THE WORLD WOULD BE FAR FAR HEALTHIER IF ALL NATIONS
OBSERVED THE ETERNAL GOD'S FOOD LAWS. THEY WERE NOT
GIVEN TO ANCIENT ISRAEL AS SOME KIND OF RITUALS, BUT
TO GUIDE THEM INTO BECOMING A NATION, PHYSICALLY AND
SPIRITUALLY, THAT ALL OTHER NATIONS WOULD WANT TO COPY---
SEE DEUTERONOMY 4.
Clean/Unclean before Moses
Foods laws from the Beginning
by
Harold Hemenway
In addition to the laws concerning PLANTS, BLOOD, and FAT, the
Bible also talks about "clean" and "unclean" meats. Laws
pertaining to animals, fish, birds and creeping things that are
permitted or prohibited as food. These laws were in existence
from the very beginning of Genesis because such creatures didn't
change their habits, nor was the composition of their flesh
altered, when Christ died on the stake. It is, of course, true
that eventually the lion will eat grass like the ox (Isa. 11:7;
65:25) when the natures of animals are changed in the Millennium.
It may also be true that originally in the Garden of Eden the
animals were not fearful of man (Gen. 9:2), but neither of these
two conditions exist today and neither condition makes unclean
meat into clean meat.
Notice that "Abel was a keeper of SHEEP" (Gen. 4:2). Abel raised
SHEEP for food, just as his brother tilled the ground for food.
Abel didn't keep a herd of SWINE because he knew only clean
animals were to be eaten! Again notice that Abel "brought of the
firstlings of his flock" (v.4) an offering for the Eternal. Since
it was from his flock, it had to be an offering of SHEEP. He
didn't offer a DOG or a HORSE on the altar because he knew that
only clean animals could be offered as sacrifices (Lev. 1 to 5;
Isa. 66:3).
Noah also knew the difference between clean and unclean animals
since God told him in Genesis 7:2, "Of every clean beast thou
shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female; and of
beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female."
Obviously Noah needed more of the clean animals since these were
used for food (Lev. 11 & Deut. 14) and "burnt offerings." Noah
didn't sacrifice any unclean animals! Instead, he "took of every
clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar" (Gen. 8:20).
Furthermore, Abraham knew about and obeyed the laws of clean and
unclean meats since he too correctly offered "an HEIFER ... a
SHE-GOAT ... a RAM ... a TURTLEDOVE, and a young PIGEON" (Gen.
15:9) and "a LAMB" (Gen. 22:8,13), all of which are clean
animals! Also in Genesis 26:5 we read that Abraham "obeyed my
voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my
LAWS (Heb. "torah"). In Leviticus 11:46, in regard to the dietary
laws, the Eternal says, "This is the LAW (Heb. "torah") of the
beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth
in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the
earth; To make a difference between the unclean and the clean,
and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may
not be eaten." (See also Ez. 22:26) Notice that both words are
IDENTICAL, so Abraham must have obeyed the laws of clean and
unclean meats! If we are Abraham's children, all Christians are
(Gal. 3:7,29), we will DO THE WORKS of Abraham (John 8:39).
Finally, we know that Moses obeyed these laws since, of course,
he was the human author of both Leviticus and Deuteronomy and
gave these laws to Israel.
The examples of obedience by ABEL, NOAH, ABRAHAM and MOSES to
these laws of clean and unclean meats were "written for our
learning" (Rom. 15:4) and "these things (righteous acts) were our
examples" (1 Cor. 10:6,11). "All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for DOCTRINE, for REPROOF,
for CORRECTION, for INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (2 Tim. 3:16)
and the only "scripture" known to Timothy at that time was the
"Old Testament."
