CHAPTER IX [ In our MS. this is ch. viii.] THE CREATION AND WONDERS OF THE FIFTH DAY [10A. ii.] ON the fifth day [ For the creation on the fifth day see Gen. 1:20–23; 4 Ezra 6:47 ff.; Jubilees ii. 11, 12; Slav. Enoch xxx. 7. Our book reckons three kinds of living things created on the fifth day: birds, fish, and locusts; in Jubilees, loc. cit., three kinds: great sea monsters, fish, and birds are also enumerated.] He caused the waters to bring forth abundantly all kinds of winged fowls, male and female, unclean and clean. By two signs [ On the signs see T.B. Chullin, 59a, 61a and 62a; Tosephta Chullin 3:22, p. 505, and Pal. Targum on Lev. 11:13.] are they declared to be clean, by the crop, and by the craw peeling off. Rabbi Eliezer said: (Another sign was) also by the projecting toe of the claw. Two kinds of birds have been chosen for the offering of a burnt sacrifice, [ This agrees with Luria’s reading; the printed texts read: “an offering and a burnt-offering.”] namely, the turtle-dove and the young pigeon.
He [ The Venice edition adds: “On the fifth day.” The 1st ed. omits this and the following words up to “male.”] caused the waters to bring forth abundantly all kinds of fish, male and female, unclean and clean. By two signs are they declared to be clean, by the fins and by their scales; [ On fish see L v. xi. 9, 10, 12, and T.B. Chullin, 66b.] and if they do not have them (i.e. both signs) they are unclean.
On the fifth day He caused the waters to bring forth abundantly all kinds of locusts, [ See T.B. Chullin, 59a and 65 a, b.] male and female, clean and unclean. By two signs are they declared to be clean: by their long legs with which they jump, [ The first editions add: “upon the earth.” See Lev. 11:20–23.] and by the wings which cover the entire body, such are clean. Such (living things) as were brought forth from the water, namely, fish and locusts, [ Dr. Charles is mistaken in stating that in the “Pirke R. Eliezer ix. it is said that locusts are not created from water” (Fragments of a Zadokite Work, p. 31). Just the opposite theory is advocated by our work. The Zadokite Fragment taught that the elements of fire and water were to be found in the composition of the locusts, hence they are to be killed by fire or by water; see Schechter, op. cit., p. 51, note 24. who points out that according to Rabbinic law, the locust requires no killing at all; see Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhoth Shechitah, ch. i. 1, and Ṭur Joreh Di’ah, 13. The importance of this Halakhah will be appreciated if we are able to fix the date and home of our book. The question has been critically discussed by Dr. Büchler in the J.Q.R. (New Series) iii. (1913) pp. 442 f.; see J.Q.R. (New Series) iv. pp. 460 ff., where Jubilees v. 30 is cited as bearing on the question. Cf. also Wreschner, op. cit. p. 52.] are (eaten) without (being subject to the laws of) Shechiṭah [ The first editions read: “are eaten, for they are not (killed) by Shechiṭah.” For the ritual slaughter of animals by the knife see T.B. Chullin, 27a. This method probably obtained among the early Christians, see Acts xv. 20 and 29, xxi. 25; for further references see Preuschen, N.T. Dict. s.v. πνικτóς, c. 933.] (with the ritual slaughtering), but the bird cannot be eaten unless (it be killed) by (the method of) Shechiḳah. Such creatures which have been created from the earth [ The MS. actually reads “water,” but the text was here originally “earth.” The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: “Such as were created from the earth have their blood poured out like water, and such as swarmed from the water have their blood covered by the dust.” As the parchment of our MS. has been damaged by the erasure, an attempt has also been made to change the word “water” (in the next line) into “earth.”] || have their blood covered with earth, and such as have been created from the water must have their blood poured out like water. [ Luria reads: “Such as have been created from the water may have their blood consumed like water, and such as have been created from the earth, their blood is prohibited to be consumed: the exception is the fowl; for although it has been created from the water its blood is prohibited to be consumed, and, moreover, it requires that the blood which falls upon the earth when it is killed must be covered by dust.” The traditional text found in our MS. as well as in the first editions is probably correct in view of the unusual Halakhah (or Law) preserved in the Fragments of a Zadokite Work (ed. Charles), xiv. 13: “Nor shall fish be eaten unless they are split alive and their blood was shed.” Dr Schechter thinks that this rule was” “directed against the Rabbinic opinion permitting the eating of the blood of the fish. See Sifra, 39a, and Kerithoth, 20b.” See, further, T.B. Chullin, 27b, “where,” says Dr. Schechter, “we have a homily to the effect that cattle have to be killed in a certain way because they were created out of the dry land (earth); fish, again, require no killing, being created out of the water; whilst birds, which were created out of alluvial mud (a combination of water and earth), occupy also, with regard to their ritual killing, a middle place between cattle and fish. The notion was that the mode of killing is in some way connected with the element out of which the animal in question was created.” See Wreschner, op. cit. p. 54. The 1st ed. reads: “its blood is poured out on the earth.” The Venice edition agrees with our MS.]
