וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֥ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃

The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them. God addresses Aaron as well as Moses, whether due to the connection between purity and impurity and the matters of the Temple and its consecrated items, or due to the fact that the priests are to be the teachers of Torah to the people.

דַּבְּר֛וּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֹ֤את הַֽחַיָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכְל֔וּ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Speak to the children of Israel, saying: These are the living creatures that you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth, i.e., land animals:

כֹּ֣ל ׀ מַפְרֶ֣סֶת פַּרְסָ֗ה וְשֹׁסַ֤עַת שֶׁ֙סַע֙ פְּרָסֹ֔ת מַעֲלַ֥ת גֵּרָ֖ה בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה אֹתָ֖הּ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

Anything that has hooves , as opposed to paws, e.g., dogs, cats, and bears, and specifically, if the hooves are split, like those of sheep, goats, and cows, and if, in addition to this, it brings up the cud, it regurgitates its food and chews it a second time, among the animals, that you may eat. `

אַ֤ךְ אֶת־זֶה֙ לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִֽמַּעֲלֵי֙ הַגֵּרָ֔ה וּמִמַּפְרִיסֵ֖י הַפַּרְסָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֠גָּמָל כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֨ה גֵרָ֜ה ה֗וּא וּפַרְסָה֙ אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מַפְרִ֔יס טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃

However, these you shall not eat from those that bring up

וְאֶת־הַשָּׁפָ֗ן כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֤ה גֵרָה֙ ה֔וּא וּפַרְסָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַפְרִ֑יס טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃

T he hyrax, which lives in rocky terrain in Israel and other regions, you may not consume, because it brings up the cud but it does not have hooves. Although the hyrax does not have four stomachs like ruminant animals, it chews in a manner that makes it appear as if it chews its cud. With regard to its feet, while there are nails that resemble hooves at the ends of its toes, it does not have one hoof that includes multiple toes, and consequently it is impure to you.

וְאֶת־הָאַרְנֶ֗בֶת כִּֽי־מַעֲלַ֤ת גֵּרָה֙ הִ֔וא וּפַרְסָ֖ה לֹ֣א הִפְרִ֑יסָה טְמֵאָ֥ה הִ֖וא לָכֶֽם׃

T he hare, because it appears as if it brings up the cud but it does not have hooves, and it is therefore impure to you.

וְאֶת־הַ֠חֲזִיר כִּֽי־מַפְרִ֨יס פַּרְסָ֜ה ה֗וּא וְשֹׁסַ֥ע שֶׁ֙סַע֙ פַּרְסָ֔ה וְה֖וּא גֵּרָ֣ה לֹֽא־יִגָּ֑ר טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃

And the pig, because it has hooves, and its hoof is split, like those of kosher animals, but it does not chew the cud at all. Consequently, it is impure to you.

מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֣א תִגָּ֑עוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃

From their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. The Sages derive from other verses that the latter prohibition applies only to one who wishes to enter the Temple or handle consecrated items, e.g., during a festival pilgrimage, since one may do so only when ritually pure. They are impure to you in both senses of the term. Their consumption is prohibited, and their carcasses impart ritual impurity upon contact.

אֶת־זֶה֙ תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֩ סְנַפִּ֨יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֜שֶׂת בַּמַּ֗יִם בַּיַּמִּ֛ים וּבַנְּחָלִ֖ים אֹתָ֥ם תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

This you may eat from everything that is in the water: All things that have fins and scales in the water, even if they fall off when the creature is removed from the water. Whether such a creature is in the seas, or in the rivers, those you may eat.

וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ל֜וֹ סְנַפִּ֣יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֗שֶׂת בַּיַּמִּים֙ וּבַנְּחָלִ֔ים מִכֹּל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הַמַּ֔יִם וּמִכֹּ֛ל נֶ֥פֶשׁ הַחַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃

And all things that do not have fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers, of all small creatures that swarm slowly in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the water, whether they are fish, such as eels and most cartilaginous fish, or whether they are not fish, e.g., marine mammals such as whales or dolphins, with regard to all these creatures that do not have scales, whether they ascend upon land or not, they are a destable thing to you.

וְשֶׁ֖קֶץ יִהְי֣וּ לָכֶ֑ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וְאֶת־נִבְלָתָ֖ם תְּשַׁקֵּֽצוּ׃

They shall be a detestable thing to you; you shall not eat from their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest . There is an opinion that the requirement to detest their carcasses indicates a prohibition against commercial activity involving creatures prohibited for consumption.

כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת בַּמָּ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃

The verse reiterates: Anything that does not have fins and scales in the water, which includes most water creatures, is a detestable thing to you.

וְאֶת־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ תְּשַׁקְּצ֣וּ מִן־הָע֔וֹף לֹ֥א יֵאָכְל֖וּ שֶׁ֣קֶץ הֵ֑ם אֶת־הַנֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ וְאֶת־הַפֶּ֔רֶס וְאֵ֖ת הָעָזְנִיָּֽה׃

And these you shall detest and distance yourselves from them, among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, and the lappet-faced vulture.

וְאֶת־הַ֨דָּאָ֔ה וְאֶת־הָאַיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ׃

And the kite, and the buzzard after its kind. The prohibition against consuming the buzzard does not apply to a specific bird but to a group of birds of similar or identical species. The Talmud states: There are one hundred non-kosher birds in the east, and they are all species of ayya .

אֵ֥ת כָּל־עֹרֵ֖ב לְמִינֽוֹ׃

Every raven after its kind. Most species of raven are easily identified, due to their similarity in appearance. There are, however, some birds whose identity as ravens is disputed.

וְאֵת֙ בַּ֣ת הַֽיַּעֲנָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַתַּחְמָ֖ס וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑חַף וְאֶת־הַנֵּ֖ץ לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃

And the ostrich, a large flightless bird found mainly in desert climates, and the swift, the seagull,

וְאֶת־הַכּ֥וֹס וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ךְ וְאֶת־הַיַּנְשֽׁוּף׃

The little owl, the fish owl, a coastal bird that snatches fish from the sea, and the short-eared owl.

וְאֶת־הַתִּנְשֶׁ֥מֶת וְאֶת־הַקָּאָ֖ת וְאֶת־הָרָחָֽם׃

The barn owl, the eagle-owl, and the roller.

וְאֵת֙ הַחֲסִידָ֔ה הָאֲנָפָ֖ה לְמִינָ֑הּ וְאֶת־הַדּוּכִיפַ֖ת וְאֶת־הָעֲטַלֵּֽף׃

The stork [ h · ]. Although ḥasida refers to the stork in modern Hebrew, the true identity of the ḥasida was a matter of disagreement among Jews in the Middle Ages. Jews living in central and eastern Europe considered the stork a non-kosher bird, while the Jews of Spain considered it kosher. And the heron, a bird similar to the ḥasida , after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. The bat is a mammal, not a bird. It is listed here among the fowl because the Torah does not use modern zoological categories. The Hebrew for fowl, of is literally rendered flying creatures, which include the bat.

כֹּ֚ל שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עַל־אַרְבַּ֑ע שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ (ס)

Every flying swarming creature that walks on all fours, flying insects that have four legs and two additional limbs, which are not feet but are used for walking, e.g., ants, each of these creatures is a detestable thing to you.

אַ֤ךְ אֶת־זֶה֙ תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עַל־אַרְבַּ֑ע אֲשֶׁר־לא [ל֤וֹ] כְרָעַ֙יִם֙ מִמַּ֣עַל לְרַגְלָ֔יו לְנַתֵּ֥ר בָּהֵ֖ן עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

However, this you may eat from all flying swarming

אֶת־אֵ֤לֶּה מֵהֶם֙ תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ אֶת־הָֽאַרְבֶּ֣ה לְמִינ֔וֹ וְאֶת־הַסָּלְעָ֖ם לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַחַרְגֹּ֣ל לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְאֶת־הֶחָגָ֖ב לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃

These of them you may eat: the locust after its kind, the bald locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. In summary, flying swarming creatures are generally prohibited for consumption, with the exception of a few permitted species.

וְכֹל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ אַרְבַּ֣ע רַגְלָ֑יִם שֶׁ֥קֶץ ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃

But all flying swarming creatures that have four feet are a detestable thing to you.

