Being kind only to ones own

The list of non-kosher birds in Vayikra 11:13 and Deuteronomy 14:12 includes "chasida", usually identified as stork (According to some authorities, however, the chasida is not the stork, because the stork is a kosher bird (Rabbenu Yerocham, Toledoth Adam VeChavah 15:21, 132b).

Why is it called "chasidah"?  The gemorra in Chullin
63a queries why the stork is called chassida - and answers that it is
because osah chasidut im chavroseah - it deals kindly with its friends (and Rashi comments, there and on the posuk in Shmini,  that she divides her mezonot).

Why is chasidah then not a kosher bird. One answer that is often quoted in the name of the Kotsker Rebbe and others of his school is that it is not kosher because it does kindness only with its friends.

However, the stork is a nasty bird. Although it is gregarious and storks often congregate where they seee other storks feeding, in their "personal life" they are stingy and uncaring. The male will not only not share food with his mate but will take away her portion and, while both the male and female bring up the young, they will kill and eat any of their offspring that is slower or in some way weaker of disabled.

Rabbi Presworsky in his excellent work, Birds of the Torah offers an alternate explanation from a Dr. Mendelson. He suggests that "ose chesed im chavruseah" should be understood as "she does good in concert with her fellows". Ths refers to the fact that large groups of migrating storks going north to south over Eretz Yisroel sometimes encounter locust swarms travelling in the opposite direction and can substantially reduce their hordes, as a group impacting positively on human welfare.

It is interestring that storks have a good reputation in folklore as well. It is common among Americans to use a customized stork yard sign in order to announce the arrival of their child. Usually the sign is placed on the front lawn portion and is used to send the message to visitors and neighbors. Today this process has become a part of tradition especially since it has been prevalent for so many ages. There are reasons why this particular bird has been selected in a lawn greeting sign. These birds are white in color, migratory and there are more than 20 species present today. Other characteristics include the practice of monogamy, the large size of this bird as well as its loyalty to a nesting site. These qualities help in making the storks especially appealing to expecting couples who would like a symbol of loyalty, faithfulness and childbirth for announcing their new child. They are of course false as storks kill and devour their "imperfect" children.

I would suggest that there is a lesson in this for us all. Stork is treif. Stork shares and is gregarious in its own group but nasty and unfriendly, sometimes deadly, to those who are different. This is not true kindness and we learn from this that the test of true kndness is not that which we do to those who are just like us but how we treat those who are different.

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