Rabbi Eliezer said: Not only concerning the water does the Scripture say that "the waters should bring forth abundantly" (Gen. 1:20), but also concerning the birds [ The Oxford MS. (d. 35) and the first editions read: “nations of the world.”] which are compared with water, as it is said, "And the uproar of many peoples, which roar like the roaring of the seas" (Isa. 17:12), and just as the waters brought forth abundantly on the fifth day, likewise in the future will the nations of the world swarm in the fifth world, [ Is the fifth world the fifth kingdom, i.e. the kingdom of the Messiah? Or, is the “fifth world” another way of saying the “fifth era” or “day” of the world? This would be the period 5000 A.M. to 6000 C.E. (i.e. 1240–2240 C.E.). Our reading is also preserved in the 1st ed. In the Venice edition the word “fifth” is omitted.] and they will fight one another to destroy [ See T.B. ‘Abodah Ẓarah, 4a, T.B. Synhedrin, 97b, and Ẓohar, Gen. 46b and 119a, for the wars of the Messianic Age, which were supposed to begin about the end of the fiftieth century A.M.; cf. infra, pp. 198–203; and see Rev. xvi. 14 for the internecine strife of the nations.] (one another), as it is said, "And they were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; [ The first two editions have erred here in a strange manner: they both quote as a Scripture text the words: “And I will set nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, for God did vex them with all adversity.” The last clause is part of the quotation from 2 Chron. 15:6, the first part of this verse being accurately given by our MS. Where do we find the words: “And I will set nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom”? Might one suggest Matt. xxiv. 7, based on Isa. 19:2 and 2 Chron. 15:6, as a parallel? See also 4 Ezra xiii. 31.] for God did vex them with all adversity" (2 Chron. 15:6). What is written (immediately) afterwards? The Salvation of Israel (is mentioned), as it is said, [ See Isa. 62:11 and Ps. 14:7.] "But be ye strong; and your hands shall not be slack" (ibid. 7).
All rivers flowing on the earth, [ The Venice edition omits “flowing on the earth”; the 1st ed. agrees with our text.] as soon as they flow on the earth, they are blessed and good and sweet. There is some benefit to the world through them; [ Cf. Recognitions of Clement viii. 24 and John of Damascus, op. cit. ii. 9.] (when) they flow into the sea they are bad, [ Luria suggests the reading: “they are cursed, evil.”] cursed, and bitter, and they are of no benefit to the world. Why are they similar to Israel? For when the Israelites rely upon the protection of their Creator and do His will, they are blessed and good and sweet, and there is some benefit to the world through them, and for their sake [ See Jer. 10:2, 3, and Assumption of Moses i. 12. A parallel to our text is given by 4 Ezra 4:55, 59, vii. 11.] the world stands. (When) the men of Israel depart from their Creator and trust in the statutes of the nations, [ Cf. Matt. v. 13, 14.] they are bad, accursed, and bitter, || and there is no benefit in them for the world. Just as the waters of the rivers (are) the food of the waters of the sea, [ The river water is absorbed by the salt water and thereby the composition of the sea water is modified; see Gen. Rab. 5:3 on this problem.] so are (the sinners destined to be) fuel for Gehinnom. All the rains that descend into the sea are (as) seed for (all creatures) in them, [ i.e. the sea. Cf. supra, p. 30, the rain is the male element in water; see Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 146 § 3, p. 268a.] and thereby the fish are fed. [ The first editions read: “become fruitful.”]
