4 ms·
> so it is credible as an explanation of much of ancient Jewish law that seems strange to us now (e.g. what to eat, not plucking fruit from young trees etc) tha
by Izkata 2y ago
> so it is credible as an explanation of much of ancient Jewish law that seems strange to us now (e.g. what to eat, not plucking fruit from young trees etc) that often seems off from a modern perspective.
One example theory I remember reading at some point was the prohibition against eating shellfish: In the area the religion arose, it would have most likely gone bad by the time it was brought that far inland.
- _yb2s 2y agoThat seems like a very forced theory. By the time shellfish is bad enough to present a health risk, it smells, looks, and feels repugnant, one doesn't need a religious system to know not to eat it. Shellfish are susceptible to harmful algal blooms like red tide, that can make them very dangerous. Coastal foraging cultures that don't have bans on eating shellfish, instead have complex knowledge about when, where, and how to prepare and eat them. It's the same with mushrooms- cultures either universally ban them, or deeply educate everyone about them. All cultures globally with access to these foods have a system here- it's not unique to Judaism.