Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapter 11

33Any earthenware vessels will become ritually defiled if the carcasses of any of these animals fall into its interior. Whatever is inside it will become ritually defiled. You must shatter it.   לגוְכָ֨ל־כְּלִי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־יִפֹּ֥ל מֵהֶ֖ם אֶל־תּוֹכ֑וֹ כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּתוֹכ֛וֹ יִטְמָ֖א וְאֹת֥וֹ תִשְׁבֹּֽרוּ:
אֶל־תּוֹכוֹ - Into its interior. An earthenware vessel can contract ritual defilement only through its inner airspace.   אֶל־תּוֹכוֹ.  אֵין כְּלִי חֶרֶס מִטַּמֵּא אֶלָּא מֵאֲוִירוֹ (חולין כ"ד):
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־בְּתוֹכוֹ יִטְמָא - Whatever is inside it will become ritually defiled. The vessel, in turn, renders any entities inside its airspace ritually defiled even if they do not touch it.   כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־בְּתוֹכוֹ יִטְמָא.  הַכְּלִי חוֹזֵר וּמְטַמֵּא מַה שֶּׁבַּאֲוִירוֹ:
וְאֹתוֹ תִשְׁבֹּֽרוּ - You must shatter it. This teaches us that it cannot become rid of defilement through immersion in a mikveh.   וְאֹתוֹ תִשְׁבֹּֽרוּ.  לִמֵּד שֶׁאֵין לוֹ טָהֳרָה בַּמִּקְוֶה:
34Any portion of food that is usually eaten upon which water has fallen can become ritually defiled. Any beverage that can be drunk in a vessel can become ritually defiled.   לדמִכָּל־הָאֹ֜כֶל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָב֥וֹא עָלָ֛יו מַ֖יִם יִטְמָ֑א וְכָל־מַשְׁקֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשָּׁתֶ֔ה בְּכָל־כְּלִ֖י יִטְמָֽא:
מִכָּל־הָאֹכֶל אֲשֶׁר יֵֽאָכֵל - Any portion of food that is usually eaten. 

This refers back to the previous verse: “whatever is inside it will become ritually defiled” – i.e., any kind of food that is eaten and upon which water has fallen, when situated inside the ritually defiled earthenware vessel “can become ritually defiled.” Similarly, “any beverage that can be drunk in a vessel” and is situated inside the ritually defiled earthenware vessel “can become ritually defiled.”

We learn many things from here: We learn that food does not become susceptible and liable to contract ritual defilement until water has fallen upon it at one point, but if water has fallen upon it at any point, it can always contract ritual defilement, even when dry; and that wine, oil, and anything else in the category of מַשְׁקֶה “beverage” can make sown plants (i.e., food) susceptible to ritual defilement just like water, for the verse may be expounded in this way: “upon which has fallen water or any beverage that can be drunk in a vessel, that food can become ritually defiled.”

Our sages also derived from here that vessels cannot contract ritual defilement from an indirect source, for so we have learned: 1 I might think that all vessels become ritually defiled from the airspace of an earthenware vessel; Scripture therefore states: “whatever is inside it will become ritually defiled…any portion of food” – food can contract ritual defilement from the airspace of an earthenware vessel, but all kinds of vessels do not contract defilement from the air-space of an earthenware vessel, because the crawling creature is a primary source of ritual defilement, and the vessel that contracted ritual defilement from it is a secondary source of ritual defilement, and therefore it does not render the vessels inside it ritually defiled.

And we further derive from here that if a crawling creature fell inside an earthenware oven containing bread, and the crawling creature did not touch the bread, the oven becomes a first level of secondary ritual defilement and the bread becomes a second level of secondary ritual defilement. We do not say that we view the oven as if it were full of the primary ritual defilement and that the bread is a first level of secondary ritual defilement, for were you to say so, not all vessels could be excluded from contracting ritual defilement from the airspace of an earthenware vessel, for the actual primary ritual defilement would be considered to be touching them on their outside.

