MOLE RAT

[Heb., choʹledh].

A rodent measuring 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in.) in length. The mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi) resembles a short-legged, tailless, and neckless cylindrical lump of soft, thick fur, generally a yellowish gray-brown color. The head is recognizable by the furless muzzle and two pairs of large protruding teeth. Under the Law, the mole rat was unclean for food.​—Le 11:29.

Although numerous translations render choʹledh as “weasel” (AS, KJ, RS), there is a basis for preferring “mole rat.” In Arabic, a language related to Hebrew, a very similar word, khuld, means “mole rat.” Also, choʹledh may be related to a post-Biblical Hebrew term signifying “dig” or “hollow out.” This would harmonize with the mole rat’s characteristic digging.

Mole rats live underground and dig subterranean sleeping quarters and large storage chambers. These creatures subsist on vegetable matter, primarily on roots and bulbs. Thus they differ from true moles, which feed on insects and earthworms and are not considered native to Palestine.