Vayikra 11:34

34 Of all okhel which may be eaten, that on which such mayim cometh shall be tamei; and all mashkeh that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be tamei.

Vayikra 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.

Vayikra 11:34 In-Context

32 And whatsoever of them, when they are dead, doth fall on something, it shall be tamei; whether it be any vessel of wood, or cloth, or hide, or sackcloth, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any melachah (work) is done, it must be put into mayim, and it shall be tamei until erev; then it shall be tahor (clean).
33 And every clay vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be tamei; and ye shall break it.
34 Of all okhel which may be eaten, that on which such mayim cometh shall be tamei; and all mashkeh that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be tamei.
35 And everything whereupon any part of their nevelah falleth shall be tamei; whether it be oven, or stove, they shall be broken; for they are temei’im and shall be temei’im unto you.
36 Nevertheless a spring or cistern, wherein there is a mikveh mayim (collection of water) shall be tahor; but that which toucheth their nevelah shall be tamei.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.