Now...... it is safe to say that these FOOD LAWS have always
existed and continue to exist today. The laws of clean and
unclean meats existed before the Old Covenant was ever instituted
and so what the Old Covenant didn't bring in, it can't take away
when it is abolished! The DIETARY LAWS are part of the eternal
law even though they are just physical laws regulating health! It
isn't a spiritual sin to break them (Mark 7:14-23), but the
transgressor will suffer disease, sickness, and an early first,
physical death (generally speaking, depending how much and how
often you break those food laws, the eskimo at one time did not
live much past the age of 35 - Keith Hunt). The penalty for
violating spiritual laws (where intent and motive are involved)
is the second, spiritual death (Rev. 20:14).
These food laws are not ritualistic, sacrificial types or symbols
that foreshadow a more permanent reality in Christ or the Holy
Spirit! Instead, they are laws which DETAIL and MAGNIFY the Ten
Commandments! Christ didn't come to destroy these laws (Matt.
5:17; 19:17-19). Just as the Holy Days further define the Sabbath
Commandment (fourth), and Tithing further defines what stealing
is (eighth commandment), so the Food Laws explain one way a
person can commit murder against himself (sixth commandment). If
a person deliberately defiles his body with unclean food, it is a
spiritual sin and God will destroy him (1 Cor. 3:17).
Yet some misguided "Christians" are genuinely deceived and insist
that because the laws of clean and unclean meats aren't
specifically found in the Old Covenant or "book of the covenant"
(Ex. 19:5 to 24:8), they are not part of the eternal code of laws
but are merely ritualistic laws added later.
..............
Written 1987
Rule for Fowl
Not as simple as ABC
by
Harold Hemeway
Continuing in Leviticus 11, we come to the bird category next.
But the Bible gives no rule for distinguishing between the clean
and unclean as it did in the two previous categories. Deuteronomy
14 is also silent in this regard. Furthermore, no clean birds are
listed! All that the Bible gives us in these chapters are the
names of about 24 unclean birds! But other scriptures reveal that
the PIGEON and DOVE are both clean since they were used for
sacrificing Lev. 1:14-17; Luke 2:24), and the QUAIL is clean
since God provided it for food in Numbers 11:31-32, and the
SPARROW is clean since it sold for food and Christ recognized
this use (Luke 12:6), so it's possible to determine a rule based
on these four birds, comparing them with the ones listed as
unclean.
The result is six characteristics that all clean birds have.
FIRST, they aren't birds of prey. SECOND, they catch food thrown
to them in the air, but bring it to the ground, where they divide
it with their beaks before consuming it, if this is possible. But
unclean birds devour it in the air or press it with one foot to
the ground and tear it with their bills. THIRD, they must have an
elongated middle front toe and a hind toe. FOURTH, they spread
their toes so that the hind toe is on one side of their perch,
and the three front toes are on the other. FIFTH, they must have
craws or crops. SIXTH, they must have a gizzard with a double
lining which can easily be separated (Jewish Encyclopedia, vol.
6, p.111). One or more of these characteristics is lacking in all
unclean birds!
The Mishnah (the collection of Jewish oral interpretations of
scripture which were compiled about 200 A.D.) gives a more
concise rule. It states that, "a bird that seizes food in its
claws is unclean; one which has an extra talon, a craw, and the
skin of whose stomach can be pealed, is clean" (Hul. 3:6). The
Mishnah mentions that any one of these characteristics makes the
bird clean. In other words, a bird doesn't have to possess them
all to be edible (Hul. 61b-62a).
It is extremely interesting that clean birds have, in essence,
THREE STOMACHS including the crop and the gizzard and another
third section of stomach between the two, reminding a person of
clean ruminating beasts which all have four stomachs! These extra
digestive organs in clean birds and beasts no doubt prevent
poisons from being assimilated into the meat since the bird gets
all its nutritional needs from harmless plants. To take the
parallel further, some of the leaf-eating birds have bacteria in
their intestines which break down cellulose (p.76, Bird Behavior,
by Robert Burton, copyright 1985). The "only essentially
leaf-eating birds are the SWANS, GEESE, GROUSE, some of the DUCKS
and the KAKAPO, PIGEONS, COOTS, GAMEBIRDS, and the OSTRICH and
its allies are mainly leaf eaters, but they supplement this diet
with fair quantities of other plant and animal food" (p.76,
ibid.) (Note that the only unclean birds in this list are the
KAKAPO and OSTRICH.) Remember that the ruminating beasts all used
bacteria in their digestion of plants too! One more point of
comparison is found in PIGEONS and DOVES, which use their crop to
store, or partly digest, food taken too quickly for the stomach
to handle. During breeding season, the crop produces "milk" from
seeds eaten which is REGURGITATED for the young. This is one form
of RUMINATION!
The Encyclopedia Judaica also reveals certain characteristics
which are unique to unclean birds. Unclean birds are birds of
prey (carnivorous) or birds that feed on carrion (dead and
decaying flesh, including FAT and BLOOD) like VULTURES or
nocturnal birds of prey which have two toes pointing forward and
two backward like the OWL, or Waterfowl like the SEAGULL, STORK,
BITTERN, HERON, CRANE and GULL or birds with hooked beaks and
hooked talons like the HAWK, EAGLE, KITE, BUZZARD, KESTREL,
FALCON, etcetera.
But some water fowl are clean, including DUCKS, GEESE, TEAL and,
yes, the SWAN! All these birds comply with the requirements for
clean birds. The Hebrew word translated "SWAN" should be rendered
"IBIS," or "STORK," or "WATER HEN. was mentioned above, swans are
vegetarian!
GENERALLY speaking, we could say that clean birds are
predominantly vegetarian. (FINCHES, WEAVERS, SPARROWS, CROWS,
TITMOUSES, JAYS, NUTHATCHES, NUTCRACKERS, CROSSBILLS, UELEAS,
CARDINALS and PARROTS are the birds that eat nuts and seeds.
Birds that eat fruit and nectar are BLACKBIRDS, ROBINS, THRUSHES,
ORIOLES, WAXWINGS, WARBLERS, GROUSE, FINCHES, SHOREBIRDS, SILKY
FLYCATCHERS, GULLS, TITMICE, SUNBIRDS, HUMMINGBIRDS,
HONEYCREEPERS, BELLBIRDS, BARBETS, TOURACOS, MOUSEBIRDS, TROGONS,
OILBIRDS, TOUCANS, FRUIT PIGEONS, CACI UES, ARACARIS, HORNBILLS,
COTINGAS, MANAKINS, OROPEN LAS, CASSOWARIES and PARROTS.....
Unclean birds are carnivorous and/or scavengers. This, of course,
means that clean birds have less disease and fewer parasites
(generally speaking - Keith Hunt).
OWLS eat rats, mice and other disease-carrying rodents almost
exclusively! The EAGLE will eat "fish and refuse that is thrown
up on the shore" and one kind of EAGLE is "able to take some
birds as they fly, but a large part of its sustenance is the
flesh of animals that die a natural death" (vol. 20, p.397 & vol.
8, p.790, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed.). VAMPIRE BATS drink
BLOOD and bats are vectors of the disease Rabies*! Bat salivary
gland fever* can also infect man via bites and infection.
Starting in Leviticus 11:13, we read, "And these are they which
ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be
eaten, they are an abomination: the EAGLE, and the OSSIFRAGE, and
the OSPREY, And the VULTURE (KITE), and the KITE (FALCON) after
its kind; Every RAVEN after its kind; And the OWL (OSTRICH), and
the NIGHT HAWK, and the CUCKOW (SEA GULL), and the HAWK after its
kind, And the LITTLE (WHITE) OWL, and the CORMORANT, and the
GREAT (HORNED) OWL, And the "SWAN" (IBIS, STORK, or WATER HEN),
and the PELICAN, and the GIER (CARRION) EAGLE, and the STORK, the
HERON after its kind, and the LAPWING (HOOPOE), and the BAT"
(vv.13-19). Deuteronomy 14:13,16 and 17 mentions some additional
birds: "And the GLEDE (BUZZARD) ... The LITTLE (SCREECH) OWL, and
the GREAT OWL ... and the GIER EAGLE (CARRION VULTURE)." Other
examples are the BITTERN, CRANE, CROW, KESTREL, PARROT,
ROADRUNNER, SWIFT and WOODPECKER.