We further derive 2 from here that water falling onto plants does not render them susceptible to ritual defilement unless it falls upon them after they have been uprooted from the ground, for were you to say that they become susceptible while still attached, there is no plant that never had water fall upon it; what, then, does it mean when it says: “upon which water has fallen”? We further derive 3 that food cannot convey ritual defilement to other food unless its own volume is at least that of an egg, as it says: “that is eaten” – implying a portion of food that can be eaten at one time, and the sages calculated that the throat cannot hold more than the size of a chicken egg.

  מִכָּל־הָאֹכֶל אֲשֶׁר יֵֽאָכֵל.  מוּסָב עַל מִקְרָא הָעֶלְיוֹן: "כל אשר בתוכו יטמא מִכָּל הָאֹכֶל אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל" אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ עָלָיו מַיִם וְהוּא בְּתוֹךְ כְּלִי חֶרֶס הַטָּמֵא יִטְמָא (וְכֵן כָּל מַשְׁקֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁתֶה בְּכָל כְּלִי וְהוּא בְּתוֹךְ כְּלִי חֶרֶס הַטָּמֵא יִטְמָא). לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה, לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁאֵין אֹכֶל מֻכְשָׁר וּמְתֻקָּן לְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה עַד שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עָלָיו מַיִם פַּעַם אַחַת, וּמִשֶּׁבָּאוּ עָלָיו מַיִם פַּעַם אַחַת מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה לְעוֹלָם וַאֲפִלוּ נָגוּב, וְהַיַּיִן וְהַשֶּׁמֶן וְכָל הַנִּקְרָא מַשְׁקֶה מַכְשִׁיר זְרָעִים לְטֻמְאָה כַּמַּיִם, שֶׁכָּךְ יֵשׁ לִדְרֹשׁ הַמִּקְרָא: אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא עָלָיו מַיִם אוֹ כָל מַשְׁקֶה אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁתֶה בְּכָל כְּלִי, יִטְמָא הָאֹכֶל, וְעוֹד לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין וְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה מְטַמֵּא כֵלִים שֶׁכָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ (פסחים פ'), יָכוֹל יְהוּ כָל הַכֵּלִים מִטַּמְּאִין מֵאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶס תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכוֹ יִטְמָא מִכָּל הָאֹכֶל — אֹכֶל (וּמַשְׁקֶה) מִטַּמֵּא מֵאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶס וְאֵין כָּל הַכֵּלִים מִטַּמְּאִין מֵאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶס — לְפִי שֶׁהַשֶּׁרֶץ אַב הַטֻּמְאָה וְהַכְּלִי שֶׁנִּטְמָא מִמֶּנּוּ וְלַד הַטֻּמְאָה, לְפִיכָךְ אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמְטַמֵּא כֵלִים שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ, וְלָמַדְנוּ עוֹד שֶׁהַשֶּׁרֶץ שֶׁנָּפַל לַאֲוִיר הַתַּנּוּר וְהַפַּת בְּתוֹכוֹ וְלֹא נָגַע הַשֶּׁרֶץ בַּפַּת, הַתַּנּוּר רִאשׁוֹן וְהַפַּת שְׁנִיָּה, וְלֹא נֹאמַר רוֹאִין אֶת הַתַּנּוּר כְּאִלּוּ מָלֵא טֻמְאָה וּתְהֵא הַפַּת תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר כֵּן, לֹא נִתְמַעֲטוּ כָל הַכֵּלִים מִלִּטַּמֵּא מֵאֲוִיר כְּלִי חֶרֶס, שֶׁהֲרֵי טֻמְאָה עַצְמָהּ נָגְעָה בָּהֶן מִגַּבָּן, וְלָמַדְנוּ עוֹד עַל בִּיאַת מַיִם שֶׁאֵינָהּ מַכְשֶׁרֶת זְרָעִים אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נָפְלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן מִשֶּׁנִּתְלְשׁוּ, שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר מְקַבְּלִין הֶכְשֵׁר בִּמְחֻבָּר, אֵין לְךָ שֶׁלֹּא בָאוּ עָלָיו מַיִם, וּמַהוּ אוֹמֵר אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא עָלָיו מַיִם? וְלָמַדְנוּ עוֹד שֶׁאֵין אֹכֶל מְטַמֵּא אֲחֵרִים אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ בּוֹ כַּבֵּיצָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר "יֵאָכֵל" — אֹכֶל הַנֶּאֱכָל בְּבַת אֶחָת, וְשִׁעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים אֵין בֵּית הַבְּלִיעָה מַחֲזִיק יוֹתֵר מִבֵּיצַת תַּרְנְגֹלֶת (ספרא; יומא פ'):
