God told us not to eat unclean animals, but what about using their parts for other things? Furs to wear, fats for lotions, snail mucin for skincare, murex snail dyes for cloth, etc.
Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21 tell us what we can and cannot eat, but are there verses that explain uses other than eating? The answer is yes.
“And the fat of an animal that dies naturally, and the fat of what is torn by wild beasts, may be used in any other way; but you shall by no means eat it.” Leviticus 7:24
This is speaking about the case where a clean animal becomes unclean. This happens when the animal dies prematurely (before slaughter) by disease or by being killed by wild animals. The fat of the carcass, even though it’s now unclean, can be taken and used in ANY OTHER WAY, it just cannot be eaten.
Here is another verse describing the same situation,
“And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening. He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.” Leviticus 11:39-40
The person can become clean again, but the carcass can’t. The carcass is definitely unclean and stays unclean, yet there is no restriction in using the unclean fat. In fact, God tells us to go ahead and use it. If there is no restriction, then the fat can be used for anything including lotions. So, parts from an unclean carcass can be used as long as it’s not eaten. This is helpful to know because many people are concerned about using pig fats for skincare or even snail mucin because it may be absorbed into the bloodstream. God has no such restrictions regarding absorption, it’s not an issue. If it was, then we wouldn’t even be allowed to touch any unclean living animal. Unclean living animals have oils in their fur, mucus and excretions, etc that would be absorbed into our skin. We have zero laws telling us we can’t touch living unclean animals.
For example, ‘mislik’ is a greasy liquid that is secreted from a camel’s neck during rutting season. There is no restriction from touching this. John the Baptist wore camel fur and Christ said there was no prophet greater in God’s eyes than John.
“Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4
“For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Luke 7:28
Anyone who has owned a cat or dog can attest to how oily their fur can get, yet there are zero laws against touching cats and dogs despite oils that can absorb through the skin. Israelites were very aware of cats after living in Egypt for hundreds of years and God even mentions dogs being present in and around Israelite cities, yet God never made any restrictions about owning or touching cats and dogs.
To take it a little further, what if you get bit by a dog or cat and their saliva (and possibly unclean animals that they were eating) gets into your bloodstream? There are no restrictions or instructions regarding this either. Nor is there anything given to us about touching snails or any sea creature that produces mucus or other excretions. Oysters inside their shells cover debris with mucus, yet there are no instructions against contacting this mucus. Pearls are even mentioned in the bible.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:” Matthew 13:45
There are verses that actually confirm that there are no restrictions for touching unclean living animals. The Bible tells us that Temple Priests would accept unclean animals, not for sacrifice, but to be dedicated to God. Once a value is given by the priest, it could be redeemed later for a slightly higher price and taken back.
“‘If it is an unclean animal which they do not offer as a sacrifice to the LORD, then he shall present the animal before the priest; ‘and the priest shall set a value for it, whether it is good or bad; as you, the priest, value it, so it shall be. But if he wants at all to redeem it, then he must add one-fifth to your valuation” Leviticus 27:11-13
In the Talmud, the revered Jewish Rabbi, Rashi, claims that the verses in Leviticus were referring to blemished clean animals. Christ, however, was constantly showing how these revered Rabbis were in error. This too is in error. If God meant ‘blemished’ he would have just said this. The word’s ‘unclean’ and ‘blemished’ do not have the same meaning. An unclean animal cannot be eaten, a blemished animal can. These meanings are distinctly different and therefore used purposely by God.
Unclean animals could be and were valued and redeemed, and so handled by the Temple Priests. We can see this in the case of the firstborn donkey,
“But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.” Exodus 13:13
The cost of redeeming a donkey, an unclean animal, was a lamb. But other unclean animals were included in the statutes of the firstborn redemption.
“Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to YHWH, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.” Numbers 18:15
So regarding dedication, if an unclean animal was to be dedicated to YHWH, it would be taken to the Temple and valued. The owner could then redeem it with a 20% increase in cost to get it back, otherwise it would stay in the Temple treasury where it would be sold.
