The Kosher Fish That Depends on a Fisherman — Not a Rav?

חולין ס״ו – Akunas Fish Discussion

Gemara · Aruch · Halacha Insight

The Gemoro (חולין ס״ו עמוד ב׳)

says “Akunas, is a type of fish that loses its scales when it is taken out of the water, and it is kosher.

The Aruch

writes that you need Dayanei Yisroel to identify that it is the Akunas Fish, only then may you eat it. (it has no scales, you have to verify that it is indeed Akunas Fish and not a non kosher fish)

The Gemoro (חולין ס״ג עמוד ב׳)

says that a hunter is trustworthy to say that his Rebbe told him that a particular bird is a kosher species. The Gomoro says his Rebbe refers to his hunting teacher (not Rabbi).

Question

Why for identifying kosher birds we don’t need a Rov, and to identify kosher fish (according to the Aruch) we need a Rov?

Answer

The loshon (terminology) of the Aruch “Dayanei Yisroel” doesn’t sound right. Why mention that the Dayan is a Yisroel and not a Goyishe Dayan?

In the times of the Aruch, the term Dayan was used strictly for monetary or punishment. For Issur Voheter, the term was Chacham.

There must be that it is a printing mistake and the Gimmel got mixed up with a Nun. Instead of דייני it should read “דייגי” — Jewish fishermen.

The same way you can rely on a Jewish hunter, so can you rely on a Jewish fisherman, to identify it as a kosher species.