← All Texts Why the Ox Has No Hair on His Nose

Why the Ox Has No Hair on His Nose

Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha Alphabet of Ben Sira 36

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published March 15, 2026

<p>Nebuchadnezzar asked Ben Sira a question that most people wouldn't think to ask: why does an ox have no hair on its nose? The answer, according to the Alphabet of Ben Sira (c. 700-1000 CE), takes us all the way back to the conquest of the Land of Israel.</p>

<p>When Joshua led the Israelites in their march around the walls of Jericho, he had a problem. Joshua was a large man - the text says he was fat - and needed an animal to carry him during the siege. They tried a horse. It collapsed under his weight. They tried a donkey. Same result. A mule? Dead.</p>

<p>Finally, they brought him an ox. The ox carried him without complaint, circling the walls of Jericho day after day until those famous walls came tumbling down. Joshua was so grateful, so moved by this humble animal's strength and willingness, that he leaned down and kissed the ox right on the nose.</p>

<p>And that, Ben Sira explains, is why oxen have smooth, hairless noses to this day. The kiss of a righteous man left a permanent mark on the species. It's a wonderfully strange little origin story - the kind of folk explanation (etiological tale) that the Alphabet of Ben Sira specializes in. Behind the humor, there's a quiet lesson about gratitude: even a great military leader should honor the beast that carried him to victory.</p>

Themes

Wisdom Creatures Holy Land

Continue Reading

Ginzberg Ahithophel in David's Court The sages teach us that God bestowed three gifts upon the world: wisdom, strength, and wealth. But these gifts, potent a... Midrash Rabbah Elazar in Battle We can see this theme beautifully illustrated in Bamidbar Rabbah (Numbers Rabbah) 4, which draws a powerful lesson from ... Midrash Rabbah Shem Faces Judgment Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, dives deep into the prophet Amos's rebuke of... Midrash Rabbah Samson at the Dawn of Creation It's a fascinating passage, brimming with insights about responsibility, destiny, and the power of prayer. The passage o... Midrash Rabbah Ahithophel Beyond the Firmament The book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, recounts the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. In chapter 32, we enco... Midrash Rabbah The Month of Nissan and God's Blueprint of Creation Jewish tradition is rich with answers to these questions, and Shemot Rabbah, a classical Midrashic text, offers a fascin... Midrash Rabbah Job and Divine Judgment Our tradition teaches that wealth, valor, and wisdom are not inherently good or bad – it's how we use them that truly ma... Midrash Rabbah Shem and Divine Judgment to a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash, or interpretive commentary, on the Book of Leviticus, that touc... Midrash Rabbah Levi's Transgression It’s a fascinating idea, and one that Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), specifically section 22, explores in a surprisi...