Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The Chasidah Bird


The Chasidah [white stork]

 וְאֵת הַחֲסִידָה  "The chasidah" [Shemini 11:19]

Why is its name chasidah (literally meaning "kind one") asks Rashi. "Because it does kindness with its companions with food."

According to the Ramban, said the Chiddushei HaRim (R' Yitzchak Meir Alter of Gur), the reason why the nonkosher birds are not kosher is because of their cruel nature.  If so, the chasidah should have been a kosher-type bird; after all, it bestows kindness upon its companions!

The chasidah acts kindly towards its companions, answered the rebbe, but it does not act kindly toward anyone else. This is why it is considered not kosher.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Devorah,

I read this about the bird, then does it mean that ALL humans should be tolerant and good to each other... to a certain limit of course..
Not to those who commit crimes against other humans.

Thanks if you can explain to me.

sc.

Devorah said...

If you are only kind to selective people, then you are not really a kind person at all, because you are UNKIND to anyone who is not part of your own group. A genuinely kind person is always kind to everyone.

Anonymous said...

Spoken truly...and taken in to mull over and over and digest into my being.

This blog has always, as far as i can recall, spread to all and sundry.. love and tolerance.

I cannot recall ever reading anything to put anyone down..

Thank you.

Gd bless you.

stella c

Anonymous said...

Oh..

One more question...
As far as i see birds stay with own species and take care of thier own.

Is there a bird that shares with another not of its species?

Maybe what has been written is from a religios point of view... but in reality, is there or are there birds that share with others , who are not of their own 'clan'?

If you can respond good.. of not..its okay as i understand this question may seem 'fuuny'

In any case.... thank you Devorah.

stella

Devorah said...

Most of the birds are not kosher to eat, and I think you're right they all look after their own. Only ''gentle'' animals/birds qualify as kosher. As this parsha is discussing the kosher and nonkosher animals, it gives the example of the chassida which may fool us into thinking it is a kind creature and therefore it should be kosher, but if we look further we find that it is not as kind as we might think. It's from the point of view of kashrut rather than anything else when it mentions the bird in parshat Shemini.

Anonymous said...

Thank you..

Hashem bless you .

stella

Noise Blockers and Other Remedies said...

Apparently all Kosher birds share with their own.