Sifra 4.0.12

Shemini, Section 5

1) (Vayikra 11:29-31): "And this to you is what is unclean among the creeping things (sheratzim) which creep upon the earth: the weasel and the mouse, and the great lizard after its kind. And the gecko, and the land-crocodile, and the lizard, and the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are what are unclean to you among all that creep." What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Vayikra 11:43): "Do not make yourselves tamei by them (sheratzim) and you will become tamei through them," I might think that inner-body tumah and the tumah of offerings are being spoken of; it is, therefore, written "And this (i.e., only this to you is what is unclean … the weasel and the mouse, and the great lizard, after its kind, etc." I might think that these confer tumah on men and implements and the others confer tumah on men but not on implements, or on implements but not on men; it is, therefore written (Vayikra 11:31): "These (are what are unclean to you"). Only these (confer tumah). Or, perhaps only these are excluded which are like the particular (kinds mentioned here, viz.:) Just as the particular have bones and reproduce, so, only those are excluded which have bones and reproduce. Whence do we derive (that also excluded are) those which have bones and do not reproduce or those which do not have bones and reproduce? From "These" are tamei to you among all that creep" — Only these among the sheratzim confer tumah.

2) (Vayikra 11:29): "And this to you is what is unclean": to include its blood as being tamei as is its flesh. (Without the verse I would reason a fortiori, viz.:) If a beast, which confers tumah by being carried — its blood is not tamei as is its flesh, then a sheretz, which does not confer tumah by being carried, how much more so should its blood not be (tamei) as is its flesh. It must, therefore, be written "And this to you is what is unclean" — to include its blood as being tamei as is its flesh.

3) I might think that (the blood of a sheretz) could render seeds susceptible (to tumah), and that this would follow a fortiori, viz.: If the blood of a beast, which does not confer acute tumah, (i.e., it does not confer tumah upon men and implements, but only upon food and drinks), yet renders seeds susceptible (to tumah), then the blood of a sheretz, which does confer high-degree tumah, how much more so should it render seeds susceptible (to tumah)! It is, therefore, written "to you" — It is unclean to you (i.e., to render you tamei) and not to render seeds susceptible (to tumah).

4) (Vayikra 11:29) "the mouse": I would think that the sea-mouse is also tamei. But does it not follow a fortiori (that it is not tamei), viz.: The "weasel" (preceding "the mouse" in the verse) is tamei), and the mouse is tamei. Just as the weasel grows (only) on the ground, so "the mouse" must be of the type that grows (only) on the ground. — But perhaps just as "weasel" is, as the name implies, (i.e., any weasel [and all weasels grow on the ground]), so, in "mouse" I would include the sea-mouse. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 11:29) "on the earth" — to exclude what is in the sea.

5) But perhaps I should understand "on the earth" as meaning that it confers tumah only when it is on the earth, but if it enters the sea (and touches an object there) it does not confer tumah. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 11:29) "that creeps (hashoretz on the earth") — Anywhere it "creeps" (even the sea) it confers tumah.

6) But perhaps "hashoretz" connotes "reproduces," and (the meaning is that) only a sheretz that reproduces confers tumah, but a mouse that is half-mouse and half-earth, (being generated from the earth and not reproducing) does not confer tumah (and "on the earth" means that if it enters the sea it does not confer tumah there.) It is, therefore, written "among the sheretz" — to include (as conferring tumah the mouse that is half-flesh and half-earth. What touches the flesh (portion) becomes tamei; what touches the earth (portion) remains clean. R. Yehudah says: What touches the earth (portion) adjoining the flesh (portion) behind it becomes tamei.

7) (Vayikra 11:29): "tzav": This is the great lizard; "after its kind": to include kinds of tzav — chabarbar, ben hanefilim, and salamander. When R. Akiva came to this verse, he would say (Tehillim 104:24): "How manifold are Your works, O L-td, etc." You have creatures living in the sea and creatures living on the land. If the sea-creatures would come up to the land, they would perish; if the land-creatures would go down to the sea, they would perish. You have creatures (e.g., the salamander) living in the fire and creatures living in the air. If the fire-creatures would leave to the air, they would perish; if the air-creatures would leave to the fire, they would perish. The living place of the first is the death (place) of the other; the living place of the second is the death (place) of the first — "How manifold are Your works, O L–rd!"