ארנבת

Parshat שמיני also discusses the laws of Kashrut. It lists some of the specific animals that we are not allowed to eat. One of these animals mentioned, is the ארנבת, or rabbit. It chews its cud but does not have split hooves. It is interesting to note that one of the miracles that took place in the translation of the Torah into Greek, as initiated by King Ptolemy, had to do with this word, “ארנבת”. When seventy-two elders went into seventy-two homes with the assignment of translating the Torah into Greek, ארנבת presented a unique problem. This was because the name of the wife of Ptolemy, was ארנבת! Incredibly, all seventy-two translated ארנבת as “צעירת הרגליים”, young of legs, in order not to insult the queen. Truly amazing.