ואת החזיר…טמא הוא לכם (שמיני יא:ז)

R’ Moshe Vaye Shlita, renowned Kashrus expert, especially in the Halachic area of Bedikas Tolo’im (checking food for insect infestation), shares that Hashem does a great chessed (kindness) by not allowing us to eat bugs and worms and many forbidden meats and foods, since most are detrimental to our health.

R’ Moshe once gave a shiur (speech) in a remote country.  A Yid, a Shomer Torah U’mitzvos, approached him after the speech and shared his story:

“My wife was stricken with a rare disease.  A worm was growing in her brain and was feeding off the marrow in her brain.  This causes a person to stop functioning and eventually die. We researched worldwide to find a surgeon specializing in this field. After successfully operating on my wife and removing the worms, the doctor asked us, ‘Did you ever hear about the Jewish nation?’

“We both nodded yes.” And I said, “Of course, we know of the Jews. We are Jewish!”

The doctor removed his glasses and looked at us in wonder, “It can’t be that you are Jewish”.

They replied, “We may not comply with the Torah, but we are Jewish.”

The doctor explained, “Your wife’s illness comes from eating pig, and I know that Jews are forbidden to eat pig…”.

The couple lowered their eyes and shamefully admitted that they had eaten the pig meat.

This incident overtook the couple, and they vowed to change their lifestyle from then on, becoming Shomer Torah U’Mitzvohs – fully observant Jews.