I’ve been musing about this the last few days, and figure somebody here knows the answer.
Imagine an observant Jew is stranded somewhere (desert island, whatever) and all they have to eat is non-kosher food-- cans of spam, or something. It’s considered OK to eat non-kosher food if it’s a choice of that or starving to death (at least that’s my understanding), so that’s what they do.
Do they say the usual prayers before the meal? Is there a special “yeah, I shouldn’t be eating this but it’s extenuating circumstances” blessing?
Well, it was common enough in Tzarist Russia, for example, that Jews drafted into the army would have to eat whatever they could manage. And, IIRC, starving rather than eating non-kosher is not only not necessary, but actually “sinful” - Piku’akh nefesh dokheh ha’kol - A threat to life overrides everything (well, except Idolatry and I think two other things, which are Yehareg u’val ya’avor - one should die rather than transgress on them. Someone will come along and enumerate them…)
There is a famous short story called Shlosha she’akhlu - The Three Who Ate - where the Rabbis put out an edict that everyone MUST eat on Yom-Kippur (because of some raging epidemic, so as not to weaken and die by it), and it takes the Rabbi and two others setting a table in synagogue, on the Bima, and sitting down to eat right AFTER Kol-Nidrei to get anyone to actually follow the edict. (Maybe Mendele Mokher-Sefarim? I can check if anyone cares)
I suppose the correct Brakha in this case would be “Shehakol nihiya bidvaro” (praised be the lord, that all was created by His word) - but, again, I’m way out of my depth…
[comic relief] (Poorly) remembered and paraphrased from Druyanov - but also making the point: The young man (in Tzarist Russia) comes to the Rabbi and says - “Rabbi, I’ve been drafted. What can I eat in the army, they don’t have Kosher food!?” To which the Rabbi answers - “Try to eat food that should be kosher. If you can’t, eat anything but pork”. “But what if all they have is pork, and otherwise I’ll starve?” “Then, son, eat the pork, but just don’t lick your lips…” [/comic relief]
In Judaism, life is valued above almost all else, and almost any commandment can be violated to save a life. The exceptions are:
~ Murder
~ Incest & Adultery
~ Idol Worship
In some circles, “lashon hara” (litterally evil tongue) is considered as bad as murder. It would take too long to explain lashon hara here, and it was not part of your question. But it basically means gossip.
In short, if all one has to eat are cans of spam, ham, et al, then not only is one permitted to eat them, one is actually required to do so. Purposely starving yourself because there is no kosher food would be wrong. As such, there is no reason that a blessing should not be made on such food.
