Clean and Unclean Animals in the Bible

Bible lessons

Published 03/12/2020

The Old Testament contains rules about food, which lists the clean and unclean animals of the Bible. Some animal species could be eaten, while others could not.

The book of Leviticus, which lists clean and unclean animals, also describes strict rules in case one of the people accidentally touches an unclean animal (insect, fish, bird, etc.). A person who touched an unclean animal had to undergo a special purification rite. The book of Leviticus also contains rules regarding how various objects that have been touched by unclean animals, even accidentally, must be cleansed.

You can read all these rules in chapter 11 of the book of Leviticus and chapter 14 of the book of Deuteronomy, and we want to provide you with a list of all these clean and unclean animals - which were edible and which were not edible.

Clean Animals in the Bible (Eat)

Any cattle that has cloven hooves and a deep cut in the hooves and chews the cud.
Cow
Sheep
Goat
Deer
Chamois
Roe
Doe
Bison
Antelope
Mountain sheep
Animals (fish) living in water: which have feathers and scales in water, whether in seas or rivers.
Any species of birds other than those listed in the second list
Reptiles, winged, walking on four legs, which have shins above the feet to jump on the ground: locust and its breed, solam (type of locust) and its breed, khargol (grasshopper) and its breed, Khagab and its breed, crickets .

Mention of dogs in the Old Testament

Photo: Pixabay.com
Indeed, in the Old Testament the dog is mentioned as an “unclean” animal. But the prophet Moses also names other animals. True, among the entire animal world he also identified “clean” animals (cows), whose meat could be eaten. During the time when Christ lived, dogs were used as house guard animals. The presence of a dog in the house itself was not allowed.

The Bible indicates that an animal cannot occupy a high place in the human hierarchy. Christ taught us to love our neighbor.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (22:39).

That is, Jesus commanded us to love the Lord and man, who was created in his likeness. A dog, even being a person’s companion and assistant, cannot be his equal.

Christian commandments are reflected in the way of life in Rus'. Dogs were assigned to perform a variety of functions: to protect homes and households, to help people in hunting. In the northern regions, these animals were used as mounts. However, dogs were never allowed beyond the entrance to the house. So in “Domostroy” these beloved animals are called “filthy”, which have no place in a person’s home.

“Keep special bowls for cattle and dogs, and don’t waste clean dishes.”

In addition, dogs were prohibited from entering premises where there are icons or other shrines.

Unclean animals in the Bible (not fit for food)

Dead animal (torn to pieces by an animal or died of natural causes)
Any animal whose hooves are cloven but not deeply cut, and which does not chew the cud.
Every four-legged animal that walks on its feet.
Camel
Jerboa
Hare or rabbit
Pig
Animals that do not have feathers and scales, whether in the seas or rivers, from all that swim in the waters and from all that live in the waters.
All crawling on their belly.
All animals are reptiles on the ground, winged, walking on four legs (except for the exceptions that are described in the upper list).
Multi-legged animals that move on the ground.
Mole
Mouse
Lizard with its breed
Anaka (Gecko)
Chameleon
Letaa
Homet
Tinshemet
Crocodile
Eagle
Vulture
sea eagle
Kite
Falcon and its breeds
Merlin
Raven and its breeds
Ostrich
Owl
Gull
Hawk and its breed
Owl
Fisherman
Ibis
Swan
Pelican
Sip
Heron
Stork (Zui)
Hoopoe
Bat (Bat)

Why dogs don't go to church

Dog owners are concerned about why dogs are not allowed to enter the temple. This ban was established at the Sixth Ecumenical Council and is reflected in Rule 88. It applies to all animals.

Why dogs can’t eat pork: can you feed it or not?

The rule states that no animal can be brought into the temple unless necessary. If a clergyman violates the rules, he will be expelled, and if he is a layman, he will be excommunicated. The Russian Orthodox Church strictly prohibits dogs specifically from entering the church. The ban is based more on hygiene issues and noisy behavior. This is the only explanation why the church doesn't like dogs.

However, no one will re-consecrate the temple if a dog accidentally wanders into it. This is not in the charter. Cats are allowed because they were originally domestic cats. Without them, rural churches would be infested with mice that damage the altar and other property.

Note! Cats, unlike dogs, do not create fuss and noise.

A pet

Contemporary attitudes of faith towards animals

Today the world has changed. Many parishioners keep dogs at home. The opinion of the priests is that one must live in harmony with all the creations of the Lord, no matter what position they occupy on the hierarchical ladder. All animals are good, there is no threat of creating idols out of them. Therefore, there are no grounds for “discrimination” against four-legged friends. In addition, there are now many small breeds of pets that are easy to keep in an apartment.

Today the church says that by nature all animals are good. Yes, it is forbidden to take them to church, but due to specific characteristics (anxiety, smell). But there is no talk of desecrating a house of worship.

Note! The problems of our time should not be blamed on dogs, but on a sinful lifestyle. A pet is not an obstacle to the consecration of people’s homes.

Buddhist and dog

Vedism

In the ancient scriptures of India, in the Vedas, there are repeated references to how brahmins and kshatriyas ate meat - for example, beef, horse meat. Rigveda I.161.10: “One drives a lame cow down to the water, one butchers the meat brought in a basket.”

Rigveda I.162.12-13: “(Those) who examine the horse when he is ready, Who say: He smells good. Take (him) off. And whoever expects to be treated to the meat of a racehorse, Let their chanting also benefit us! That stick for tasting from the cauldron when cooking meat, Those bowls for pouring liquid, The smoking lids of the pots, the hook, the dishes - (all of them) serve the horse.”

Rig Veda IV.33.4: “When for a year Ribhu was guarded by a cow, When for a year Ribhu was slaughtered”

Rigveda V.43.7: “As if laying out (sacrificial straw), as if boiling (meat) with film over a fire”

Rig Veda X.86.14: “After all, fifteen to twenty bulls are prepared for me at once, then I also eat fat. Both sides of my belly are filled. Indra is above everything!

Atharva Veda V.29.5-6: “For the body we obtain meat, the vital spirit! Raw, well-cooked, ripened... May this (person) be without disease!

Notes

akin to Aristotle, Hist. Naturalis
akin to L. Katsenelson, “Anatomy in Hebrew writing”, St. Petersburg, 1889, p. 58
תורודכ; according to others, it should be read תודודח - pointed. See Hul. Mishnah, III, 59a, b
Tosefta Khul., III, 22, Rashi to Khul., 59a and Nissim ben Reuben to the corresponding Mishnah
(Kereti u-Peleti, § 82)
(Ab. Zara, 39b, 40a)
(cf. Jacob ben Asher, Tur Jore Deah, 83)
(Hul., III,
(cf. Samuel ben David ha-Levi, commentary on Jorah Deah, 85)
(Hul., 67a, b)
(cf. Iore Deah 84)
(cf. Danzig, Hochmat Adam, 22, 35
(cf. Sifra, Kedoshim, end)
(Tanhuma, Lev., edition of Buber, Shemini, III, 29)
(Kitab al-Amanat 117; Hebrew translation, III, 2, ed. Slutsky, p. 61)
(commentary to Lev. 11, 93; cf. King, l. p.)
(Sea Nevukhim, III, 48)
(commentary to Lev. 9, 13; cf. his Derasha, Jellinek's edition, p. 29)
(Com. to Lev. 11, 163d)
(Akedat Yitzchak, III, 33b, Pollack edition)
(Zohar, Shemini, III, 41b)
(Yalk. Hadash, Likkutim, 36, 79)

Old Testament “purity” and “uncleanness”

Perhaps it was the “clean” animals that the Old Testament Noah saved on his ark, since immediately after the Great Flood the division of animals into “clean” and “unclean” disappears, and people are allowed to eat not only grass and seeds, as before, but all animals without exception: “Every moving thing that lives will be food for you” (Gen. 9:3).

However, God soon changes his attitude towards animals and forbids people, at least those whom he has chosen as “his people,” to eat certain types of animals as food. He gives Moses two clear signs by which one can be distinguished from others: “clean animals, in addition to eating grass, chew the cud, and have a cloven hoof.”

Later, clarifications appeared in the Talmud - “clean” animals should not have front teeth and have a special muscle structure in the lumbar region. In addition, other prohibitions appeared, for example, it was forbidden to eat the fat of domestic animals, and the blood of wild animals should generally be covered with earth.

It was more difficult with birds - according to the book of Leviticus, it was forbidden to eat predators and scavengers, owls and eagle owls, crows, ostriches, seagulls, swans, pelicans, herons, plovers and hoopoes. However, the Jews went further and divided “clean” and “unclean” birds according to the presence of teeth, eating style, and paw structure. For example, some rabbis consider the wild goose a “clean” bird, while others consider it an “unclean” bird. In addition, the Jews consider sea reptiles that do not have scales to be unclean.

They themselves explain all these prohibitions by saying that the blood of these animals allegedly causes a tendency to illness, “pollutes” the blood and “defiles the body and soul.”

In total, “unclean” animals in Judaism include all predators, unhoofed animals, reptiles and amphibians, rodents (including the hare, with which Russians have many bad omens), bats, insects (except locusts) and sea animals without scales, like cuttlefish or scallops.

According to the book of Leviticus, it was not only forbidden to eat them, but even to touch their corpses, since “they are unclean to you.”

In Islam, too, there are “unclean” animals - donkeys, pigs, insects, lizards and frogs, rats, mice and hedgehogs, as well as all predatory mammals and birds of prey. Moreover, some animals may be considered unclean in some movements of Islam, while others may be considered “clean” and, if necessary, they can be eaten completely or with the exception of some parts - for example, sharks or snakes. At the same time, an animal such as a pig was considered especially nasty and should not be touched, and birds of prey, for example, can be bred and traded, but cannot be eaten.

Reptiles

In ancient times, this was the customary name in Rus' for snakes, lizards, rats, mice, worms and many insects. The Book of Leviticus says: “You shall not defile your souls with any living thing that creeps on the ground, nor make yourselves unclean by them, so as to be unclean through them, and you shall not defile your souls with any living creature that crawls on the ground...” (Lev. 11:43 -45).

In the Russian tradition, however, from time immemorial it was not customary to eat these animals and insects - the attitude towards them has always been squeamish.

Prohibitions on the consumption of certain animals for food are often justified, but they were not always observed in Christian Rus' (as in the case of pork, hare and rabbit meat). And in the case of dogs and cats, everything is generally ambiguous, because eating them was not accepted anyway, but at the same time, a dog is considered more “unclean” than a cat. Today it can be difficult to explain the meaning of certain religious taboos mentioned in the Old Testament.

The “uncleanness” of animals served to benefit faith

Why was such a division necessary? Most likely, this was necessary so that Jews or Muslims would not decide to adopt the customs of the pagans near whom they lived and would not begin to worship them. After all, for example, in the same Egypt, where Moses and his people were in slavery, there was a cult of cats, which were revered as gods, and other peoples had totem animals - wolves, foxes, snakes, bears and tigers, who were revered and to whom made sacrifices.

However, the ban did not save the Jews from apostasy - even in the desert after the exodus from Egypt, they managed to create a golden calf and began to worship it.

Christianity has dramatically changed attitudes towards animals. Firstly, after the sacrifice of Christ, there was no longer any need to sacrifice them to God, and from then on, sacrifices gradually came to naught. Secondly, all prohibitions were lifted, and all animals became “clean”. “To the pure all things are pure,” said the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 13:9). “Let no one judge you in regard to food or drink,” says Paul in his letter to the Colossians.

However, some prohibitions remain: you cannot eat food sacrificed to idols - that is, what the pagans sacrifice to their gods, you cannot eat strangled animals, blood (perhaps this is due to the fact that, according to some Christian beliefs, the soul of a living being is in its blood) , but the main prohibition is related to sin: “abstain... from fornication, and do not do to others what you do not want to do to yourself” (Acts 15:19-29).

Saints' opinions on their treatment of animals

The number of people in the world who are compassionate towards animals exceeds those who reject them. But many do not join the church for the reason that it considers the “lesser brothers” not worthy of attention.

This is fundamentally wrong - in Orthodoxy there is no teaching about animals at all. There is only the private opinion of individual priests, in which the attitude of the Orthodox Church towards dogs is visible.

Thus, some argue that the souls of animals disintegrate at the moment of death. Others argue that God's creatures were created and lived in paradise before Adam and Eve. And everything that existed before the fall of people is imperishable. This means that the souls of animals are immortal because they are from the Holy Spirit. However, as St. Luke asserts, immortality for an animal is not as significant as for a person, because the primitive spirit cannot develop and improve.

