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Question
What are the spiritual and physical relevance if any, of not mixing the meat
with milk, especially "not cooking of the goat in it's mother milk?
Answer
Jewish dietary laws - only one of which is not to mix meat and milk ingredients, serving, utensils or in any fashion - has been the subject of learned discussions for several thousand years.
There are some hukkim (Jewish laws) that are without a reason,
and kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) is one of them. It is believed that only God
knows the reason for certain Jewish laws.
If you will check the Encyclopedia
Judaica, that is in virtually every library, under the concept "dietary laws",
you will find a wonderful summary of kashrut that traces the laws from Biblical
to Rabbinic, Medieval and to Modern philosophy.
Personally, I cannot
accept the medical or hygienic reasons for kashrut. I follow the teachings of
the Conservative Movement which emphasizes the importance of kosher laws for purposes
of "sanctifying" the individual and disciplining the individual of their "animal
drives" in favor of their humanity.
Best Wishes,
Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Foundation
for Family Education (FFFE)
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