7│ │ _Purim_ │ frequent. │ │Esth. ix. 27│ │ │ Almond-tree blossoms. NOTE. _Laws of Purity._ Not altogether unconnected with these regulations respecting Holy Times and Seasons were other enactments of the Mosaic code, having for their object the enforcement of ideas of purity and holiness. _Ye shall be holy unto Me_, was the Divine command; _for I the Lord thy God am holy, and have severed you from other people that ye should be Mine_ (Lev. xix. 2; xx. 7). Many of these regulations were, doubtless, laws of health, tending to regulate diet, enforce cleanliness, and guard against many prevalent disorders. But over and above this, they had a higher object, and formed part of the moral discipline of the elect nation. They regard (i) things unclean to eat; (ii) things unclean to touch; (iii) unclean matters or conditions[103]. i. _Things unclean to eat._ The prohibitions respecting food follow directly the laws concerning sacrifice. Portions of many sacrifices, as we have seen, might be eaten. From this eating the Law passes on to food generally, the nature of which has “commonly no little influence on the refinement and manners of a people.” Concerning vegetable eating, no rules are laid down. In respect to animal food, the laws are clear and precise. (i) Of _quadrupeds_, the clean were such as _both parted the hoof and chewed the cud_, all others were unclean. All animals, therefore, used in sacrifice might be eaten, as also the numerous species of deer and gazelles (Deut. xiv. 5), but none of the _carnivora_, or such animals as the camel, coney, hare, or pig. (ii) Of _birds_ also, all that were offered in sacrifice might be eaten, such as doves, pigeons, and also quails, but all birds of prey, and nearly all the water-fowl, were unclean. (iii) Of _Fish_, those only were clean that had both fins and scales. (iv) All _Reptiles_ and _Insects_ were unclean, except locusts, and such as had four legs for walking and two for springing (Lev. xi. 21, 22; comp. Matt. iii. 4). But the Israelite was also strictly forbidden to eat anything that died of itself (Ex. xxii. 31), or was torn by beasts, emphatically the blood of any animal (Gen. ix. 4; Lev. iii. 17; xvii. 10, 12; Comp. 1 Sam. xiv. 32, 33).