The statement “Where did Elohim say not to eat crayfish or other sea animals?” is answered directly from the Torah. The Torah does not need to give the English word “crayfish” by name. Instead, the Holy One gives a category and identifying signs by which creatures of the waters are distinguished as permitted or forbidden.
Let us examine this carefully from the Torah itself and then from the classical Jewish interpretation.
The foundational passage is Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:9-12.
The Torah says:
“These may you eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales, in the seas and in the rivers, these you may eat.”
Then:
“But all that are in the seas and in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, of all the swarming creatures of the waters and every living creature that is in the waters, they are an abomination to you.”
And again:
“They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat of their flesh…”
— Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:9–11
This is the Torah's prohibition.
Notice something important: Elohim does not provide a long list of every individual species living in the oceans. Instead, He gives a biological sign:
Fins + scales = permitted.
No fins and scales = forbidden.
Therefore, the question is not merely:
“Did Elohim specifically say the word crayfish?”
The more accurate Torah question is:
“Does the creature meet the identifying signs that Elohim gave for permitted creatures of the waters?”
If it does not, it falls under the prohibition.
1. The Torah's Actual Words
The Hebrew of Wayyiqra 11:9 contains:
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת
Kol asher-lo senappir veqaskeset
Meaning:
“Whatever has fins and scales.”
Two important Hebrew words appear here:
סְנַפִּיר — Senappir
This refers to a fin.
קַשְׂקֶשֶׂת — Qaskeset
This refers to a scale.
The Torah therefore establishes the identifying characteristics of kosher aquatic animals.
The Mishnah later preserves this same principle explicitly:
“With regard to fish, any fish that has a fin and a scale.”
— Mishnah Chullin 3:7 (Sefaria)
So this is not a later invention of rabbis. The Mishnah is explaining and preserving a distinction already established in the Torah.
2.What About Crayfish?
Now we can answer the question specifically.
A crayfish is a crustacean, not a kosher fish. It does not possess the Torah's required combination of fins and scales.
Therefore, according to the Torah's classification, it is among the aquatic creatures that may not be eaten.
The Torah does not have to say:
“Do not eat crayfish.”
Any more than it needs to say:
“Do not eat every individual species of shark.”
Instead, Elohim establishes the governing principle.
It is similar to a law saying:
“Only vehicles possessing characteristics X and Y may enter.”
The law does not need to name every vehicle that fails those requirements.
Likewise, the Torah says concerning creatures of the waters:
fins and scales are the identifying signs of permitted creatures.
Anything falling outside that category is excluded.
3. The Torah Actually Says “Do Not Eat” Them
This point is especially important because someone might argue:
“Leviticus only says which animals are clean; it doesn't actually say I cannot eat the others.”
But the Torah itself continues:
“And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers… they are an abomination to you.”
Then:
“They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat of their flesh.”
— Wayyiqra 11:10–11
Therefore, the prohibition is explicit.
The Torah gives both:
The Talmud discusses precisely this point.
4. The Talmud Makes the Prohibition Even Clearer
The Babylonian Talmud, Chullin 66b, examines Wayyiqra 11:9–10.
The Sages explain that the Torah's language teaches both a positive command and a prohibition concerning aquatic creatures. The discussion specifically quotes:
“Whatever has fins and scales… them you may eat.”
and
“All that have not fins and scales… they are a detestable thing unto you.”
The Talmud therefore understands the Torah as establishing a prohibition against eating aquatic creatures that lack the required signs. (Sefaria)
This is significant because it demonstrates that traditional Jewish interpretation did not understand Leviticus 11 merely as a health suggestion or dietary preference.
It is understood as Torah law concerning what Israel may and may not eat.
5. What About Devarim (Deuteronomy) 14?
The Torah repeats the teaching.
Devarim 14:9–10 says:
“Of all that are in the waters you may eat anything that has fins and scales.”
And then:
“And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.”
This is extremely important.
The Torah gives the same rule a second time.
So we have:
Wayyiqra 11
The dietary laws are introduced and explained.
Devarim 14
Mosheh reiterates the distinction to Israel.
This means the prohibition is not based upon a later rabbinic invention. It is rooted in the written Torah itself.
6. “But Crayfish Isn't a Fish”
This is where terminology can sometimes create confusion.
Someone might say:
“Crayfish isn't a fish, so why would Leviticus' rule about fish apply?”
Because the Torah's category is broader than modern biological classification.
The Hebrew text does not simply say:
“Only fish may be eaten if they have fins and scales.”
The Torah speaks about creatures “in the waters,” including the seas and rivers.
Wayyiqra 11:10 speaks of:
“all that are in the seas and in the rivers.”
The question therefore concerns aquatic creatures generally.
