Leviticus-Chapter-11

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Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the JPS-1917 is my preferred version!

Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

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“Leviticus Chapter 11”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Parashat Shemini reaches a pivotal moment in Leviticus Chapter 11, moving from the communal service of the Tabernacle to the personal sanctity of the individual. Having established how the Priests must conduct themselves in the Sanctuary, the Torah now outlines how every Israelite must conduct themselves in the "sanctuary" of their own home and body. This chapter introduces the laws of Kashrut (dietary laws), establishing a fundamental boundary between the permitted and the forbidden. It serves as a spiritual discipline, reminding us that even the most mundane act, eating is an opportunity to exercise holiness and mindfulness.

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Let us read Leviticus Chapter 11, verses 1 to 47: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary on same.

1 And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them: 2 ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: These are the living things which ye may eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is wholly cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that may ye eat. 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that only chew the cud, or of them that only part the hoof: the camel, because he cheweth the cud but parteth not the hoof, he is unclean unto you. 5 And the rock-badger, because he cheweth the cud but parteth not the hoof, he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because she cheweth the cud but parteth not the hoof, she is unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, because he parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, but cheweth not the cud, he is unclean unto you. 8 Of their flesh ye shall not eat, and their carcasses ye shall not touch; they are unclean unto you. 9 These may ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them may ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that swarm in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are a detestable thing unto you, 11 and they shall be a detestable thing unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses ye shall have in detestation. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that is a detestable thing unto you. 13 And these ye shall have in detestation among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the great vulture, and the bearded vulture, and the ospray; 14 and the kite, and the falcon after its kinds; 15 every raven after its kinds; 16 and the ostrich, and the night-hawk, and the sea-mew, and the hawk after its kinds; 17 and the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl; 18 and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the carrion-vulture; 19 and the stork, and the heron after its kinds, and the hoopoe, and the bat. 20 All winged swarming things that go upon all fours are a detestable thing unto you. 21 Yet these may ye eat of all winged swarming things that go upon all fours, which have jointed legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth; 22 even these of them ye may eat: the locust after its kinds, and the bald locust after its kinds, and the cricket after its kinds, and the grasshopper after its kinds. 23 But all winged swarming things, which have four feet, are a detestable thing unto you. 24 And by these ye shall become unclean; whosoever toucheth the carcass of them shall be unclean until even. 25 And whosoever beareth aught of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 26 Every beast which parteth the hoof, but is not cloven footed, nor cheweth the cud, is unclean unto you; every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27 And whatsoever goeth upon its paws, among all beasts that go on all fours, they are unclean unto you; whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even. 28 And he that beareth the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even; they are unclean unto you. 29 And these are they which are unclean unto you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, and the mouse, and the great lizard after its kinds, 30 and the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the sand-lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These are they which are unclean to you among all that swarm; whosoever doth touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the even. 32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherewith any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; then shall it be clean. 33 And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean, and it ye shall break. 34 All food therein which may be eaten, that on which water cometh, shall be unclean; and all drink in every such vessel that may be drunk shall be unclean. 35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. 36 Nevertheless a fountain or a cistern wherein is a gathering of water shall be clean; but he who toucheth their carcass shall be unclean. 37 And if aught of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. 38 But if water be put upon the seed, and aught of their carcass fall thereon, it is unclean unto you. 39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die, he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even. 40 And he that eateth of the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even; he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 41 And every swarming thing that swarmeth upon the earth is a detestable thing; it shall not be eaten. 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all fours, or whatsoever hath many feet, even all swarming things that swarm upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are a detestable thing. 43 Ye shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarmeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. 44 For I am יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moveth upon the earth. 45 For I am יְהוָה - the LORD that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God); ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. 46 This is the law of the beast, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that swarmeth upon the earth; 47 to make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten’”.

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Commentary on Leviticus Chapter 11:

Verses 1-8: (The Logic of Distinction). The chapter begins with a call to both Moses and Aaron, emphasizing that these laws are both a matter of Divine decree and priestly instruction. The criteria for land animals, cloven hooves and rumination require a “complete” physical sign. These are not merely arbitrary biological markers; they represent a middle ground of herbivorous, non-predatory animals. By avoiding predators, the Israelite avoids ingesting the “personality” of cruelty.

Verses 9-12): (The Boundary of the Waters). In the aquatic realm, the requirement for fins and scales ensures that we only consume fish that “move” through the water with specific equipment. This excludes bottom-feeders and scavengers. The repetition of the word sheketz (abomination) regarding those without these signs emphasizes a spiritual revulsion rather than a hygienic one.

Verses 13-19: (The Prohibited Birds). Unlike land animals and fish, the Torah does not give “signs” for birds, but instead lists specific forbidden species. Modern analysis shows these are almost exclusively birds of prey or scavengers. We are commanded to distance ourselves from the consumption of blood and the act of hunting, reinforcing the Jewish ideal of mercy.

Verses 20-43: (The Creeping Things and Purity). The Torah addresses the “swarming things” (sheretz), which represent chaos and the blurring of boundaries. The laws of Tumah (ritual impurity) through contact with carcasses (verses 24-40) teach us about the gravity of death. Impurity is not “dirt”, but a state of being disconnected from the source of life. The focus on vessels (wood, cloth, skin) being immersed in water (verse 32) underscores the theme of rebirth and transition back to a state of purity.

Verses 44-47: (The Purpose: Imitating the Divine). The climax of the chapter is the explicit reason for these restrictions:

“For I am יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloheichem (God); sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am Holy”.

These laws are a mechanism for Imitatio Dei. Just as the Almighty is set apart and distinct, Israel must also be a “set apart” people!

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My Closing Message:

Leviticus 11 teaches us that holiness is not found by escaping the physical world, but by refining it. By choosing what we eat based on Divine mandate, rather than a mere appetite, we transform a biological necessity into a spiritual exercise. We learn that our bodies are not our own to do with as we please, but are vessels for the soul. May we take the lessons of this chapter to heart, recognizing that the distinctions we make at our tables echo the greater distinctions we must make between ‘right and wrong’, ‘life and death’, and the ‘sacred and the profane?’

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Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...

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For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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