Orthodox saints show how to treat animals. Seraphim of Sarov fed the animals near his dugout and shared bread with them. Sergius of Radonezh healed a blind bear cub with prayer. Gerasim of Jordan helped the lion when a splinter stuck in his paw. Leo served him and died at the saint’s grave.

Feeding and caring for creatures, saving homeless kittens and puppies is not a sin. But you can't worship. Love must reign among all God's creatures.

Excerpt describing Unclean Animals

- Whom do you order, Your Majesty? “The Emperor frowned with displeasure and, looking around, said: “But you have to answer him.” Kozlovsky looked back at the ranks with a decisive look and in this glance captured Rostov as well. “Isn’t it me?” thought Rostov. - Lazarev! – the colonel commanded with a frown; and the first-ranked soldier, Lazarev, smartly stepped forward. -Where are you going? Stop here! - voices whispered to Lazarev, who did not know where to go. Lazarev stopped, looked sideways at the colonel in fear, and his face trembled, as happens with soldiers called to the front. Napoleon slightly turned his head back and pulled back his small chubby hand, as if wanting to take something. The faces of his retinue, having guessed at that very second what was going on, began to fuss, whisper, passing something on to one another, and the page, the same one whom Rostov saw yesterday at Boris’s, ran forward and respectfully bent over the outstretched hand and did not make her wait either one second, he put an order on a red ribbon into it. Napoleon, without looking, clenched two fingers. The Order found itself between them. Napoleon approached Lazarev, who, rolling his eyes, stubbornly continued to look only at his sovereign, and looked back at Emperor Alexander, thereby showing that what he was doing now, he was doing for his ally. A small white hand with an order touched the button of soldier Lazarev. It was as if Napoleon knew that in order for this soldier to be happy, rewarded and distinguished from everyone else in the world forever, it was only necessary for him, Napoleon’s hand, to be worthy of touching the soldier’s chest. Napoleon just put the cross to Lazarev's chest and, letting go of his hand, turned to Alexander, as if he knew that the cross should stick to Lazarev's chest. The cross really stuck. Helpful Russian and French hands instantly picked up the cross and attached it to the uniform. Lazarev looked gloomily at the little man with white hands, who was doing something above him, and, continuing to keep him motionless on guard, again began to look straight into Alexander’s eyes, as if he was asking Alexander: whether he should still stand, or whether they would order him should I go for a walk now, or maybe do something else? But he was not ordered to do anything, and he remained in this motionless state for quite a long time. The sovereigns mounted and rode away. The Preobrazhentsy, breaking up the ranks, mixed with the French guards and sat down at the tables prepared for them. Lazarev sat in a place of honor; Russian and French officers hugged him, congratulated him and shook his hands. Crowds of officers and people came up just to look at Lazarev. The roar of Russian French conversation and laughter stood in the square around the tables. Two officers with flushed faces, cheerful and happy, walked past Rostov. - What is the treat, brother? “Everything is on silver,” said one. – Have you seen Lazarev? - Saw. “Tomorrow, they say, the Preobrazhensky people will treat them.” - No, Lazarev is so lucky! 10 francs life pension. - That's the hat, guys! - shouted the Transfiguration man, putting on the shaggy Frenchman’s hat. - It’s a miracle, how good, lovely! -Have you heard the review? - the guards officer said to the other. The third day was Napoleon, France, bravoure; [Napoleon, France, courage;] yesterday Alexandre, Russie, grandeur; [Alexander, Russia, greatness;] one day our sovereign gives feedback, and the next day Napoleon. Tomorrow the Emperor will send George to the bravest of the French guards. It's impossible! I must answer in kind. Boris and his friend Zhilinsky also came to watch the Transfiguration banquet. Returning back, Boris noticed Rostov, who was standing at the corner of the house. - Rostov! Hello; “We never saw each other,” he told him, and could not resist asking him what had happened to him: Rostov’s face was so strangely gloomy and upset. “Nothing, nothing,” answered Rostov. -Will you come in? - Yes, I’ll come in. Rostov stood at the corner for a long time, looking at the feasters from afar. A painful work was going on in his mind, which he could not complete. Terrible doubts arose in my soul. Then he remembered Denisov with his changed expression, with his humility, and the whole hospital with these torn off arms and legs, with this dirt and disease. It seemed to him so vividly that he could now smell this hospital smell of a dead body that he looked around to understand where this smell could come from. Then he remembered this smug Bonaparte with his white hand, who was now the emperor, whom