The Torah's concern is whether an aquatic creature possesses the identifying signs Elohim established.
Crayfish fails those signs.
So does lobster.
So does shrimp/prawn.
So does crab.
So does oyster.
So does mussel.
So does squid.
So does octopus.
None possesses the required combination of fins and scales.
7. What Does Judaism Say About Fish?
Here we encounter a fascinating principle in the Talmud.
The Mishnah says:
“Any fish that has a fin and a scale” is kosher.
— Mishnah Chullin 3:7 (Sefaria)
The Talmud in Chullin 66b goes further.
The Sages discuss the relationship between fins and scales and establish the practical principle that:
A fish possessing scales will also possess fins.
But the Torah nevertheless mentions both signs. (Sefaria)
The rabbis therefore developed careful rules for identifying kosher fish.
This is why traditional Jewish dietary law does not simply ask:
“Does this look like a fish?”
Rather:
“Does this aquatic creature possess the required halakhic signs?”
8. What Exactly Is a “Scale”?
This is also important.
Not everything that looks like a scale qualifies as the Torah's qaskeset.
The Talmud discusses what constitutes a legitimate scale.
The Mishnah explains that scales are those attached to the body, while fins are those by which the fish swims. (Sefaria)
Classical halakhic discussion further explains that kosher scales are scales that can be removed from the fish without tearing the skin, as codified in later Jewish law. (Sefaria)
This is why Jewish law can distinguish between genuine kosher fish and creatures that merely have some type of rough external covering.
9. Why Did Elohim Give These Signs?
The Torah does not give us a simple statement saying:
“I chose fins and scales because of scientific reason X.”
We should therefore be careful not to invent explanations and then present them as though the Torah explicitly stated them.
The primary reason given by Torah is simply:
This is what Elohim commanded.
In Jewish thought, that itself is sufficient.
The Torah's dietary laws are part of Kedushah — holiness.
Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11 concludes:
“For I am YHWH your Elohim; consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.”
— Wayyiqra 11:44
And:
“For I am YHWH who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your Elohim. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
— Wayyiqra 11:45
Thus, Kashrut is not merely about what happens to be nutritious.
It is connected to obedience, holiness and Israel's covenantal identity.
10. “But Didn't Elohim Say We Could Eat Every Living Thing?”
This is an important question because some people cite:
Bereshit (Genesis) 9:3
“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you…”
They then argue:
“Therefore we can eat anything.”
But this interpretation fails to account for the subsequent Torah legislation given to Israel.
The Torah progressively establishes specific distinctions concerning permitted and forbidden foods.
For example:
Wayyiqra 11 distinguishes clean and unclean animals.
Devarim 14 repeats dietary restrictions.
Therefore, Genesis 9:3 cannot reasonably be used to erase the later specific commandments.
A general permission cannot override a later specific prohibition.
An obvious analogy would be:
“You may use the roads.”
followed later by:
“You shall not enter this restricted road.”
The second statement establishes a specific limitation within the broader category.
11. What About Noach (Noah)?
There is another fascinating detail.
Even before Sinai, the Torah distinguishes between clean and unclean animals.
In Bereshit (Gensis) 7:2, Elohim tells Noach:
“Of every clean animal you shall take with you seven pairs… and of the animals that are not clean, one pair.”
This demonstrates that the Torah recognizes distinctions between clean and unclean animals before the revelation at Sinai.
However, we should not automatically assume that every later Sinai dietary command had already been revealed in exactly the same form to Noach.
The important point is that the concept of clean versus unclean animals is already present in Genesis.
12. The Jewish Sages Did Not Invent Kosher Laws
This is worth emphasizing because the question often arises from someone who says:
“Those are just rabbinic rules.”
No.
The rabbis developed the halakhic details for applying Torah commandments, but the fundamental distinction between permitted and forbidden aquatic creatures comes directly from the Torah.
The chain is:
Torah
↓
Wayyiqra 11:9–12
↓
Devarim 14:9–10
↓
Mishnah Chullin
↓
Talmud Bavli, Chullin 66
↓
Later halakhic authorities
The Mishnah explicitly says:
“With regard to fish, any fish that has a fin and a scale is kosher.”
(Sefaria)
And the Talmud explicitly discusses the Torah's command regarding creatures that lack those signs. (Sefaria)
13. What About Shrimp, Lobster, Crab and Oysters?
Using the Torah's criteria:
| Creature | Fins | Scales | Torah status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon | ✓ | ✓ | Permitted |
| Tuna | ✓ | ✓ | Permitted |
| Sardine | ✓ | ✓ | Permitted |
| Tilapia | ✓ | ✓ | Permitted |
| Carp | ✓ | ✓ | Permitted |
| Catfish | ✓ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Shrimp/Prawn | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Crab | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Lobster/Crayfish | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Oyster | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Mussel | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Squid | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
| Octopus | ✗ | ✗ | Forbidden |
The decisive issue is not whether the creature lives in water.
