10. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination to you;

11. They shall be even an abomination to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, but you shall have their carcasses in abomination.

12. What ever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination to you.

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The kosher laws were commanded by Elohim to the Children of Yisrael in the Sinai desert. Moses taught them to the people and wrote the basics of these laws in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14; The details and particulars were handed down through the generations and eventually written down in the Mishnah and Talmud. To these were added various ordinances enacted through the generations by the rabbinical authorities as "safeguards" for the biblical laws.

Throughout our 4000-year history, the observance of kosher has been a hallmark of Jewish identity. Perhaps more than any other "mitzvah," the kosher laws emphasize that Judaism is much more than a "religion" in the conventional sense of the word. To the Jew, holiness is not confined to holy places and times outside the everyday; rather, life in its totality is a sacred endeavor. Even the seemingly mundane activity of eating is a G-dly act and a uniquely Jewish experience.

According to Torah only fish with both Scales and Fins are Kosher. All other fishes and sea creatures are forbidden for consumption, including Crab, Lobster, Prawns, Shrimps, Scampi and all other shellfish.

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A list of non kosher fish was prepared by James W. Atz, Ph.D., Curator and Dean Bibliographer in the Department of Ichthyology of the American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 10024 and Adjunct Professor of Biology, Graduate School of Arts and Science on New York University.

They were published by Orthodox Union in Kosher Guide (1991) and in the Orthodox Union Kosher Consumer Directory (1991-1993).

FOR A LIST OF CLEAN AND UNCLEAN FISH AND FOODSTUFFS GO

www.kashrut.com

NON-KOSHER FISH

Angler See: Goosefishes

Basa (Pangasius bocourti)

Beluga See: Sturgeons

Billfishes (Family Istiophoridae). Including fishes (Istiophorus species); Marlins and speishes (Tetrapterus species, Makaira species).

Blowfish See: Puffers

Bullhead See: Catfishes

Burbot See: Freshwater Cod

Cabezon See: Sculpins

Catfishes (Order Siluriformes). Including: Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus); Basa (Pangasius bocourti, Swai, Tra (Pangasius hypophthalmus)

Cutlassfishes (Family Trichiuridae) including: Cutlassfishes (Trichiurus species) Scabbardfishes (Lepidopus species)

Dogfish See: Bowfin, Sharks

Eels (Order Anguilliforms). Including American and European eel (Anguilia rostrata and Anguila anguila) ; Conger eel (Conger oceanic us) . Gars (Order Semionotiformes). Freshwater gars (Lepisosteus species).

Freshwater Cod (Family Gadidae), Burbot, lawyer, or freshwater ling (lota lota).

Goosefishes or anglers (Lophius species)

Grayfish See: Sharks

Hoki (macruronus novaezelandiae) also known as Blue Hake

Lampreys (Family Petromyzontidae)

Lanceor Launce See: Sand lances

Lawyer See: Freshwater Cods

Leatherjacket See: Jacks (Oligoplites saurus)

Lomosuckers (Family Cyclopteridae). Including: Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus); Snailfishes (Liparis species).

Marlin See: Billfishes

Monk fish (added by Rabbi Donneal Epstein in consultation with Dr. Atz)

Midshipman See: Toadfishes

Ocean pout or eelpout (Macrozoarces americanus)

Oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) Puffers (Family Tetraodontidae).

Paddlefish See: Sturgeons

Pout See: Ocean pout

Puffers, blowfishes, swellfishes, sea squab (Sphoeroides species)

Ratfish See: Sharks

Ray See: Sharks

Rock prickleback or rockeel (Xiphister mucosus)

Sailfish See: Billfishes

Sand lances, launces, or eels (Ammodytes species)

Sculpins (Family Cottidae). Including: Sculpins (Myoxocephalus species, Cottus species, Leptocottus species, etc.). Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus); Searaven (Hemitripterus americanus)

Searaven See: Sculpins

Sea squab See: Puffers

Sharks, rays and their relatives (Class Chondrichthyes). Including Grayfishes or dogfishes (Mustelus species, Squalus species); Soupfin shark (Galeorhinus zyopterus); Sawfishes (Pristis species); Skates (Raja species); Chimaeras or ratfishes (Order Chimaeriformes).

Skates See: Sharks

Snake mackerels (Gempylus species)

Spoonbill cat See: Sturgeons

Sturgeons (Order Acipenseriformes). Including: Sturgeons (Acipensen species, Scaphirhynchus species); Beluga (huso uso); Paddlefish or spoonbill cat (Polyodon spathula)

Swordfish (Xiphias gladies)

Toadfishes (Family Batrachoididae). Including: Toadfishes (Opsanus species); Midshipment (Porichthys species).

Tiggerfishes and firefishes (Family Balistidae). Triggerfishes (Balistes species, Canthidermis species)

Tra (Pangasius hypophthalmus)

Trunkfishes (Family Ostraciidad). Trunkfishes and cowfishes (Lactophrys species). WolEshes (Family Anarhichadidae). Including: Wolffishes or ocean. catfishes (Anarhichas species)

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