The Nautical Minds of the Talmud

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Rabbis of the Talmud kept personal notebooks, for example Zeiri and Levi's notebook found on Shabbat 156a". Personal compilations of learning and ideas are kept by Rabbi and Yeshiva students to this day.. This blog is such a "Pinchas" - a modest personal collection of ideas from across the sea of Shas and Tanach.

However modest, subjective, error ridden and personally indulgent, this effort is dedicated to my boys - Yonatan Simcha and Dov Alexander and daugher Elana Rachel. All are experienced sailors and dedicated to Torah Study. The three of us have sailed the sea of Torah together as well as the Great Canadian Lakes in my sailboat -"The Boat".

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There is a Jewish nautical mind! Israel after all is a country by the sea. There are well know ancient seaports at its shore. Less well know is the vast store house of laws, philosophy, anecdotes and experience about ships, the sea and the Jewish experience of nautical enterprise that is contained in the Talmud. This Blog will present that view of the Talmud. This is a project of What If What Next(TM) a Public Relations firm located in Toronto, Canada. For more information contact the Author: Howard Oliver Partner, What If What Next (TM) Toronto, Ontario holiver@whatifwhatnext.com http://www.whatifwhatnext.com (C) 2004, Howard Oliver, Toronto, Canada All Rights Reserved

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The Great Sea Monster The Leviathan - Tractate Baba Bathra 75a

by Howard on Tue 10 Jan 2006 06:57 PM PST | Permanent Link | Cosmos

A chase of Leviathan; for it is said: Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a fish hook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? And if the Holy One, blessed be He, will not help him, he will be unable to prevail over him; for it is said: He only that made him can make His sword to approach unto him.

When R. Dimi came he said in the name of R. Johanan: When Leviathan is hungry he emits [fiery] breath from his mouth and causes all the waters of the deep to boil; for it is said: He maketh the deep to boil like a pot. And if he were not to put his head into the Garden of Eden, no creature could stand his [foul] odour; for it is said: He maketh the sea like a spiced broth. When he is thirsty he makes numerous furrows in the sea; for it is said: He maketh a path to shine after him. R. Aha b. Jacob said; The deep does not return to its strength until [after] seventy years; for it is said: One thinks the deep to be hoary, and hoary age is not [attained at] less than seventy [years].

Rabbah said in the name of R. Johanan: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in time to come make a banquet for the righteous from the flesh of Leviathan; for it is said: Companions will make a banquet of it. Kerah must mean a banquet; for it is said: And he prepared for them a great banquet and they ate and drank. Companions must mean scholars, for it is said: Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice; cause me to hear it. The rest [of Leviathan] will be distributed and sold out in the markets of Jerusalem; for it is said: They will part him among the Kena'anim, and Kena'anim must mean merchants, for it is said: As for kena'an the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. And if you wish you may infer it from the following: Whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth.

Rabbah in the name of R. Johanan further stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in time to come make a tabernacle for the righteous from the skin of Leviathan; for it is said: Canst thou fill tabernacles with his skin. If a man is worthy, a tabernacle is made for him; if he is not worthy [of this] a [mere] covering is made for him, for it is said: And his head with a fish covering. If a man is [sufficiently] worthy a covering is made for him; if he is not worthy [even of this], a necklace is made for him, for it is said: And necklaces about thy neck. If he is worthy [of it] a necklace is made for him; if he is not worthy [even of this] an amulet is made for him; as it is said: And thou wilt bind him for thy maidens. The rest [of Leviathan] will be spread by the Holy One, blessed be He, upon the walls of Jerusalem, and its splendour will shine from one end of the world to the other; as it is said: And nations shall walk at thy light, and kings at the brightness of thy rising.

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