What could the purpose or purposes be for keeping kosher?  Do we need a reason, or is because God said so enough?  If we do not need a reason, but would still like one, what could a reason be for keeping kosher?

One could say kashrut is about healthy eating.  In addressing the aspect of keeping kosher that states which animals are permitted or forbidden to be eaten, there are those who say the animals permitted or prohibited are better or are harmful to your body and how it functions.  Others state that the animals permitted and prohibited for us to eat are categorized by whether or not they prey on animals.  We are only permitted to eat those animals that do not eat other animals.  This can absolutely be seen as an oxymoron, we are determining the permissibility of animals we can eat based on the fact that they do not eat other animals.

There are yet others who would say kashrut for them is all about the idea of training oneself to make choices with the very thing that we need to sustain ourselves.  They would say it does not matter what is permitted and what is forbidden, something needed to be in and out.  Kashrut is about us differentiating ourselves from animals by making conscious decisions with regard to the very thing that we need to survive – food.  By making choices with regards to food, we create a structure in our lives that sets us up to acknowledge we have to control and can be in control of how we live.  We have choices as to how to live and we need to aspire to make thoughtful choices with each step every day of our lives.  That first step begins with food and then branches out to all of the other aspects of our lives.  Conscious, thoughtful decisions – that is what Judaism expects from us.