The angel's prohibition included "every unclean thing." The distinction between articles of food as clean and unclean was not a merely ceremonial and arbitrary regulation, but was based upon sanitary principles. To the observance of this distinction may be traced, in a great degree, the marvelous vitality which for thousands of years has distinguished the Jewish people. The principles of temperance must be carried further than the mere use of spirituous liquors. The use of stimulating and indigestible food is often equally injurious to health, and in many cases sows the seeds of drunkenness. True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything hurtful and to use judiciously that which is healthful. There are few who realize as they should how much their habits of diet have to do with their health, their character, their usefulness in this world, and their eternal destiny. The appetite should ever be in subjection to the moral and intellectual powers. The body should be servant to the mind, and not the mind to the body.

Engelens forbud indbefattede alt "urent". Bestemmelsen angående rene og urene fødemidler var ikke blot en ceremoniel eller vilkårlig forskrift. Den var givet af sundhedsmæssige grunde. Den forbavsende livskraft, som i årtusinder har kendetegnet det jødiske folk, kan for en stor del føres tilbage til, at de har skelnet imellem rene og urene fødemidler. Afholdenhedens principper bør udstrækkes til at omfatte mere end alkoholiske drikke. Det er ofte lige så skadeligt for sundheden at bruge stimulerende og ufordøjelig mad, og en sådan kost lægger i mange tilfælde grunden til drikfældighed. Sand afholdenhed lærer os at afstå fuldstændig fra alt, hvad der er skadeligt, og at bruge det, der er sundt, med fornuft. Der er kun få, der til fulde forstår, hvor meget deres spisevaner har at gøre med deres sundhed, deres karakter, deres indsats i denne verden og deres evige skæbne. Appetitten bør altid være under moralens og fornuftens kontrol. Legemet bør være sindets tjener og ikke omvendt.