Sunday, October 26, 2008

Can Someone help me with this Rashi?

Hi,

It's hard getting back into routine after the chagim, a lot of stuff to catch up on including Daf Yomi, Nach Yomi, Parshat Shavua, Laundry and of course Work.

Quick question that I wanted to post before Shabbat, but ran out of time, but if there is anyone out there who can explain this Ikar Siftei Chachmim, PLEASE leave a comment.

In last week's Parsh (Berashit), Rashi has the following relatively simple-to-understand comment on the word ימים in Berashit 1:10:

קרא ימים - והלא ים אחד הוא אלא אינו דומה טעם דג העולה מן הים בעכו לדג העולה מן הים באספמיא

"Called SEAS" - but isn't there really only one "sea", however the taste of fish caught from the sea in Acco is different from a fish caught in the sea in Aspamia.

This Rashi seems pretty straightforward, the Pasuk uses the plural "ימים" because although there is only one ocean and all the oceans in the world a joined together, the ocean has different characteristics in different parts of the world as can be seen from the fact that fish from Acco taste different from fish from "Aspima" (I have no idea where Aspamia is).

So far so good. What I don't understand is why the Ikar Sftei Chachamim had to add the following comment -
דבאספמיא - הדגים טובים יותר
In Aspamia - The fish a tastier
What on earth did he mean by that comment? Is he trying to give shopping advice while buying fish? Why would that be printed in a standard Chumash.

Anyone got any ideas?

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