Unclean Food

Leviticus 11:13-19 These you shall regard as detestable among the birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the buzzard, the kite of any kind; every raven of any kind; the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; the water hen, the desert owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

1) Detestable? Abomination? Way harsh! Actually, this list makes sense.  All of these birds prey on living creatures. Most of them prey on animals such as rats, frogs, and insects. I can see how one might consider them detestable to eat for that reason.  

2) Bats aren't birds but I don't fault them for not knowing that yet.

3) Mom, aren't you glad they didn't want to eat "the heron of any kind?" My Mom loves Herons.  

4) And, for anyone who's curious what a hoopoe looks like (because I definitely was) here you go: