Talmud Bavli, Bava Reader

Rabbah said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make a feast for the righteous from the flesh of Leviathan, as it is said: "The companions will make a banquet over it" (Job 40:30). And "banquet" means only a feast, as it is said: "And he made for them a great feast, and they ate and drank" (2 Kings 6:23). And "companions" means only Torah scholars, as it is said: "You who dwell in the gardens, companions hearken to your voice; let me hear it" (Song of Songs 8:13). And as for the rest, they will divide it and make merchandise of it in the markets of Jerusalem, as it is said: "They will divide it among the merchants" (Job 40:30). And "merchants" means only traders, as it is said: "As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand; he loves to oppress" (Hosea 12:8) [the verse reads "Canaan" in the sense of "trader"]. And Rabbah said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make a tabernacle for the righteous from the skin of Leviathan, as it is said: "Can you fill its skin with sukkot-coverings?" (Job 40:31). If a person is worthy, they make for him a tabernacle; if he is not worthy, they make for him a covering, as it is said: "and its head with a fish-covering" (Job 40:31). And as for the rest, the Holy One, blessed be He, spreads it over the walls of Jerusalem, and its splendor shines from one end of the world to the other, as it is said: "And nations shall walk by your light, and kings by the brightness of your dawn" (Isaiah 60:3). And Rabbah said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make seven canopies for each and every righteous person, as it is said: "And the LORD will create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there shall be a canopy" (Isaiah 4:5). This teaches that for each and every one the Holy One, blessed be He, makes a canopy according to his honor.

This is a dispute among the Tannaim: "And the LORD blessed Abraham with everything" (Genesis 24:1) - what is meant by "with everything"? Rabbi Meir says: that he had no daughter. Rabbi Yehuda says: that he had a daughter. Others say: Abraham had a daughter, and "With Everything" (Bakol) was her name. Rabbi Elazar HaModa'i says: Abraham our father possessed astrology in his heart, such that all the kings of east and west would come early to his door. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: a precious stone hung from the neck of Abraham our father, and any sick person who looked upon it was immediately healed; and at the time when Abraham our father departed from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, hung it upon the sphere of the sun. Abaye said: this is what people say: as the day grows high, the sickness lifts.

This is a dispute among the Tannaim: "And the LORD blessed Abraham with everything" (Genesis 24:1) - what is meant by "with everything"? Rabbi Meir says: that he had no daughter. Rabbi Yehuda says: that he had a daughter. Others say: Abraham had a daughter, and "With Everything" (Bakol) was her name. Rabbi Elazar HaModa'i says: Abraham our father possessed astrology in his heart, such that all the kings of east and west would come early to his door.

And this is the oven of Akhnai. What is Akhnai? Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: That they surrounded it with words like this snake (akhna), and declared it impure. It was taught: On that day Rabbi Eliezer brought forth all the responses in the world, but they did not accept them from him. He said to them: "If the law is as I say, let this carob tree prove it." The carob tree was uprooted from its place one hundred cubits, and some say four hundred cubits. They said to him: "One does not bring proof from a carob tree." He returned and said to them: "If the law is as I say, let the channel of water prove it." The channel of water flowed backward. They said to him: "One does not bring proof from a channel of water." He returned and said to them: "If the law is as I say, let the walls of the study hall prove it." The walls of the study hall inclined to fall. Rabbi Yehoshua rebuked them; he said to them: "If Torah scholars are contending with one another in the law, what business is it of yours?" They did not fall, out of respect for Rabbi Yehoshua, and they did not straighten, out of respect for Rabbi Eliezer, and they still stand inclined. He returned and said to them: "If the law is as I say, let it be proven from Heaven." A heavenly voice went forth and said: "What is it to you regarding Rabbi Eliezer, for the law is as he says in every place?" Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: "It is not in heaven!" (Deuteronomy 30:12). What is "It is not in heaven"? Rabbi Yirmiyah said: That the Torah has already been given from Mount Sinai; we pay no heed to a heavenly voice, for You already wrote at Mount Sinai in the Torah: "After the majority to incline" (Exodus 23:2). Rabbi Natan came upon Elijah; he said to him: "What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do at that hour?" He said to him: "He laughed and said, 'My children have defeated Me! My children have defeated Me!'"

