• Explanation of some names of nonkosher birds in the Torah

The Gemara identifies some of the nonkosher birds recorded in the Torah, and the basis of their names. Rav Yehudah says the "שלך" is השולה דגים מן הים – the one which draws fish from the sea (possibly the cormorant). The "דוכיפת" is the one שהודו כפות – whose beauty [appears] “bound” to its head (i.e., whose crest of feathers can fold against its head, possibly the hoopoe). A Baraisa adds that this is the bird which brought the שמיר used for building the Beis Hamikdash. Rav Yehudah says the "רחם" is the "שרקרק" – the shrieker (possibly the magpie). Rebbe Yochanan explains why it is called the רחם:כיון שבא רחם באו רחמים לעולם – once the רחם comes, mercy comes to the world, i.e., rain is about to fall. Rav Bibi bar Abaye says this is only when it sits on something and makes a "שרקרק" sound, but we have a tradition that if it sits on the ground and shrieks, it indicates that Moshiach is coming. Rav Yehudah says the "חסידה" is the white דיה, and is called חסידה because שעושה חסידות עם חברותיה – it performs kindness with its fellows. The "אנפה" is the דיה רגזנית – hot-tempered dayah, and it is called "אנפה" because שמנאפת עם חברותיה – it rages against its fellows.

• The number of nonkosher birds recorded in the Torah

Rav Chisda quoted Rav saying: עשרים וארבעה עופות טמאין הן – there are twenty-four nonkosher birds (recorded in the Torah). Rav Chanan bar Rav Chisda asked that there are twenty birds recorded in ויקרא, and twenty-one משנה תורה (דברים). Even if the "דאה" of ויקרא is added to those of דברים, it would only be twenty-two!? Rav Chisda answered that Rav darshened the four variations of the word "למינה" – according to its type to include four more birds. This would total twenty-six, and Abaye explains that the דאה of ויקרא and the איה of דברים are the same bird, and the איה and דיה are also the same bird. The Torah wrote both names so that one should not claim that one type is permitted since the Torah only prohibited the other. Rebbe Abahu disagrees with Rav, and says the "ראה" is the same as the "איה", and called the ראה because שרואה ביותר – it sees exceptionally far (a Baraisa says it can stand it Bavel and see a נבילה in Eretz Yisroel). According to Rebbe Abahu, the דאה, ראה, דיה, and איה are all one bird (resulting in a total of twenty-three nonkosher birds).

• עוף טהור נאכל במסורת

Rebbe Yitzchak said: עוף טהור נאכל במסורת – a kosher bird may be eaten based on a tradition of having seen a scrupulous person eat it, or having been taught by his teacher or a learned hunter. A hunter is believed to say: עוף זה טהור מסר לי רבי – My teacher gave over to me that this bird is kosher. Rebbe Yochanan says: והוא שבקי בהן ובשמותיהן – this is only where [the teacher] was an expert in identifying [the twenty-four nonkosher birds of the Torah] and all other birds which are also called by their names.

Rebbe Zeira asked: רבו חכם או רבו צייד – did Rebbe Yitzchak mean to rely on a hunter’s tradition received from his Torah teacher who was a scholar, or his hunting teacher who was a hunter? The Gemara says that from the fact that Rebbe Yochanan required expertise in identifying all the twenty-four nonkosher birds and their subspecies, Rebbe Yitzchak must have referred to a hunter, because if he meant a scholar, even if he knew the birds’ names, he would not have the familiarity to accurately identify them.