{"id":13964,"date":"2011-08-25T00:22:33","date_gmt":"2011-08-25T00:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_hulin_61a67b\/"},"modified":"2015-11-03T12:04:09","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T17:04:09","slug":"masechet_hulin_61a67b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_hulin_61a67b\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Chullin 61a-67b"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The Coming Week&#8217;s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Chullin 61a-b: Determining the kosher status of birds<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How do we know which animals are kosher?<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=2440\">59a<\/a>), although the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> offers indicators for animals \u2013 split hooves and chewing its cud \u2013 it does not do so for birds. Nevertheless, the Sages established a number of indicators for birds:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A bird that is a <em>dores<\/em> \u2013 it hunts its prey \u2013 is not a kosher bird<\/li>\n<li>A bird that has an extra toe, a crop, and a gizzard that can be peeled is a kosher bird.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> offers the source for these rules. The <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=247&amp;letter=B&amp;search=baraita\">baraita<\/a><\/em> teaches that the <em>nesher<\/em> is mentioned as one of the non-kosher birds and we know that a <em>tor<\/em> is a kosher bird since it is brought as a sacrifice. We can therefore conclude that:<\/p>\n<p><em>Just as the nesher is unique in that it has neither an extra toe nor a crop, its gizzard cannot be peeled, it seizes prey and eats it, and is unclean, so all that have similar characteristics are unclean.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Torim have an extra toe and a crop, their gizzard can be peeled, they do not seize prey and eat it; just as they are clean, so all that have similar characteristics are clean<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, the <em>nesher<\/em> has been identified as an eagle, a bird of prey that is called an <em>ayit<\/em> in modern Hebrew. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=74&amp;letter=J\">Rabbeinu Tam<\/a> argues that this identification cannot be correct, since eagles do have an extra toe. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=910&amp;letter=M\">Ramban<\/a> adds that according to a passage in <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/s.htm#sefer\">Sefer<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/treiasar\/michah.htm\">Mikhah<\/a><\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt1801.htm#16\">1:16<\/a>) it appears that the <em>nesher<\/em> is bald, which would preclude identifying it as an eagle. An alternative identification is the <em>gyps fulvus<\/em> or <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Griffon_Vulture\">griffon vulture<\/a>, a bird of prey that has a very white bald head, very broad wings and short tail feathers.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast to the <em>nesher<\/em>, the <em>baraita<\/em> points to the <em>tor<\/em> as the archetype kosher bird. In fact, the Torah does not list any kosher birds; the entire list of 24 birds mentioned in the Torah (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0311.htm#13\">11:13-19<\/a>) are non-kosher. According to the Torah (<em>Sefer<\/em> <em>Vayikra<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0301.htm#14\">1:14<\/a>), the two types of birds that can be brought as sacrifices are <em>torim<\/em> and <em>benei yonah<\/em> \u2013 turtledoves and pigeons. The <em>tor<\/em> that is referred to is identified as <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Streptopelia_turtur\">Streptopelia turtur<\/a><\/em>, while the <em>yonah<\/em> is identified as <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Columbidae\">Columba livia domestica<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0Since they are brought as sacrifices, the Gemara assumes that they must be kosher for mundane purposes, as well.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 62a-b: Identifying a kosher bird<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As we learned on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=2442\">yesterday&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em><\/a> the Sages established a number of indicators that show which birds are kosher:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A bird that is a <em>dores<\/em> \u2013 it hunts its prey \u2013 is not a kosher bird<\/li>\n<li>A bird that has an extra toe, a crop, and a gizzard that can be peeled is a kosher bird.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Although we no longer rely on these indicators (see the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=366&amp;letter=I\">Rama<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/s.htm#shulchanaruch\">Shulchan Aruch<\/a> Yoreh De&#8217;ah<\/em> 82:3), it is clear that in the time of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> it was commonplace to rely on them to determine whether a given bird was permissible. The Gemara on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em>, for example, relates that a type of songbird, the <em>zarzir<\/em> \u2013 identified as a type of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sturnus\">starling<\/a> \u2013 was eaten by the people of Kfar Temarta since it has a crop, and that the <em>senunit levana<\/em> \u2013 identified as a type of swallow (<em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hirundo_rustica\">hirundo rustica<\/a><\/em>) or martin (<em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Delichon_urbica\">delichon urbica<\/a><\/em>) \u2013 was eaten by the people of the upper Galilee because it has a gizzard that can be peeled. In both of these cases <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=215&amp;letter=E\">Rabbi Eliezer<\/a> argued that it was forbidden since these are types of ravens that are listed in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> among non-kosher birds.