Emperor Alexander loves and respects. What are the torn off arms, legs, and killed people for? Then he remembered the awarded Lazarev and Denisov, punished and unforgiven. He caught himself having such strange thoughts that he was frightened by them. The smell of food from the Preobrazhentsev and hunger brought him out of this state: he had to eat something before leaving. He went to the hotel he had seen in the morning. At the hotel he found so many people, officers, just like him, who had arrived in civilian dress, that he had to force himself to have dinner. Two officers from the same division joined him. The conversation naturally turned to peace. The officers and comrades of Rostov, like most of the army, were dissatisfied with the peace concluded after Friedland. They said that if they had held out any longer, Napoleon would have disappeared, that he had no crackers or ammunition in his troops. Nikolai ate in silence and mostly drank. He drank one or two bottles of wine. The internal work that arose in him, not being resolved, still tormented him. He was afraid to indulge in his thoughts and could not leave them. Suddenly, at the words of one of the officers that it was offensive to look at the French, Rostov began to shout with vehemence, which was not justified in any way, and therefore greatly surprised the officers. – And how can you judge what would be better! - he shouted with his face suddenly flushed with blood. - How can you judge the actions of the sovereign, what right do we have to reason?! We cannot understand either the goals or the actions of the sovereign! “Yes, I didn’t say a word about the sovereign,” the officer justified himself, unable to explain his temper otherwise than by the fact that Rostov was drunk. But Rostov did not listen. “We are not diplomatic officials, but we are soldiers and nothing more,” he continued. “They tell us to die—that’s how we die.” And if they punish, it means he is guilty; It’s not for us to judge. It pleases the sovereign emperor to recognize Bonaparte as emperor and enter into an alliance with him—that means it must be so. Otherwise, if we began to judge and reason about everything, then there would be nothing sacred left. This way we will say that there is no God, there is nothing,” Nikolai shouted, hitting the table, very inappropriately, according to the concepts of his interlocutors, but very consistently in the course of his thoughts. “Our job is to do our duty, to hack and not think, that’s all,” he concluded. “And drink,” said one of the officers, who did not want to quarrel. “Yes, and drink,” Nikolai picked up. - Hey, you! Another bottle! - he shouted. In 1808, Emperor Alexander traveled to Erfurt for a new meeting with Emperor Napoleon, and in high society in St. Petersburg there was a lot of talk about the greatness of this solemn meeting. In 1809, the closeness of the two rulers of the world, as Napoleon and Alexander were called, reached the point that when Napoleon declared war on Austria that year, the Russian corps went abroad to assist their former enemy Bonaparte against their former ally, the Austrian emperor; to the point that in high society they talked about the possibility of a marriage between Napoleon and one of the sisters of Emperor Alexander. But, in addition to external political considerations, at this time the attention of Russian society was especially keenly drawn to the internal transformations that were being carried out at that time in all parts of public administration. Life, meanwhile, the real life of people with their essential interests of health, illness, work, rest, with their interests of thought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, passions, went on as always, independently and without political affinity or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte, and beyond all possible transformations. Prince Andrei lived in the village for two years without a break. All those enterprises on estates that Pierre started and did not bring to any result, constantly moving from one thing to another, all these enterprises, without showing them to anyone and without noticeable labor, were carried out by Prince Andrei. He had, to a high degree, that practical tenacity that Pierre lacked, which, without scope or effort on his part, set things in motion. One of his estates of three hundred peasant souls was transferred to free cultivators (this was one of the first examples in Russia); in others, corvee was replaced by quitrent. In Bogucharovo, a learned grandmother was written out to his account to help mothers in labor, and for a salary the priest taught the children of peasants and courtyard servants to read and write. Prince Andrei spent half of his time in Bald Mountains with his father and son, who was still with the nannies; the other half of the time in the Bogucharov monastery, as his father called his village. Despite the indifference he showed Pierre to all the external events of the world, he diligently followed them, received many books, and to his surprise he noticed when fresh people