Hananya Naftali
Nov 7, 2026
Kosher Food Laws
The Short Answer
No. The Torah forbids eating pork. Under the laws of kashrut, a land animal is kosher only if it both chews its cud and has split hooves. The pig has split hooves but does not chew its cud, so it is not kosher. Observant Jews avoid pork completely, and it is rare to find it in Israel.
What the Torah Says
The rules appear in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Cows, sheep and goats are kosher. Pigs, camels and rabbits are not. Fish must have fins and scales, which is why shellfish is also forbidden.
Kosher laws also require animals to be slaughtered in a specific way and forbid mixing meat and dairy. For many Jews these laws are a daily way of living a holy life.
Pork in Israel Today
Not every Jew keeps kosher, and some secular Israelis do eat pork. But most restaurants and supermarkets in Israel are kosher, and Israeli law limits pig farming to a small number of areas.
Key Facts
The Torah forbids pork in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
Kosher land animals must chew their cud and have split hooves.
Shellfish and mixing meat with dairy are also forbidden.
Most food in Israel is kosher.