not
"take care for oxen," and, therefore, neither of other irrational
animals. Therefore without reason is it commanded (Deut. 22:6): "If
thou find, as thou walkest by the way, a bird's nest in a tree . . .
thou shalt not take the dam with her young"; and (Deut. 25:4): "Thou
shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out thy corn"; and (Lev.
19:19): "Thou shalt not make thy cattle to gender with beasts of any
other kind."

Objection 9: Further, no distinction was made between clean and
unclean plants. Much less therefore should any distinction have been
made about the cultivation of plants. Therefore it was unfittingly
prescribed (Lev. 19:19): "Thou shalt not sow thy field with different
seeds"; and (Deut. 22:9, seqq.): "Thou shalt sow thy vineyard with
divers seeds"; and: "Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass
together."

Objection 10: Further, it is apparent that inanimate things are most
of all subject to the power of man. Therefore it was unfitting to
debar man from taking silver and gold of which idols were made, or
anything they found in the houses of idols, as expressed in the
commandment of the Law (Deut. 7:25, seqq.). It also seems an absurd
commandment set forth in Deut. 23:13, that they should "dig round
about and . . . cover with earth that which they were eased of."

Objection 11: Further, piety is required especially in priests. But
it seems to be an act of piety to assist at the burial of one's
friends: wherefore Tobias is commended for so doing (Tob. 1:20,
seqq.). In like manner it is sometimes an act of piety to marry a
loose woman, because she is thereby delivered from sin and infamy.
Therefore it seems inconsistent for these things to be forbidden to
priests (Lev. 21).

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 18:14): "But thou art
otherwise instructed by the Lord thy God": from which words we may
gather that these observances were instituted by God to be a special
prerogative of that people. Therefore they are not without reason or
cause.

_I answer that,_ The Jewish people, as stated above (A. 5), were
specially chosen for the worship of God, and among them the priests
themselves were specially set apart for that purpose. And just as
other things that are applied to the divine worship, need to be
marked in some particular way so that they be worthy of the worship
of God; so too in that people's, and especially the priests', mode of
life, there needed to be certain special things befitting th