Food may be designated non-kosher for a variety of reasons. Philosophers from Aristotle to Hegel have argued that God can only be concerned with universals, not with particulars-not even human beings. But the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob does care about every individual. A father cares about the moral and spiritual development of his child but also takes care that the child is properly fed. In fact, the two are related.
Good nutrition makes learning and every other form of spiritual and physical training easier.
We do not mean to imply that the kashrut laws are nutritional and hygienic regulations, even though that claim has been made. Besides, we do not look upon the Torah as an ancient book of science, but rather as an ever-new and eternally fresh source of religious truth and practice. It does make sense, though, to argue that, as our creator, God knows what we require to conduct our lives as dedicated and spiritually-oriented Jews. 613 commandments to make the total Jew and kashrut is certainly a substantial component. Some writers emphasize the disciplinary aspects of the kashrut regulations-and rightfully so.