But let it say that it is a dispute between Rabbi Shimon and the Rabbis! This teaches us that Rabbi Menachem the son of Rabbi Yose holds the same view as Rabbi Shimon. We have completed "He Who Sells the House." He who sells the ship has sold the mast, and the sail, and the anchors, and all the implements that steer it. But he has not sold the slaves, nor the packing-sacks, nor the cargo. And when he said to him, "It and everything that is in it," then all of them are sold. Gemara. "Mast" (toren) means iskarya. And so it says: "They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you" (Ezekiel 27:5). "Sail" (nes) means adra. And so it says: "Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, to serve you as a banner" (Ezekiel 27:7). "Anchors" (ogin): Rabbi Chiyya taught: These are its anchors. And so it says: "Would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you shut yourselves up for them and have no husband?" (Ruth 1:13). "Steering implements" (manhigin): Rabbi Abba said: These are its oars. And so it says: "Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars" (Ezekiel 27:6). And if you wish, say from here: "And all who handle the oar shall come down from their ships" (Ezekiel 27:29). Our Rabbis taught: He who sells the ship has sold the gangway and the water-cistern that is within it. Rabbi Nathan says: He who sells the ship has sold the skiff. Symmachus says: He who sells the ship has sold the dinghy. Rava said: A "skiff" (bitzit) is the same as a "dinghy" (dugit). Rabbi Nathan was a Babylonian; he called it "butzit," as people say: "the boats (butziyata) of Meishan." Symmachus was a man of the Land of Israel; he called it "dugit," as it is written: "And your posterity in fishing-boats (dugah)" (Amos 4:2). Rabbah said: The seafarers told me: This wave that sinks a ship appears like a flash of white fire at its crest, and we strike it with clubs upon which is engraved, "I Am That I Am, Yah, the LORD of hosts, Amen, Amen, Selah," and it subsides. Rabbah said: The seafarers told me: Between one wave and another there are three hundred parasangs, and the height of a wave is three hundred parasangs. Once we were going on our way, and a wave lifted us up until we saw the resting-place of a small star, and to me it appeared as large as the area for sowing forty se'a of mustard seed. And had it lifted us higher, we would have been scorched by its heat. And one wave called out to its fellow: "My fellow, have you left anything in the world that you did not wash away, that I may come and destroy it?" The other said to it: "Go out and see the power of your Master: by a thread's breadth of sand I do not pass over, as it is said: 'Do you not fear Me, says the LORD; will you not tremble before Me, who have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an everlasting decree that it cannot pass?' (Jeremiah 5:22)." Rabbah said: I myself saw Hormin the son of Lilith, when he was running upon the parapet of the wall of Mechoza, and a horseman was riding below him on a beast and could not catch up with him. Once they saddled for him two mules, and they stood

One who sells a ship has sold the mast, and the sail, and the anchors, and all that steer it. But he has not sold the slaves, nor the loading sacks, nor the cargo. And when he says to him, "It and all that is within it," then all of them are sold. "Mast" (toren), this is the iskarya. And so it says: "They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you" (Ezekiel 27:5). "Sail" (nes), this is the adra. And so it says: "Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, to serve you as a banner" (Ezekiel 27:7). "Anchors" (ogin), Rabbi Hiyya taught: these are its anchors. "Steerers" (manhigin), Rabbi Abba said: these are its oars. And so it says: "Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars" (Ezekiel 27:6).

And Rabbah bar bar Channah said: One time we were traveling on a ship, and we saw a certain bird that was standing up to its ankles in the water, with its head in the sky. And we said: There is no water here, and we wanted to go down to cool ourselves off. But a heavenly voice came forth and said to us: "Do not go down here, for an axe fell from a carpenter's hand here seven years ago, and it has not yet reached the ground." And this was not because the water was deep, but because the water was swift. Rav Ashi said: And that bird was the Ziz of the field, as it is written: "And the Ziz of the field is with Me" (Psalms 50:11).

Rabbah said: I myself saw a one-day-old wild ox, and it was as big as Mount Tabor. And how big is Mount Tabor? Four parasangs. And the length of its neck was three parasangs, and the resting place of its head was a parasang and a half. It cast forth a ball of dung, and it dammed up the Jordan.

Rabbah said: I myself saw a day-old gazelle that was as large as Mount Tabor. And how large is Mount Tabor? Four parasangs. And the length of its neck was three parasangs, and the resting place of its head was a parasang and a half. It cast down a clod of dung and dammed up the Jordan. And Rabbah bar bar Hanah said: I myself saw a certain frog that was as large as the fortress of Hagronia. And how large is the fortress of Hagronia? Sixty houses. A serpent came and swallowed it. A raven came and swallowed the serpent, and went up and perched in a tree. And Rabbah bar bar Hanah said: One time we were going through the wilderness, and a certain Arab joined us, who would take dust and smell it, and would say: This is the road to such-and-such a place, and this is the road to such-and-such a place. He said to me: Come, I will show you the dead of the wilderness. I went and saw them, and they looked like men who were intoxicated.