35Anything upon which any part of the carcasses of these aforementioned animals falls will become ritually defiled. A portable earthenware oven or stove, once they have become ritually defiled must, be demolished. You may keep them intact for use in their defiled state.   להוְכֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁר־יִפֹּ֨ל מִנִּבְלָתָ֥ם | עָלָיו֘ יִטְמָא֒ תַּנּ֧וּר וְכִירַ֛יִם יֻתָּ֖ץ טְמֵאִ֣ים הֵ֑ם וּטְמֵאִ֖ים יִֽהְי֥וּ לָכֶֽם:
תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם - An oven or stove. These are movable vessels, made of earthenware and possessing an interior, and one places a pot over the opening of its hollow space, and both have their openings on top.   תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם.  כֵּלִים הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין הֵם, וְהֵן שֶׁל חֶרֶס וְיֵשׁ לָהֶן תּוֹךְ, וְשׁוֹפֵת עַל נֶקֶב הֶחָלָל אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם פִּיהֶם לְמַעְלָה:
יֻתָּץ - Must be demolished - for an earthenware vessel cannot become rid of ritual defilement through immersion in a mikveh.   יֻתָּץ.  שֶׁאֵין לִכְלֵי חֶרֶס טָהֳרָה בִּטְבִילָה:
וּטְמֵאִים יִֽהְיוּ לָכֶֽם - (lit.) They will be defiled for you. So that you not say: “I am under obligation to demolish them,” Scripture states: וּטְמֵאִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם “they may remain defiled for you,” that if you wish to keep them in their state of ritual defilement, you may.   וּטְמֵאִים יִֽהְיוּ לָכֶֽם.  שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר מְצֻוֶּה אֲנִי לְנָתְצָם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּטְמֵאִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם — אִם רָצָה לְקַיְּמָן בְּטֻמְאָתָן רַשַּׁאי:
36But the water in a spring, a cistern, or a gathering of water (mikveh) remains undefiled. Someone who is immersed in such water and touches the carcass of these creatures will become ritually defiled.   לואַ֣ךְ מַעְיָ֥ן וּב֛וֹר מִקְוֵה־מַ֖יִם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה טָה֑וֹר וְנֹגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם יִטְמָֽא:
אַךְ מַעְיָן וּבוֹר מִקְוֵה־מַיִם - But the water in a spring, a cistern, or a gathering of water - that are attached to the ground cannot contract defilement. You may also understand the phrase יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר as teaching that one who immerses himself in them will be rid of his ritual defilement.   אַךְ מַעְיָן וּבוֹר מִקְוֵה־מַיִם.  הַמְחֻבָּרִים לַקַּרְקַע אֵין מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה, וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לְךָ לִלְמֹד, יהיה טהור — הַטּוֹבֵל בָּהֶם מִטֻּמְאָתוֹ:
וְנֹגֵעַ בְּנִבְלָתָם יִטְמָֽא - (lit.) But one who touches their carcass will become defiled. Even if he is inside a spring or cistern and touches their carcass, he becomes ritually defiled. This is stated so that you not apply an a fortiori argument: If it purifies the ritually defiled from their ritual defilement, all the more should it prevent the ritually undefiled from becoming ritually defiled. It therefore says: “but one who touches their carcass will become ritually defiled.”   וְנֹגֵעַ בְּנִבְלָתָם יִטְמָֽא.  אֲפִלּוּ הוּא בְּתוֹךְ מַעְיָן וּבוֹר וְנוֹגֵעַ בְּטֻמְאָתָם יִטְמָא; שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר קַל וָחֹמֶר: אִם מְטַהֵר אֶת הַטְּמֵאִים מִטֻּמְאָתָם קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁיַּצִּיל אֶת הַטָּהוֹר מִלִּטַּמֵּא לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְנֹגֵעַ בְּנִבְלָתָם יִטְמָא (נדרים ע"ה):
