Woman Oddly Unexcited To Discover Jewish Law Permits Consumption Of Cheese Maggots

Shulhan Arukh Yoreh De’ah Section 84 Paragraph 16.

Jerusalem, May 31 – A congregant involved in a discussion with a local rabbi did not, for some reason, react with enthusiasm when the man informed her that, technically speaking, while the Torah prohibits the consumption of insects, worms, and other creeping creatures, the ban does not extend to, for example, the worms in wormy cheese, synagogue sources reported today.

At a post-service kiddush this past Saturday morning, Congregation Beit Tefillah attendee Shifra Ben-Ze’ev posed a query to Assistant Rabbi Nathan Miodownik, sparking a discussion that let to the latter mentioning the obscure law: the book of Leviticus forbids Jews to consume “creeping things that swarm on the ground,” which category includes bugs, worms, and larvae of various kinds – but the limitation of “on the ground” carves out an exception for those that never traversed any ground, such as maggots that appeared on cheese and have not yet left it. Observers recalled that Ms. Ben-Ze’ev did not, inexplicably, take that as a cue to express a longtime desire to experience casu marzu, a famed Sardinian variety of sheep cheese teeming with fly larvae.

“What?” she responded when Rabbi Miodownik cited Shulhan Arukh Yoreh De’ah Section 84 Paragraph 16.

“Yeah, the Rama [Rabbi Moshe Isserles] says it’s permitted as long has they haven’t left the cheese,” the rabbi explained.

“What?” she said again, a look of disgust and shock spreading across her face.

Witnesses say Rabbi Miodownik’s eyes twinkled as he continued to cite the Shulhan Arukh. “He says even if the worms are hopping to and fro on the cheese, it’s permitted. Those maggots never crawled ‘on the ground’ so they’re not included in the prohibition.”

“What?” Ms. Ben-Ze’ev repeated.

“Oh, you’ve never tried it?” the rabbi prodded further. “I’m told it’s a delicacy.”

“What?”

Onlookers voiced their puzzlement at Ms. Ben-Ze’ev’s evident lack of enthusiasm for the prospect of eating wormy cheese. “It’s a permitted pleasure of this world,” noted fellow congregant Sue She’arim. “I think everyone should strive to partake of all the pleasures God has created in the world, when permitted. I myself am particularly fond of the shibbuta, a fish that I’m told tastes exactly like pork. At least, theoretically. No one seems to know what it is. But I know I’d like it if I tried it. Same thing with the casu marzu stuff. Theoretically. I’m, uh, not in Sardinia, so, wouldn’t you know it, I can’t get any. What a shame.”

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