LEV198 Clearly, part of Judaism itself is to strive to remain separate and unique as a Jew, apart from the surrounding culture. One of the 613 commandments is not to imitate or adopt the customs of the surrounding nations [this verse]. less than two chapters later, this commandment is repeated (Leviticus 20:23-24), but there is an added phrase: "I am the God who has separated you from all the other nations." While the literal verses apply only to the seven Canaanite nations present in the land when the Jews conquered Israel, the rabbis have shown that the customs of all non-Jewish nations may not be practiced by Jews (Maimonides, Hilchot Akum 11:1, based on Avodah Zarah 11a and Sanhedrin 52b). The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 178:1) codifies this idea, stating that one may not adopt a non-Jewish custom if it is religious in origin or if its source is unknown, even if it is not practiced today in the same context (See the chapter "Jews in a Non-Jewish Society" for an expansion on this idea).