"Anna L. Abrante" wrote:

> Perhaps I am too idealistic.  But in my mind, if god sets down
> dietary rules, since diet is for feeding the *physical* body,
> the rules should be related to *physical* health.

I can understand why one might think this, but the way it actually
operates is quite different.  Judaism seeks to take the physical realm
(food, sex, etc.) and elevate it to the spiritual realm.  So, for
example, eating can be a purely physical exercise in satisfying one's
hunger and nourishing one's body.  But by preparing that food
according to spiritual guidelines, we render it capable of nourishing
both the body *and* the soul.  Similarly, the Jewish laws surrounding
marital intimacy elevate the sexual act to something far more than
only procreation and satisfying one's libido; they elevate it to
something that is akin to G-dliness.  That's what it's all about: it's
about taking the physical world and using it to seek spiritual
perfection.

Now we're *really* getting off-topic...  :-)

--
Deanna