Shemini שְּׁמִינִי - Eighth
Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Reading #6 - Leviticus 11:1–32
My Thoughts:
Now we begin learning about clean and unclean animals. We first hear mention of clean and the unclean on Noah’s ark. Now Hashem is telling us specifically what we can eat and what we can’t eat. Here it is clear in verse 7 that we are not to eat pig meat. What don’t we understand about this? If Hashem Himself is telling Moses to tell the people NOT to eat these animals, then we must NOT. Not only for obedience, but probably for health reasons too. Some of these animals eat bad things, which go into their system, which in return would go into ours. Hashem is protecting us. Why do we try to change His laws? Why do we say we don’t have to follow them anymore? Throughout the centuries man has had opinions about Scripture. I dare say this is probably the most serious misinterpretation of Scripture man has made. Search your heart. It is clear what we are supposed to eat and not eat. Then follow the Commandments. In them you will have life!
Challenge:
My husband ate raw bacon when he was a kid. He was sick for about a year and almost died. There are real and specific reasons why Hashem gives us Commandments. If He tells us not to eat certain foods, there is a reason. And even if there wasn’t shouldn’t we obey every Word He says? If you are eating unclean foods, and you have read the list today -- I encourage you to stop. He gives us so many different kinds of wonderful foods. Eat them. Obey Hashem and live. And start today.
Reading #6 - Leviticus 11:1–32
11:1 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. 3 Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.
4 “‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you. 5 The hyrax, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you. 6 The hare, because it chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, is unclean to you. 7 The pig, because it has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. 8 You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. They are unclean to you.
9 “‘You may eat of all these that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat. 10 All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas and rivers, all that move in the waters, and all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you, 11 and you shall detest them. You shall not eat of their meat, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12 Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters is an abomination to you.
13 “‘You shall detest these among the birds; they shall not be eaten because they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. 21 Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have long, jointed legs for hopping on the earth. 22 Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper. 23 But all winged creeping things which have four feet are an abomination to you.
24 “‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 25 Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
26 “‘Every animal which has a split hoof that isn’t completely divided, or doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. 27 Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 28 He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.
29 “‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, 30 the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. 31 These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. 32 Anything they fall on when they are dead shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. Then it will be clean.
