[PW] Re: ?The Capybara (S. American Rodent) -- is It Kosher Meat?

[SHORE,J]

For the record, I'd like to re-state the Kosher laws given 
here. From Leviticus (Mechon-mamre translation) available 
at http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0.htm

These are the laws for beasts upon the Earth (i.e. land 
based mammals) - Chapter 11 verses 3-8
  
3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is wholly 
cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that 
may ye eat. 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them 
that only chew the cud, or of them that only part the 
hoof: the camel, because he cheweth the cud but parteth 
not the hoof, he is unclean unto you. 5 And the 
rock-badger, because he cheweth the cud but parteth not 
the hoof, he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because 
she cheweth the cud but parteth not the hoof, she is 
unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, because he parteth the 
hoof, and is cloven-footed, but cheweth not the cud, he is 
unclean unto you.

I believe the Capybara fits in with the Hare, it has toes 
and not a cloven-foot, so it is not Kosher.

J.

J. Shore
Systems Librarian - MEDLINE Quality Assurance
National Library of Medicine
Bethesda, MD, USA
shorej at cablespeed.com

On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 09:03:19 -0600
  "Sam Shipley" <iyam at trails.net> wrote:
> The capybara is a large edible South American rodent. 
> From a little research, I have learned that it has toes 
>and a rumen (like a sheep's), so in effect "it cleaves 
>the hoof and chews the cud."  Well, I have a patron who, 
>given this information, would now like to know if the 
>capybara would be considered kosher food for observant 
>Jews?  Can anyone answer this question?  
> 
> I appreciate your help.  
> 
> Sam Shipley
> Reference 
> Dodge City Public Library
> _______________________________________________
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