37If any part of the carcass of any of these aforementioned animals falls upon any sown plant while it is still sown, i.e., before it has been uprooted, it remains undefiled,   לזוְכִ֤י יִפֹּל֙ מִנִּבְלָתָ֔ם עַל־כָּל־זֶ֥רַע זֵר֖וּעַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִזָּרֵ֑עַ טָה֖וֹר הֽוּא:
זֶרַע זֵרוּעַ - means “the planting of species of seed.” זֵרוּעַ is a noun, as in: “and let them give us from the pulses (הַזֵּרֹעִים).” 4   זֶרַע זֵרוּעַ.  זְרִיעָה שֶׁל מִינֵי זֵרְעוֹנִין; זֵרוּעַ שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ וְיִתְּנוּ לָנוּ מִן הַזֵּרֹעִים (דניאל א'):
טָהוֹר הֽוּא - It remains undefiled. The verse teaches you that it does not become susceptible and ready to be termed food and thereby contract defilement until water falls upon it.   טָהוֹר הֽוּא.  לִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁלֹּא הֻכְשַׁר וְנִתְקַן לִקָּרוֹת אֹכֶל לְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה עַד שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עָלָיו מָיִם:
38but if water is put upon sown plants that have been uprooted and any of their carcasses falls on them, they become ritually defiled for you.   לחוְכִ֤י יֻתַּן־מַ֨יִם֙ עַל־זֶ֔רַע וְנָפַ֥ל מִנִּבְלָתָ֖ם עָלָ֑יו טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם:
וְכִי יֻתַּן־מַיִם עַל־זֶרַע - But if water is put on sown plants - after it has been uprooted, for were you to say susceptibility to ritual defilement can be effected while a plant is still attached to the ground, then there is no plant that has not become susceptible to ritual defilement.   וְכִי יֻתַּן־מַיִם עַל־זֶרַע.  לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְלַשׁ, שֶׁאִם תֹּאמַר יֵשׁ הֶכְשֵׁר בִּמְחֻבָּר, אֵין לְךָ זֶרַע שֶׁלֹּא הֻכְשָׁר (חולין קי"ח):
מַיִם עַל־זֶרַע - [But] if water [is put] on sown plants - the same law applies whether it is water or other liquids termed as beverages, whether they were put on the plant or the plant fell into them. All this is expounded in Torat Kohanim.   מַיִם עַל־זֶרַע.  בֵּין מַיִם בֵּין שְׁאָר מַשְׁקִין, בֵּין הֵם עַל הַזֶּרַע בֵּין זֶרַע נוֹפֵל לְתוֹכָן, הַכֹּל נִדְרָשׁ בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים:
וְנָפַל מִנִּבְלָתָם עָלָיו - And any of their carcasses falls on them - even after it was dried of the water, for the Torah was only particular that the title “food” apply to it in order to contract ritual defilement, and once its susceptibility to contract ritual defilement has taken effect at one point, it is not withdrawn from it later.   וְנָפַל מִנִּבְלָתָם עָלָיו.  אַף מִשֶּׁנֻּגַּב מִן הַמַּיִם, שֶׁלֹּא הִקְפִּידָה תוֹרָה אֶלָּא לִהְיוֹת עָלָיו שֵׁם אֹכֶל, וּמִשֶּׁיָּרַד לוֹ הֶכְשֵׁר קַבָּלַת טֻמְאָה פַּעַם אַחַת, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ נֶעֱקָר הֵימֶנּוּ:
39If an animal that you are permitted to eat dies, one who touches its carcass will be ritually defiled until nightfall.   לטוְכִ֤י יָמוּת֙ מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָ֑ה הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖הּ יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
בְּנִבְלָתָהּ - Their carcasses - but not if he touched its bones or sinews, its horns or hooves, or its hide.   בְּנִבְלָתָהּ.  וְלֹא בָעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִין וְלֹא בַקַּרְנַיִם וּטְלָפַיִם וְלֹא בָעוֹר (ספרא):
