Pigs In Space
Nearly everyone knows that the pig is not Kosher and most Jews, even the secular ones, won’t eat pork. This is because swine is considered the most unkosher of all non-kosher foods. Since pigs have cloven feet, they appear to be kosher. But, because they do not “chew the cud” as cows and other kosher animals do, the pig is actually not kosher – and this is the kicker – despite an appearance that suggests otherwise.
The pig appears to be clean and pure (קדוש וטהור) and should thus be kosher and edible; for the average person it would be nearly impossible to verify the internal macchinations of the animal. The pig’s a priori deception is, at least to hear the religiously inclined intone, somehow an affront to God and is akin to the snake’s deception of Eve in the Garden of Eden.
It seems odd that God would create an animal in such a way that would be created deceptive; mysterious ways I guess. It does, however, explain the etymological roots of the words for alien (חַיְזָר) – heezar – and pig (חֲזִיר) – hazeer – in Hebrew.
For English speakers, alien and pig are in no way related. Alien comes from Latin “alius, -a, -um” which means “the other” or “the rest”; pig sounds Anglo-Saxon-ish and doesn’t, as far as I know, carry any special significance. The pig is seen in the same way as the cow and the chicken – as sources of food. There isn’t any reason to attach any special significance to the animal other than indentity.
In Hebrew, since the pig (חֲזִיר) is essentially an outcast and deceptive animal, the word hazeer carries the connotation of outsider or strange. The word for alien (חַיְזָר) also has the root (ח ז ר) and the connection becomes obvious. Since the alien is outside of society – “the other” to use the Latin root – and is potentially deceptive and harmful, the etymological link with pig is established.
Instead of referring to the pig as a biological entity with certain physical characteristics like a corkscrewed tail, the Hebrew focuses instead of the meta-physical properties of the animal – it is deceiving you, it is not from among you.
Modern Hebrew has attempted to reintroduce pork under a less loaded word. For the surprising number of stores that sell pork and other piggy products, the meat is described innocously (and taking a note, perhaps, from the Americans) as white meat (בשר לבן) . Not quite “the other white meat” but at least it exorcises the negative connotations of deception and betrayal.
“It’s just a meat that happens to be white – like chicken! Everyone loves chicken!”
The pig – as food – is still pretty reviled in Israel and the “white meat” moniker has done little to change that. It seems that the historical association is too much to overcome; it will be most likely always be considered an outsider.
[...] its root is the same as “pig” and “alien” – ח ז ר (as was discussed in Pigs in Space). The whole notion of strange and foreign is anathema to returning. Not unsurprising, the key to [...]