And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
This verse belongs to Moses' directions forbidding the eating of unclean creatures, including certain animal flesh such as swine. The prohibition was not an exercise of arbitrary authority but was given to guard health and to preserve the life and health of the people. Such food pollutes the blood and shortens life, and in order to retain the faculties of mind and body the blood must be kept pure by simple, healthful food, for which reason God specified the animals least objectionable for food.
Leading Jews carried these prohibitions to unreasonable lengths, making life a burden of ceremonies and restrictions. They carried regulations of eating and drinking so far that the mind was kept on continual strain discriminating between clean and unclean and following the multitude of priestly injunctions. They even strained all water lest the smallest speck or insect render it unclean, and lived in constant fear of infringing customs taught as law.
This verse belongs to Moses' directions forbidding the eating of unclean creatures, including certain animal flesh such as swine. The prohibition was not an exercise of arbitrary authority but was given to guard health and to preserve the life and health of the people. Such food pollutes the blood and shortens life, and in order to retain the faculties of mind and body the blood must be kept pure by simple, healthful food, for which reason God specified the animals least objectionable for food.
Leading Jews carried these prohibitions to unreasonable lengths, making life a burden of ceremonies and restrictions. They carried regulations of eating and drinking so far that the mind was kept on continual strain discriminating between clean and unclean and following the multitude of priestly injunctions. They even strained all water lest the smallest speck or insect render it unclean, and lived in constant fear of infringing customs taught as law.