[Avodah] Fish out of water?

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Mar 18, 2026 at 12:35:58AM +0200, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
> The mlacha of kotzer on Shabbat is generally defined as taking a living
> organism and detaching it from the ground which is its chiyut (source of
> life). The Yerushalmi (shabbat 48b) and many rishonim use this definition

Daf Yomi reference (not that I learn DY): the same is true of shechitah.
This is why it is defined as cutting qaneh and veshes, as an animal's
literal chiyus comes from air, food and drink.

Whereas fish only require asifa from the water, as the water is their
chiyus even beyond consumption.

Shechitah isn't killing, and in fact an animal that is still twiching
is assur to nakhriim as eiver minh hachai, because their question is
"is it alive?" But because the chiyuv of shechitah means we aren't using
death as one criterion for what is permissible, a shechted chicken that
is still running around is kosher. (Plus-or-minus bal teshaqtzu.)

> It occurs to me that one could see this as a metaphor for the Jewish people
> outside of Israel. We can certainly stay alive there but we are cut off
> from our chiyut....

Our chiyus is Torah and mitzvos. IMHO, living in the land is but one
of many mitzvos.

It's one of the 7 or 8 mitzvos hashequlos. (See R Wolbe's book by
that title.) Still there are other mitzvos that outrank it. Going
to learn bemaqom shelibo chafeitz. Finding a spouse.

Even avoiding to take tzedaqah is a reason to permit (not require)
leaving Israel.

I cannot see how that could be true if it really meant that one
go to merely surviving without real chiyus.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Life isn't about finding yourself.
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   Life is about creating yourself.
Author: Widen Your Tent               - George Bernard Shaw
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF