חולין 61:2 — Soncino English Talmud

But let us infer [the rule] from the raven thus: As it has two [characteristics of cleanness] and yet may not be eaten, so all that have two [characteristics] may not be eaten! — If so, why does the Divine Law specify the peres and the ‘ozniah? Surely if we may not eat those that have two [characteristics of cleanness] it goes without saying [that we may not eat] those that have only one [characteristic]! Then let us infer [the rule] from the peres and the ‘ozniah! — If so, why does the Divine Law specify the eagle? For if we may not eat those that have one [characteristic of cleanness] it goes without saying that we may not eat those that have none [of the characteristics of cleanness]! The inference must therefore be: You may not eat the eagle because it has none [of the characteristics of cleanness], but whatsoever has one [characteristic] you may eat. Now this is the result only because the Divine Law specified the eagle, but had it not done so we should have inferred it from the peres and the ‘ozniah. But they, the peres and the ‘ozniah, are two texts, separately stated, which teach the same thing, and one may not draw any conclusions from two verses which teach the same thing! — There is a tradition that the characteristic [of cleanness] of the one is not that of the other. But consider. There are twenty-four species of unclean birds [mentioned in the Torah]. Now it is inconceivable that the one characteristic of cleanness of each of these two species does not recur among the others, so that it is a case of two verses which teach the same thing! — There is a tradition that there are twenty four species of unclean birds and that there are four characteristics of cleanness. The same three characteristics circulate among all. Twenty [species] have each these three characteristics, the raven has two [of these characteristics], and the peres and the ‘ozniah have each one characteristic, but the characteristic of one is not that of the other. You might then have said: Let us infer the rule from that one; the Divine Law therefore specified the eagle to teach you that you may not eat the eagle as it has none of the characteristics of cleanness, but whatsoever has one characteristic you may eat. Why then does the Divine Law specify turtle doves? — R. ‘Ukba b. Hama answered: Only with regard to sacrifices. R. Nahman said,^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ

^ᵃnote:As to the required number of characteristics to stamp the bird clean.
^ᵇnote:Heb. xrp, ‘the gier eagle’ or ‘the bearded vulture’. This and the osprey (v. next note) have each one characteristic of cleanness only.
^ᶜnote:Heb. vhbzg, ‘the osprey’ or ‘the sea eagle’.
^ᵈnote:That one characteristic of cleanness alone is not sufficient.
^ᵉnote:For if these were intended as specimens only, and that all others with similar characteristics were to be inferred therefrom, the Torah need only have stated one of them. The fact that two verses are stated, or two specimens given, suggests that the rule is limited to the particular specimens given.
^ᶠnote:So that these two do not teach quite the same thing for they each have a different characteristic of cleanness.
^ᵍnote:V. infra 63a.
^ʰnote:So that we could not have inferred from either of them that a bird with only one characteristic of cleanness was unclean; hence the specification of the eagle in the Torah becomes superfluous.
^ⁱnote:One of these two, either peres or the ‘ozniah, is unique in that it alone possesses the fourth characteristic of cleanness.
^ʲnote:With the result that every bird that has one characteristic of cleanness — whichever characteristic that may be, for we do not know what is this unique fourth characteristic — would be forbidden.
^ᵏnote:Since it has been concluded that a bird with only one characteristic of cleanness is permitted the specification of turtle doves in the Torah is rendered superfluous, and indeed contradictory, for it suggests the possession of all the four characteristics of cleanness as the criterion.
^ˡnote:Namely, that only doves, of all the clean birds, are allowed for sacrifice. The Tanna in the Baraitha, supra 62a, stated turtle doves solely to set forth, by contrast with the eagle, the four characteristics of cleanness.