This little piggy went to the market...

[lunamoth]

Of course, since we don't actually see this effect, despite the fact that the Jews were surrounded (and occupied by) people who did eat pork, this says to me that all the claims about health benefits and risks are overblown.

during the centuries of occupation and exile the food laws were important for religious reasons, rather than health. How does one remain holy ( set apart) when surrounded by another culture? By being different in dress, diet, and many other everyday habits. In this way the Hebrews maintained their identity.

 

[Rakhel]

At the time it was decided that Jews don't eat pork, pigs may not have been domesticated.
Do we know when they were?

 

[doppelganger]

during the centuries of occupation and exile the food laws were important for religious reasons, rather than health. How does one remain holy ( set apart) when surrounded by another culture? By being different in dress, diet, and many other everyday habits. In this way the Hebrews maintained their identity.

That's true too, though why single out pigs? Could be as simple as the author of the rule just frickin' hating the taste of pork or that he found the animals so visually unappetizing that they made the list apart from any real health concern.

 

[doppelganger]

At the time it was decided that Jews don't eat pork, pigs may not have been domesticated.
Do we know when they were?

I think I read that the pig was domesticated in the Levant from wild boars more than 10,000 years ago.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

At the time it was decided that Jews don't eat pork, pigs may not have been domesticated.
Do we know when they were?

This site claims that pig farming may have begun in central Asia as early as 11,000 BC, and was definitely occurring in Turkey in 7,000 BC:

Pigs - The Domestication of Pigs

IIRC, this is quite a bit before any of the Old Testament was supposed to have been written.

 

[Rakhel]

That's true too, though why single out pigs? Could be as simple as the author of the rule just frickin' hating the taste of pork or that he found the animals so visually unappetizing that they made the list apart from any real health concern.

Pigs were not "singled out." The actual law stems from the idea that we don't eat animals that eat carrion. There are many animals that fall into this category. Pigs are just one of them

 

[doppelganger]

Pigs were not "singled out." The actual law stems from the idea that we don't eat animals that eat carrion. There are many animals that fall into this category. Pigs are just one of them

I'd forgotten that. Good point though. So it's actually probably not trinchinosis in pork in particular but some combination of aesthetic and possibly health-related concerns about eating animals that eat other, deader, animals.