Request to readers
FRIENDLY REQUEST TO READERS AND POSTERS TO THIS STRING:
I have some reasonable request for those who wish to participate in a discussion regarding the hare/cud issue. If you could accommodate my request I would be in indebted to you:
Please read my essay before responding. I had several gentleman write me because they only read the title and the answers to their questions were in my essay.
Please focus the debate on the hare/hyrax/rabbit/cud issue. If you want to create a string on another topic and create a well reasoned and well written topic that you wish to defend I would encourage you to do so. However, on this post string, I courteously ask that we talk about this particular issue and keep our focus on this topic.
Please be a courteous discussant and read my essay before responding. I had one gentleman at another forum post a reply to my essay but he only read the title.
Also, if you are going to assert the hare or hyrax does not chew the cud and the Bible made a mistake please meet the standard of evidence I give in my essay. If you do not feel my standard is reasonable, please state why you feel my standard of evidence is unreasonable and be as specific as possible. In addition, if you could address my Felix/Kretzman argument as well this would also be appreciated.
Also, if you state the hare does not chew the cud because it is not a Ruminant I would suggest you read my essay closer due to two reasons: 1) Professor Ruetimeyer, the distinguished authority on Ruminants, said that an animal CAN chew the cud and still not be declared a Ruminant because there is more than one factor that determines if a animal is declared a Ruminant. Professor Ruetimeyer, the distinguished expert on Ruminants said: "That the hare chews the cud is not new to me. Only, I would call attention to the circumstances that in today's anatomical and embryological classification the practice of rumination is not decisive by itself. In other words, an animal may chew the cud and yet not be classified among the ruminantia." (taken from Pasche. see endnotes) 3) Based on my current research, the best evidence which was provided by Hendrichs in peer reviewed journal demonstrates the hare chews the cud. Both hares and hyraxes have a fermentation chamber in addition to having a stomach. If you have better empirical evidence that the hyrax does not chew the cud then please present it. If you still feel the Ruminant objection can be maintained the please fully support this assertion.
Also, if you are going to state that your particular rendering of the Hebrew of "ma'alah gerah is correct, the please state why the other 5 plus translations cited in the rabbinical and Christian literature by scholars is untenable (I give two links regarding this issue in my essay). I would also like to address the issue regarding the fact that the phrase "ma'alah gerah" is used for sparingly in the Old Testament and why this fact of the scarcity of usage would not make translating problematic.