וּלְאֵ֖לֶּה תִּטַּמָּ֑אוּ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

By these creatures that will be enumerated below you shall become impure. Not only is their consumption prohibited, but also anyone who touches their carcasses shall be impure until the evening.

וְכָל־הַנֹּשֵׂ֖א מִנִּבְלָתָ֑ם יְכַבֵּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

And furthermore, anyone who carries some of their carcasses, even without touching them, e.g., one who carries their carcasses inside a sack, shall wash his garments, and be impure until the evening. The act of carrying them renders him and his garments ritually impure.

לְֽכָל־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִוא֩ מַפְרֶ֨סֶת פַּרְסָ֜ה וְשֶׁ֣סַע ׀ אֵינֶ֣נָּה שֹׁסַ֗עַת וְגֵרָה֙ אֵינֶ֣נָּה מַעֲלָ֔ה טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהֶ֖ם יִטְמָֽא׃

In addition, with regard to any animal that has hooves, but they are not split, e.g., a horse, which has round hooves that are not split, or it does not bring up the cud, it is impure to you. Their carcasses also impart impurity through contact and through carrying; anyone who touches their carcasses shall become impure.

וְכֹ֣ל ׀ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עַל־כַּפָּ֗יו בְּכָל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת עַל־אַרְבַּ֔ע טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בְּנִבְלָתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

And likewise, anything that walks on its paws, that does not have hooves, among all beasts that walk on all fours, a category that includes most mammals, they are impure to you; anyone who touches their carcasses shall be impure until the evening.

וְהַנֹּשֵׂא֙ אֶת־נִבְלָתָ֔ם יְכַבֵּ֥ס בְּגָדָ֖יו וְטָמֵ֣א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖מָּה לָכֶֽם׃ (ס)

And similarly, one who carries their carcasses shall wash his garments and shall be impure until the evening; they are impure to you.

וְזֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ הַטָּמֵ֔א בַּשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ הַחֹ֥לֶד וְהָעַכְבָּ֖ר וְהַצָּ֥ב לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃

And this is impure to you among the swarming creatures that teem upon the earth. These are small creatures that do not necessarily belong to the same zoological category: the marten, the mouse, and the spiny-tailed lizard after its kind. Although some opinions maintain that tzav refers to a turtle, as it does in modern Hebrew, many commentaries understand that the verse is referring to a different creature.

וְהָאֲנָקָ֥ה וְהַכֹּ֖חַ וְהַלְּטָאָ֑ה וְהַחֹ֖מֶט וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃

The shrew, the monitor, the lizard, the skink, and the

אֵ֛לֶּה הַטְּמֵאִ֥ים לָכֶ֖ם בְּכָל־הַשָּׁ֑רֶץ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֧עַ בָּהֶ֛ם בְּמֹתָ֖ם יִטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב׃

These are those that are impure to you among all the swarming creatures, in the sense that anyone who touches them when they are dead shall be impure until the evening. In addition to the prohibition against eating these creatures, which is due to their lack of kosher signs, they also impart ritual impurity to one who touches their carcasses. Since these swarming creatures are commonly found in human habitations, especially in rural areas, the impurity due to swarming creatures is particularly widespread.

וְכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יִפֹּל־עָלָיו֩ מֵהֶ֨ם ׀ בְּמֹתָ֜ם יִטְמָ֗א מִכָּל־כְּלִי־עֵץ֙ א֣וֹ בֶ֤גֶד אוֹ־עוֹר֙ א֣וֹ שָׂ֔ק כָּל־כְּלִ֕י אֲשֶׁר־יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה מְלָאכָ֖ה בָּהֶ֑ם בַּמַּ֧יִם יוּבָ֛א וְטָמֵ֥א עַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב וְטָהֵֽר׃

And not only is a person who touches them rendered ritually impure, but anything upon which some of these swarming creatures may fall when they are dead shall become impure. The verse specifies: From any wooden implement, or garment, or leather, or sackcloth, any fashioned item with which work is done, which is designed to be used for work, not raw material or a vessel that is still being processed, it shall be brought into water, immersed, and it shall be impure until the evening; and then it will be purified.