This week’s parasha, Shemini, describes the laws of kosher animals. The Torah specifically lists four exceptions of mammals that are not kosher: the gamal, camel; the shafan, commonly translated as “hyrax”; the arnevet, a “hare” of some sort; and the hazir, pig. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 13:5) parallels these four animals to the four kingdoms that oppressed Israel:

“The camel,” this is Babylon, “because it brings up the cud” [Leviticus 11:4]—because it drew [another oppressive] kingdom after it. “And the hyrax,” this is Media, “because it brings up the cud”—as it drew a kingdom after it. “The hare,” this is Greece, “because it brings up the cud”—as it drew a kingdom after it. “And the pig,” this is Edom, “but it does not chew its cud”—because it does not draw a kingdom after it. Why is it called a pig [hazir]? It is because it will return [mahazeret] the crown to its owner. That is what is written: “Saviours will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be God’s.” (Ovadiah 1:21)

The Midrash explains that three of the animals swallow their food but then regurgitate it, symbolic of the kingdoms that “swallowed” up Israel for a short period of time and then “regurgitated” it, to be followed by another oppressive kingdom. The pig, meanwhile, does not regurgitate its food, symbolic of Edom which swallowed up Israel and will maintain dominance until the End of Days, when it will actually play a key role in the restoration of Israel. (Recall that Edom refers to the people that emerged out of Esau—the elder twin of Jacob—called “Edom” both due to selling his birthright in exchange for a red stew, and because he was born red-haired, admoni.)

A closely related teaching of our Sages is that the hazir is thus called because Hashem will hahziro l’Israel, “return it to Israel” in the future (שעתיד הקב״ה להחזירו לישראל). There are several ways to understand this. Some go directly with the pshat and suggest that the pig will literally become kosher for consumption in future Mashiach times. There were those who argued that there will be a change in the nature of the pig, and it will become a ruminant species like the cow. Thus, it will have the two signs necessary for a kosher land animal and hence become kosher (see, for instance, the Ramad Valle’s Sefer haLikutim on Melechet haBirur). In the past, I’ve proposed that it could be referring to synthetic or lab-grown pork instead, which is now possible to produce (see ‘Pig Gelatin & Synthetic Pork: Kosher?’ in Volume Two of Garments of Light).

Another way to understand it is simply in reference to the above Midrash of the hazir being Edom. It’s not literally talking about pork becoming kosher (that’s really hard to imagine!) but rather that Hashem will “return” the hazir of Edom to Israel; ie. there will be a future reconciliation between the brothers Jacob and Esau. After all, Jacob promised Esau that he will come to live with him at Mt. Seir—but never did! (Genesis 33:14) Rashi comments “But when will he go? In the days of Mashiach, as it is said ‘And saviours shall go up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau.’” A day will come in the future when Jacob and Esau will finally live in peace together. In fact, the Ba’al haTurim (Rabbi Yakov ben Asher, c. 1269-1343) points out that the gematria of “Esau” (עשו) is 376, equal to “peace” (שלום)!

The Edomite Pig

Why is Edom symbolized by a pig? Continue reading →