הזהירנו מאכילת השרצים המתהוים מהעפושים אע"פ שאינן מין ידוע ולא יתהוו מזכר ונקבה, והוא אמרו ולא תטמאו את נפשותיכם בכל השרץ הרומש וגו'. ולשון ספרא השרץ הרומש על הארץ הוא אע"פ שאינו פרה ורבה, וזהו ההפרש בין אמרו השורץ על הארץ ובין הרומש על הארץ. כי השרץ נקרא שיש בו כח המוליד בדומה. והרומש נקרא המתהוה מן העפושים. ומי שאכל ממנו לוקה. (שם, שם): He prohibited us from eating things that swarm which come to exist from rot, even though they are not a specific type and do not come into existence from a male and a female. And that is His saying, "you shall not make yourselves impure through any swarming thing that creeps, etc." (Leviticus 11:44). And the language of the Sifra (Sifra, Shemini, Chapter 12:4) is, "'You shall not make yourselves impure through any swarming thing that creeps upon the earth' - even if it is not fruitful and does not multiply. And that is the difference between His saying, "that creeps upon the earth," and "that swarms upon the earth." As that which swarms refers to that which has the power to give birth to a similar [being]; whereas that which creeps refers to that which comes into existence form rot. And one who eats from them is lashed. (See Parashat Shemini; Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Foods 2.)