Kosher locust

While most insects are considered to be forbidden by Kosher dietary laws, four varieties of locust are listed in the Torah as permissible. As explained below, however, the identities of these varieties are disputed, effectively prohibiting locust consumption for all but a tiny fraction of practicing Jews.

Source in the Bible

The Bible states in Parshat Shemini:

"Every flying insect that uses four legs for walking shall be avoided by you. The only flying insects with four walking legs that you may eat are those which have knees extending above their feet, [using these longer legs] to hop on the ground. Among these you may only eat members of the red locust family, the yellow locust family, the spotted gray locust family and the white locust family. All other flying insects with four feet [for walking] must be avoided by you." [Leviticus 11:20-23]

Sources in the Talmud

Tractate Chullin 59a, 65a-66b andTractate Avodah Zara 37a

The Mishna states in Chullin:

"Any kind of grasshopper that has four walking legs, four wings, two jumping legs and whose wings cover the greater part of its body is kosher."

Yemenite Tradition

The four types of locusts stated in the Torah are known according to Yemenite tradition to be the following: The "red locust" ["Arbeh" in Hebrew] is called "Grad" in Arabic.

The yellow locust ["Sa'lam" in Hebrew] is "Rashona" in Arabic.

The spotted gray locust ["Chargol" in Hebrew] is "Chartziyiya" in Arabic.

The white locust ["Chagav" in Hebrew] is called "Gandav" in Arabic.

According to Yemenite tradition as recorded in the work Arichat Hashulchan, the locust called "Al j'rad" is Kosher, and has three Kosher sub-species all known by that name.

Orthodox Tradition

Hertz says in his commentary on Leviticus 11:22,

"None of the four kinds of locust mentioned is certainly known. For this reason also, later Jewish authorities, realizing that it is impossible to avoid errors being made declare every species of locust to be forbidden."

This opinion is the one generally held by Ashkenazic Orthodox Jews.

Halachah (Final Ruling)

The Halachah regarding locusts, and all Kosher animals for that matter, is that one is allowed to eat a specific type of animal only if there is a "continuous tradition" that affirms that it is Kosher. It is not enough that the locust seems to conform to the criteria mentioned in the Torah. This does not mean that one must possess a 'personal tradition' in order to eat locusts. If one travels to a place where the people do have a tradition, the new arrival would also be allowed to eat them.

How and by whom were Kosher locusts eaten

The author of the Arichat Hashulchan points out that locusts were never really considered a 'delicacy' -- rather they were generally food for the impoverished.

The Midrash in Shemot Rabba hints that the preferred way to eat locusts was to pickle them:

"Once the locusts came, the Egyptians rejoiced and said 'Let us gather them and fill our barrels with them.' Hakadosh Baruch Hu (A name of god, literally meaning: "The Holy One, Blessed be He") said 'Wicked people, with the plague that I have brought against you, are you going to rejoice?!' Immediately God brought upon them a western wind...and none were left. What does it mean that none were left? Even those that were pickled with salt and sitting in their pots and barrels were blown away...."

References