<\/p>\n<p>The Gemara also offers a list compiled by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=2038&amp;letter=A\">Rav Assi<\/a> of eight birds regarding which there is a doubt, specifically the Huba, <em>huga, suga, harnuga, tushlami, marda,<\/em> <em>kohilna<\/em>, and <em>bar nappaka<\/em>. The Gemara explains that Rav Assi&#8217;s doubt stems from the fact that in these birds the gizzard can only be peeled with a knife. \u00a0Although the Gemara relates the case of a duck belonging to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=204&amp;letter=S\">Mar Shmuel<\/a>, where the gizzard could not be peeled, so it was left in the sun, and as soon as it became soft it peeled easily, the Gemara explains that in that case as soon as it became soft it peeled easily with the hand, but here even after it had been softened it could only be peeled with a knife.<\/p>\n<p>In an attempt to identify the birds in Rav Assi&#8217;s list, researchers have gone so far as to check which birds have such gizzards. The suggestions of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Israel_Aharoni\">Professor Yisrael Aharoni<\/a> appear <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/Kosher_Birds.php\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 63a-b: A tradition of kosher birds<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As we have learned, unlike other animals, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> does not offer clear indicators that allow us to recognize which birds are kosher, rather it offers a list of 24 non-kosher birds (see above, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=2442\">daf, or page 61<\/a><\/em>). On today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=601&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi<\/a> suggests that the reason for this is because there are many more kosher birds in the world than non-kosher birds; it was therefore simpler to list the few birds that are not kosher, leaving us to understand that all the rest could be used in the kosher kitchen.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge, of course is whether we can accurately identify all of the birds that appear in the Biblical list.<\/p>\n<p>While the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> above teaches that there are certain indicators of kosher birds, on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> Rabbi Yitzhak notes that there is another reliable method of identifying a kosher bird, that of <em>massoret<\/em> \u2013 tradition. He further teaches that a hunter is believed when he says that his teacher handed down a tradition to him that a given bird is kosher. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=357&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi Yochanan<\/a> limits this, however, to people who show that they are familiar with the different birds and their names.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/rashi.htm\">Rashi<\/a> explains that the tradition can be from a teacher or from a parent, and can even be based on the hunter&#8217;s memory of what his father ate. In situations such as these the tradition is trusted as reliable and there is no need to look for the indicators that the Sages established to recognize a kosher bird (see above, <em>daf<\/em> 61) and even if none of those indicators are found this bird is acceptable based on the <em>mesorah<\/em>. The <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shach\">Shach<\/a> rules, however, that if the bird is found to have the indicator that it is not kosher, e.g. it is found to be a bird of prey, then we must conclude that the tradition was mistaken and the bird is deemed unkosher.<\/p>\n<p>With the passage of time and development of commercial <em>kashrut<\/em>, many traditions regarding kosher foods are being forgotten. A number of committed scholars have devoted themselves to locating and reestablishing these traditions &#8211; see, for example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.templesanjose.org\/JudaismInfo\/faq\/kashrut\/mesorah.pdf\">http:\/\/www.templesanjose.org\/JudaismInfo\/faq\/kashrut\/mesorah.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jpost.com\/Magazine\/Features\/Article.aspx?id=183049\">http:\/\/www.jpost.com\/Magazine\/Features\/Article.aspx?id=183049<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 64a-b: The eggs of non-kosher birds<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Talmudic sage Chizkiya asked: From where do we know that the egg of an unclean bird is prohibited by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> responds by pointing to the <em>bat ha-ya&#8217;anah<\/em>, one of the birds in the list of unclean birds (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0311.htm#16\">11:16<\/a>). Literally, the word <em>bat<\/em> seems to indicate that this is the daughter of the <em>ya&#8217;anah<\/em> and if the <em>ya&#8217;anah<\/em> does have a daughter \u2013 will the daughter have a different status than its mother? The Gemara concludes that it must mean that the egg of an unclean bird is not kosher.<\/p>\n<p>It would appear that Chizkiya&#8217;s question is superfluous, given the general Talmudic principle <em>ha-yotzeh min ha-tamei, tamei<\/em> \u2013 that anything produced by an unclean animal is also unclean.<\/p>\n<p>The <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Simeon_Kayyara\">Ba&#8217;al Halakhot Gedolot<\/a><\/em> argues that the true issue at hand is how we know that the egg of a <u>clean<\/u> bird is <u>permitted<\/u> by the Torah. That is to say, a living bird is forbidden to eat until it is slaughtered, so we may have thought that the eggs it produces are forbidden as well. The passage about the <em>bat ha-ya&#8217;anah<\/em> teaches that only eggs of unclean birds are forbidden.<\/p>\n<p>Other <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/r.htm#rishon\">rishonim<\/a><\/em> disagree with this approach. The R&#8221;i suggests that we know that the eggs of a kosher bird are permitted from the law of <em>shiluach ha-ken<\/em>, where the Torah permits taking the eggs of a bird if you first chase the mother away (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#devarim\">Devarim<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0522.htm#6\">22:6-7<\/a>). It is possible that we may have thought that since the Torah permits the use of such eggs \u2013 their status as the product of a non-kosher (i.e. a living) animal notwithstanding \u2013 we may have thought that all eggs would be permissible. This is the foundation for Chizkiya\u2019s question and the Gemara&#8217;s response.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>bat ha-ya&#8217;anah<\/em> is usually identified as the ostrich, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Struthio_camelus\">struthio camelus<\/a><\/em>, which is its name in modern Hebrew. Some researchers suggest that it is a nocturnal bird of prey, the Eurasian Eagle-owl, or <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bubo_bubo\">bubo bubo<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 65a-b: Eating grasshoppers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While insects are not part of a Western diet, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> includes certain types of locusts among the &#8220;winged swarming things&#8221; that can be eaten (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0311.htm#20\">11:20-25<\/a>), offering both a description \u2013 those that &#8220;have jointed legs above their feet, wherewith to leap upon the earth&#8221; \u2013 and a list of names of the kosher species. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> (<em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/learning.php?pg=Daf_Yomi&amp;articleId=2440\">daf, or page 59a<\/a><\/em>) elaborates on the description, requiring that kosher locusts must have four legs, four wings, leaping legs, and wings covering the greater part of the body; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=427&amp;letter=J\">Rabbi Yosi<\/a> adds that they must bear the name <em>hagav<\/em> \u2013 locust.<\/p>\n<p>On today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em>, the Sages discuss the four specific names mentioned in the Torah as kosher species of locusts \u2013 <em>arbeh, sol&#8217;am<\/em>, <em>hargol<\/em> and <em>hagav<\/em> \u2013 and what the Torah is including when it adds that each of these is permitted &#8220;after its kind.&#8221; Thus we find a <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=247&amp;letter=B&amp;search=baraita\">baraita<\/a><\/em> teaching that the <em>arbeh<\/em> is the <em>gobai<\/em>, the <em>sol&#8217;am<\/em> is the <em>vashon<\/em>, the <em>hargol<\/em> is the <em>nippol<\/em>, and the <em>hagav<\/em> is the <em>gadi\u2019an<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Arbeh<\/em> is a general term for many kinds of grasshoppers that travel in large swarms. Some Jewish communities have retained a tradition that identifies the Biblical <em>arbeh<\/em> with the Desert Locust \u2013 <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schistocerca_gregaria\">schistocerca gregaria<\/a><\/em> \u2013 a very common insect found in Israel, Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Another possibility is the Migratory Locust \u2013 <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Locusta_migratoria\">Locusta moratoria<\/a><\/em> \u2013 or the Moroccan Locust \u2013 <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dociostaurus_maroccanus\">Dociostaurus marocanus<\/a><\/em> \u2013 both of which were common in ancient times.<\/p>\n<p>The meaning of the name <em>vashon<\/em> in Arabic means &#8220;with the long nose,&#8221; which, apparently, refers to a locust with an elongated head. A number of species match this description, like the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.arkive.org\/gangling-grasshopper\/truxalis-procera\/\">truxalis<\/a><\/em> and the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.naturephoto-cz.eu\/acrida-ungarica-picture-655.html\">acrida<\/a><\/em>, which have long thin heads and high foreheads.<\/p>\n<p>As the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> explains, the <em>nippol<\/em> is a species that &#8220;has a tail.&#8221; This appears to refer to types of grasshoppers whose females have an elongated birth canal.<\/p>\n<p>The name <em>gadi&#8217;an<\/em> (or, <em>nadyan<\/em>, as appears in some manuscripts) means &#8220;jumper,&#8221; which might mean to distinguish it from locusts that can fly for relatively long distances with the help of the wind. According to some researchers this may refer to the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tiuli.com\/animal_info.asp?lng=eng&amp;animal_id=125\">Calliptamus palaestinensis<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 66a-b: Kosher fish<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/torah.htm\">Torah<\/a> teaches that in order for a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/Fish.php\">fish<\/a> to be kosher it must have fins (<em>senapir<\/em>) and scales (<em>kaskeset<\/em> &#8211; see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0311.htm#9\">11:9-12<\/a>). This rule is stated both as a positive commandment (verse 9) and a negative commandment (verse 12). <em>Senapirim<\/em> \u2013 fins \u2013 are bony protuberances that extend from the stomach of a fish on its side that serve as &#8220;oars&#8221; for the fish. The other fins \u2013 on the top of the fish and on its tail, do not move. <em>Kaskasim<\/em> \u2013 scales \u2013 are flat knobs or protrusions stretched out across the body of the fish that cover it like a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/Coat_of_mail.php\">coat of mail<\/a>. There are different types of scales that are unique to a given type of fish based on their shape, how they are connected to the body of the fish and so forth. Some fish \u2013 including certain types of tuna \u2013 lose their scales as they age, but remain kosher fish.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> on today&#8217;s <em>daf<\/em> quotes a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#mishna\">Mishnah<\/a> from <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/m.htm#masechet\">Masechet<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=276&amp;letter=N&amp;search=niddah\">Niddah<\/a><\/em> (<em>daf<\/em> 51b) that teaches that all fish that have scales also have fins, but a fish might have fins, yet not have scales. Thus, if it has scales it will also have fins and it is a kosher fish; if it has fins without scales the fish is not kosher. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#baaleitosafot\">Tosafot<\/a>, this rule is a tradition handed down from the first man, Adam, who examined each and every living creature when he named them (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/bc.htm#bereshit\">Bereshit<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0102.htm#20\">2:20<\/a>) \u2013 or, perhaps, this is a tradition handed down from Moshe on Mount Sinai.<\/p>\n<p>At various times in history, creatures with scales but no fins were brought before the Rabbinic leadership to determine their status, given that the animal appeared to negate the principle taught in this Mishnah. In his <em>Ma&#8217;adanei Yom Tov<\/em>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishencyclopedia.com\/view.jsp?artid=574&amp;letter=H\">Rav Yom Tov Lippman Heller<\/a> argued that this rule applied only to fish and not to other sea creatures. <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jonathan_Eybeschutz\">Rav Yonatan Eibeshutz<\/a> suggests that when the Mishnah says that there are no animals with scales but no fins it simply means that the vast majority of fish with scales have fins, as well. In the whole of nature we are bound to find exceptions to every rule and the principle that was taught is referring to the majority of cases.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"><u>Chullin 67a-b: Creepy-crawly critters aren&#8217;t kosher<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the closing <em>daf<\/em> of <em>Perek Eilu Tereifot<\/em>, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/di.htm#gemara\">Gemara<\/a> turns its attention to the passage in <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/s.htm#sefer\">Sefer<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/about\/judaism\/tw.htm#vayikra\">Vayikra<\/a><\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0311.htm#42\">11:42<\/a>) that forbids eating a variety of different insects and creatures that crawl on the ground.<\/p>\n<p><em>Our Rabbis taught: &#8220;Goeth upon the belly&#8221; means the nahash, the snake, &#8220;whatsoever&#8221; includes the shilshul, the earthworm, and all that are like unto it. &#8220;Upon all fours&#8221; means the akrav, the scorpion, &#8220;whatsoever&#8221; includes the hipushit, the beetle and all that are like unto it. &#8220;Hath many feet&#8221; means the nadal, the centipede, &#8220;whatsoever&#8221; includes all that are like unto it and all that resemble the latter.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The <em>shilshul<\/em> or earthworm \u2013 <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lumbricus\">lumbricus<\/a><\/em> \u2013 is found on every part of the globe. It has neither eyes nor legs (it crawls) and it likes moisture. By its burrowing actions, the earthworm is of great value in keeping the soil structure open, creating a multitude of channels which allow the processes of both aeration and drainage to occur, helping plants grow.<\/p>\n<p>There are a number of different types of <em>akravim<\/em> \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scorpion\">scorpions<\/a> \u2013 that differ mainly in the strength of their venom. All known scorpion species possess venom and use it primarily to kill or paralyze their prey so that it can be eaten. A scorpion has eight legs \u2013 four on each side. Some suggest that when the Gemara says that they have four legs it means that they possess four pairs of legs.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>hipushit<\/em>, or beetle \u2013 <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Coleoptera\">coleoptera<\/a><\/em> \u2013 is the largest group of insects. In Israel alone there are about 3,000 types of beetles. Its body is made up of a head, thorax and abdomen, it has two sets of wings and three pair of legs.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common of the <em>nadalim<\/em>, or centipedes, is the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scolopendra_cingulata\">Scolopendra singulata<\/a><\/em> whose body is made up of 22 segments, with a pair of legs extending from each segment. Attached to its head are two venom glands that help the animal to kill or paralyze its prey.<\/p>\n<p>As the Gemara concludes, all of these creatures and all that are similar to them cannot be eaten.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>In addition to his monumental translation and commentary on the Talmud, Rabbi Steinsaltz has authored dozens of books and hundreds of articles on a variety of topics, both Jewish and secular. For more information about Rabbi Steinsaltz&#8217;s groundbreaking work in Jewish education, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steinsaltz.org\/\">www.steinsaltz.org<\/a> or contact the Aleph Society at 212-840-1166.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Coming Week&#8217;s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud. Chullin 61a-b: Determining the kosher status of birds How do we know which animals are kosher?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":47285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-torah","series-steinsaltz-daf-yomi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Masechet Chullin 61a-67b - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Coming Week&#039;s Daf Yomi (Chullin 61a-67b) by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, based upon insights &amp; chidushim published in the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_hulin_61a67b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Masechet Chullin 61a-67b - 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