Unclean

Hebrew, (טמא), “tame.” In both the Torah of Judea (Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) and in the Torah of Lehi (Joseph), some animals are explicitly named as pure or impure, while others are classified by other criteria. Unclean animals can range from weak, sickly, or sick animals to animals sacrificed, made for, or given to foreign gods.

In Judaism the concept of “impure animals” plays a prominent role in dietary requirements as a part of Jewish law that specifies which foods are allowed (kosher) or forbidden to eat. These laws are based upon the Books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy of the Torah (the Christian Old Testament).

Rabbinical commentaries like the Talmud have added to these laws over time to help the Jewish people better obey the commandments of God as they understand them.

The Hebrew term “tame,” or in English “unclean,” typically refers to anything that can make people sick, mostly physically but sometimes spiritually. This idea seems to be more of a temporal health code than spiritual law, similar to the Word of Wisdom.

See 5 Moses 8:17, & chapter 11; Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 12:15, & chapter 14; Matthew 15:10-11; Mark 7:1-5, 14-19; Acts 10:9- 16.