Are they Sea, Land or Air creatures?

They do fly – or at least most of the dragons I’ve read about fly. And for creatures that fly there is only a list of those that are prohibited. I don’t believe dragons are on the list.

Exactly like? Yes, right down to the molecular or even subatomic level. But the relevant laws governing the kashrut of meat ask if the animal from which it came had split hooves and chewed its cud. Likewise, if the animal was killed or died in any way other than the kosher method of slaughter, its meat isn’t kosher. In this case, one might say that there is no animal, no hooves, no cud, no slaughter — thus, all these rules might be irrelevant for the replicated meat.

Or maybe not. Replicated meat could presumably be traced back to the scan of some original, natural meat. But is that enough of a connection for us to demand that the replicated stuff be “from” a kosher animal? If not, I suppose this replicated stuff also would not be considered “meat” at all and thus could be eaten with milk.

Or maybe not. There is another principle of Jewish law we haven’t mentioned yet — marit ayin. Basically, it means that one should avoid doing things that *appear* to be forbidden, because otherwise one may cause people to think that a forbidden act is permitted. In this context, there could be a big problem with eating otherwise permitted replicated pork, shellfish, cheeseburgers, etc. — since it looks exactly like eating the “real thing”, people might see your example and wrongly conclude that all pork, shellfish, etc. — not just the replicated kind — is kosher.

Or maybe not. In a time and place in which all food is replicated (such as on a spaceship), it can be assumed that the people who see you eat will realize that the food is artificial. (Still, landing on a planet and coming across the “real thing”, they might not understand that, as non-replicated food, it is essentially different, and stricter rules of kashrut apply.

Or maybe not. Today, “marit ayin” does not prevent us from eating kosher fake shrimp, crab, bacon, using non-dairy cream at a meat meal, etc. But some people are strict to make sure it is clear to all diners that the faux treif (non-kosher food) is just that, and not the real thing.

Jami: “I wonder if the fact I’m allergic to pork would carry over into replicated pork”

I assume it would, considering that the two kinds of pork are chemically and perhaps even subatomically identical.

Jami: “in the ST-verse they probably have cures for food allergies”

I think not. See references to food and other allergies in the ST-verse at:

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Allergy
http://www.midwinter.com/~koreth/particles/
http://www.startrekfreedom.com/fleet/spectre/bios.php?bios=870
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantasms_(TNG_episode)

See, I vote that replicated pork is non-kosher cause even though it didn’t come from a living pig, it’s suppose to be exactly like pig meat. (I wonder if the fact I’m allergic to pork would carry over into replicated pork. Of course, in the ST-verse they probably have cures for food allergies, but still it’s something to think about. Could I eat replicated bacon, or would it make me have violent stomach cramps like the real thing does? Would replicated cinnimon for that matter make it hard for me to breath like real cinnimon does? Ah, but that’s a whole other subject.)

See, if not for this thread I never would’ve become addicted to this site and read Veniis Underground.

Among the many products with kosher certification from Orthodox rabbis are “faux” this and that — fake shrimp and crab made from kosher fish, soy milk that can be eaten with real meat and soy meat that can be eaten with real cheese, artificial bacon bits, etc. Essentially, what counts is what the food “really” is, not what it has been made to resemble or what flavor or texture it may be trying to immitate.

In fact, according to Jewish tradition, for every forbidden food, God provided kosher equivalents that evoke a similar taste. See http://www.koshernexus.org/?p=893 for more on this, and in particular the interesting story of the shibuta, a semi-legendary fish said to taste like pork.

Star-Trek-style replicator-produced food raises a more complex problem, because here one might say that the food does not just vaguely resemble a non-kosher product or evoke a similar taste, but that it is identical to non-kosher food right down to the subatomic, or at least (most?), the molecular, level. (The physics of the thing may be a theoretical impossibility, but let’s leave that aside for a moment.)

My understanding is that, in general, kashrut doesn’t concern itself with that which is microscopic, let alone molecular or subatomic. And that could actually strengthen either side of the argument. Be that as it may, one could argue that replicated pork is still essentially pork and not akin to soy meat or the pork-tasting shibuta fish. On the other hand, it seems to me that, the fact that this stuff was never actually part of a living, breathing pig, is an essential difference.

Which raises another issue that is far closer to reality: Lab-grown meat. (On this, see http://www.slate.com/id/2189676/ ).

And, btw, if replicated pork isn’t pork, is a person “beamed up” (or down) on Star Trek’s transporter (which uses similar technology) still a person? Is he or she a new person? Such a possibility would wreak havoc with just about every aspect of halacha (Jewish law). Thus, in my non-expert opinion, I assume that this situation would necessitate a ruling according to which the “new” person is, in every sense, a continuation of the old. But what would happen if the person was not just transported but actually replicated?….

Some more humanoid than others… Centaurs? I think you’d better call off the engagement. Re satyrs, there is actually an entry in the Jewish Encyclopedia (which refers to a number of other apparently legendary, monstrous half-human beings mentioned in the Bible and Talmud, as well). See http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=274&letter=S&search=Satyr

The humanoid alien, such as a Vulcan, raises the question of what it means to be human. Where does one draw the line? Obviously, humans and Vulcans can successfully interbreed, as evidenced by Mr. Spock. But did he have children of his own, and if so, with whom?

Likewise, the android challenges our definition of life, itself. Sex with an android could be considered a rather elaborate form of masturbation, which raises other issues.

But if sex with either could be kosher, your best bet would probably be “Jewish” Vulcans and androids, such as Leonard Nimoy and Brent Spiner. (Note: Some of the actors who have portrayed Spock’s Vulcan father and human mother — at least Mark Lenard and Winona Ryder — are also Jewish…) :)

Good question. We’ll probably tackle that in the book version.

JV

How about elementals and lamias?