Disquisitio philol. de Iudaeorum odio et abstinentia a porcina, eiusque c ausis

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it, about which there could be any doubt whether it is harmful or not, except for the PIG AND FAT. But there is no room for doubt here: for the pig is of an excessively moist nature; but the most potent reason why the Law prohibited us FROM EATING SWINE FLESH IS THE FOUL FILTH OF PIGS, and because they eat many filthy things. For you know how anxiously the Law prohibited all filth, and all uncleanness, in the fields and in the camps as well, to say nothing of the cities themselves. But if it were permitted to eat pigs, the streets and all the houses would be far filthier than dunghills and latrines, just as one may see today in the Gauls, etc.

II. The leprosy and mange of the pig: Many Talmudic masters are of this opinion, along with the learned VOSSIUS in the place cited, p. 538. CUNAEUS, On the Hebrews, Book II, ch. 24, whom we have already cited above, whose words I will append here, since they strengthen me not a little in this opinion:

Against the heretics, a blessed life would have to be denied, because they had consumed pork. I will append the words only from the version: In the future time, God, the Best and Greatest, will order a herald to go forth, [proclaiming:] Whoever among you has been studious of the law, come hither, and receive your reward. But then the heretics will say: give us also our reward, for we too have obeyed the precepts. But God, the Best and Greatest, will reply: whoever does NOT EAT THE FLESH OF THE PIG, or abominable things, or reptiles, let him come forward and take his reward. In the same hour [the heretics] will receive their sentence, for it is said [Isaiah 66:17]: Those who eat the flesh of the pig and the abominable thing and the mice: they shall be consumed together, says Jehovah. The permission for the eating of pork, which the great MOSES MAIMONIDES gave in On the Government of the Hebrews, ch. VIII, § 1, from the version of MELCH. LEYDECKER, to those Jews living and fighting outside of Palestine, is entirely singular: To soldiers in the camps, when they enter the territory of the nations, and subject it to themselves, and carry away some plunder from there, it is permitted to eat carrion and torn meat, and even THE FLESH OF THE PIG, and similar things, if someone is hungry and cannot find anything else to eat except these forbidden foods. Compare also LEYDECKER