40One who eats of its carcass must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh, besides being ritually defiled himself until nightfall. One who carries its carcass must immerse his garments in the water of a mikveh, and he himself will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.   מוְהָֽאֹכֵל֙ מִנִּבְלָתָ֔הּ יְכַבֵּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהַנֹּשֵׂא֙ אֶת־נִבְלָתָ֔הּ יְכַבֵּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְהַנֹּשֵׂא אֶת־נִבְלָתָהּ - One who carries its carcass. Ritual defilement due to carrying a carcass is more stringent than ritual defilement due to touching it, for by carrying it one renders his garments also ritually defiled, but by touching it one does not render his garments ritually defiled, for regarding him it does not say “he must immerse his garments.”   וְהַנֹּשֵׂא אֶת־נִבְלָתָהּ.  חֲמוּרָה טֻמְאַת מַשָּׂא מִטֻּמְאַת מַגָּע, שֶׁהַנּוֹשֵׂא מְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים, וְהַנּוֹגֵעַ אֵין בְּגָדָיו טְמֵאִין, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו:
וְהָֽאֹכֵל מִנִּבְלָתָהּ - One who eats of its carcass. I might think that eating of a carcass renders him ritually defiled in that he must immerse his garments. When it says regarding carrion of a usually permitted fowl: “He must not eat from the carcass of a fowl that can become forbidden on account of being found to be suffering from a fatal defect, thereby becoming ritually defiled by it,” 5 this implies that only that kind of carcass renders one’s garments ritually defiled by eating it, but the carcass of a spiritually defiled animal does not render one’s garments ritually defiled by eating it without carrying it, for example, if his fellow stuck it into his throat while he himself did not move. If so, why does Scripture state: “one who eats”? To define the volume of the carcass that can render one carrying or touching it ritually defiled as the minimum amount called “eating,” i.e., the size of an olive.   וְהָֽאֹכֵל מִנִּבְלָתָהּ.  יָכוֹל תְּטַמְּאֶנּוּ אֲכִילָתוֹ? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בְּנִבְלַת עוֹף טָהוֹר (ויקרא כ"ב) "נְבֵלָה וּטְרֵפָה לֹא יֹאכַל לְטָמְאָה בָהּ", בָהּ — אוֹתָהּ מְטַמָּא בְגָדִים בַּאֲכִילָתָהּ וְאֵין נִבְלַת בְּהֵמָה מְטַמָּא בְגָדִים בַּאֲכִילָתָהּ בְּלֹא מַשָּׂא, כְּגוֹן אִם תְּחָבָהּ לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ בְּבֵית הַבְּלִיעָה, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הָאֹכֵל? לִתֵּן שִׁעוּר לַנּוֹשֵׂא וְלַנּוֹגֵעַ כְּדֵי אֲכִילָה, וְהוּא כַּזַּיִת (ספרא; נדה מ"ב):
וְטָמֵא עַד־הָעָרֶב - And he will remain ritually defiled until nightfall - i.e., even though he has immersed himself, he must wait for nightfall to be rid of ritual defilement.   וְטָמֵא עַד־הָעָרֶב.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁטָּבַל צָרִיךְ הַעֲרֵב שֶׁמֶשׁ:
41Any non-flying crawling creature that crawls on the ground is considered loathsome; it must not be eaten.   מאוְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לֹ֥א יֵֽאָכֵֽל:
הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל־הָאָרֶץ - That crawls on the ground. This excludes the gnats in peas and in beans and the mites in lentils, as they have not yet crawled on the ground but only within the food. However, once they emerge into the air and crawl, they become forbidden.   הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל־הָאָרֶץ.  לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַיַּתּוּשִׁין שֶׁבַּכְּלִיסִין וְשֶׁבַּפּוֹלִין, וְאֶת הַזִּיזִין שֶׁבָּעֲדָשִׁים, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא שָׁרְצוּ עַל הָאָרֶץ אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ הָאֹכֶל, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁיָּצְאוּ לָאֲוִיר וְשָׁרְצוּ הֲרֵי נֶאֱסְרוּ (ספרא; חולין ס"ז):
