Appearances Can Be Deceiving

I was recently at a barbecue and I witnessed an unusual site. In fact, I even commented on it only to learn once again that things are not always what they seem.

There were a number of Jews and non-Jews at the barbecue. Some of us there kept kosher so they had kosher chicken available in addition to hotdogs and hamburgers. A friend, Jewish, took a piece of chicken but also grabbed a couple of pieces of sausage from a nearby pasta salad.

I am not one to preach to other what they should and/or should not do. This is a personal decision that is between each individual and his/her own G-d. Still, upon seeing this I teased my friend. He teased back about some of my own inconsistencies (don’t we all have them).

I explained that I was not being critical because he was eating Traiff (unkosher) food but rather because it was on his plate with kosher food as well. He explained that he was being careful with what he ate, healthy eating, and chicken was healthier and a better choice than hotdogs and hamburgers.

In fairness, I did see him calculate how many people there needed kosher food and count the number of pieces of chicken to make sure that there was enough for everyone. So, sometimes it is better not to start teasing until you have all the details. Still, it was humorous to see someone take a piece of kosher chicken and put it on the same plate as food that came from a pig.