Are the GMO foods kosher?
The GMO (genetically modified organisms) have become acceptable “foods” in the western world and often seen as a “solution” to the world’s problems, but are they kosher? Are they acceptable for consumption by the people of YHVH Elohim?
About 90 percent of the crops in North America (Canada and the U.S.) is GMO. In this number of GMO foods are included but not limited to wheat, corn, rapeseed (for GMO Canola oil ; “Can” from Canada and “Ola ” meaning “Oil”), peanut, tomato, cucumbers, to name a few; the GMO animals: breast yielding, hormone raised, broiler chicken and turkey, [Canadian] salmon and others.
GMO broiler chicken; the enormous breast is hardly kosher food
The Torah by which YHVH opened up to His people the way of access to His grace and fellowship with Him, contains instructions concerning what is and what is not food.
To be correct, we should note here that the phrase “GMO foods” is a contradiction in term. As we will explain in this study, if something is GMO, it is not food; and if something is food, it must not be GMO.
The Creator has given us the list of the kosher animals (which are foods for man) and non-kosher ones in His Torah. They are not genetically modified; they are genetically created with certain DNA codes, according to which the plants and living creatures grow and develop by His will alone.
In Leviticus 11, the various creatures are listed with detailed descriptions of those suitable for human consumption, and those which hinder and disturb the living fellowship with YHVH Elohim (see Isa 66:16-17). All these animals (kosher and non-kosher) are created by Him, not by man in the research laboratories. The plants these animals eat are genetically created by the Creator, not by man, and for the good on mankind it must stay so.
The instructions of kosher foods in Leviticus 11 end with the bid to set ourselves apart, as He is set-apart. This is the first time when the phrase “you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart” is introduced in the Scripture. And whenever this phrase appears, it always carries on its original meaning in Leviticus 11.
For I am Yehovah your Elohim, and you shall set yourselves apart. And you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. And do not defile yourselves with any swarming things that the one creeping on the earth. (Lev 11:44) See also Lev 19:2-22, Lev 20:1-7.
And this is what the apostle bade us quoting from Leviticus: to be set-apart in all behavior, as He is set-apart,
… as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as the One who called you is set-apart, so you also should become set-apart in all behavior, because it has been written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.” (1Pe 1:14-16)
The Creator YHVH Elohim created the vegetations that yield seeds, and the fruit trees that yield fruits according to their kinds. And they came to existence on the third day, and He saw that what He created was good.
And on the fifth day, He created the fish and the birds according to their kinds and let them increase on the earth. That too was good, because it was created according to His will.
And on the sixth day, Elohim created the animals according to their kinds and everything that could creep on the earth, and it was good. On that same day, He created the first humans, male and female He created them, to rule over His creation on the earth. And the plants He created He gave to the humans and animals for food. And he saw that what He created was very good and He blessed them.
By now we should have noticed the creation formula in the narrative of Genesis 1: “Elohim created the plants and living creatures according to their kinds to increase on the earth, and it was good”. He alone created them, according to His plan of Creation; there was no one else in the universe but Him.
We should also notice that for the creation of the fruits and vegetables the Creator Elohim was very specific when He said,
“Let the earth bring forth grass, the plant that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth.” And it came to be so. And the earth brought forth grass, the plant that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And Elohim saw that it was good. (Gen 1:11-12)
The earth brought forth vegetables and fruits that yielded seeds according to their kinds, whose seeds were in themselves. The plain meaning of these verses is that (1) all edible plants were created, according to their kinds (DNA) with their seeds in them, and (2) these plants were created to grow on the earth. There were no seedless foods the Creator had created.
The same principle of creation Elohim bestowed on the living creatures. They were all created as male and female, similar to human himself. This is why Elohim blessed them that they be fruitful and multiply by begetting offspring from one another.
With all that being said, how does it help us answer our question, “Are the GMO foods kosher?”
GMO foods
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose DNA material [in the seed] is altered using genetic engineering in a way that it does not occur naturally. A wide variety of organisms have been genetically modified, from plants and microorganisms to animals.
In the genetic engineering, genes have been transferred within the same species, across species (creating transgenic organisms), and even across kingdoms (creating transgenic organisms between an animal and a bacterium, for instance). The GMO engineering can produce new genes, or the original genes can be enhanced, altered, or completely removed in order to create “better foods”.
Bacteria and fungi being simple organisms are the easiest organisms to engineer. These controversial genetically modified organisms (GMO) are allegedly used for environmental purposes, for the creation of new “safer foods” and disease-resistant crops, or even as medicines.
We studied this in the article How far can the mankind go in eating detestable things?
Viruses are the next step in the genetic engineering. We are living in the coronavirus age and what we witness today is a typical example of genetic engineering for the good of mankind. The unwanted genes from deadly viruses are removed through genetic engineering to create vaccines.
Such a genetically engineered vaccine is not a vaccine based on weakening a certain virus by the heavy metal mercury and then injected into the body in order to create antibodies against it, as in the past, but rather a vaccine that causes the body “to see” it.
See the genetic engineering (an mRNA technology platform) of a computer-operating-system-like virus of Moderna in their own words at mRNA Platform: Drug Discovery & Development – Moderna (modernatx.com).
Or, as Moderna proudly calls it “Our mRNA Medicines – The Software of Life”. In this “software”, the only thing that changes from one “medicine” to another is the actual genetic code that instructs the body to make whatever the “creators” want it to make. To make the things even worse, Moderna’s vaccine is made by using tissues of unborn babies.
Genetic engineering; the scientists are playing “God”
But the ultimate striving of the genetic engineering is after the human gene therapy. This is where eugenics steps in. Eugenics is the pseudo-science of “improving” the human population by controlled breeding and by genetic engineering to increase the desirable heritable characteristics. Eugenics was developed by Francis Galton as a method of “improving” the human race and further developed by the Nazis to create the “super race”.
While genetic engineering has hard difficulties to alter human genes (we know why) and to some degree to alter animal genes (of fish, chicken, and turkey), the genetically modified crops are the most favorable but also the most controversial GMO endeavor to create “foods” that will “save” the growing human population on the earth.
Much has been written about the health risk and danger of the GMO foods. But by juxtaposing the creation narrative and the genetical engineering, the main characteristic of the GMO crops is that they are seedless and/or non-reproducible.
Elohim has created the plants and living creatures, according to their genetic codes (DNA) in their seeds. And He commanded that the plants are to grow on the earth, and the earth to bring forth plants that yield seeds according to their kinds (Gen 1:11-12). And the earth to bring forth the living creatures according to their kinds (Gen 1:24).
On the other side, the GMO crops and animals are not foods. They are created by man in engineering lab, not by the Creator. The GMO foods may look like real foods, but they do not taste and smell like real foods; they are counterfeits.
One does not need to be a genetic engineer to know which watermelon, the natural or GMO one, the ants will prefer. And Elohim is the Creator of the ants, too, because He has said,
Look, I have given you every plant that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed, to you it is for food. (Gen 1:29)
In conclusion, the GMO crops, species, and foods in general, are nothing less than corruption of Elohim’s creation. Man is trying to play “God” and He does not like that. Whenever man goes against the will of the Creator, it is man who becomes a victim of his own deeds.
Therefore, are the GMO foods kosher? No, they are not. They are not Elohim’s creation, but man’s.
A related study is in the article COVID-19 coronavirus retaliates.
Navah
May we merit seeing the coming of our Mashiach speedily in our days.