The list of clean birds and fowl must be the following:
BLACKBIRD, BRAMBLING, BALDHEADED IBIS, CHAFFINCH, CHICKEN, CORN
BUNTING, DOVE, DUCK, GOOSE, GROUSE, GARDEN WARBLER, GREENFINCH,
GOLDEN PLOVER, GARGANAY, GUINEA FOWL, HEN, ITALIAN SPARROW,
MEADOW PIPIT, ORTOLAN BUNTING, PHEASANT, PEA000K, PARTRIDGE,
PIGEON, UAIL, REDSTART, ROCK BUNTING, ROBIN, ROOSTER, SPARROW,
SONGBIRDS (including such beautiful singers as the thrushes,
wrens, honeyeaters, cardinals, larks, mockingbirds, canaries,
nightingales, butcherbirds, blackbirds and warblers), SONG
THRUSH, SKY LARK, SNIPE, SWAN, TURTLE DOVE, TURKEY, WOOD COCK,
WHEATEAR, WHITE WAGTAIL, YELLOWHAMMER, etcetera.
Incidentally, birds must have their blood drained in accordance
with Leviticus 17:13 which says, "And whatsoever man there is ...
who hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he
shall even pour out the BLOOD thereof; and cover it with dust."
In order to obey this scripture, a hunter must use harmless nets
and snares to catch his prey, rather than birdshot which causes
the BLOOD to coagulate in the flesh.
..............
Written 1987 (all capital words were Hemeway's)
Grasshoppers - we can eat!
John the Baptist ate them remember
by
Harold Hemeway
Continuing in Leviticus 11 we read, "All fowls that creep (winged
insects), going upon all four (four feet plus two hands, making
six appendages), shall be an abomination unto you. Yet these may
ye eat of every flying creeping thing (winged insect) that goeth
upon all four, which have legs above their feet, with which to
leap upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat: the LOCUST
after its kind, and the BALD LOCUST after its kind, and the
beetle (CRICKET) after its kind, and the GRASSHOPPER after its
kind. But all other flying creeping things (winged insects),
which have four feet (and two hands), shall be an abomination
unto you" (11:20-23).
The N.I.V. renders verse 22 this way, "Of these you may eat any
kind of LOCUST, KATYDID (a green cricket-like insect), CRICKET or
GRASSHOPPER."
The T.E.V. says, "All winged insects are unclean, except those
that hop. You may eat LOCUSTS, CRICKETS, or GRASSHOPPERS"
(vv.20-22).
But a word of caution should be given since "MORMON CRICKETS,
CAMEL (CAVE) CRICKETS, MOLE CRICKETS, and JERUSALEM CRICKETS are
not considered true crickets" (p.908, vol. 4, World Book
Encyclopedia, copyright 1985). The CAMEL (CAVE) CRICKET is a
wingless scavenger! It cannot fly and consequently is unclean!
The MORMON and JERUSALEM CRICKETS don't have any wings either, so
are also unclean! MOLE CRICKETS have only very short, stubby
wings. Instead of leaping on the earth, they burrow under it!
Many CAVE and CAMEL CRICKETS are also subterranean. Also, some
kinds of LOCUSTS and GRASSHOPPERS are wingless.
Leviticus 11:29-30 says, "These also shall be unclean unto you
among the creeping things that creep upon the earth: the WEASEL,
and the MOUSE, and the TORTOISE after its kind, And the FERRET,
and the CHAMELEON, and the LIZARD, and the SNAIL, and the MOLE."
"Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth goeth upon
all four, or whatsoever hath many feet among all creeping things
that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an
abomination" (11:41-42). Other members of this list include the
FROG, SALAMANDER, ASP, COBRA, BOA CONSTRICTOR, ALLIGATOR,
CROCODILE, RATTLESNAKE, SPIDER, CENTEPEDE, MILLIPEDE, RAT, SLUG,
etcetera.
Most people have common sense enough to avoid the members of this
group as food, yet even here the SNAIL is eaten as ESCARGOT, and
CANNED RATTLESNAKE can be found in the delicacy section of some
food stores. FROG'S LEGS are especially popular in France and
MAGUEY BUTTER (made from yellow worms) is eaten in Mexico! TURTLE
SOUP is available in some parts of the United States!
But why are grasshoppers permitted? Part of the answer
undoubtedly lies in the fact that, "Except for mantids, which
capture living insects, and some cockroaches, crickets and
katydids, which are scavengers, omnivores and occasionally
predators, MOST ORTHOPTERA ARE HERBIVOROUS" (p.1129, vol. 16,
Encyclopedia Britannica, copyright 1973). From the eleventh
edition, volume 12, page 377, article "Grasshoppers," we read
that "All are vegetable feeders." The large, Old World species of
locusts are "phytophagous" (plantfeeders) (volume 16, p.857,
article "Locust"). Many of these Orthoptera insects are so
selective in their eating habits that they consume the same foods
as man, vegetable gardens and grain fields! This is why swarms of
LOCUSTS and GRASSHOPPERS, unlike all other insects, can be so
detrimental to man! But at the same time, farmers who have read
their Bibles can benefit from locust plagues, at least in a small
way, by catching vast numbers of these insects in nets, drowning
them in water, and preserving them as food.
Interestingly, GRASSHOPPERS have a crop, gizzard, gastric caeca
and a stomach, in that order, from front to back. Truly, they
could be classified as "clean birds" according to the Mishnah!
Even the Bible itself seems to include winged insects in the bird
category just as much as in the "creeping thing" category. They
are called "fowls" (Lev. 11:20-21) the same as all the birds we
normally consider to be fowls (11:13-19). Of course, the word in
Hebrew merely comes from a root meaning of "to cover" (with
wings) which would apply equally to insects or feathered birds!
But nobody can dispute the fact that verses 20 to 23 (discussing
winged insects) come immediately after verses 13 to 19
(discussing feathered birds) rather than in verses 29 and 30
(discussing "creeping things").
Also like their clean counterparts in the beast category, they
CHEW their food with two powerful grinding jaws called mandibles.
All of the insects that PIERCE and SUCK are the unclean type! A
person can't help but compare their chewing mandibles with the
broad, flat teeth of ruminants that are constantly engaged in
chewing vegetation! But unclean dogs gulp down their food!
"Snakes swallow their food whole.... Sharp, pointed teeth, poorly
adapted for chewing, generally characterize meat eaters such as
SNAKES, DOGS and CATS" (p.784, vol. 5, Encyclopedia Britannica,
copyright 1974).
Furthermore, the GRASSHOPPER uses its antennae to examine food.
It even has fingerlike projections "on both sides of the mouth
and on the lower lip. They contain the insect's 'taste buds.'"
(p.317, vol. 8, World Book Encyclopedia).
But, in contrast, the unclean "creeping things" don't seem to
care what they eat! They're carnivores, predators, and
scavengers! In addition to these undesirable characteristics,
many of these unclean creatures are also poisonous. SPIDERS,
TICKS, SCORPIONS, SNAKES, WASPS, BEES, ANTS, TOADS and FROGS all
have their poisonous varieties that infect man via bite, sting,
or just plain contact as is the case between the "warts" (poison
glands) of TOADS and a person's mouth or cut hand! The skin of
Fire-bellied TOADS is so poisonous that just "looking into a bag
of freshly caught specimens causes fits of sneezing and watering
of the eyes" (p.566, vol. 6, Encyclopedia of the Animal World).
Incidentally, even though BEES are unclean, the HONEY they
produce is fit to eat since it is pollen from flowers in another
form and not actually from the BEES themselves.
Other unclean "creeping things" are notorious diseasecarriers!
MOSQUITOS transmit Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue* and Filariasis.
FLIES transmit Trypanosome Diseases*, Tularemia, Pappataci Fever
and Leishmaniasis*. "SNAILS convey flukes, but not by ingestion"
(p.821, M. Rosenau). TICKS can transmit germs of Rocky Mountain
spotted fever*, Q Fever, and other diseases. RATS host fleas
which carry Bubonic plague. Rat-bite Fever* can be transmitted to
man by the bite of an infected RAT or MOUSE. Lassa Fever* is also
transmitted to humans by contact with infected rodent urine,
feces and saliva. Infectious Jaundice, Endemic Typhus*,
Trichinosis*, and Food Infection can all be transmitted to man,
one way or another, by RATS! RATS and MICE "may harbor eleven
species of internal parasites which also occur in man" (p. 278,
M. Rosenau).
Finally, notice that these four categories of beasts, fish, birds
and "creeping things" are not based on modernday classification
criteria which use such categories as "Mammals," "Reptiles,"
"Invertebrates" and "Insects," but instead are based on the
creature's environment and visible characteristics, making it
easy to tell on sight whether or not the creature is edible. When
buying packaged, processed foods, it is still possible to tell on
sight whether or not the food is edible, or "kosher." Just look
for a "K" on the label. Sometimes, instead of a "K" for Kosher, a
"U" is used which stands for Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations (well I would not count on the Jews all the time
for "kosher" food - Keith Hunt).
................
Written 1987 (all capital letter words were Hemenway's)
Overview of Food Laws
A nutshell list
From an old issue in "Answers Magazine"(1984)
1. MAMMALS
Characteristics: Bears young live (not eggs), suckle their young,
breathe through lungs, hair on skin, constant body temperature,
four-chambered heart.
CLEAN
The Bible says that animals are permitted for food which chew the
cud and part the hoof. These animals are herbivores, have
incisors in upper jaws, stomach with four compartments, hollow or
solid horns.
Examples: Cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, deer, giraffe, gazelle,
antelope, ox.
UNCLEAN
1) Parts the hoof, but does not chew the cud. Walks on hooves,
possess canine and incisor teeth. Examples: Pig, hippo.
2) Chews the cud but does not part the hoof. Has small hooves
like nails, walks on cushion-like pads, tusk-like canines on both
jaws and incisor teeth on upper jaws, but stomach has only three
compartments.
Examples: Camel, LLama.
3) Solid-hoofed, herbivorous, single-stomach, incisor teeth on
both upper and lower jaws.
Examples: Horse, donkey, mule, zebra.
4) Carnivores, six incisors and two sharp canine teeth on both
jaws, 4 or 5 toes with claws on each foot and walk either on
their toes or their paws. Examples: Lion, leopard, dog, wolf,
jackal, hyena, fox, bear.
5) Other mammals, neither chews cud nor parts hoof.
Examples: Ape, bat (even though found with birds in Lev. 11:19),
elephant, hare, mouse, rat, whale.
2. FISH
Characteristics: Vertebrates living in water and through gills.
In some species the body with bony or teeth-like scales; others
scales. All possess fins. Body temperature according to their
environment. :either by laying eggs or bringing forth young live.
CLEAN
The Bible says that fish are permitted for food which have "fins
and scales in the waters, in the seas and in the rivers" (Lev.
11:9, Deut. 14:9). Only bony skeletons are included, since they
alone posses fins and scales. The scales must be real ones that
overlap one another and be of bony origin a growth of the skin.
Some scales are of minute proportions, but for the fish to be
clean the scales must be visible to the eye. If a fish has scales
which can be seen only through microscope, it is to be regarded
as being without scales. If a fish has scales while young and
sheds later, it is clean. If a fish develops scales only when to
maturity, it is also clean.
examples: Carp, herring, salmon, trout.
UNCLEAN
1) Some fish either have no scales or have scales like teeth,
which are not true scales as they do not overlap.
Examples: Shark, ray.
2) Some fish lack true scales and their bodies are unprotected
except that they are partly covered five long rows of protective
matter. These fish are the main source of caviar.
Example: Sturgeon.
re fish which have no visible scales. Catfish, eel.
3) There are fish which have no visible scales.
Example: Catfish, eel.
3. BIRDS
Characteristics: Bodies covered with feathers, upper limbs are
winged-shaped, no teeth, breathe through lungs, constant body
temperature, four-chambered heart, lay eggs.
CLEAN
The Bible does not give characteristics which distinguish clean
birds from unclean. But, based on the scriptures which list
unclean birds and then comparing the qualities of clean and
unclean birds, we find 6 general rules in order for a bird to be
clean:
1) Not a bird of prey.
2) Catch food thrown to them in the air, bring it to the ground
and divide it with their bills;(unclean birds devour it in the
air, or press it with one foot to the ground and tear it with
their bills.
3) Elongated middle front toe plus a hind toe.
4) Three toes on one side of a perch, with hind toe on the other
side.
5) Has a crop.
6) Gizzard with double lining, easily separated.
Examples: Duck, goose, hen, house sparrow, quail, partridge,
peacock, pheasant, pigeon.
UNCLEAN
1) Birds of prey.
a) Falcon-like birds are carnivores, have hooked beaks, sharp
talons bent like hooks.
Examples: Eagle, kite, hawk, buzzard.
b.) Vulture-like birds feed on carrion, thick solid bills, bare
neck (usually), blunt talons slightly inclined.
Examples: Bearded vulture, black vulture, Egyptian vulture,
Griffin vulture.
2) Night birds of prey. Large head and eyes, 4 toes, (two
pointing forward and two backward).
Example: Owl.
3) Water and marsh fowls. All are exception of the goose and
duck.
4) Other birds.
Examples: Crow, swift, ostrich.
4. AMPHIBIANS
Characteristics: Vertebrates born in water, living in water,
land, or both. During early stages(larvatadpole), they breathe
with gills, and the adult stage either with lungs or gills. Body
temperature changes in as the medium in which they live.
CLEAN
There are no clean amphibians.
UNCLEAN
Examples: Salamander, neut, toad, frog.
5. REPTILES
Characteristics: Creeping and crawling things,which have short
legs or none at all (so that they move close to the ground or
drag along it), live mostly on dry land, have lungs, majority lay
eggs with soft shell in which the white and the yolk are mixed,
cold blooded (temperature adjusts to the environment), skin
covered with scales.
CLEAN There are no clean reptiles.
UNCLEAN
In the Bible, reptiles are included in the general prohibition
"and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth shall be an
abomination: it shall not be eaten. Whatsoever goes upon the
belly and whatsoever goes upon all four, or whatsoever has many
feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them
you shall not eat for they are an abomination" (Lev. 11:41-42).
The crocodile is prohibited by "whatsoever has no fins or scales
in the water" (Lev. 11:12). All species of snake are prohibited.
Examples: Black snake, viper, cobra.
6. INVERTEBRATES
Characteristics: Largest number of species in the animal kingdom,
no bony skeleton, skin is either bare or covered with a shell.
Reproduce by a simple division of the body by laying eggs or
bringing forth their offspring alive.
CLEAN
Only a few of the million species of insects are permitted as
food by the Bible: "these may you eat of every flying creeping
thing that goes upon all four which have legs above their feet.
to leap withal upon the earth: even those may you eat, the locust
after its kind..." (Lev. 11:21-22).
UNCLEAN
Most invertebrates are forbidden. Those which live in the water
are under the prohibition either of fish which lack fins and
scales or of "any living thing which is in the waters (Lev.
11:10). Those which live on land are forbidden in accordance with
the prohibition against "whatsoever goes upon the belly, and
whatsoever goes upon all four, or whatsoever has more feet" (Lev.
11:42).
Examples: Snail, oyster, squid, jellyfish, protozoa, sponges,
.................
Answer magazine 1984
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