Negative Commandment 173 (Digest)
Non-Kosher Fish
"And they shall be a detestable thing to you, you shall not eat from their meat, and their carcasses you shall hold in abomination"—Leviticus 11:11.
It is forbidden to eat any non-kosher fish.
The
173rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from eating non-kosher fish.
The
source of this commandment is G‑d's statement regarding those species of fish [that do not
have both fins and scales], "They shall be repulsive to you. You must avoid
them by not eating their flesh."
The
punishment for eating a kezayis
[about 1 oz.] of their meat is lashes.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Negative Commandment 175 (Digest)
Flying Insects
"And every creeping flying thing is unclean to you: they shall not be eaten"—Deuteronomy 14:19.
It is forbidden to eat any flying insect, such as flies, bees or hornets.
The
175th prohibition is that we are forbidden from eating insects that fly, such as flies, bees, hornets, and similar
species.
The
source of this commandment is G‑d's statement in Deuteronomy, "All flying insects are unclean to you. They
may not be eaten."
In
the words of the Sifri, "The verse
'All flying insects...' constitutes a negative commandment."
The
punishment for eating one [of these insects] is lashes.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Negative Commandment 176 (Digest)
Creeping Land Creatures
"And every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth is a detestable thing; it shall not be eaten"—Leviticus 11:41.
It is forbidden to eat any creature that creeps on the ground, such as bugs or worms.
The
176th prohibition is that we are forbidden from eating insects [that breed] on
the ground, such as worms, beetles, and benas
vardan.
The
source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "Every small creature which breeds on land is
repulsive to you. It may not be eaten."
The
punishment for eating any of them is lashes.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Negative Commandment 177 (Digest)
Insects that are Born from Decay
"You shall not defile yourselves [by eating] any creeping creature that creeps upon the earth"—Leviticus 11:44.
It is forbidden to eat any species of creature that is born from rotted matter (as opposed to creatures conceived from a male and female).
The
177th prohibition is that we are forbidden from eating an insect which is
created from decayed matter, even though it is not a particular species and
is not created from a male-female relationship.
The
source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "Do not defile your souls [by eating] any
small creature that lives on land."
In
the words of the Sifri, "The verse,
'any small creature that lives on land' [comes to include an insect] even if it
does not multiply."
This
is the difference between the phrase, "a small creature that is shoretz on land," and "a small creature
that is romeis [on land]." "A small
creature that is shoretz" refers to
something that has the ability to produce offspring like itself and reproduces
on land. "A small creature that is romeis"
refers to something which is created from decayed matter and does not
produce a creature like itself.
The
punishment for eating any of these is also lashes.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Negative Commandment 178 (Digest)
Insects that Develop inside Fruit or Seeds
"Among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, you shall not eat them for they are an abomination"—Leviticus 11:42.
It is forbidden to eat any living creature that is born within fruits or seeds—once they have exited the fruit or seed (even if they have now reentered).
The
178th prohibition is that we are forbidden from eating creatures that come into
existence within seeds and fruit. [They are prohibited only] after they emerge
and crawl on the surface of the seed or fruit. Even if they are found later
within the food, they may not be eaten, and the punishment for
eating them is lashes.
The
source of this commandment is G‑d's statement, "All small creatures which breed on land may
not be eaten, for they are repulsive."
In
the words of the Sifri, "This comes
to include [an insect that] emerged to the ground and then returned."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
Translation of (the unabridged text of) Sefer Hamitzvot by Rabbi Berel Bell, member of the Rabbinical Court of Montreal and director of Teacher Training for the Jewish Learning Institute.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by
Sichos in English.
