If a pig was genetically modified to chew its cud, would it be kosher?

Question

If they were to genetically modify a pig to chew its cud, would it be kosher?

Answer 1

If the genetically-engineered pig was gestated in a normal pig, then no it would not be kosher.

Rambam, Laws of Prohibited Foods, 1:5--6 (or 4--5 depending on your edition):

א,ה [ד] בהמה טהורה שילדה כמין בהמה טמאה--אף על פי שאינו מפריס פרסה, ולא מעלה גרה, אלא כמין סוס או חמור לכל דבר--הרי זה מותר באכילה. במה דברים אמורים, בשילדה בפניו. ...

א,ו [ה] בהמה טמאה שילדה כמין בהמה טהורה--אף על פי שהוא מפריס פרסה, ומעלה גרה, והרי הוא כמין שור לכל דבר, או כמין שה--הרי זה אסור באכילה:

If it is absolutely certain that a kosher animal gave birth to something that looks like a non-kosher animal, even if it doesn't have split hooves or chew its cud, and it looks completely like a horse or donkey -- it is kosher ... A non-kosher animal that gave birth to something kosher-looking, though it may have split hooves, chew its cud, and look just like a cow or sheep, is not kosher.

I'd assume we don't distinguish between the piglet that was born with a random mutation to chew its cud, and one genetically engineered to do so.

To quote Rabbi J. David Bleich ("The Problem of Identity in Rashi, Rambam, and the Tosafists", Tradition 41:2):

The notion of identification as a member of a species is best summed up in a pithy comment attributed to R. Chaim Soloveitchik. It is reported that R. Chaim queried: Why is a horse a horse? Is it a horse because it is a horse or is it a horse because its mother was a horse? To rephrase the question: Is a horse a horse because it manifests the characteristics that are the necessary conditions for identification as a member of the equine species or is a horse a horse because its mother was a horse? R. Chaim proceeded to declare that a horse is a horse solely because its mother was a horse and explained that ancestral identity is the sole factor that determines membership in a particular species. Thus, as spelled out by the Mishnah, Bekhorot 5b, identity as a member of a clean or unclean species is determined by birth and not by distinguishing physical characteristics.

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As a related question, I asked Rabbi Welcher in Queens about goats that were given genes from a spider so their milk contained gossamer, is the goat still kosher? He said that products of cross-breeding (even if doing so is prohibited) remain kosher, and as the non-kosher genes need the kosher genes to produce an organism here ("zeh v'zeh gorem"), it's allowed.

Answer 2

The Midrash is quoted as saying "Why is its name called chazir? Because the Holy Name Blessed Be He will return it to Israel."

A lot of commentaries learn this non literally (see here and here and here for examples). Others learn it literally. The Or Hachayim (Vayikrah 11:7), for example, says that when Moshiach comes the nature of the pig will change, and it will start chewing its cud. It will then have Kosher Simanim and be kosher.

This doesn't exactly answer your question, but perhaps when Moshiach comes the pig will be genetically modified (at least according to the commentaries that take it literaly), and be kosher.

Here's an essay based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, discussing why specifically the pig will become kosher again, more than any other non-kosher animal.

Answer 3

No, in addition to the fact that it doesn't meet the criteria for an animal that is kosher, the torah specifically mentions pig as not allowed: "And the pig, because it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You shall neither eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass." Deuteronomy 14:8

Answer 4

Look in Likkutei Sichos Chelek Aleph (Parshas Shmini) P. 222 where this issue is addressed.

http://otzar770.com/library/display_page.asp?nPageNumber=222&cPartLetter=B&nBookId=86

Answer 5

No. It would no more make the pig kosher than smashing your engine light fixes the engine.

Our Creator gave us kosher laws as a blessing, so we would know what is fit to eat and what is not fit to eat. They are not merely arbitrary rules imposed on us to make life difficult.

Therefore He gave us a way to recognize which animals are fit to eat and which are not. The two signs (for mammals) allow us to know which animals are fit to eat and which are not fit to eat.

To suggest that the cloven hoof and chewing the cud are themselves what make the animal fit to eat is the same as saying that kosher laws are arbitrary, not given for our benefit but merely a set of rules for the sake of imposing rules. This suggests a very negative view of God, which is not consistent with the Bible.

Answer 6

Any pig that has been genetically modified to chew its cud is no longer a pig but a completely new animal. The test for any new animal is "Does it have cloven hooves and does it chew its cud?"