What do all the forbidden animals have in common, that explains why the Torah forbids them specifically?
Ramban #1: Refer to 11:13:4:1***.
Ramban #2 and Seforno: The Torah forbids the animals, the beasts, the birds, the fish, the species of locusts and the vermin that it does, because they are harmful to the body 1 and cause it to overheat.
Kolbo 101, also in Orchos Chayim 103: The Kosher animals are herbivores. They do not have top teeth. They cannot properly grind their food while eating, due to fear of predators or other reasons. Rather, after minimal chewing, the food goes to the stomach, and later it regurgitates it and grinds it. Split hooves show that it does not poison or tear (other animals). And food transmits the nature of what a person eats to the person who eats it.
Akeidas Yitzchak (Sha'ar 60): Not chewing the cud hints that it is always hungry and not satisfied with the food in its innards. Long claws are to steal [from other animals]. 2
Shlah ha'Kadosh (17, and Hagahah): Chewing the cud demonstrates that it is satisfied with the food that it has eaten and split hooves, that it is not Doreis - and the Neshamah is weakened if the body is dirty. 3
Why does the Pasuk find it necessary to single out the camel, the rabbit, the hare and the pig, seeing as all animals that do not possess the two above-mentioned Simanim are not Tahor?
Ramban (on Pasuk 3): To teach us that they are the only animals in the world that possess only one of the two Simanei Taharah.
Having written above "Zos ha'Chayah Asher Tochlu" why does the Torah need to add "Ach es Zeh Lo Sochlu ... " bearing in mind the principle that from the positive, we can extrapolate the negative?
Targum Yonasan: To include in the prohibition an animal whose mother is a Tamei animal, even though it (the baby) possesses both Simanei Taharah. 1
See Peirush Yonasan.
What does the word "Ach Es Zeh" come to preclude?
Bechoros, 7a: It precludes from the prohibition a 'Tamei' animal which resembles its Tahor mother in some ways. 1
The Gemara in Bechoros, 6a learns that a 'Tahor' animal whose mother is a 'Tamei' animal is always forbidden from the same Pasuk ? See Torah Temimah, note 11. Refer also to 11:4:3:4:1.
See Torah Temimah, note 9. Perhaps it comes to include the flesh of the 'Ish Sadeh' (the Yid'oni - a ferocious beast that resembles a human?being) Refer to Sh'mos, 8:17:2:2.
See Torah Temimah, note 9, who discusses the Machlokes Rambam and Ramban on this issue.
Having taught us the Simanim that permit, why can we not simply extrapolate what is forbidden, and vice-versa?
Chulin, 16b: To teach us that someone who eats them transgresses both an Asei and a Lo Sa'Asei. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 10.
Seeing as in Pasuk 8, in connection with the flesh and the carcasses of all the forbidden species the Torah writes "Teme'im hein lachem", why does the Torah ad here "Tamei hu lachem"?
Kesuvos, 60a: To preclude the milk and the blood of Mehalchei Shetayim (human-beings) from the prohibition. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 18, who elaborates.
What is the word "Tamei Hu lachem" coming to preclude?
Bechoros, 6b: It precludes a 'Tamei' animal that is born from a 'Tahor' animal from the prohibition, 1
Why does the Pasuk not insert here the Din of Tum'ah of animals that walk on the soles of their feet (and not on hoofs - such as dogs, bears and cats), as it does later in Pasuk 27 regarding Tum'ah?
Ramban (on Pasuk 24): Because the Pasuk here is discussing the prohibition against eating, and they are not commonly eaten. 1
According to R. Avahu in Pesachim 21b that whenever the Torah writes "Lo Sochal", it incorporate Isur Hana'ah benefit is forbidden, why do we benefit from pig-lard?
Moshav Zekenim #1: R. Avahu is referring to food that is edible - whereas pig-lard is not 1 - and it is for the same reason that we are permitted to ride on horses, benefit from rabbit hides, anoint with the Cheilev of Tamei animals, and permit all forms of Refu'ah. And we are lenient with regard to Safek Nefashos. 2
Moshav Zekenim #2 (in Pasuk 13): The Torah inserts the word "Lachem" 3 in order to permit Hana'ah.
Panim Yafos: Tamei species, even if they are Shechted, are Neveilos, and the Torah already permitted deriving Hana'ah from Neveilos. 4
Is there no other source to permit benefit from Tamei animals?! We need Pesukim to forbid camel's milk, and eggs of Tamei birds (refer to 11:4:152:1, 11:17:151:1)! An animal traded for a dog is Pasul for a Korban (Devarim 23:19). This implies that a dog has value! There a Mitzvah to help others unload and load donkeys (Sh'mos 23:5, Devarim 22:4), donkeys taken from Midyan were shared with Yisrael, Leviyim and Elazar (Bamidbar 31:39,47), we redeem a firstborn donkey (Sh'mos 13:13); Yakov blessed with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh that in Yehudah, they will use donkeys for harvesting (Bereishis 49:11); it is difficult to say that the Isurim to plow with an ox and donkey together, and for a king to acquire excess horses (Devarim 22:10, 17:16) are merely extra La'avim, for no one may benefit from a Tamei animal. - PF)
If so, it is permitted only if there is mortal danger! (PF) Moshav Zekenim adds that this is the Heter to fast on Shabbos due to a bad dream; if not, perhaps he will die! We do not act based on dreams, but most are fulfilled, like those of Paroh and Nevuchadnetzar,
It says "Lachem" regarding Tamei species of animals, fish, Sheretz ha'Of, Chagavim, and Sheratzim (Pasuks 4-8, 10, 12, 20, 23, 26-27, 31. - PF)
This does not apply to live animals? Perhaps he holds that the Isur Achilah was taught about dead animals, so we extrapolate an Isur Hana'ah only for dead animals. (PF)
What do we learn from the fat that the Torah insert "es ha'Gamal" here, and again in Re'ei Devarim, 14:7?
Bechoros 6b (according to R. Shimon: Once to forbid the camel itself, and once to forbid camel's milk. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 16. The question remains however, why the Torah repeats the Shafan, the Arneves and the Chazir in Re'ei?
Rashi in Pasuk 26, writes that a camel's hooves are split above, but not below. If so, why does the Torah write "u'Farsah Einenu Mafris" and not "ve'Shesa Einenu Shose'a"?
Gur Aryeh: The Torah means that it is not totally Mafris Parsah.
