Sinai & The Law

ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,

"Tell the people of Isra'el, 'These are the living creatures which you may eat among all the land animals:

any that has a separate hoof which is completely divided and chews the cud - these animals you may eat.

But you are not to eat those that only chew the cud or only have a separate hoof. For example, the camel, the coney and the hare are unclean for you, because they chew the cud but don't have a separate hoof;

And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

while the pig is unclean for you, because, although it has a separate and completely divided hoof, it doesn't chew the cud.

You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

"'Of all the things that live in the water, you may eat these: anything in the water that has fins and scales, whether in seas or in rivers -these you may eat.

But everything in the seas and rivers without both fins and scales, of all the small water-creatures and of all the living creatures in the water, is a detestable thing for you.

Yes, these will be detestable for you -you are not to eat their meat, and you are to detest their carcasses.

Whatever lacks fins and scales in the water is a detestable thing for you.

"'The following creatures of the air are to be detestable for you - they are not to be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,

the kite, the various kinds of buzzards,

the various kinds of ravens,

the ostrich, the screech-owl, the seagull, the various kinds of hawks,

the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,

the horned owl, the pelican, the barn owl,

the stork, the various kinds of herons, the hoopoe and the bat.

"'All winged swarming creatures that go on all fours are a detestable thing for you;

except that of all winged swarming creatures that go on all fours, you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, enabling them to jump off the ground.

Specifically, of these you may eat the various kinds of locusts, grasshoppers, katydids and crickets.

But other than that, all winged swarming creatures having four feet are a detestable thing for you.

"'The following will make you unclean; whoever touches the carcass of them will be unclean until evening,

and whoever picks up any part of their carcass is to wash his clothes and be unclean until evening: