1) (Vayikra 11:13): "They shall not be eaten": to make one who feeds it (to others) liable as the one who eats it (himself). But perhaps the intent is that it is forbidden to derive benefit from them! (This cannot be for it is already written (Devarim 14:12): "You may not eat" — It is permitted to derive benefit from them; (only) to eat them is it forbidden. How, then, must I understand "they shall not be eaten"? As signifying that the one who feeds is liable as the one who eats. 2) (Vayikra 11:13): "the great vulture (nesher), the bearded vulture, and the osprey": R. Yishmael says: "nesher is written here and elsewhere (Devarim 14:12). Just as with "nesher" here, all (of the birds) mentioned with the nesher, are subject to "you shall not feed" as well as to "you shall not eat," so, with "nesher" there, all mentioned with the nesher (including "ra'ah" and "dayah," which are not mentioned here) are subject to "you shall not feed" as well as "you shall not eat." 3) R. Akiva says: "Ayah" is written here and "ayah" is written elsewhere (Devarim 14:13). Just as with "ayah" there, "ra'ah" is a kind of "ayah," (making it subject to "you shall not eat,") so, with "ayah" here, "ra'ah" is a kind of "ayah," (making it subject to "you shall not feed"). 4) (Vayikra 11:15) ("Every raven after its kind") "raven": This is the (black) raven; "every raven": to include the "deep" (i.e., white) raven and the pigeon-headed raven; "after its kind" (lemino): the starling; "after its kind" (lemineihu, Vayikra 11:16): to include the swallow. 5) (Vayikra 11:16): "and the hawk after its kind": "the hawk": as indicated; "after its kind": to include bar charya. Why is "lemineihu" (after its kind) mentioned four times? For I might say that only these (birds that are mentioned) are forbidden, but the rest (that are not mentioned) are permitted; it is, therefore, stated "lemineihu" to include (the others of its kind that are not mentioned). How so? I deduce from what is mentioned, viz.: 6) Just as the nesher (Vayikra 11:13) which is mentioned, has no crop and does not have an additional claw (on the hind part of the leg) and has a craw which does not peel easily, and grasps (with its claws) and eats, so, all birds of this kind are unclean. Just as turtle-doves and young pigeons have a crop and have an additional claw and have a craw that peels easily and do not grasp (with their claws) and eat, so, all birds of this kind are clean. 7) (Vayikra 11:20): "All creeping things that fly, which walk on four are detestable to you." I might think that all are forbidden. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 11:21): "Only this may you eat of all creeping things that fly, which walk on four, etc." I might think that all are permitted; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 11:22): ("These of them you may eat:) the arbeh [the locust] (after its kind), and the salam [the bald locust] (after its kind), and the chargol [the cricket] (after its kind), and the chagav [the grasshopper] (after its kind.") This tells me only of these alone. Whence do I include others? From (the repetition) of "lemineihu." How so? I derive it from what is mentioned, viz.: 8) Just as the arbeh, which is mentioned, has four legs and four wings and jointed legs (for leaping), and its wings cover most of it, so, all of this kind are permitted. R. Yossi says: (In addition,) it must lend itself to the name "chagav" (grasshopper). R. Elazar b. R. Yossi says (Vayikra 11:21): "that which has joined legs" — even though it does not have them yet, but is destined to grow them. 9) Arbeh is (known as) gubai; salam, as charshon; chargol as nafol; chagav, as nadyan. What is the intent of "lemineihu," four times? To include tziporeth keramim, yochna Yerushalmith, artzuvia, and razvanith, (which though not similar in appearance to those in the verse, have the same species signs). 10) Rabbi says (Vayikra 11:23): "And every creeping thing that flies, which has four legs; it is detestable to you" — If it has five legs, it is clean. "it is detestable" — to exclude their admixture. From here the sages ruled: Unclean grasshoppers which were pickled together with clean ones do not render their (common) brine unfit. R. Tzadok testified about the brine of unclean grasshoppers that it (itself) is clean.
Sifra Shemini Chapter 5
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.