Don't Eat That: Parshat Shemini

Shemini is the portion in which the list of permitted and prohibited foods that comprise the laws of kashrut is found.  The issue of meat and dairy is not addressed in this portion.  Rashi's particular use in this portion is to elucidate some of the less obvious parts of kashrut.

The list of prohibited and permitted foods is quite simple:

Mammals: split hooves and chews its cud;

Fish: fins and scales;

Birds: there is a specific list of 24 forbidden birds; everything else is permitted;

The issue of insects and birds is particularly interesting.  In terms of birds, the specific identity of the 24 birds is not precisely known.  Thus, the practice is to eat only those birds which have been specifically identified as kosher via tradition.  This means, basically, if your mother told you to eat it, you could.  If she didn't, you couldn't.  Thus, the most common kosher birds to eat are chicken, turkey and duck.  

The same idea tends to apply to insects.  The Torah identifies insects you may eat:  "...flying creatures that walk on four; one that has jumping legs above its legs, with which to spring upon the earth."  This would seem to apply to grasshoppers and locusts, but as Rashi tells us there is some confusion about these because of fine differences between different species.  Wow!

By the way, every creepy crawly thing with more than 4 legs is permitted so, enjoy!