to make is that followers of God must stand out and be different. They were heading to a land filled with Promise but also still populated with sinners (Canaanites, Moabites, etc.). They were to act the part of being Chosen as they were Chosen, so that they might be a light to the nations. Part of this light-bearing involved not partaking of the actions and even the food of the pagans – in other words, “don’t eat the pig!”
It is easier to become bogged down in the details and miss the big picture and this has often been the case with Leviticus 11. We must strive for holiness because this is what God demands, and this is reflected in the theme of Leviticus (i.e., 11:46-47). By the way, my bacon is turkey and I do not like cheeseburgers. However, it is not because I must but because I choose to do so. But am I strictly kosher … no. However, I do realize that as a believer in Jesus, there are things that I must give up today to act the part of being a child of God and seeking to live a life that reflects the holiness of God. For there is more to being kosher than just not eating bacon… Shalom. God bless.
