"ve'Zeh lachem ha'Tamei". What is the significance of the word ?ve?Zeh? in connection with the Sheratzim?
Menachos, 29a: Moshe had difficulty in grasping the Simanei Tum'ah of the Sheratzim, so Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu showed him with His Finger. 1
Me'ilah, 17a: The extra letter ?Vav? in ve?Zeh? 2 teaches us that the blood of Sheratzim is Tamei.
Kerisos, 4b: It teaches us that the blood of a Sheretz combines with its flesh to make up the Shi'ur k'Adashah.
Kerisos, 22a: It precludes the milk and blood of human-beings from Tum'ah.
What do we learn from the (otherwise superfluous) word "ba'Sheretz ha'Shoretz al ha'Aretz"?
Chulin, 126b: In incorporates a mouse that is half flesh and half earth in the Din of Tim'ah. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 82.
What are the implications of "al ha'Aretz"?
Chulin, 126b: It implies that a sea-mouse is Tahor. 1
Chulin (Ibid.): However, if a land mouse goes down to the sea it remains Tamei ? from the word "ha'Shoretz", implying 'Kol Makom she'Shoretz'.
What if a land-mouse goes down to the sea?
Chulin, 126b: ?ha?Shoretz? implies that a land-Sheretz is Tamei wherever it ?creeps?. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 81.
What are thee "Choled, Achbar and Tzav"?
Rashi: 'A weasel, a mouse and a toad' 1 , respecively.
'The Living Torah' translates "Tzav" as a 'ferret'.
What is "ha'Tzav le'Miyneihu" coming to include?
Chulin, 63a: It includes a wild ass, a 'ben ha'Nefilim' (a kind of Tzav) and a salamnder (a species of lizard that is created from fire). 1
See Torah Temimah, note 83.
What are the implications of the word "ve'Zeh lachem ha'Tamei"?
Da'as Zekenim: To teach us that they are permitted to Nochrim. 1
Perhaps this permits Hana'ah from Sheratzim. Refer to 11:4:151:2. 2 (PF).
Targum Yonasan: It comes to preclude the blood, the skin 3 and the flesh of Sheratzim from the prohibition.
Da'as Zekenim: This can be compared to a doctor who visited two patients. One of them had no cure, so the doctor put no restrictions on him. The other had a cure, so the doctor restricted his diet.
Perhaps according to R. Avahu, we would have thought that it is forbidden, if Sheratzim are included in "Lo Sochlu mi'Ma'alei ha'Gerah?" (Pasuk 4) or "Lo Sochlu Chol Neveilah" (Devarim 14:21).
See Nos'ei K'lei Yonasan and Na'ar Yonasan, and refer to 11:31:1:1*.
