Vayikra 11:12

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the mayim, that shall be sheketz unto you.

Vayikra 11:12 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 11:12

Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters
Which is repeated that they might take particular notice of this law, and be careful to observe it, this being the only sign given:

that [shall be] an abomination unto you;
the Targum of Jonathan says, that not only the flesh of such fish, but the broth, and pickles made of them, were to be an abomination; which contradicts what Pliny

---

FOOTNOTES:

F20 relates, that the Jews made a pickle of fishes that lacked scales; so Grotius understands him: this law of the Jews is taken notice of by Porphyry ^F21, who says, it is forbidden all the Jews to eat horse flesh, or fishes that lack scales, or any animal that has but one hoof: and Pliny ^F23, from an ancient author, Cassius Hemina, makes mention of a law of Numa, forbidding the use of fish that had not scales, in feasts made for the gods.

F20 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 8.
F21 De Abstinentia, l. 4. c. 14.
F23 Nat. Hist. l. 32. c. 2.

Vayikra 11:12 In-Context

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that swarm in the mayim, and of any nefesh hachayyah which is in the mayim, they shall be sheketz (abomination, detestable) unto you;

11 They shall be even sheketz unto you; ye shall not eat of their basar, but ye shall have their nevelah in sheketz.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the mayim, that shall be sheketz unto you.

13 And these are they which ye shall have in sheketz among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are sheketz: the nesher (eagle), and the vulture, and the whitetailed eagle,

14 And the da’ah (kite), and the black kite after its kind;