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Permissible Fish in Jewish Dietary Laws
TANAKH
The Torah provides specific criteria for which fish are permissible to eat. Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, outlines these dietary laws, specifying the importance of fins and scales in identifying permissible fish.
The Mythical Bad Breath of the Leviathan
TALMUD
The leviathan is a mythical sea creature of immense power, capable of boiling the sea with its breath. In the Talmudic tractate Bava Batra, Rav Dimi relays Rabbi Yoḥanan's teaching about the leviathan, referencing biblical verses to illustrate its extraordinary abilities and the measures taken to mitigate its foul smell.
The Mighty Fish of the Great Sea
KABBALAH
The Zohar portrays a mighty fish in the Great Sea as a symbol of grandeur and wisdom, capable of extraordinary feats. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, delves into the mystical and esoteric aspects of the Torah.
Aphrodisiac with Gills
CHASIDUT
Eating fish is believed to arouse the desire for marital relations. In Sefer HaMiddot, an alphabetically organized collection of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's teachings on different themes, explains the impact of dietary choices on one's spiritual and physical well-being.
The Blessing of Fish
MIDRASH
Jacob's blessing compares his grandchildren's growth and protection to that of fish, invoking the merits of Joseph for their protection. Louis Ginzberg's early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, synthesizes a vast array of Jewish folklore and biblical stories into a continuous narrative.
Foods That Affect Milk Production
TALMUD
Certain foods, including small fish, can negatively impact a nursing woman's milk production. The Gemara in tractate Ketubot discusses various foods that can affect a nursing woman's milk, providing practical guidance for maintaining healthy milk production.
Jonah's Inner Journey
JEWISH THOUGHT
What did Jonah feel like after being swallowed by a giant fish, spending three days in its stomach, and then being spat up on the land? Dr. Erica Brown reflects on Jonah's story, and its depiction in a painting by Gustave Doré, to immerse in the prophet's inner turmoil and the broader themes of repentance and self-improvement during the Days of Awe.
Health Guidelines in the Talmud
TALMUD
The Talmud provides specific health-related guidelines and warnings about the consumption of fish and other activities in combination with bloodletting. The Babylonian Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism comprising discussions and commentary on Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history, in tractate Avodah Zara offers detailed advice on the timing and conditions under which consuming certain foods and undergoing bloodletting are safe or dangerous.
The Fish That Saved Jonah
COMMENTARY
Why did God choose a fish to save Jonah instead of using other miraculous means? Rabbi Chaim Jachter’s contemporary commentary explores many different commentators' understandings of the significance of the fish in the story of Jonah, which is traditionally read on Yom Kippur.
A Fish Without Water
MUSAR
The Talmud teaches that just as a fish cannot survive without water, a person cannot truly live without Torah. In his ethical work, Shemirat HaLashon, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, known as the Chofetz Chaim, emphasizes the indispensable role of Torah study in Jewish life.
The Plague of Blood and Its Impact on the Nile's Fish
TANAKH
The catastrophic impact on the fish in the Nile highlights the severity of the first plague and its devastating effect on the Egyptians' water supply. The book of Exodus describes how God turned the waters of the Nile into blood, causing the fish to die and the river to stink, making the water undrinkable.
Trapping on Festivals
MISHNAH
The Mishnah distinguishes between the prohibition of trapping fish on a Festival and the conditions under which trapping animals or birds may be permitted. The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, outlines the laws of Yom Tov, including prohibitions against certain types of labor to maintain the sanctity of the day.
Longing for Fish in the Wilderness
COMMENTARY
The Israelites, despite their liberation, longed for the variety of food, including fish, they had in Egypt, highlighting their dissatisfaction with the manna provided in the wilderness. In the Book of Numbers, quoted here in an essay by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the Torah recounts the Israelites' complaints during their journey in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt.
The Primordial Creation of Fish
SECOND TEMPLE
Fish and other sea creatures were among the first living beings created by God's hands on the fifth day, highlighting their primordial and divine origin. The Book of Jubilees, an apocryphal retelling of the events of the books of Genesis and Exodus, expands upon the narratives of Genesis and Exodus, offering unique insights into the creation story.
Dominion Over the Fish of the Sea
TANAKH
The divine mandate for humans to rule over the fish of the sea underscores humanity's broader dominion over the earth. The first chapter of Genesis, the opening book of the Torah, recounts God's command to humanity to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion over all living creatures.
Identifying Kosher Fish and Grasshoppers
GUIDES
The Talmud provides detailed criteria for identifying kosher fish and grasshoppers, which are still followed by observant Jews today. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary on the Babylonian Talmud introduces the section of tractate Chullin that discusses the kashrut of fish.
Teeming Seas and Sky
LITURGY
The biblical narrative of the divine creation of aquatic and avian life emphasizes their numerousness. The Seder Ma'amadot, a collection of prayers and biblical readings, includes a reading from the book of Genesis on the creation of the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky.
Buying Fish for the Sabbath in Frankfurt am Main, Hermann Junker  1838-1899, Jewish Cultural Reconstruction,  the Jewish Museum.
Buying Fish for the Sabbath in Frankfurt am Main, Hermann Junker 1838-1899, Jewish Cultural Reconstruction, the Jewish Museum.
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