דברים, פרק י״ד, פסוק י״ב

When establishing dietary laws for birds, the Torah chooses a remarkably efficient method of instruction. Because the number of permitted bird species far exceeds the forbidden ones, the focus shifts entirely to listing the prohibited minority. This approach serves as a broader lesson in using brief, focused communication [בכור שור, חזקוני].

Because the command regarding forbidden birds is repeated with a slight shift in phrasing, it indicates that the restriction goes beyond personal consumption. One is also forbidden to feed these impure birds to another person [מלבי״ם]. The primary approach among commentators is that an additional restriction applies even to the category of pure birds. Specifically, it forbids eating the pure bird that is slaughtered during the purification ritual for a person afflicted with a spiritual skin disease. Once this bird is slaughtered, it becomes capable of absorbing impurity. As the spiritual impurity leaves the afflicted person, it attaches to the bird, rendering it abominable for consumption [הטור הארוך, העמק דבר, הכתב והקבלה, חזקוני, אדרת אליהו]. Notably, two birds are used in this ritual, but only the slaughtered one is prohibited. The second bird, which is released into the wild, remains permitted. If the released bird were forbidden, sending it away would create a trap for an unsuspecting hunter who might catch and eat it without knowing its history [שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, תורה תמימה].

Another perspective expands the dietary restriction to include anything produced by an impure bird. For instance, a chick that hatches from the egg of a forbidden bird is strictly prohibited, even if its physical features perfectly resemble those of a permitted species [הכתב והקבלה].

The catalog of forbidden birds begins with the eagle, honoring its status as the king of the avian world [קיצור בעל הטורים]. The exact identity of this biblical bird is a matter of debate. While some identify it with the modern eagle [ביאור שטיינזלץ], others firmly argue that it cannot be the eagle or vulture known today. Those modern birds possess an extra toe, which is a physical sign of a permitted bird. In contrast, the biblical eagle is defined as a bird of prey completely lacking any signs of purity [רא״ש, דעת זקנים, אדרת אליהו]. Listed alongside it are two other desert birds that share similar traits with the eagle [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Like all the forbidden birds mentioned, they are distinctly recognized by their nature as birds of prey [אדרת אליהו].