I have found that for the most part keeping Kosher laws is not only honoring to G-d but also very healthy. It is my understanding that fish without scales or fins are unclean for human consumption in Kosher food law. My friend posed the question about carp and bowfin, which traditionally American culture calls scavengers and in my friend’s words “dirty.” These fish do have scales and fins, so how do they fit in to Kosher food laws?
The Bible states that water creatures must have fins and scales to be kosher. As you may have seen, it has been observed by the commentaries that the creatures that were prohibited from consumption are of a more aggressive nature. I have only found in my research that this particular observation has been said regarding birds and not fish (See Ramban [Nachmanides] – on Leviticus 11:13). At the same time, we must admit that most kosher fish are not scavengers. The fact that this is true for most of them is itself a lesson to us, even though there are exceptions. I have seen it said, though I have not verified it’s source, that the protective scales of the fish and it’s fins which enable it to flee quickly, are signs that it is not a hunter, but a hunted. These signs would be significant even if the particular type of fish is a hunter itself; at least it wears the the clothing of the hunted!
What I have found is that the commentaries speak in more general terms. Nachmanides says (Deuteronomy 14:3), “G-d tells us through these commandments that all of the prohibited creatures are abominations to the pure soul…for all the thick forbidden foods produce thickness and obstructions in the soul.” He does not elaborate much on the nature of this “thickness” and “obstruction.” The commentaries of the Chinuch (73) and the Abarbanel (Leviticus 11:13) speak in similar, general terms.
Regarding birds, and possibly others, we can see the wisdom of G-d’s commandments; that He warns us to keep a distance from the hunting and aggressive personality. It has also been said that the sign of permissibility of an animal chewing it’s cud shows us to be satisfied with, and make proper use of, the gifts we already have from God; not to constantly search for new “things” to satisfy our appetites. As we learn more about the creatures of the world through scientific and medical discovery, as well as through delving deeper into the religious commentaries, we greater appreciate the infinite wisdom of the Creator in holding us back from creatures that appear, at least in our eyes, to be harmful. However, for the most part we do not merit to see the harm that eating non-kosher creatures does to our souls. G-d listed all the creatures that He saw were harmful to us, and we trust that our Father in Heaven knows best.
Best Wishes,
Rabbi Mordechai Dixler