came to him or his father from St. Petersburg, from the very whirlpool of life, that these people, in knowledge of everything that is happening in foreign and domestic politics, they are far behind him, who sits in the village all the time. In addition to classes on names, in addition to general reading of a wide variety of books, Prince Andrei was at this time engaged in a critical analysis of our last two unfortunate campaigns and drawing up a project to change our military regulations and regulations. In the spring of 1809, Prince Andrei went to the Ryazan estates of his son, whom he was guardian. Warmed by the spring sun, he sat in the stroller, looking at the first grass, the first birch leaves and the first clouds of white spring clouds scattering across the bright blue sky. He didn’t think about anything, but looked around cheerfully and meaninglessly. We passed the carriage on which he had spoken with Pierre a year ago. We drove through a dirty village, threshing floors, greenery, a descent with remaining snow near the bridge, an ascent through washed-out clay, stripes of stubble and green bushes here and there, and entered a birch forest on both sides of the road. It was almost hot in the forest; you couldn’t hear the wind. The birch tree, all covered with green sticky leaves, did not move, and from under last year’s leaves, lifting them, the first green grass and purple flowers crawled out. The small spruce trees scattered here and there throughout the birch forest with their coarse, eternal greenness were an unpleasant reminder of winter. The horses snorted as they rode into the forest and began to fog up. The footman Peter said something to the coachman, the coachman answered in the affirmative. But apparently Peter had little sympathy for the coachman: he turned on the box to the master. - Your Excellency, how easy it is! – he said, smiling respectfully. - What! - Easy, your Excellency. "What he says?" thought Prince Andrei. “Yes, that’s right about spring,” he thought, looking around. And everything is already green... how soon! And the birch, and the bird cherry, and the alder are already starting... But the oak is not noticeable. Yes, here it is, the oak tree.” There was an oak tree on the edge of the road. Probably ten times older than the birches that made up the forest, it was ten times thicker and twice as tall as each birch. It was a huge oak tree, two girths wide, with branches that had been broken off for a long time and with broken bark overgrown with old sores. With his huge, clumsy, asymmetrically splayed, gnarled hands and fingers, he stood like an old, angry and contemptuous freak between the smiling birches. Only he alone did not want to submit to the charm of spring and did not want to see either spring or the sun. “Spring, and love, and happiness!” - as if this oak tree was saying, - “and how can you not get tired of the same stupid and senseless deception. Everything is the same, and everything is a lie! There is no spring, no sun, no happiness. Look, there are the crushed dead spruce trees sitting, always the same, and there I am, spreading out my broken, skinned fingers, wherever they grew - from the back, from the sides; As we grew up, I still stand, and I don’t believe your hopes and deceptions.” Prince Andrei looked back at this oak tree several times while driving through the forest, as if he was expecting something from it. There were flowers and grass under the oak tree, but he still stood in the midst of them, frowning, motionless, ugly and stubborn. “Yes, he is right, this oak tree is a thousand times right,” thought Prince Andrei, let others, young people, again succumb to this deception, but we know life - our life is over! A whole new series of hopeless, but sadly pleasant thoughts in connection with this oak tree arose in the soul of Prince Andrei. During this journey, he seemed to think over his whole life again, and came to the same old reassuring and hopeless conclusion that he did not need to start anything, that he should live out his life without doing evil, without worrying and without wanting anything. On guardianship matters of the Ryazan estate, Prince Andrei had to see the district leader. The leader was Count Ilya Andreich Rostov, and Prince Andrei went to see him in mid-May. It was already a hot period of spring. The forest was already completely dressed, there was dust and it was so hot that driving past the water, I wanted to swim. Prince Andrei, gloomy and preoccupied with considerations about what and what he needed to ask the leader about matters, drove up the garden alley to the Rostovs’ Otradnensky house. To the right, from behind the trees, he heard a woman's cheerful cry, and saw a crowd of girls running towards his stroller. Ahead of the others, a black-haired, very thin, strangely thin, black-eyed girl in a yellow chintz dress, tied with a white handkerchief, from under which strands of combed hair were escaping, ran up to the carriage. The girl screamed something, but recognizing the stranger, without looking at him, she ran back laughing.