And Rabbah bar bar Hanah said: One time we were going through the wilderness, and we saw those geese whose feathers were falling off from their fatness, and rivers of fat flowed beneath them. I said to them, "Shall we have a portion of you in the World to Come?" One raised a wing for me, and one raised a thigh. When I came before Rabbi Elazar, he said to me, "Israel are destined to be called to account on their behalf."

And they were lying on their backs. And the knee of one of them was raised up, and an Arab merchant entered beneath his knee while riding a camel, with his spear upright, and he did not touch it. I cut off one corner of the sky-blue fringe of one of them, and we could not move on. He said to me: "Perhaps you took something from them?" Return it, for it is learned by tradition that whoever takes something from them cannot move on. I went and returned it, and then we could move on. When I came before the Rabbis, they said to me: "Every 'Abba' is an ass, and every 'bar bar Chana' is a fool! For the sake of what halakhah did you do this? To know whether the law is like the House of Shammai or like the House of Hillel? You should have counted the threads and counted the joinings." He said to me: "Come, I will show you Mount Sinai." I went, and I saw that a scorpion encircled it, and it stood like white asses. I heard a heavenly voice saying: "Woe is Me that I swore; and now that I have sworn, who will release Me from My oath?" When I came before the Rabbis, they said to me: "Every 'Abba' is an ass, every 'bar bar Chana' is a fool! You should have said: 'You are released from your oath!'" But he reasoned: Perhaps it was the oath of the Flood. And the Rabbis: if so, why "Woe is Me"? He said to me: "Come, I will show you those who were swallowed up of Korah." I saw two cracks, and they were emitting smoke. He took a tuft of wool and soaked it in water and stuck it on the head of his spear and inserted it there, and when he took it out it was scorched and singed. He said to me: "Listen to what you hear." And I heard that they were saying: "Moses and his Torah are true, and they are liars." He said to me: "Every thirty days Gehenna returns them to here like meat in a pot, and they say thus: 'Moses and his Torah are true, and they are liars.'" He said to me: "Come, I will show you where the earth and the firmament kiss one another." I took my basket and placed it in a window of the firmament. While I was praying, I sought it and did not find it. I said to him: "Are there thieves here?" He said to me: "This was the wheel of the firmament that was turning; wait here until tomorrow and you will find it." Rabbi Yochanan relates: One time we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain fish that put its head out of the sea, and its eyes were like two moons, and water spurted from its two gills like the two channels of Sura. Rav Safra relates: One time we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain fish that put its head out of the sea, and it had horns, and engraved upon it was: "I am a lowly creature of the sea, and I am three hundred parasangs long, and I am going into the mouth of the Leviathan." Rav Ashi said: That is the sea-goat, which forages and has horns. Rabbi Yochanan relates: One time we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain chest in which were set precious stones and pearls, and surrounding it were kinds of fish that are called karsha. There descended

And they were lying on their backs. And the knee of one of them was raised up, and an Arab merchant passed beneath his knee while riding a camel, riding upright with his spear, and he did not touch it. I cut off one corner of the sky-blue thread of fringes from one of them, and we were unable to move on. He said to me: Perhaps you took something from them? Return it, for it is a tradition that whoever takes something from them is unable to move on. I went and returned it, and then we were able to move on. When I came before the Rabbis, they said to me: Every "Abba" is a donkey, and every "bar bar Hana" is a fool! For what legal purpose did you do this? To know whether the law is according to Beit Shammai or according to Beit Hillel? You should have counted the threads and counted the joints! He said to me: Come, I will show you Mount Sinai. I went and saw that a scorpion encircled it, and it stood like white donkeys. I heard a Divine Voice saying: "Woe is Me that I swore! And now that I have sworn, who will release Me from My oath?" When I came before the Rabbis, they said to me: Every "Abba" is a donkey, and every "bar bar Hana" is a fool! You should have said "You are released from your oath"! But he thought: Perhaps it was the oath concerning the Flood. And the Rabbis say: If so, why "Woe is Me"? He said to me: Come, I will show you those swallowed up of Korah. I saw two fissures, and they were emitting smoke. I took a tuft of wool and soaked it in water, and stuck it on the head of a spear and inserted it there, and when I drew it out, it was scorched through. He said to me: Listen to what you hear. And I heard them saying: "Moses and his Torah are truth, and they are liars." He said to me: Every thirty days Gehinnom turns them back to here like flesh in a pot, and they say thus: "Moses and his Torah are truth, and they are liars." He said to me: Come, I will show you where the earth and the heavens kiss one another. I took my basket and placed it in a window of the firmament. While I was praying, I sought it and did not find it. I said to him: Are there thieves here? He said to me: It was the sphere of the firmament that revolves; wait here until tomorrow, and you will find it. Rabbi Yochanan related: Once we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain fish that lifted its head out of the sea, and its eyes were like two moons, and water poured forth from its two gills like the two channels of Sura. Rav Safra related: Once we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain fish that lifted its head out of the sea, and it had horns, and engraved upon it was: "I am one of the lesser creatures of the sea, and I am three hundred parasangs in length, and I am going to the mouth of Leviathan." Rav Ashi said: That was a sea-goat, which forages and has horns. Rabbi Yochanan related: Once we were traveling in a ship, and we saw a certain chest in which were set precious stones and pearls, and around it were a kind of fish called karsha. A diver went down

