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קטגוריה משנית
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Question
Hello, I want to ask the Rabbi, one of the strongest proofs in my opinion that Judaism is true is the signs of kosher in animals. I wanted to ask if there is a fish that is both kosher and poisonous? This will help me understand that I am walking the right path of faith.
Answer
ב"ה Shalom, There are indeed those who wish to strengthen their faith by relying on proofs that the Torah was given from Heaven based on the specifics the Torah provides regarding the identification of species who have only split hooves but do not chew their cud or vice versa. In fact, even the Talmud (Chullin 60a) remarks in regard to Moses and asks if he was a hunter or archer that he knows how to identify a certain animal . And since Moses had no access to such information it refutes those who say that the Torah is not from Heaven, since Moses could not have known of the existence of such an animal if not by Divine revelation. However, one of the most fundamental elements in accepting that the Torah is from Heaven is the Revelation of G-d on Mt. Sinai. It was witnessed by a few million people and an occurrence witnessed by so many people, rules out the possibility of conspiracy and leaves no doubt for its authenticity. The witnessing of this occurrence was then passed down from generation to generation with an unbroken chain of transmission until our very day. Now, I'll get to the fish. I am not a marine biologist so I cannot give you accurate information. If you wish to rely on AI, AI claims that there are fish with fins and scales which are poisonous ( as opposed to venomous) , meaning that a person will get sick if eating the flesh. However, I am not sure if the biologic definition used by AI is consistent with the Torah requirements for kosher fish. According to Jewish law a scale is not considered a sign of kosher status unless it can be removed from the skin like a garment; that is, it can be peeled off the skin of the fish by hand or with a tool, like the peel of trees or fruits. However, if it is fixed and attached to the skin of the fish and cannot be separated from the skin at all—so that it is impossible to peel it off the fish’s skin unless part of the fish’s skin itself is also removed—then it is not considered a scale, and the fish is forbidden, because it is merely part of the skin itself. (See Talmudic Encyclopedia, Entry: Fish) So, it can very well be that these poisonous fish with fins and scales do not come under the category of a kosher fish in accordance with Jewish law therefore this would be consistent with your theory of proofs that Judaism is true. In any case, follow up with Torah study to bolster your faith. All the Best
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