לֹא יֵֽאָכֵֽל - It must not be eaten. The passive form indicates that one who feeds such a creature to others is liable just like one who eats it. The term שֶׁרֶץ applies only to a low creature with short legs, such that it seems merely to be moving and creeping along.   לֹא יֵֽאָכֵֽל.  לְחַיֵּב עַל הַמַּאֲכִיל כָּאוֹכֵל; וְאֵין קָרוּי שֶׁרֶץ אֶלָּא דָּבָר נָמוּךְ, קְצַר רַגְלַיִם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה אֶלָּא כְּרוֹחֵשׁ וְנָד:
42Regarding all crawling creatures that only crawl on the ground—i.e., the snake, who moves about bent over; any creature that moves about only on its belly; the scorpion, who walks on four legs; and any creature that walks on more than four legs, including any creature that has many legs—you may not eat these, for they must be considered loathsome.   מבכֹּל֩ הוֹלֵ֨ךְ עַל־גָּח֜וֹן וְכֹ֣ל | הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עַל־אַרְבַּ֗ע עַ֚ד כָּל־מַרְבֵּ֣ה רַגְלַ֔יִם לְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ לֹ֥א תֹֽאכְל֖וּם כִּי־שֶׁ֥קֶץ הֵֽם:
הוֹלֵךְ עַל־גָּחוֹן - Who moves about bent over. This refers to the snake. The term גָּחוֹן means “bending over,” for it moves bent over and then falls on its belly.   הוֹלֵךְ עַל־גָּחוֹן.  זֶה נָחָשׁ, וּלְשׁוֹן גָּחוֹן שְׁחִיָּה, שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ שָׁח וְנוֹפֵל עַל מֵעָיו:
כֹּל הוֹלֵךְ - Any [creature] that moves. The term כֹּל “anything” includes worms and anything somewhat similar to the snake in that they also move on their belly.   כֹּל הוֹלֵךְ.  לְהָבִיא הַשִּׁלְשׁוּלִין וְאֶת הַדּוֹמֶה לַדּוֹמֶה:
הוֹלֵךְ עַל־אַרְבַּע - Who walks on four [legs]. This refers to the scorpion.   הוֹלֵךְ עַל־אַרְבַּע.  זֶה עַקְרָב:
כֹּל - Any [creature]. This is added to include the beetle – “escarbot” in Old French – and anything that is somewhat similar to the scorpion, although not exactly, as they have more than four legs.   כֹּל.  לְהָבִיא אֶת הַחִפּוּשִׁית, אשקר"בוט בְּלַעַז, וְאֶת הַדּוֹמֶה לַדּוֹמֶה:
מַרְבֵּה רַגְלַיִם - That has many legs. This refers to the centipede, a crawling creature so called because it has legs from its head to its tail on both sides of its body, called “centpied” in Old French.   מַרְבֵּה רַגְלַיִם.  זֶה נַדָּל, שֶׁרֶץ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ רַגְלַיִם מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד זְנָבוֹ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן, וְקוֹרִין צינטפי"דש (ספרא):
43You must not make yourselves loathsome by eating any crawling creature that only crawls on the ground. You must not spiritually defile yourselves by eating them, for if you do, you will remain spiritually defiled in the afterlife through having eaten them in this life.   מגאַל־תְּשַׁקְּצוּ֙ אֶת־נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֑ץ וְלֹ֤א תִטַּמְּאוּ֙ בָּהֶ֔ם וְנִטְמֵתֶ֖ם בָּֽם:
אַל־תְּשַׁקְּצוּ - You must not make [yourselves] loathsome - by eating them, for it says: נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם (lit.) “your souls,” and the soul does not become loathsome through merely touching. Similarly, the later phrase, “you must not spiritually defile yourselves,” refers to eating them.   אַל־תְּשַׁקְּצוּ.  בַּאֲכִילָתָן, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּתִיב נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם וְאֵין שִׁקּוּץ נֶפֶשׁ בְּמַגָּע, וְכֵן וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ בַּאֲכִילָתָם:
וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּֽם - (lit.) And you will be defiled through them. If you spiritually defile yourselves through them on earth, I will also spiritually defile you in the World to Come and in the heavenly academy.   וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּֽם.  אִם אַתֶּם מִטַּמְּאִין בָּהֶם בָּאָרֶץ, אַף אֲנִי מְטַמֵּא אֶתְכֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא וּבִישִׁיבַת מַעְלָה (יומא ל"ט):
44For I am God, your God; you must sanctify yourselves so you will be holy just as I am holy. You must not spiritually defile yourselves by eating any crawling creature that crawls on the ground.   מדכִּ֣י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָה֘ אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֒ וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙ וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם קְדשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אָ֑נִי וְלֹ֤א תְטַמְּאוּ֙ אֶת־נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם - For I am God, your God - i.e., just as I am holy, for I am God, your God, so “you must sanctify yourselves” on the earth below.   כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם.  כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי קָדוֹשׁ שֶׁאֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, כָּךְ וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם — קַדְּשׁוּ עַצְמְכֶם לְמַטָּה:
וִֽהְיִיתֶם קְדשִׁים - So you will become holy - because I will make you holy above and in the World to Come.   וִֽהְיִיתֶם קְדשִׁים.  לְפִי שֶׁאֲנִי אֲקַדֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם לְמַעְלָה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ וגו' - You must not spiritually defile [yourselves]… This is repeated to indicate that one can transgress multiple passive commandments by eating them, each passive commandment being punishable by lashes. This is the source for what is stated in the Talmud: 6 “If one ate a putita (species of water reptile), he receives four sets of lashes; for an ant, he receives five sets of lashes; for a wasp, he receives six sets of lashes.”   וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ וגו'.  לַעֲבֹר עֲלֵיהֶם בְּלָאוִין הַרְבֵּה, וְכָל לָאו מַלְקוּת, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּתַּלְמוּד (מכות ט"ז:), אָכַל פּוּטִיתָא לוֹקֶה אַרְבַּע, נְמָלָה לוֹקֶה חָמֵשׁ, צִרְעָה לוֹקֶה שֵׁשׁ:
45You must obey these commandments because I am God, who brought you up from Egypt on the condition that I be your God. Thus, you must be holy, because I am holy and command you to be so.   מהכִּ֣י | אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה הַמַּֽעֲלֶ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִֽהְיֹ֥ת לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם קְדשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אָֽנִי:
כִּי אֲנִי ה' הַמַּֽעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם - Because I am God who brought you up - i.e., on condition that you accept My commandments did I bring you up. Another explanation of “Because I am God who brought you up”: In all other places it is written הוֹצֵאתִי “who took you out,” but here it is written הַמַּעֲלֶה “who brought you up.” Regarding this, it was taught in the School of Rabbi Yishmael: God said, in effect: If I would have brought the Israelites up from Egypt solely in order not to spiritually defile themselves through eating crawling creatures like the other nations do, this would have been a sufficient accomplishment for them, as they become spiritually elevated by it, and this is indicated by the expression “brought up.”   כִּי אֲנִי ה' הַמַּֽעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם.  עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ מִצְוֹתַי הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי אֲנִי ה' הַמַּעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם: בְּכֻלָּן כְּתִיב "הוֹצֵאתִי" וְכָאן כְּתִיב "הַמַּעֲלֶה", תָּנָא דְבֵי רַ' יִשְׁמָעֵאל אִלְּמָלֵי לֹא הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת יִשְֹרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵין מִטַּמְּאִין בִּשְׁרָצִים כִּשְׁאָר אֻמּוֹת דַּיָּם, וּמַעַלְיוּתָא הִיא גַּבַּיְהוּ, זֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן מַעֲלָה:
46The above section is the law regarding the permissibility of eating mammals, fowl, all living creatures that move in water, and all creatures that creep on the ground.   מוזֹ֣את תּוֹרַ֤ת הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וְהָע֔וֹף וְכֹל֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֔ה הָֽרֹמֶ֖שֶׂת בַּמָּ֑יִם וּלְכָל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ הַשֹּׁרֶ֥צֶת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
47You must be able to distinguish between improper ritual slaughter, which causes the animal’s carcass to be ritually defiled, and proper ritual slaughter, which leaves the dead animal ritually undefiled. Similarly, you must be able to distinguish between an animal that is allowed to be eaten and an animal that may not be eaten.”   מזלְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבֵ֣ין הַטָּהֹ֑ר וּבֵ֤ין הַֽחַיָּה֙ הַנֶּֽאֱכֶ֔לֶת וּבֵין֙ הַֽחַיָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א תֵֽאָכֵֽל:
לְהַבְדִּיל - To distinguish - i.e., it is not enough to only study these laws, but you must know them, recognize them, and be proficient in them.   לְהַבְדִּיל.  לֹא בִּלְבַד הַשּׁוֹנֶה, אֶלָּא שֶׁתְּהֵא יוֹדֵעַ וּמַכִּיר וּבָקִי בָּהֶן (ספרא):
בֵּין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹר - (lit.) Between the defiled and the undefiled. Is it necessary to tell us to distinguish between a donkey and a cow? Are their distinguishing marks not already stated explicitly? Rather, the intent is that you know how to distinguish between one that is ritually defiled and can thus ritually defile you if you touch or carry it and one that remains ritually undefiled and thus cannot ritually defile you, i.e., between an animal whose trachea was cut only halfway during slaughter, rendering the slaughter invalid and the animal a carcass, and one whose trachea was cut even slightly more than halfway, where the slaughter is valid.   בֵּין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹר.  צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בֵּין חֲמוֹר לְפָרָה, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר מְפֹרָשִׁים הֵם? אֶלָּא בֵּין טְמֵאָה לְךָ לִטְהוֹרָה לְךָ — בֵּין נִשְׁחַט חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁל קָנֶה לְנִשְׁחַט רֻבּוֹ:
וּבֵין הַֽחַיָּה הַנֶּֽאֱכֶלֶת - And between an animal that is allowed to be eaten. Is it necessary to tell us to distinguish between a deer and a wild donkey? Are their distinguishing marks not already stated explicitly? Rather it is telling you to distinguish between those animals that developed signs of disease or injury that is not fatal, which remains fit for consumption, and those that developed signs of fatal disease or injury, rendering it unfit. End of Parashat Shemini   וּבֵין הַֽחַיָּה הַנֶּֽאֱכֶלֶת.  צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בֵּין צְבִי לְעָרוֹד וַהֲלֹא כְבָר מְפֹרָשִׁים הֵם? אֶלָּא בֵּין שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ בָהּ סִימָנֵי טְרֵפָה כְּשֵׁרָה לְנוֹלְדוּ בָהּ סִימָנֵי טְרֵפָה פְּסוּלָה (ספרא):