Tarhog Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,915125,00.html Word is made flesh as God reveals himself... as a fish Edward Helmore New York Sunday March 16, 2003 The Observer An obscure Jewish sect in New York has been gripped in awe by what it believes to be a mystical visitation by a 20lb carp that was heard shouting in Hebrew, in what many Jews worldwide are hailing as a modern miracle. Many of the 7,000-member Skver sect of Hasidim in New Square, 30 miles north of Manhattan, believe God has revealed himself in fish form. According to two fish-cutters at the New Square Fish Market, the carp was about to be slaughtered and made into gefilte fish for Sabbath dinner when it suddenly began shouting apocalyptic warnings in Hebrew. Many believe the carp was channelling the troubled soul of a revered community elder who recently died; others say it was God. The only witnesses to the mystical show were Zalmen Rosen, a 57-year-old Hasid with 11 children, and his co-worker, Luis Nivelo. They say that on 28 January at 4pm they were about to club the carp on the head when it began yelling. Nivelo, a Gentile who does not understand Hebrew, was so shocked at the sight of a fish talking in any language that he fell over. He ran into the front of the store screaming: 'It's the Devil! The Devil is here!' Then the shop owner heard it shouting warnings and commands too. ' It said "Tzaruch shemirah" and "Hasof bah",' he told the New York Times, 'which essentially means that everyone needs to account for themselves because the end is near.' The animated carp commanded Rosen to pray and study the Torah. Rosen tried to kill the fish but injured himself. It was finally butchered by Nivelo and sold. However, word spread far and wide and Nivelo complains he has been plagued by phone calls from as far away as London and Israel. The story has since been amplified by repetition and some now believe the fish's outburst was a warning about the dangers of the impending war in Iraq. Some say they fear the born-again President Bush believes he is preparing the world for the Second Coming of Christ, and war in Iraq is just the opening salvo in the battle of Armageddon. Local resident Abraham Spitz said: 'Two men do not dream the same dream. It is very rare that God reminds people he exists in this modern world. But when he does, you cannot ignore it.' Others in New Square discount the apocalyptic reading altogether and suggest the notion of a talking fish is as fictional as Tony Soprano's talking-fish dream in an episode of The Sopranos . Stand-up comedians have already incorporated the carp into their comedy routines at weddings. One gefilte company has considered changing it's slogan to: 'Our fish speaks for itself.' Still, the shouting carp corresponds with the belief of some Hasidic sects that righteous people can be reincarnated as fish. They say that Nivelo may have been selected because he is not Jewish, but a weary Nivelo told the New York Times : 'I wish I never said anything about it. I'm getting so many calls every day, I've stopped answering. Israel, London, Miami, Brooklyn. They all want to hear about the talking fish.' A devout Christian, he still thinks the carp was the Devil. 'I don't believe any of this Jewish stuff. But I heard that fish talk.' He's grown tired of the whole thing. 'It's just a big headache for me,' he added. 'I pull my phone out of the wall at night. I don't sleep and I've lost weight.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yomar Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Holy Carp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJWatson3 Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Originally posted by Tarhog http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,915125,00.html Nivelo, a Gentile who does not understand Hebrew, was so shocked at the sight of a fish talking in any language that he fell over. He ran into the front of the store screaming: 'It's the Devil! The Devil is here!' This is great, where one sees god another sees the devil... pretty funny. I wonder if they ate some moldy bread first and started hallucinating? That would make sense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Originally posted by AJWatson3 This is great, where one sees god another sees the devil... pretty funny. I wonder if they ate some moldy bread first and started hallucinating? That would make sense... inmate is that you??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagsbch Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I am highly scepticle of this fishy story. First of all Why in the hell would any one want to KIll A fish sending a messege from God, and then sell it. To me this doesn't make any since at all espeacially for a Jew to do it. If the Jewish people recognized the message, I would think that they would put the fish in a tank and build a massive shrine around it if this were true. But then again they could have panniced. Lets put it this way, I used to be a commercial fisherman, and have gutted a many of fish. Something like this happens the last thing you do is KIll the fish and sell it. What a bunch of crock. I don't need no stinking fish to tell me what time it is. Though funny at first this story makes me sick. :puke: "Many believe the carp was channelling the troubled soul of a revered community elder who recently died; others say it was God... righteous people can be reincarnated as fish"? What the what the what. :doh: :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted March 16, 2003 Author Share Posted March 16, 2003 My thoughts were that if ever a carp were going to speak, this was its most opportune moment, although rather than harkening 'the end is near', you'd think it would say something more along the lines of: 'Put down the cleaver, and back slowly out of the room or I shall visit a great reckoning upon you. The almighty carp has spoken' Not to engage in stereotypes, but maybe they figured they could get an incredible market price for 'messianic carp' as compared to the old regular, non prophesizing kind :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Sounds fishy to me:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJWatson3 Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Originally posted by 56Arrington56 inmate is that you??? no, it's ajwatson3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 In a related story, witnesses have said the fish sounded vaguely of Don Knotts and called himself Mr. Limpet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted March 16, 2003 Author Share Posted March 16, 2003 I thought I was the only one who'd seen that one Art...what a blast from the past. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Could this be the same talking fish that informed Tony Soprano the Big P#ssy was in cahoots with the feds? Could this talking fish be related to, and equally as miraculous, as those singing fish hanging on the walls of the easily amused across the country? Amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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