"And God created the great sea-monsters" (Genesis 1:21). Here they translated it: the sea-gazelles. Rabbi Yohanan said: this is Leviathan the slant serpent and Leviathan the coiled serpent, as it is said, "On that day the LORD with His hard sword will punish" (Isaiah 27:1). Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created male and female. So too Leviathan the slant serpent and Leviathan the coiled serpent He created male and female; and had they coupled with one another they would have destroyed the entire world. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He castrated the male and killed the female and salted her away for the righteous in the time to come, as it is said, "and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea" (Isaiah 27:1). And so too the Behemoth on the thousand mountains, He created male and female; and had they coupled with one another they would have destroyed the entire world. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He castrated the male and cooled the female and preserved her for the righteous in the time to come, as it is said, "Behold now his strength is in his loins" (Job 40:16), this is the male, "and his force is in the muscles of his belly" (Job 40:16), this is the female. And Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: the Jordan issues from the cave of Pamias, and flows through the Sea of Sivkhi and through the Sea of Tiberias, and rolls down into the Great Sea; and it rolls down until it reaches the mouth of Leviathan, as it is said, "he is confident though the Jordan rushes against his mouth" (Job 40:23).

Rav Haviva said: Rav Haviva bar Surmaki recounted to me: A certain one of the rabbis, with whom Elijah was wont to be present, had eyes that in the morning were beautiful, and toward evening they appeared as if scorched by fire. I said to him: What is this? And he said to me: I had said to Elijah, Show me the rabbis as they ascend to the academy of the firmament. He said to me: At all of them you are able to gaze, except at the carriage of Rabbi Hiyya, at which you must not gaze. What are their distinguishing signs? At all of them angels go up and come down as they ascend and descend, except at the carriage of Rabbi Hiyya, which ascends and descends of itself. I could not restrain myself, and I gazed at it. Two fiery sparks came and struck that man and blinded his eyes. The next day I went and prostrated myself upon his cave and said: I recite the teachings of the master. And I was healed. Elijah was wont to be present at the academy of Rabbi. One day it was the New Moon. It grew late for him, and he did not come. He said to him: What is the reason that it grew late for the master? He said to him: While I was raising up Abraham and washing his hands and he prayed, and I laid him down, and likewise Isaac, and likewise Jacob. They said in heaven: Who reveals the mysteries in the world? They said: Elijah. They brought Elijah and struck him with sixty fiery lashes. He came, appeared to them as a bear of fire, entered among them, and scattered them.

Ravnai said in the name of Shmuel: The cherubim stood by a miracle, as it is said: "And five cubits was the wing of the one cherub, and five cubits the wing of the second cherub, ten cubits from the tips of its wings to the tips of its wings" (1 Kings 6:24). Where were their bodies standing? Rather, learn from this: they stood by a miracle. How did they stand? Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Elazar: one said their faces were each toward the other, and one said their faces were toward the House. But according to the one who said their faces were each toward the other, is it not written "and their faces were toward the House" (2 Chronicles 3:13)? It is not difficult: here, at the time when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent; there, at the time when Israel does not do the will of the Omnipresent. And according to the one who said "and their faces were toward the House," is it not written "and their faces were each toward the other" (Exodus 25:20)? They turned their faces to the side, as it was taught: Onkelos the convert said: The cherubim were "of figured work" (2 Chronicles 3:10), and they turned their faces sideways like a student taking leave of his teacher.