A Few Words From Sholem Aleichem

"A kind word is no substitute for a piece of herring"

These words are attributed to Sholem Aleichem (March 2, 1859 — May 13, 1916), the pen name of Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, one of the Yiddish-speaking world's greatest authors and playwrights . He was born into a Hasidic family in Pereyaslav and grew up in the nearby shtetl of Voronko.

Hametz Free Herring: The Holiness of the People, and fish, of Eretz Yisrael

"Fisheries... change over to a hametz-free meal that is given to fish raised in the ponds. The Fishbreeders Association said that the factories...were scrupulously cleaned and prepared for Pesach and the meal was exchanged for one that does not contain grains" Full article

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Mystical Herring: Fins & Scales

King Solomon built a pool of water at the Temple, representing the sea of Torah. Rabbi Akiva likened the Jewish people to fish swimming in the sea of Torah. There is an intrinsic link between fish and the essence of the Torah, which specifies fins for the sole purpose of enhancing and beautifying itself.

Nachmanides points out that fish with fins and scales usually swim close to the surface of the water, thus experiencing air and water simultaneously. This is what makes them kosher. Fish that do not have fins and scales live closer to the seabed, and are more liable to illness, rendering them unfit to eat both physically and spiritually...

Rav Yitzchak Ginsburg shlit"a : Cont'd

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