כָּל־נְבֵלָה֙ וּטְרֵפָ֔ה מִן־הָעֹ֖וף וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לֹ֥א יֹאכְל֖וּ הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ פ
Every carcass and that which is torn, from the bird and from the beast, the priests shall not eat.
Morphology
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every”; Notes: Serves as an inclusive quantifier referring to all kinds of items in the following list.
- נְבֵלָה (nevelah) – Root: נבל (naval); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “carcass”; Notes: Refers to an animal that has died naturally, without proper slaughter, rendering it ritually unclean.
- וּטְרֵפָה (u-trefah) – Root: טרף (taraf); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and that which is torn”; Notes: Refers to animals killed or wounded by predators, also unfit for consumption under Torah law.
- מִן־ (min) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “from”; Notes: Indicates the source or category from which the unclean items originate.
- הָעֹוף (ha-ʿof) – Root: עוף (ʿof); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the bird”; Notes: Refers collectively to birds, including fowl used for food and sacrifice.
- וּמִן־ (u-min) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition מִן; Translation: “and from”; Notes: Extends the rule to another category, in this case, beasts or livestock.
- הַבְּהֵמָה (ha-behemah) – Root: בהם (baham); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the beast”; Notes: Refers to domesticated animals such as cattle, sheep, or goats used for food or sacrifice.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Prohibits the following action explicitly.
- יֹאכְלוּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall eat”; Notes: The verb of prohibition — priests are forbidden to consume these unclean remains.
- הַכֹּהֲנִים (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: Refers to the Levitical priests, set apart for holy service and bound by stricter dietary laws of ritual purity.