Leviticus 11:34

34 If water [from that pottery] touches any food, the food is unclean. Any liquid that you drink from that pottery is unclean.

Leviticus 11:34 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:34

Of all meat which may be eaten
Which otherwise is lawful to eat and fit for food, whether herbs, or whether the flesh of clean creatures:

[that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean;
that is, such water as is put into an unclean vessel, become so by the fall of any unclean reptile into it; wherefore such water poured out upon any sort of food, clean and fit to eat, or that is put into such water, to be dressed, it becomes unclean and unfit to eat; for the vessel, being unclean, defiles the water, and the water defiles the food: Jarchi interprets this of water in general, which coming upon anything eatable, prepares it for uncleanness;

``we learn (says he) that no food is fit and prepared to receive defilement until water comes upon it once; and after it is come upon it once, it receives defilement for ever, even though it becomes dry;''

but the former seems to be the true sense:

and all drink that may be drank in every such vessel shall be
unclean;
whatever otherwise might be lawfully drank, yet being put into such a vessel, into which any unclean reptile was fallen, or being in it when it fell into it, became unclean and not fit to be drank; and those liquors which receive uncleanness, and make meats unclean by coming on them, according to the Misnic doctors ^F23, are these seven, dew, water, wine, oil, blood, milk, and honey.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F23 Misn. Machshirin, c. 6. sect. 4.

Leviticus 11:34 In-Context

32 When the dead body of one of these creatures falls on something, that thing will be unclean. It may be a wooden article, clothing, leather, a sack, or anything used for any purpose. It should be put in water and will be unclean until evening. Then it will be clean [again].

33 "If any of these creatures falls into a piece of pottery, break the pottery because everything in it is unclean.

34 If water [from that pottery] touches any food, the food is unclean. Any liquid that you drink from that pottery is unclean.

35 Anything on which their dead bodies fall is unclean. If it is an oven or a stove, smash it. It is unclean and will remain unclean for you.

36 However, a spring or a cistern holding water will remain clean. But anyone who touches their dead bodies will be unclean.