In Torah portion Shemini we learn how to identify which fish are kosher: they must have fins and scales. But every fish with scales has fins, so why aren’t we simply forbidden to eat fish without scales?
Nothing in the Torah is redundant or unimportant so there must be a lesson to learn from fins and scales. Rav Moshe Kupitz explains that the FINS lead the fish in the right direction, and the SCALES act as a filtration system keeping nutrients in and waste out. So too we need both fins and scales, to help us find our path in life and protect us from danger. What are the fins and scales in our lives? Teachers, rabbis, good friends and Torah study all keep us directed and protected.
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