-8

In yesterday's parasha, we read not to eat rabbit meat because it chews its cud (Vayikra 11:6):

"ואת הארנבת כי מעלת גרה "

Today, we know this is not true. I am curious as to how religious Jews explain this discrepancy today. If the Torah was referring to a different animal, then shouldn't modern rabbit be kosher?

Improve this question
6
  • 7
    Please read the entire verse. The reason Arnevet meat isn't Kosher is because it doesn't have split hooves, which is true.
    – Double AA ♦
    Apr 3, 2016 at 13:57
  • 1
    related judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/978/the-shafan-and-arneves/…
    – rosends
    Apr 3, 2016 at 13:58
  • Shalom Haim and welcome to Mi Yodeya. If you haven’t done so already, you should take a look at the tour. Please consider registering your account, to enable more site features, including voting. I hope you'll look around and find other Q&A of interest and stay learning with us.
    – mbloch
    Apr 3, 2016 at 14:01
  • Land animals are kosher only when they both chew it's cud and have split hooves.
    – Dude
    Apr 3, 2016 at 14:08
  • 2
    "Camel Hare Hyrax" talks about this one - the hare DOES chew its cud, but in an unconventional way - it re-chews it's pellets, redigesting its food.
    – Isaac Kotlicky
    Apr 3, 2016 at 15:12

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

There are people who translate arneves as the llama and state that just like the camel it is not kosher because it chews its cud but does not have spolit hooves as I explain at Are Llamas Kosher?

However, following those who translate arneves as "rabbit" we get: You have it backwards. The animal translated as "rabbit" (arneves) is ma-alei geira but has no split hooves. The rabbit does not have multiple stomachs and is not a ruminant, but it does "rechew" its food. Thus it is "Maalei Geirah" (which is a kosher sign) but does not have split hooves - which is why it is not kosher. An interesting point is that many people did not know this until it was published in Watership Down in 1978 or so.

DO RABBITS CHEW THE CUD? Leonard R. Brand Chairman, Department of Biology Loma Linda University

Some herbivorous animals consume part of their own feces, thus recovering fermentation products that have passed through the digestive tract. This process of reingestion of feces occurs in many rodents (Thacker and Brandt 1955) and in all genera of hares and rabbits (Carles 1977; Hamilton 1955; Kirkpatrick 1956; Lechleitner 1957; McBee 1971; Myers 1955; Southern 1940; Watson 1954; Watson and Taylor 1955). Reingestion of feces is an especially well-developed practice in Lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) and is important for their adequate nutrition.

Improve this answer
-3

The truth of the matter seems to lay in the science. Like all animals which are “non kosher”, rabbits can be dangerous to eat. During the warmer months rabbits carry certain parasites which are dangerous to humans. Not having a split hoof is an external identifier of an unclean/unsafe animal to eat.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Welcome to MiYodeya and thanks for this first answer. Since MY is different from other sites you might be used to, see here for a guide which might help understand the site. See in particular the importance of sourcing your answers, since no one knows you, no one has any reason to believe in what you write if you don't provide sources. Great to have you learn with us!
    – mbloch
    Jun 2, 2019 at 18:36
  • 1
    Also can I recommend you take the tour to get a sense of how the site works?
    – mbloch
    Jun 2, 2019 at 18:37

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .