Rabbinic JudaismSifrei Devarim 101HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
Sifrei on DeuteronomySifrei Devarim 101

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

Sifrei Devarim 101

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English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 14:6) "And every beast that has split hooves": Because we find that Scripture construed "treifah" ("torn" [in Shemoth 22:30 "and flesh in the field treifah you shall not eat"]) as "treifoth" (i.e., varieties of treifah that are forbidden to all [even non-priests]), I will also construe "pasul" (unfit) as "p'sulim" (i.e., unfit for eating for all), e.g., one's plowing with an ox and an ass (together), or with (animals dedicated as) offerings. It is, therefore, written (to include these as permitted to be eaten) "the ox, the lamb of sheep, and the kid of goats shall you eat."

2
English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then add the above (as included), but I would not add (an animal that) had sodomized or that had been sodomized, or one that had been set aside (for idolatry) or worshipped, or one that had been the hire (of a prostitute) or the exchange (of a dog), or a hybrid, or one born by Caesarian section. It is, therefore, written "the ox, the lamb of sheep, and the kid of goats shall you eat."

3
English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then include these, but I would not include one through which a "transgression" had been committed (e.g., an ox which had killed a man) by testimony of a single witness or by testimony of the owner, (in which instance it is not killed). It is, therefore, written "the ox, the lamb of sheep, and the kid of goats shall you eat."

4
English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then add the above, but I still would not include one through which a transgression had been committed by testimony of two witnesses, and upon which judgment had not yet been pronounced. It is, therefore, written "the ox, the lamb of sheep, and the kid of goats shall you eat."

5
English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then include these, which grew up in cleanliness; but I would not include the offspring of a treifah which was nursed by a kosher animal. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 6) "in the beast … shall you eat."

6
English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then include the offspring of a treifah which was nursed by a kosher animal; but I still would not include one which was nursed by a kosher animal along with a treifah. It is, therefore, written "in the beast."

7
English · Shraga Silverstein

"Every beast … in the beast shall you eat": to include an embryo (as permitted by the shechitah of its mother).

8
English · Shraga Silverstein

I might think, even if it had stuck out its head; it is, therefore, written (7) "but" (connoting an exception). "it shall you eat": It may be eaten, but not an unclean animal.

9
English · Shraga Silverstein

This tells me only (that one who eats an unclean animal) transgresses a positive commandment [(note: a negative commandment derived from a positive commandment (as in the above) is a positive commandment)] Where do I derive that he also transgresses a negative commandment? From (7) "… the camel, the hare, and the coney … (8) and the swine … from their flesh you shall not eat."

10
English · Shraga Silverstein

This tells me only of these alone. Whence do I derive (the same for) the other unclean animals? It follows a fortiori, viz.: If these (the aforementioned), which have signs of cleanliness, are forbidden by negative commandment, then the other unclean beasts, which have no signs of cleanliness — how much more so should eating them be forbidden by negative commandment! In sum: Camel, hare, coney, and swine are forbidden by Scripture, and the other unclean beasts, a fortiori. Their positive commandment is Scripture; their negative commandment, a fortiori.

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Sifrei Devarim 101English
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Public-domain Hebrew editions, digitized by Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

Mechilta, Sifra and Sifrei, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein. CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English translation: Sifrei Devarim, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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