“And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation, and shall add one-fifth to it; or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.” Leviticus 27:27
Considering that priests could handle unclean animals with no restrictions as to a danger of absorbing oils or residues into their skin, then it is evident that skin absorption is not an issue. If absorption was, then no one would own or use donkeys. We see however that donkeys were used by Abraham (Genesis 22:3), Jacob’s sons (Genesis 42:25-32), Moses (Exodus 4:20), David (1Samuel 16:20), and the Apostles and Christ (Matthew 21:1-7). God will never lead you into sin. Therefore, you can trust that if this was a danger He would have left us a law to warn us, but what we see instead are Laws regarding donkey ownership (Exodus 20:17, Exodus 21:33-34, Exodus 22:4, Exodus 22:9-15, Exodus 23:4-5, Exodus 23:12, Deuteronomy 22:4, Deuteronomy 22:10) and the most important names in the Bible using donkeys.
In conclusion, the act of eating is not the same as absorbing according to YHWH’s laws. Therefore, based on this and Leviticus 7:24, we know that parts can be taken from an unclean carcass and processed to use. So, at what point does a carcass become not a carcass? We need to know because touching a carcass makes us unclean and we need to follow the corresponding instructions. As mentioned above, the instructions for the clean animals that have become unclean is,
“And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening. He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.” Leviticus 11:39-40
And the creatures that are unclean to begin with,
"‘By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening; whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening” Leviticus 11:24-25
“And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening. Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.” Leviticus 11:27-28
YHWH doesn’t give a specific point where a carcass is no longer a carcass, so that means that it must be obvious. When you take the fat from the carcass and purpose it for something else, it is no longer considered part of the carcass, otherwise you would be perpetually unclean. God wouldn’t lead you into being perpetually unclean. So once removed and processed (cleaned, boiled, etc), the fat cannot still be a carcass. That would be the same for leather, or bone, etc. It can be purposed for anything except eating.
We can see this is true because David’s son, King Solomon, made his throne of ivory.
“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.” 1Kings 10:18
Now, I suppose elephant tusks could be taken without killing the elephant (an unclean animal) but this would be cruel as the tusks are needed for the elephant to function. Historically, the tusks were taken after killing the elephant as it is still done today.
“Though we call it ivory a tusk is actually made of dentine, which is the same material found in human teeth. The only way to remove a tusk from an elephant is either through a very long, complicated dental procedure or to kill the elephant and cut the tusk out.” Reid Park Zoo, Conservation
Solomon had ships bring him valuables like ivory every 3 years (1Kings 10:22). Ivory was highly prized and was also used in Mesopotamian palaces, and often covered with gold. Click Here to see an example. Solomon would not have made his throne out of an unclean carcass, and an unclean throne would have been unfit for the leader of this Torah observant Jewish nation.
Another concern people have is using unclean fats for candles. Pork lard can lawfully be made into candles and burned. There are no Laws about inhaling anything unclean from burning. Josiah, for example, followed all the Laws of God faithfully and pleased God so much that God delayed the judgments of His coming wrath until after he died.
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” 2Kings 22:2
“And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.” 2Kings 23:25
“because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD. Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.” 2Kings 22:19-20
Josiah burned bodies on the altars of the idolatrous high places to defile them so no one would use them anymore. Obviously dead bodies are unclean and cannot be eaten, yet there are no laws prohibiting inhalation.
“And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.” 2Kings 23:20
“As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs that were there on the mountain. And he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar, and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.” 2Kings 23:16
Here is the prophecy that Josiah fulfilled,
“Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’ ””1Kings 13:2
Here are some verses which show that dead bodies are unclean,
“He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.” Numbers 19:11
“This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.” Numbers 19:14-16
It is not a sin to inhale smoke from burning anything unclean or Josiah wouldn’t have done it. Even the priests were allowed to burn unclean garments with no restrictions on inhaling anything.
“And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean. He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.” Leviticus 13:51-52
In essence, there are no restrictions for using unclean animal parts for other uses. You can wear pig leather or rabbit fur or cloth dyed from the mucus of Murex Snails. You can use pork lard candles or use pork lard and snail mucin in skincare products, or use any other similar things without concern for violating YHWH’s Laws. Just don’t eat it!
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