Vayikra 11:43

43 Ye shall not make your nefashot sheketz with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves tamei with them, that ye should be made tamei thereby.

Vayikra 11:43 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:43

Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping
thing that creepeth
With any creeping thing that flies in the air, excepting the four sorts of locusts, ( Leviticus 11:22 ) and with any creeping thing in the waters, ( Leviticus 11:10 ) or with anything that creeps on the land, by eating any of them; which being abominable for food, would make the eater of them so to God, he thereby breaking a command of his:

neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them;
by touching and bearing them, as with dead beasts, so with dead flies and the like:

that ye should be defiled thereby;
in a ceremonial sense.

Vayikra 11:43 In-Context

41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz shall be sheketz; it shall not be eaten.

42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all fours, or whatsoever hath marbeh raglayim (many feet) among all creeping things that creep upon ha’aretz, them ye shall not eat; for they are sheketz.

43 Ye shall not make your nefashot sheketz with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves tamei with them, that ye should be made tamei thereby.

44 For I am Hashem Eloheichem; ye shall therefore set yourselves apart as kodesh, and ye shall be kadoshim; for I am kadosh; neither shall ye make your nefashot tamei with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz.

45 For I am Hashem that bringeth you up out of Eretz Mitzrayim, to be for you as Elohim: ye shall therefore be kadoshim, for I am kadosh.