The decisive issue is whether it satisfies the Torah's identifying signs.
14. There Is a Beautiful Principle Here
Consider how precise the Torah is.
Elohim did not have to give Israel a catalogue containing thousands upon thousands of aquatic species.
Instead, He gave a principle of identification.
“Whatever has fins and scales… them you may eat.”
This is remarkably practical.
If an Israelite encountered an unfamiliar aquatic creature, the question was not:
“Has Mosheh mentioned this particular animal by name?”
The question was:
“Does it possess the signs established by the Torah?”
That is why the Talmud spends considerable attention discussing the identifying signs.
15. The Deeper Spiritual Lesson
There is also a spiritual dimension worth considering.
The Torah teaches Israel repeatedly to distinguish:
holy / ordinary
clean / unclean
permitted / forbidden
sacred / profane
This pattern is central to Wayyiqra.
The dietary laws train a person to understand that not everything that is available to us is necessarily something we should consume.
That is a powerful spiritual discipline.
The question becomes:
“Can I eat it?”
No.
The Torah teaches a higher question:
“Has Elohim permitted me to eat it?”
That distinction changes the entire relationship between human desire and divine command.
16. A Very Important Point About Gentiles
If the person asking this question is not Jewish, there is another issue that must be addressed carefully.
Traditional Judaism distinguishes between the commandments given specifically to Israel and the Seven Noahide Laws traditionally understood as incumbent upon humanity generally.
Therefore, one should not simply say:
“Every Gentile who eats shrimp is automatically violating the Torah in the same way as a Jew.”
That would be an oversimplification of traditional Jewish law.
The Torah's Kashrut commandments are fundamentally part of Israel's covenantal obligations.
However, if someone is seeking to live according to Torah and adopt Jewish practice, then the laws of Kashrut become a serious matter of study and observance.
This distinction is important and should not be erased.
17. The Most Direct Answer to the Question
So if someone asks:
“Show me where Elohim said not to eat crayfish or other sea animals.”
I would answer respectfully:
“The Torah does not need to list the word ‘crayfish’ individually. Elohim established a category for creatures of the waters. In Wayyiqra 11:9–12, He commanded that creatures in the seas and rivers may be eaten when they possess fins and scales, and He explicitly says that creatures without fins and scales are an abomination and ‘you shall not eat of their flesh.’ Devarim 14:9–10 repeats the same command. Since crayfish, crab, lobster, shrimp, oysters and similar aquatic creatures do not possess the Torah's required signs, they fall outside the category of permitted aquatic creatures.”
That is the straightforward Torah answer.
The Primary areas to Study
For someone who genuinely wants to investigate rather than merely accept another person's opinion, I would recommend reading these passages in context:
📖 Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:1–47 — the principal dietary-law passage.
📖 Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:9–12 — aquatic creatures specifically.
📖 Devarim (Deuteronomy) 14:3–21 — the dietary laws repeated by Mosheh.
📖 Bereshit (Genesis) 7:2 — clean and unclean animals before Sinai.
📖 Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 20:25–26 — separation between clean and unclean.
📖 Mishnah Chullin 3:7 — the identifying signs of kosher fish. (Sefaria)
📖 Talmud Bavli, Chullin 66a–66b — extensive discussion of fins and scales and the prohibition of aquatic creatures lacking them. (Sefaria)
In Summary
The matter can be reduced to one principle:
Elohim did not say, “Here is a list of every sea creature you may never eat.” He gave Israel the identifying signs by which permitted aquatic creatures are recognized.
Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:9:
“Whatever has fins and scales… them you may eat.”
Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:10:
“All that have not fins and scales… they are a detestable thing to you.”
Wayyiqra (Leviticus) 11:11:
“They shall be a detestable thing to you; you shall not eat of their flesh.”
And Devarim (Deuteronomy) 14:9–10 repeats the principle.
The Jewish sages did not manufacture this prohibition. They received the Torah's command and developed the practical halakhic framework for identifying which aquatic creatures meet its requirements. The Talmud's discussion in Chullin 66 is particularly important because it explicitly interprets the Torah's language as both permitting creatures with the signs and prohibiting those without them. (Sefaria)
So, according to Torah, the issue is not whether the animal is called “fish,” “crayfish,” “seafood,” or something else. The question is whether it possesses the signs Elohim gave for permitted creatures of the waters: senappir (fin) and qaskeset (scale).
And the purpose of the command ultimately leads back to the words:
“You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
— Wayyiqra 11:45
That is the heart of Kashrut: learning to receive even something as ordinary as food as an act of obedience to the Creator.
Shalom Aleichem!
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