In this parashah, the Torah teaches us the signs of kosher animals. Land animals must have cloven hooves and must be ruminants.
The Torah contains teachings in all its aspects. The stories and laws have practical applications for the Jew's service to God.
What can we learn from the signs of kashrut?
Ruminant animals chew their food several times. This teaches us that, to be good people, we must carefully consider what we say and think.
The hoof separates the animal from the earth. The Jew must know that his existence transcends the earth. However, to be kosher, the animal's hoof must be cloven. The idea is that there should not be a total separation from the world, but rather that the central idea of Judaism is to reveal God to the world. To know that we transcend the world, yet live within it.