No Cheeseburgers?!

General Meaning

The instruction to not cook a kid in the milk of its mother is repeated three times in the Torah. The traditional Jewish interpretation is that we are not allowed to eat meat and milk together. This is commandment #195 of Rambam’s six-hundred and thirteen commandments. But is this really what YHWH is saying?

First we need to recognize that Abraham served meat and milk together to YHWH: Genesis 18:8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. YHWH does not sin, therefore, His Torah could not be forbidding us to eat meat and milk together.

Second, the command is specific to goats, not animals in general; and is also specific to the milk of its mother, not milk in general.

An article from the website, thetorah.com, explains that the correct interpretation of the verse is to not slaughter a kid until after it has been weaned from its mother, which was an understanding dating back to St. Augustine of Hippo in the fourth century.

Let’s take a closer look at the phrase in question:

You shall not boil^h1310 a young goat^h1423 in its mother’s^h517 milk^h2461.

The Hebrew word translated “boil” is Strong’s h1310 בָּשַׁל baw-shal’; a primitive root; properly, to boil up; hence, to be done in cooking; figuratively to ripen:—bake, boil, bring forth, roast, seethe, sod (be sodden).

The Hebrew word translated “young goat” is Strong’s h1423 גְּדִי ghed-ee’; a young goat (from browsing):—kid.

The Hebrew word translated “mother’s” is Strong’s h517 אֵם ame; a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively [like father]):—dam, mother, × parting.

The Hebrew word translated “milk” is Strong’s h2461 חָלָב khaw-lawb’; milk (as the richness of kine):— cheese, milk, sucking.

To be, “in its mother’s milk”, means that it is still sucking it’s mother’s milk. Therefore, we can reword the verse:

Do not bring forth^h1310 for slaughter a kid that is still sucking its mother’s milk.

This translation is further supported when you take the whole verse in Exodus 34 into account:

Exodus 34:26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring (forth) to the house of YHWH your God. You shall not bring forth^h1310 a young goat that is in its mother’s milk.

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Deeper Meaning

Now that we understand that the general meaning of the instruction is to not bring for an offering a young goat that is still suckling from its mother, let’s explore the possible reasons for this prohibition by looking at the verses in context.

Context

In Exodus 23:14-19, YHWH is reminding the Israelites that three times in the year they are to appear before Him and have a feast to Him, and no one is to come empty-handed. First, is the Feast of Unleavened Bread at Passover, then the Feast of Harvest at Pentecost, and finally the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the crop year. Then He reiterates that the Passover sacrifices are to be with unleavened bread, eaten entirely before morning, and that the firstfruits of the land are to be given to YHWH. Then, YHWH says that they are not to bring forth a kid that is still nursing on its mother.

In Exodus 34:18-26, YHWH is also reminding them that three times in the year they are to appear before Him and have a feast to Him, and no one is to come empty-handed. First, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, then the Feast of Weeks at Pentecost (the firstfruits of the wheat harvest), then the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the crop year. Then He reiterates that the Passover sacrifices are to be with unleavened bread and none left until morning, and that the firstfruits of the land are to be given to YHWH. Then, YHWH says that they are not to bring forth a kid that is still nursing on its mother.

YHWH uses repetition to show us when something is important to Him.

In Deuteronomy 14:1-21, the context is keeping our bodies holy as we are holy to YHWH. He starts by saying we are not to cut or tattoo ourselves in mourning for the dead, then He lists the clean and unclean animals. Next He gives the same lists in the fish, birds, and creeping things. He ends by saying we are not to eat what dies naturally, but non-Israelites can eat them; we are to be set apart because YHWH has made us holy. We are not to bring forth a kid that is still nursing on its mother.

What do all three of these passages have in common? They are all regarding YHWH’s people being set apart from the nations around them. Why would refraining from sacrificing a young goat that is still nursing be important for setting us apart? It is unlikely to have anything to do with humane treatment of animals, as slaughtering eight-day old babies of other animals for burnt offerings is required, and besides that, this command is specific to goats. We believe that this command is regarding the suitability of a kid that young for the purpose YHWH had for the offering.

Sin Offerings

Young goat sacrifices were specifically for the atonement for sins. We see this over and over in Leviticus 29, where YHWH lists the offerings to be made on His appointed times. This explains why the two times this instruction is mentioned in Exodus, it is in conjunction with YHWH commanding the Israelites to come before Him with an offering on the three feasts every year. YHWH is making sure they are aware that in order to satisfy the sin offering, the goat must be weaned.

Deuteronomy 14:1-21 is reiterating what creatures are clean or unclean. The final verse specifies that a kid must be weaned, which indicates that it is not clean for eating or sacrificing until it is no longer nursing from its mother. YHWH doesn’t make that distinction for any other animal, which indicates that it is a requirement for atonement of sins.

On the Day of Atonement, a special offering is made for the atonement for the sins of Israel. Two goats are brought before YHWH and one is chosen to be the sacrifice for sins and the other has the sins of Israel laid on it and is then set free in the wilderness. The second goat, the one set free, is called the scape-goat or azazel goat. This event is a foreshadowing of Yeshua’s sacrifice on the cross. Barabbas (scape-goat) was set free and Yeshua, who was sinless, was sacrificed.

Matthew 27:15-23 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

It is probable, therefore, that in order for a goat to be suitable for a sin offering, it needed to be past the age of suckling from its mother.

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Conclusion

The verses that say not to cook a kid in its mother’s milk are in reference to the sin offerings made by the High Priest, to atone for the sins of the Israelites. Those offerings were a foreshadow of, and fulfilled by, Yeshua on the cross. In addition to that, they would require the Tabernacle and the Levitical priesthood, neither of which exists today. Please see our study How Many Commandments? for more information on why we are not to concern ourselves with those instructions at this time.

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