（有黑体字更正）（利07）不吃可献祭的脂油 （Revision in boldface) (Leviticus 07) Do not eat sacrificial fat
(ChatGPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale, 中文在后面）
There was an American Jew who had limited understanding of the Bible. He went to China and saw Chinese people eating pork rice, so he went to a Muslim restaurant to eat beef noodles. When he returned to the United States, his Jewish rabbi told him, “Eating beef noodles from Muslims is not as good as eating pork rice from Chinese people.”
The man said, “How can eating non-kosher pork be better than eating kosher beef?”
The rabbi said, “The beef eaten by Muslims still contains fat that they haven’t removed.”
The man said, “But doesn’t pork eaten by Chinese people also contain fat?”
The rabbi said, “The fat of pigs cannot be sacrificed. Jews eating the fat of animal types that can be offered as sacrifices is even more serious wrongdoing.“
The man said, “But aren’t we also forbidden to eat pork?”
The rabbi said, “But the punishment for Jews eating pork is relatively light, they will not be cut off from the people. However, if Jews intentionally eat fat that can be sacrificed, they may be cut off from the people. This means they will have a shortened life and no descendants in this world, and no share in the world to come.”
The Jewish man understood this conversation. When he went to China later, he only ate chicken and fish. Because chickens and fish are not animal types that can be offered as sacrifices, generally one will not be cut off for eating their fat.
This hypothetical dialogue is based on Leviticus 7:23-25, where the Lord tells Moses: “Say to the Israelites: ‘Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats. The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be presented to the Lord must be cut off from their people.‘” For related knowledge one can check https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelev
The reason why the Lord did not allow His chosen people, the Israelites, to eat sacrificial fat is not explained in the Bible. I guess it may symbolize offering the best to the Lord during sacrifice, rather than keeping it for oneself. The term “fat” is sometimes translated as “the finest”. Psalm 81:16 says, “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you…” Here, the “finest of wheat” in the original text refers to “the fat of wheat.” It’s no wonder that Genesis 4:4 records that when the sons of Adam offered sacrifices, “Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering…” Even though Christians are not prohibited from eating fat, it is still appropriate to offer the finest to the Creator for offerings, rather than keeping it for oneself, because all good things come from the Creator.
（利07）不吃可献祭的脂油
有一个对圣经一知半解的美国犹太人，来到中国，看见中国人吃猪肉饭，就去回民的清真店吃牛肉拉面。等回到美国，他的犹太拉比告诉他，“吃回民的牛肉拉面，还不如吃中国人的猪肉饭”。
那人说，‘吃不清真的猪肉，怎么会比吃清真的牛肉好呢”？
拉比说：“回民吃的牛肉里有脂油，他们没有去掉。”
那人说，“中国人的猪肉里不是也有脂油吗？”
拉比说：“猪的脂油不能献祭。犹太人吃可以用来献祭的畜类的脂油，错误更严重。”
那人说，“猪肉不是也我们也不能吃吗？”
拉比说，“但是犹太人吃猪肉所受的惩罚比较轻，不会从民中剪除。而如果犹太人吃可以用来献祭的脂油，如果是故意的，可能会被从民中剪除，这就是说，今世会短寿、无后，来世会无份。”
那个犹太人听懂了这段话。以后他去中国时，就吃鸡肉和鱼肉，因为鸡和鱼是不能用来献祭的畜类，一般来说不会因为吃了它们的脂油而被剪除。
这段假设的对话，其圣经背景是利未记7:23-25，那里主对摩西说: “你 晓 谕 以 色 列 人 说 ， 牛 的 脂 油 ， 绵 羊 的 脂 油 ， 山 羊 的 脂 油 ， 你 们 都 不 可 吃 。
自 死 的 和 被 野 兽 撕 裂 的 ， 那 脂 油 可 以 作 别 的 使 用 ， 只 是 你 们 万 不 可 吃 。无 论 何 人 吃 了 献 给 耶 和 华 当 火 祭 牲 畜 的 脂 油 ， 那 人 必 从 民 中 剪 除 。” 有关的知识可参见
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelev
为什么主不让祂的选民以色列人吃脂油？ 圣经里没有解释。我猜想，这可能表示献祭时要把上好的献给主，而不是留给自己。脂油一词有时被翻译成上好的。诗篇81:16说，“他 也 必 拿 上 好 的 麦 子 给 他 们 吃 。…”这里“上好的麦子”原文说的是“麦子的脂油”。难怪创世记（4:4）记载人类始祖的儿子们献祭时提到， “亚 伯 也 将 他 羊 群 中 头 生 的 和 羊 的 脂 油 献 上 。 耶 和 华 看 中 了 亚 伯 和 他 的 供 物 ，…” 。基督徒虽然没有被禁止吃脂油，但是在奉献时把上好的献给造物主，而不是留给自己，这仍然是应当的，因为自己所有的好处，都是造物主所赐给的。