Pig!

Q:Why is the pig always singled out as “the” non-kosher animal when there are literally tens of thousand of other animals that are unkosher?

A: Why indeed has the pig been singled out for such opprobrium? After all, any animal that creeps on the ground, does not have cloven hoofs and does not chew its cud is considered triefand not fit for consumption by a Jew. The beasts that fit this category number quite a few. The rabbit, eagle, culture, snail, worm, hippopotamus, dog, etc. all share the same distinction by being forbidden. They are equally repugnant in the eyes of the law.  

Perhaps it is infinitely easier to concentrate on the simple ill looking beast. Thus, we pick on the porker. That also probably why we refer to a person who gorgeous himself on food as a “chazer” (Yiddish for our squat nosed friend).  It is also why we allude to any one who’s appearances as unkempt as “looking like a pig.” How many children have been reprimanded by the parents with, “This room looks like a pigsty”? Those who do anything to excess are said to be “going whole hog.” We don’t say they’re going whole cheetah?  This is further evidence of our biased view of this lonely critter.

The reason why Jews focus on the pig as being the paradigm of a non-kosher animal is because from the outside it looks kosher, that is, it has a cloven hoof.  What is not visible from the outside is that it does not chew the cud. So, the pig looks kosher but it is a deception.