Shmini – Leviticus Chapter 11-43 ראָק ְיִּוַ
אַ ל-תְּ שַׁ קְּ צוּ, אֶ ת-נַפְ שֹׁתֵ יכֶ ם, בְּ כָל-הַ שֶּׁ רֶ ץ, הַ שֹּׁרֵ ץ; וְ ל ֹא תִ טַּ מְּ אוּ בָּ הֶ ם, וְ נִטְ מֵ תֶ ם בָּ ם.
You shall not make yourselves hateful, disgusting, with any swarming,
creeping, insects that are found everywhere. Neither shall you make
yourselves contaminated and unclean with them, that you should be defiled
thereby.
This Torah portion in Parashat Shmini describes what types of animals we
can eat or what kind of animals we can’t eat. One of the groups that we are
not allowed to eat is called Shratzim, small creepy insects. We are not
allowed to eat them and the verse in chapter 11:43 says, “Do not make
yourself abominable. It’s disgusting to Hashem. Do not defile yourself by
them and do not become Tamei, contaminated by them.”
The last expression seems to repeat itself in a strange way.
The word “םֶ תֵ מְ טִנְ ו ,”do not become contaminated with them, is missing the
.”א” letter
And the Gemara Yoma Page 39:1 explain this verse to mean:
תָּ נָא דְּ בֵ י רַ בִּ י יִשְׁ מָ עֵ אל:
עֲבֵ ירָ ה מְ טַ מְ טֶ מֶ ת לִבֹּו שֶׁ ל אָ דָ ם, שֶׁ נֶּאֱ מַ ר
“וְ ל ֹא תִ טַּ מְּ אוּ בָּ הֶ ם וְ נִטְ מֵ תֶ ם בָּ ם”, אַ ל תִּ קְ רֵ י “וְ נִטְ מֵ אתֶ ם”, אֶ לָּא: וְ נִטַּ מְ טֵ ם
In the school of Rabbi Yishmael it was taught: Sin makes (someone) unable
to think or feel properly in the heart of a person who commits it, as it is
stated: “And do not impurify yourselves with them, so that you should not be
thereby impurified” (Leviticus 11:43) Do not read that term as “And be
impurified [venitmetem]”; rather, read it as: And your hearts will be unable to
think or feel properly [venitamtem].
“.closed “means, Alef letter the without” , וְ נִטַּ מְ טֵ ם”
Hashem will close your brain from understanding – you will not be able to
think straight or clear.
תָּ נוּ רַ בָּ נַן: “)אַ ל( תִ טַּ מְּ אוּ בָּ הֶ ם וְ נִטְ מֵ תֶ ם בָּ ם”, אָ דָ ם מְ טַ מֵּ א עַ צְ מֹו מְ עַ ט
מְ טַ מְּ אִ ין אֹותֹו הַ רְ בֵּ ה. מִ לְּמַ טָּ ה מְ טַ מְּ אִ ין אֹותֹו מִ לְּמַ עְ לָה.
בָּ עֹולָם הַ זֶּה מְ טַ מְּ אִ ין אֹותֹו לָעֹולָם הַ בָּ א.

The Sages taught the following with regard to the verse: “And do not
impurify yourselves with them, so that you should not be thereby
impurified”; a person who impurifies himself a bit, they impurify him greatly.
If a person impurifies himself of his own volition his own choice his own
decision on earth, they impurify him even more so above, in Heaven. If a
person impurifies himself in this world, they impurify him in the World-toCome.
תָּ נוּ רַ בָּ נַן: “וְ הִ תְ קַ דִּ שְׁ תֶּ ם וִ הְ יִיתֶ ם קְ דֹושִׁ ים”, אָ דָ ם מְ קַ דֵּ שׁ עַ צְ מֹו מְ עַ ט מְ קַ דְּ שִׁ ין אֹותֹו הַ רְ בֵּ ה,
מִ לְּמַ טָּ ה מְ קַ דְּ שִׁ ין אֹותֹו מִ לְּמַ עְ לָה, בָּ עֹולָם הַ זֶּה מְ קַ דְּ שִׁ ין אֹותֹו לָעֹולָם הַ בָּ א.
Conversely, the Sages taught the following with regard to the verse:
“Sanctify yourselves and you will be sanctified” (Leviticus 11:44); a person
who sanctifies himself a bit, they sanctify him and assist him greatly. If a
person sanctifies himself below, they sanctify him above. If a person
sanctifies himself in this world, they sanctify him in the World-to-Come.
The problem is that once a person defiles himself with this unclean small
creepy insect, he will try them again and then this will come as a habit. It will
seem natural, normal and absolutely ok to eat them like there is nothing
wrong by eating them. They will not think twice when it comes to eating nonkosher food.
Kidushin 40:1
עוּלָּא אָ מַ ר כִּ דְ רַ ב הוּנָא דְּ אָ מַ ר רַ ב הוּנָא כֵּיוָן שֶׁ עָ בַ ר אָ דָ ם עֲבֵ ירָ ה וְ שָׁ נָה בָּ הּ הוּתְּ רָ ה לֹו הוּתְּ רָ ה
לֹו סָ לְקָ א דַּ עְ תָּ ְך אֶ לָּא נַעֲשֵׂ ית לֹו כְּ הֶ יתֵּ ר
Ulla said: This should be explained in accordance with a statement of Rav
Huna, as Rav Huna says: When a person transgresses and repeats his
transgression, it then in his mind becomes permitted to him. The Gemara
questions this statement: Can it enter your mind that the transgression is
permitted to him because he has sinned twice? Rather, it becomes as if it
were permitted to him, as he becomes accustomed to this behavior and no
longer senses that it is a sin.

By Rabbi From Torah Emes of NMB