פַּרְסָה
a claw or split hoof
Definition
The Hebrew noun פַּרְסָה (parçâh) refers specifically to a split or cloven hoof, a defining anatomical feature used in the biblical dietary laws to distinguish clean from unclean land animals. According to Leviticus 11:3 and Deuteronomy 14:6, a clean animal must both chew the cud and have a completely split hoof. The word can also refer more broadly to the foot or claw of an animal, as seen when it describes the 'claws' of all livestock in Exodus 10:26. In its legal contexts, the focus is on the hoof's division, making it a key criterion for ritual purity and permissible consumption.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the legal portions of the Torah, specifically in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Its primary context is the detailed dietary laws that categorize animals. It appears 16 times, with 14 of those occurrences concentrated in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, which systematically list clean and unclean creatures. The pattern is formulaic: animals are evaluated based on whether they have a split hoof (פַּרְסָה) and chew the cud. The two exceptions are in Exodus 10:26, where it refers generally to the livestock's 'claws' or 'hooves' that must be taken out of Egypt, and Leviticus 11:26, which states that touching the carcass of any animal with a split hoof that does not chew the cud makes one unclean.
Etymology
פַּרְסָה (parçâh) is the feminine form of the noun פֶּרֶס (peres, H6538), which means 'a splitting' or 'a dividing.' This root verb פָּרַס (paras) means 'to break in two, to divide.' Thus, the word's etymology directly points to its meaning: a hoof that is split or divided. This connection highlights the core physical characteristic that the biblical law uses for classification.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it establishes a tangible, physical marker of holiness and separation within the Mosaic Covenant. The requirement for a split hoof, paired with chewing the cud, created a system that taught Israel to make distinctions, reflecting God's own holiness (Leviticus 11:44-45). Understanding פַּרְסָה enriches reading by showing how ritual purity laws used observable creation to cultivate spiritual discipline and identity, pointing to a God who calls His people to be set apart in all aspects of life, including their diet.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, dietary laws served as a powerful cultural boundary marker for Israel, distinguishing them from surrounding nations. The focus on the split hoof was a practical, observable test. Unlike modern zoological classification, the biblical system grouped animals based on these visible traits for the purpose of ritual purity, not biological taxonomy. The 'cloven hoof' was a recognizable feature that any Israelite could identify, making the law accessible and enforceable in daily life.
כַּף (kaph, H3709) — A much broader term for the palm of a hand, sole of a foot, or a paw; denotes the flat surface rather than the split structure. רֶגֶל (regel, H7272) — The general word for 'foot' (human or animal); refers to the entire limb or the act of walking, not the hoof specifically.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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