Community Magazine June 2019

iyar - SIVAN 5779 june 2019 101 Efraim Harari How Barbels Help Catfish Find Their Prey Connection refers both to actual vision as well as comprehension, because when a person understands a certain idea properly, it becomes clear to him as if he sees it with his physical eyes. In this sense we can see how the pasuk, Do not place a stumbling block before a blind person ( Vayikra 19:14), refers not only to placing a literal stumbling block before those who are physically blind, but also to leading those who are spiritually blind to committing an aveirah . In order for a person to see accurately through his spiritual eyes, he needs the appropriate “glasses” – the proper training to find Hashem in every area of life. By learning Torah and doing mitzvot, we polish up those “glasses” so that our spiritual vision is as clear as possible. As the pasuk in Tehillim (19:9) says, The mitzvah of Hashem is clear, illuminating the eyes . Available Online and at All Judaica Stores! A Brand-New Book by The Jewish World of Wonders Fascinating Questions & Answers on the Mysteries of the Animal Kingdom Can be ordered online at: www.israelbookshoppublications.com and Amazon. Scientists already knew that catfish used their barbels to taste food, but a study conducted in 2014 uncovered the fact that some catfish use their barbels to detect even the slightest change in the water’s acidity, which helps them locate prey in complete darkness. Scientists conducted a series of experiments on the Japanese sea catfish, a nocturnal fish common in Japanwhichswimsalong theocean floor at night seeking worms and crustaceans. Their research revealed that the catfish’s barbels were incredibly sensitive to changes in the carbon dioxide and atomic hydrogen in the catfish’s surroundings. To investigate further, the researchers placed the catfish in tanks where they hid polychaetes, also known as bristle worms, the catfish’s favorite food. These bristle worms release tiny amounts of carbon dioxide and atomic hydrogen as they respire (breathe), which slightly decreases the pH of the water. (This means that the water becomes more acidic.) Even though the tanks were dark, the catfish were drawn to the areas where the worms were hidden. The catfish were always highly active and in “search mode” for prey when they sensed the pockets of acidity.