“These are the children of Tzivon: Aya and Ana; he is Ana, who found the yemim in the wilderness, as he was herding the donkeys of Tzivon his father” (Genesis 36:24). “These are the children of Tzivon: Aya..” “These are the children of Tzivon: Aya and Ana” – what did the verse see that led it to write Ana, Ana, twice?43Why is Ana listed among the brothers of Tzivon (Genesis 36:20) and also among his sons? (Etz Yosef).
Were they two? Actually, there was one; however, Tzivon consorted with his mother and she bore Ana, and he became the son of Ana, son of Tzivon, and son of Se’ir.44Ana was listed among the sons of Se’ir because he was the son of Se’ir’s wife, but in actuality he was the son of Tzivon. The words “the son of Ana” appear to be out of place here. In any case, he was one.
It is taught: Fire and mixed breeds45Animals that were crossbred. were not created during the six days of Creation, but it entered His mind for them to be created. When were the mixed breeds created? It was in the days of Ana. That is what is written: “He is Ana, who found the yemim in the wilderness.”
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: Mules [hamyonas]. The Rabbis say: Half-breeds [himisu] – half donkey and half horse. These are the signs: If its ears are small, its mother is a horse and its father is a donkey; if they are large, its mother is a donkey and its father is a horse. Rabbi Mana would command those of the household of the Nasi that they should purchase those with the small ears, because their mothers are horses and their fathers are donkeys.
What did Ana do? He brought a female donkey, crossed it with a horse, and a mule emerged. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I did not create anything that causes damage, but you created something that causes damage. As you live, I will create for you something that causes damage.’
What did He do? He brought a serpent, crossed it with a starred agama lizard, and a poisonous lizard resulted. A person never said that he was bitten by a rabid dog and he lived, by a poisonous lizard and he lived, or by a white mule and he lived. Fire: Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Nezira: That light46The light that was created on the first day of Creation. served for thirty-six hours, twelve on Shabbat eve,47Friday. twelve on Shabbat night, and twelve on Shabbat.
When the sun set on Shabbat night, the Holy One blessed be He sought to sequester the light, but He accorded honor to the Shabbat. That is what is written: “The Lord blessed the seventh day” (Genesis 2:3). With what did He bless it? With light.
When the sun set on Shabbat night and the light began serving,48The light created on the first day began to light up the world even without the sun. everything began lauding the Holy One blessed be He. That is what is written: “Under all the heavens they sing to Him”49This verse is often translated “Under the heavens He sends it forth [yishrehu],” but the midrash interprets the word yishrehu to mean “they sing to Him [yashiru lo].” (Job 37:3) – why?
Because “His light is to the ends of the earth” (Job 37:3). When the sun set at the conclusion of Shabbat, darkness began to set in. Adam the first man became fearful, as it is written: “And I say: Darkness will conceal me” (Psalms 139:11). What did the Holy One blessed be He do for him?
He prepared for him two flint stones, and [Adam] struck one against the other. Fire emerged and he recited a blessing over it. That is what is written: “Night is light for me” (Psalms 139:11). This is in accordance with the opinion of Shmuel, [who said]: Why do we recite a blessing on a candle at the conclusion of Shabbat?
Because then was the beginning of its creation. Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One recites a blessing over it even at the conclusion of Yom Kippur because the fire rested that entire day.50Since one is not permitted to use the fire on Yom Kippur, and once Yom Kippur is over one is permitted to use it, one appreciates fire and recites the blessing.