The Ring-Necked Parakeet is a bird known for its colorful plumage and its ability to mimic words or phrases. It was kept as a pet in antiquity.
YtsChak ben Shmuel HaSfaradi, a 12th-century rabbinical judge living in Cairo, wrote a commentary on the Book of Kings (accessible at Israel’s National Library among thousands of documents from the Cairo Genizah). He explains the word “Tukim” (“Parrots”) in the following verse:
“… The king had a fleet bound for Tarshish, sailing with Hiram’s fleet, and returning every three years with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, monkeys, and parrots.” (Kings I 10:22)*
כִּי אֳנִי תַרְשִׁישׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיָּם עִם אֳנִי חִירָם אַחַת לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים תָּבוֹא אֳנִי תַרְשִׁישׁ נֹשְׂאֵת זָהָב וָכֶסֶף שֶׁנְהַבִּים וְקֹפִים וְתֻכִּיִּים
Ytschak ben Shmuel HaSfaradi explains that “Toukim” means “Albabaj” (Arabic for parrot),
ببغاء
a green bird from India capable of speaking.
He also connects the word “Touki” to the word “Tavech” (“Middle” or “Between”), as the parrot repeats words without truly communicating, positioning itself “between”:
תוכי
תוך
But the most intriguing part comes next. In his commentary, Ytschak ben Shmuel HaSfaradi recounts what he witnessed at the home of Mevura’h ben Saadia, leader of Cairo’s Jewish community.
There, he saw a parrot gifted by a Jew from India. The parrot had been taught numerous verses, including Psalm 145.
Remarkably, the parrot could recite the Shema Israel, the Jewish prayer proclaiming divine unity, elongating the letter Dalet at the end as is customary.
When pronouncing the Dalet, one must think of God reigning over the four cardinal directions…
“HaTuki” (“The Parrot”)
התוכי
Gematria = 441
= gematria of “Emet” (“Truth”)
אמת
The word “Emet” is formed from the letters Aleph, Mem, and Tav.
– Aleph is the first letter of the alphabet.
– Mem is central and represents Life.
– Tav is the last letter.
Parrots delight us with their amusing way of imitating us.
Humans, however, are not angels capable of perfectly repeating the Divine Word. Humans are far from perfect, and it takes great, almost superhuman effort for the lower world to reflect the upper world.
Yet it is precisely this human perfectibilit in divine service that brings joy to God. At the time of the Final Redemption, God will answer us, and we will realize that the Song of Man is infinitely higher than that of the angels.
#PaireRock #PèreRock #Perroquet #PèreOK
To find Truth, one must strive to be like a Parrot—but not blindly believe and repeat everything one hears.