Reply To: Short & Sweet

Re’ah: Moving Forward Like the Fish

The Torah tells us that to be Kosher, a fish must have fins and scales. R’ Chaim Mintz sees in this Halacha a beautiful allusion to how an אדם הכשר ought to conduct their life.

Fish use their fins to propel themselves through the water, teaching us the importance of always moving forward and striving for self-improvement. Just as a kosher fish is always in motion, we must never become complacent with where we are in life.

The fish’s scales serve as a protective armor, shielding it from harm. This teaches us the importance of safeguarding any spiritual progress that we make. By surrounding ourselves with positive influences, we can ensure that we move forward and not backwards.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום