What’s meaningful about keeping kosher? In this premiere episode of Meaningful Judaism, a brand-new podcast from Aleph Beta Labs, Imu Shalev and Beth Lesch tackle the topic of kashrut, or keeping kosher, beginning by raising a fundamental question that you might not have thought to ask: Does the Torah want us to eat meat?

Yes, we know that no Jewish holiday table seems complete without the brisket. But does that mean that the Torah wants us to kill animals and eat them? Is it a spiritually laudable thing to do? The more, the better? Or does the Torah express a more complex, even ambivalent attitude on the topic?

In order to answer this question, Imu and Beth delve deep into the Torah verses that govern how we slaughter animals and uncover the surprising meaning behind them. Over the course of their conversation, they consider our relationship with animals and with the earth, ultimately offering two compelling ways of thinking about the ethics of eating animals. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking journey that begins with a serious study of Torah text and shows its profound relevance in our modern lives.

Stay tuned for future episodes that explore other intriguing aspects of kashrut (the laws of keeping kosher), such as the prohibition of mixing milk and meat and the distinction between kosher and non-kosher animals.

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Meaningful Judaism is a project of Aleph Beta Labs. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide. For our full library of over 1,000 videos and podcasts, please visit www.alephbeta.org.