וימת את כל היקום (נח ז:כג)

When Reb Yosel’a of Radvil, zt’’l, visited the holy Ruzhiner, zt’’l, for the first time, he noticed something unusual: the Ruzhiner would first eat the eyes of the fish before eating the rest of the fish. Curious, Reb Yosel’a wondered about the reason. He reflected that it might be connected to the verse “וימת את כל היקום” — Chazal explain that the destruction did not include the fish, for they did not sin during the days before the Mabul. The Flood came because all other creations had sinned and become corrupt.

As the Midrash (בראשית רבה י:ב) teaches, “עין רואה – עין חוטאת” — the eyes can lead to sin. But the fish did not sin, and thus their eyes remained pure. This made the fish the most elevated of the animals. Since Shabbos is the choicest day of the week, it is fitting to eat the choicest of the animals — the fish.

Reb Yosel’a concluded that this must be why his Rebbe ate the fish eyes first. Just as he reached this insight, the holy Ruzhiner turned to him and exclaimed: “Yungerman, you have connected to the truths.”