Editing Fish (section)

== Sea Fish (Nunei Yama) ==
The term "nunei yama" is mentioned frequently in [[Sefer HaZohar|the holy Zohar]] as a mashal for tzaddikim of the highest level, like 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 very elevated, like the mashal of fish swimming in the sea - they swim and in one flight reach higher and higher. One of these tzaddikim was the holy Tanna [[Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai|Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai]]. Therefore, when RASHBI was in the cave, he did not fulfill several practical mitzvos as mentioned above, but rather everything was spiritual, beyond the level of rejoicing with meat etc. This is the concept of the Levyasan's fins with which it swims from one end of the sea to the other. Therefore the entire world stands on the Levyasan which encompasses the whole world, as known in the words of Chazal.

==== Complete Integration of Fish in the Sea ====
There is an additional explanation in Chassidus regarding fish, which is the aspect of Hashem Echad (G-d is One), which is the drawing down of Daas Elyon whose concept is yichuda ila'ah, which is also called "sea" - as the entirety of the sea is one existence in which everything exists and is included and is not separate from it. Therefore fish do not create a chatzitzah (separation) in a mikvah and are counted in the forty se'ah measure.

This explanation is brought regarding Rav Hamnuna Saba's neshamah being a neshamah of Atzilus from the aspect of neshamos of the supernal 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 within them completely such that they are like the essence of the water itself, so too the neshamos of Atzilus like the neshamah of Rav Hamnuna Saba are in a state of complete bitul, to the point that they cannot separate even for one hour, as part of the water itself (in the mashal of the fish), and as our Sages say "a fetus is like its mother's limb", meaning: despite being a fetus with its own distinct existence, nevertheless during the entire pregnancy it is like its mother's limb and is not considered a separate entity, 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 the womb of Malchus called Yam Suf are like their mother's limb and completely nullified like a fetus which is its mother's limb and like fish in the sea that are absorbed in the sea water.