Forbidden: A 3,000-Year History of Jews and the Pig

by Jordan D. Rosenblum

A surprising history of how the pig has influenced Jewish identity. Jews do not eat pig. This (not always true) observation has been made by both Jews and non-Jews for more than three thousand years and is rooted in biblical law. Though the Torah prohibits eating pig meat, it is not singled out more than other food prohibitions. Horses, rabbits, squirrels, and even vultures, while also not kosher, do not inspire the same level of revulsion for Jews as the pig. The pig has become an iconic symbol for people to signal their Jewishness, non-Jewishness, or rebellion from Judaism. There is nothing in the Bible that suggests Jews are meant to embrace this level of pig-phobia. Starting with the Hebrew Bible, Jordan D. Rosenblum historicizes the emergence of the pig as a key symbol of Jewish identity, from the Roman persecution of ancient rabbis, to the Spanish Inquisition, when so-called Marranos (“Pigs”) converted to Catholicism, to Shakespeare’s writings, to modern memoirs of those leaving Orthodox Judaism. The pig appears in debates about Jewish emancipation in eighteenth-century England and in vaccine conspiracies; in World War II rallying cries, when many American Jewish soldiers were “eating ham for Uncle Sam;” in conversations about pig sandwiches reportedly consumed by Karl Marx; and in recent deliberations about the kosher status of Impossible Pork. All told, there is a rich and varied story about the associations of Jews and pigs over time, both emerging from within Judaism and imposed on Jews by others. Expansive yet accessible, Forbidden offers a captivating look into Jewish history and identity through the lens of the pig.

Genres: History, Jewish, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 8, 2024

Reviews

[Matal “The Mischling Princess” Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jordan D. Rosenblum’s “Forbidden: A 3,000-Year History of Jews and the Pig,” is an excellent study on the relationship between Jewish history/identity and pigs. This book is heavily cited, with numerous endnotes, an impressive bibliography, and a handy index.

The general public will appreciate Rosenblum’s ease in writing. This author truly knows how to write for the general public—foregoing academic jargon and including a heavy dose of tongue-in-cheek porcine humor.

Rosenblum shows how much of Jewish identity is informed, and is informed by, pigs and the imagery of pigs over thousands of years. Although I’ve always known that pigs in the Talmud were not considered kosher, I had no idea that the hyper-focus on pigs—as compared to other non-kosher animals—was the result of the Roman Empire and Rome’s colonization and desecration of Israel during the Second Temple period.

This was a really fascinating book and one that I believe will soon be on library shelves around the world. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of Judaism, but also for anyone interested in Middle Eastern, European, and American history.

[Haaris Mateen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it very interesting. Relevant too, in the context of laïcité today, which the author sees as another in a series of actions taken over many centuries to oppress and humiliate the "outsiders."

It also makes you sad seeing the extent of atrocities committed against Jewish people through a singular animal which simultaneously (1) symbolized for the oppressors the Jewish community itself (through horrible stereotypes); (2) provided evidence of their supposed unwillingness to assimilate. A grotesque combination of meanings conveniently used in language, art, and policy.

There is a lot of trivia to enjoy here, such as the origins of classes of forbidden meat in the old scriptures, or the reasons for the popularity of Chinese food among Jewish families in the US.

Written in an academic style so not for everyone, despite the humor, and lots of puns.

[Dea]

This was my first impulse book buy of the year (love a good food x culture history book), and I have no regrets. This was a really engaging, incredibly informative read, and I especially appreciated the extensive footnoting that let me look up what I wanted to learn more about. I could phrase this better, but I wish the sections on the medieval - early modern periods had included more about how Jewish thought evolved re: the pig. Those sections were primarily focused on how non-Jews used the pig to discriminate against Jews. But I guess the book has to be representative of the material(?) available, and it makes sense that antisemitic perspectives dominated the discourse during those times.

[Joe Kessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2024 title is a fascinating account of how abstaining from pig meat became emblematic of Judaism, in a way that indexes Jewish / non-Jewish identity far beyond any other kosher practice. Author Jordan D. Rosenblum, a religious studies professor, begins with the biblical origins of the prohibition, which at that stage was no more primary than its fellow rules of kashrut. Gradually, however -- for no clear reason that he's able to uncover -- it took on an increased semiotic importance, with the animal representing first Rome and then Christianity as forces in opposition to Jews in popular culture. This enshrining also led to the eating of pork and bacon to be seen as uniquely transgressive for those within the religion, whether done willingly or under coercive threat.

The writer walks us through that evolution over the centuries, pulling together a vast multitude of sources that he says have never before been collected to illuminate this particular history. In the process he explores a few interesting side matters as well, like how Chinese food came to be associated with Jewish communities in America (the cuisine belonging to an immigrant population settling in the country around the same time, whose restaurants avoided both dairy and the decorations of crucifixes and saints found in many ethnic traditions, and whose foreign naming customs allowed for plausible deniability over dishes that did contain anything treyf).

