This pasuk, which concludes the parshah, comes at the end of the Jewish dietary laws. Kashrus is one of the areas in which the Jew distinguishes himself from the rest of the world. The message of this pasuk reveals the significance of this distinctiveness. Horav Moshe Swift, zl, notes the words, “For I am Hashem Who took you up from the land of Egypt.” Elsewhere in the Torah and in our tefillos, prayers, we say, “Who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” The Torah emphasizes here that we were brought up–elevated–to a higher level, so that Hashem would be our G-d, that He should be seen in us. We are to be holy because He is holy. We are to reflect His presence in our total demeanor. The Jew is to be distinct from the nations of the world. This distinctiveness is the symbol of his inherent kedushah, which should be his source of pride.
We must view our distinctiveness as a source of pride and honor. It raises us up; it consecrates our lives, as it sanctifies us. The Jew who is ashamed of his Jewishness, probably has many other sources of shame.
