[Avodah] The Chasida

[Akiva Miller]

.
There exists a bird called the "chasida"; it is often translated into
English as "stork". In Vayikra 11:19, Rashi cites Chullin 63a as explaining
that it got this name because it does chesed with its friends.

If so, then why is this a NON-kosher bird? ArtScroll Chullin 63a4 cites the
Chidushei haRim: It is non-kosher because although it does do chesed for
its friends, it will not help other species.

The Ibn Ezra comments (Vayikra 11:19) that some derive this name from
"chesed" - "b'derech rechoka". (Would it be accurate to translate those
last two words as "but this is far-fetched"?)

I'd like to suggest another possibility, and I promise not to be offended
if anyone calls it a silly folk etymology.

In this week's parsha, just before naming Yosef, in Bereshis 30:23, Rachel
Imenu refers to "cherpasi", "my cherpah", variously translated as my
indignity, my shame, my embarrassment, and the like. Onkelos translates
this negative feeling as "chisudi".

Is it possible that this selfish, species-centric bird was not named for
the Hebrew word chesed, but rather for the similarly-spelled Aramaic word?

Akiva Miller
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