Nunei Yama (Fish of the Sea)

Nunei Yama (translated from Aramaic: Fish of the Sea) is a term for neshamos of Alma D'Iskasia, which is called by the name "sea."

Their Essence

Nunei Yama refers to neshamos of Alma D'Iskasia. Generally, these are neshamos from Olam Ha'Atzilus, in contrast to neshamos from Olamos BiYA. Specifically, it is explained that even neshamos from Olam HaBriah are called Nunei Yama, as Olam HaBriah is also considered Alma D'Iskasia.

Their Source

Neshamos of the level of Nunei Yama are drawn from the yichud of Abba Ila'ah and Ima Ila'ah of Olam Ha'Atzilus, unlike neshamos of the level of Shor HaBar, which are drawn from the yichud of Ze'ir Anpin and Malchus.

The Fish's Single Flight

Nunei Yama is a term mentioned frequently in the Zohar HaKadosh as a mashal for tzaddikim of the highest level, such as Rav Hamnuna Saba, one of the elder Tanaim of the Zohar. Regarding this, the Alter Rebbe explains that the movement of tzaddikim called Nunei Yama is wondrous and extremely elevated. Like fish swimming in the sea, they swim and in a single flight reach extremely high levels, far greater than the avodah of physical tzaddikim who serve Hashem through what is said "there is no joy except in meat," which is all at a lower level. Their movement, however, is like a sea fish that swims from one end of the world to the other - so too their spiritual movement in a single flight rises and reaches very high, and this is not at all like the enthusiasm and boiling blood of the aforementioned physical tzaddikim's avodah with joy in meat and wine, aspects of fiery flames. Rather, it is with cool blood and calmness, and in a single flight they reach very high. "And it is impossible to explain this matter in speech, how and what it is."

One of these tzaddikim was the divine Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Therefore, when RASHBI was in the cave, he did not perform many physical mitzvos as mentioned above, but everything was spiritual, above the level of joy in meat. This is the matter of the Leviathan's fins (called "floss federn") with which it swims from one end of the sea to the other. Therefore the entire world stands on the Leviathan which encompasses the whole world, as known in the words of Chazal.

The Complete Inclusion of Fish in the Sea

There is an additional explanation in Chassidus regarding fish, that it is the aspect of Hashem Echad, which is the drawing down of Daas Elyon whose essence is Yichuda Ila'ah, which is also called by the name "sea" - as the entirety of the sea is one existence in which everything is found and included and is not separate from it. Therefore fish do not create a chatzitzah in a mikvah and are counted in the forty se'ah.

This explanation is brought regarding the fact that Rav Hamnuna Saba's neshamah was a neshamah of Atzilus from the level of neshamos of the Upper Sea in Malchus of Atzilus, and therefore he was called Rav Hamnuna from the term "Nunei Yama." The Rebbe Maharash explains that just as fish in the sea are absorbed in the sea water and the water permeates through them completely, making them like the essence of the water itself - therefore fish don't require shechitah as they are permitted through mere gathering, as it is written "if all the fish of the sea would be gathered for them." Even birds, which were created from rakak (water and earth mixed together), are permitted with one sign, while only animals created from the earth require specifically two signs.

Fish not requiring shechitah shows that even as created beings, they are like water. Similarly regarding the mixing of mikvaos, shfoferes hanod, chatzitzah and the like, we find Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel's statement that "anything whose initial creation was from water is considered like water." From all this it is understood that although they were created to be created entities, nevertheless they are completely batul to the sea to the extent that they cannot separate from the sea at all, and they remain in the category of water even after being created, as the water permeates through their entire being.

In this way, the Maharash explains that neshamos of Atzilus, like the neshamah of Rav Hamnuna Saba, are in a state of complete bitul, to the extent that they cannot separate even for one hour, like part of the water itself (in the mashal of the fish). As our Sages say, "a fetus is considered its mother's limb," meaning: although it is a fetus and thus a noticeable independent existence, nevertheless throughout the pregnancy it is like its mother's limb and is not considered a separate entity. This is due to its complete bitul to its mother during this time, eating what the mother eats and drinking what the mother drinks etc. Similarly, the neshamos of Atzilus, while in their state of ibur in the womb of Malchus which is called Yam Suf, are like their mother's limb and completely batul like a fetus which is its mother's limb and like fish in the sea that are absorbed in the sea water.

For Further Reading

Maamarei Admur HaZaken 5572, page 245.