It's a very readable text, trading academic jargon for plenty of porcine puns, although it can still be heavy due to the necessary discussion of antisemitic ideologies that have utilized the pig to mock, dehumanize, revile, or otherwise marginalize the Jewish people. Partaking of the creature's flesh was used as a test to flush out insincere conversos during the Spanish Inquisition, for example, much as its blood was deployed to desecrate the Second Temple in Maccabean times. Even a convention as innocuous-seeming as the traditional ham enjoyed by Christians at Easter arose as part of a trend of using the beast to mark Jewishness as the Other, we learn, in this case to distinguish the holiday from its Passover antecedents. At the extreme, like in Nazi Germany, this rhetoric directly equated Jews with swine as the most insulting imagery imaginable.

Overall this has been an educational work, and one that would likely make any reader reconsider their own relationship with the meat in light of this valuable context.

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[Scott Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosenblum provides an all-encompassing journey of the relationship between Jews and the pig, looking into scripture, comparative cultures and then how the pig became weaponized against the Jews. He goes right up to the point of modern-acceptable practices (like eating Chinese food but not Impossible Pork(tm)). The writing is flowing and often reads like a story. Because of the various points and themes, this may be best suited in an academic endeavor than a reading for curiosity sake.

Reading some parts of the history, it can be shocking just how cruel our forebears have been and off-putting on how some traditions were started (ham dinner on Easter Sunday, e.g.). Still it’s worthwhile to know why the pig was singled out as the delineating non-kosher animal that separates Jews from Gentiles—not the camel, hyrax, hare, oyster, etc. —not even that Gentiles used the ubiquitous livestock animal as a symbol but Jews did too. This prohibition against eating pork was picked up by Islam as well, much to my chagrin one time when I inadvertently ordered an omelette with ham while dining with Muslim friends. Knowing now more of the history Jordan Rosenblum has provided, I will be more aware of just how the pig’s meat has been used against our neighbors.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regular readers of this column might be puzzled: Didn’t she already review a book about the history of Jews and pigs? Those asking this question would be remembering my 2021 review of the excellent “Evolution of a Taboo: Pigs and People in the Ancient Near East” by Max D. Price. (You can read that article here.) However, as a person interested in anthropology and sociology, I am endlessly fascinated by food customs. That’s true of food customs across the world, but, as a rabbi, the study of the history of kashrut (Jewish food customs and laws) holds a special interest. I was thrilled, therefore, when I learned that one of my favorite Jewish food historians, Jordan D. Rosenblum, had written a new book. I’d been impatiently awaiting the publication of his “Forbidden: A 3,000-Year History of Jews and Pigs” (New York University Press) and the wait was worth it. Rosenblum’s book not only shows why the pig stands out as the symbol for foods Jews will not eat (or, sometimes, deliberately eat), but also offers interesting tidbits about the history of that development. For puns lovers, the work features some real groaners, proving the author also has a sense of humor.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/book...

[Len Rudner · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Forbidden,” as its subtitle explains, is the 3000-year history of the relationship between Jews and the Pig.

It’s hard to believe that author Jordan Rosenblum could find enough to write essay, let alone a book, but he has produced a history that is deep in its sources and surprising light on its feet.

Beginning with the scriptural prohibitions contained in Hebrew Scripture, Rosenblum highlights the evolution of the pig from being simply one of many forbidden foods to being a primary signifier of Judaism; to use one of his puns, the ‘swine qua non’ of Jewishness.

Following a path from antiquity to the modern day, and making excellent use of source material, we see the ways in which the Pig could be used to represent the strength of religious faith, the sincerity of a conversion, a barrier to inclusion and a gateway to acceptance. As interesting, are the ways in which the Pig, representative of everything that Jews were *not* became in some quarters, a representation of Jews themselves.

An interesting read.

[Sahand Yazdanyar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 7.5/10

This was a fun read (despite all the dad jokes scattered throughout the text). My biggest complaint would be that I felt it was living in some in between space -- some sections felt like they were too drawn out while others felt too short. The dissertation of this book could easily have been a long-form essay or a much more detailed tome, but the author decided to land in the middle (to the detriment of the idea that he was investigating imo). With that said, it's an easy read and I enjoyed the overall concept/flow of it all.

I think a cool "companion" book would be using this similar angle but exploring the concept of alcohol in Islam. I think pork is a bit too beyond the pale to have similar examples in Islam (as there are in Judaism), but I think about Turkish raki, Balkan/Chechan Muslims, etc. and their relationship with alcohol and think there's definitely something there.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Rosenblum examines the history of how pigs have been protrayed by Jews and non-Jews in the millenia since God declared Jews were not to eat pork. And, why pork? There are many other non-kosher meats, most notably most shellfish. But refraining from consuming pig has come to symbolize Jewishness to many people. There are dozens of examples of this here.
The most difficult part of the book to read (and Rosenblum says the most difficult for him to write) covered the middle ages and the extensive use of pigs in posters, songs, and stories to represent Jews and illustrate the contempt with which they were held.
I know this is a very niche book, but I learned a great deal and am glad I read it. Rosenblum obviously did an incredible amount of research and he presents his information with humor and style.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The book started off strong with a very good introduction and stayed strong throughout. The book was well-paced and the subject matter fascinating. I also enjoyed the conversational tone and was pleased that there was little religious or sociological jargon. Not much background in Judaism is required to enjoy this book and Rosenblum doesn’t go into the minutiae of Jewish dietary rules. On the other hand, there was some very clever wording and many puns. I just thought that the puns would have worked better if there was less warning that a pun was coming; they stood well on their own. There was also nice art in the book. Overall this is a worthwhile read. Thank you to Netgalley and NYU Press for the advance reader copy.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scrupulously researched and readable history of the pig and its surprisingly complex role in how Jews define themselves and Christians, and how Christians define themselves and Jews. One of the many, many interesting points made in the book: that in the Hebrew Bible, pigs are only one of several animals Israelites are forbidden to eat, along with camels, eagles and clams, for example. But over the course of history, the pig has become *the* forbidden food that has taken on far more importance and weight and meaning than other nonkosher foods; nobody talks about the scandalous behavior of a Jew who eats, say, rabbit. The book, written by a man who evidently never met a pun he didn’t like, traces how and why this happened.

[عبد الله القصير · Rating 2 out of 5]

الصراحة أنني توقفت عن قراءة الكتاب قبل أن ينتصف. أكثر ما أزعجني هو أنني كنت متحمسًا لموضوع ظننت أن الكتاب سيتناوله، لكني فوجئت بأنه يدور حول شيء مختلف تمامًا.
كنت أتوقع أن يكون الكتاب أنثروبولوجيًا، يناقش أسباب امتناع اليهود عن أكل لحم الخنزير من زاوية ثقافية وتاريخية. لماذا امتنعوا عن أكله بينما جيرانهم لم يجدوا فيه حرجًا؟ هل الأسباب دينية بحتة أم قومية؟ متى بدأ هذا الامتناع؟ هل له جذور سياسية أو صحية؟ مثل هذه الأسئلة كنت آمل أن أجد لها إجابة في هذا العمل.
لكن للأسف، لم يكن الكتاب عن ذلك. بل تبيّن أنه يسرد تاريخ اليهود الأوروبيين، والعنصرية التي مورست ضدهم، مع محاولة ربط ذلك بمسألة الامتناع عن أكل الخنزير. صحيح أن بداية الكتاب كانت مشجعة، لكن بمجرد ما بدأ في الغوص في تفاصيل التاريخ الأوروبي واليهود في أوروبا، بدأت أفقد الشغف وتوقفت عن القراءة.

[Ed Kazyanskaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

While watching pig races at the Indiana State Fair with a friend:
Announcer: Come by after the race and pet the pigs. Careful though, some of them can bite!"
Me: "I probably deserve it given how many of their brethren I've eaten"
Friend: "I think it's against their religion to eat Jews"

An utterly fascinating book that I would recommend to anyone interested in anthropology, sociology, history, and religion in general or Judaism specifically.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this intriguingly slant on Jewish history, Rosenblum shows how the pig, of all the unclean animals listed in Leviticus, has been uniquely employed by non-Jewish people and Jewish people in turn in the negotiation and definition of Jewish society. This is certainly a worthwhile though tragic history to be consulted by anyone interested in the Jewish people and their history.

[Alex Nagler · Rating 4 out of 5]

An all encompassing read on the history of religion, The Pig, and the good and (mostly) bad that comes between them.

[Dom Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from start to finish.

[Rena Fraade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating journey through Jewish history and the pig. Well written with a charming element of humor and a dedication to being brief but giving great detail.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The puns.......

I found this title misleading. 3,000 year old referencing of pigs is not the same thing as a 3,000 year history of the pig.

The biggest and best Easter Egg (Passover Egg?) within these pages is the nod towards "pig" or "boar" in ancient writings as possibly associated with an insurgent Rome. If we substitute the animals for the kingdoms associated with them, the stories and rules placed within Jewish history take on a very politicized message.

The overall argument, is that the pig was a typical non-kosher meat with little significance, until Rome decided it was symbolically represented by Boars, and subsequently used the pig as a means of harassing and torturing Jews, growing its significance as a non-kosher, and heavily offensive vice.

Rosenblum is a co-writer of Fasting and Feasting.

The puns in this book are frequent, over the top, and not funny enough. But then just take a look at who did the writing, and you'll smile. He is punny, isn't he? =)