On the fifth day the waters in Egypt [ See Seder ‘Olam Rab. 3, and cf. Mishnah ‘Edujoth ii. 10 for the duration of the Plagues. Our book (infra, p. 330) states that the day of departure was on the third day; on this point see T.B. Sabbath, 87b. Luria thinks that the text should be emended thus: “On the fifth day the sea was divided when our fathers went forth from Egypt.”] were changed into blood. On the fifth day our forefathers went forth from Egypt. [ The reading of our text is preserved in Jalḳuṭ, Jonah, § 550, as follows: “It was taught in a Baraitha that R. Eliezer said, On the fifth day the waters of Egypt were turned into blood, on that day our fathers went forth from Egypt; on that day the waters of the Jordan stood still before the ark of the Lord, on that day Hezekiah stopped all the fountains; on the fifth day Jonah fled before God.” See first sentence in next chapter of our book.] On the same (i.e. fifth) day the waters of the Jordan stood still before the ark of the Covenant of God. [ See Josh. 3:15, 16; Tosaphoth in Menachoth, 30a, catchword: “From here onwards,” refers to the day when Jericho fell; cf. Seder ‘Olam Rab. 11; see Ratner’s ed. p. 24a, note 24, for the parallels, and see in our book, infra, pp. 423 f.] On the same (i.e. fifth) day Hezekiah stopped the fountains which were in Jerusalem, as it is said, "This same [ The printed editions are incorrect here.] Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon" (ibid. xxxii. 80). [ On Hezekiah see Aboth de R. Nathan (a) ii. pp. 6a, b; and cf. T.B. Berakhoth, 5b, T.B. Pesachim, 56a, and in our book, infra, pp. 424 ff.]
On the fifth day He brought forth from the water the Leviathan, [ The Leviathan is the “flying serpent.” See Isa. 27:1, and Gen. Rab. 7:4 with Theodor’s note, in loc.; 4 Ezra 6:49 ff. (ed. Box, p. 92); Eth. Enoch lxix. 7 f.; and cf. Monatsschrift, lxiii. p. 20. Our book holds the view that the Leviathan was created on the fifth day, and Behemoth on the sixth day; see infra, p. 75; and see also T.B. Baba Bathra, 74b, 75a; Pal. Targum on Gen. 1:21. On Behemoth see Pesiḳta de R. Kahana vi. p. 58a; Lev. Rab. 22:10; Num. Rab. 21:18, and Tanchuma, Nizabim, § iv.] the flying serpent, and its dwelling is in the lowest waters; and between its fins [ The first editions read: “its two fins.”] rests the middle bar of the earth. [ See infra, p. 71.] All the great sea monsters in the sea are the food for the Leviathan. Every day [ The first editions read here: “And the Holy One, blessed be He, plays with it every day.” This part of the sentence is out of place, as it occurs again a few lines farther on in these editions. Our MS. is quite correct here.] it opens its mouth, and the great sea monster destined to be eaten that day (tries) to escape and flee, but it enters the mouth of the Leviathan; and the Holy One, blessed be He, plays with it, as it is said, "This is the Leviathan, whom thou hast created to play with him" [ The R.V. renders: “whom thou hast formed to take his pastime therein.” See Job 41:5, and cf. Jalḳuṭ on Job, § 927.] (Ps. 104:26).
Rabbi Mana [ The first editions read: “Meir.”] said: Such creatures which have been created from the earth increase and multiply on the earth, and such which have been brought forth from the water increase and multiply in the water, except all kinds of winged birds, for their creation was || from the water, yet they increase and multiply on the earth, as it is said, "And let the fowl multiply in the earth" (Gen. 1:22). Such as were brought forth from the water increase and multiply by the egg; [ The 1st ed. reads here: “in the water” instead of “by the egg.”] and such as were created from the earth increase and multiply by fœtus (i.e. living offspring). [ See Basil, op. cit. vii. 2: and John of Damascus, op. cit. ii. 9, for the creation of and from the water; cf. T.B. Chullin, 27b, Bechoroth, 8a, Pal. Targum on Gen. 1:20, and Midrash Agadah, p. 3. Luria (note 43) suggests an emendation of the text as follows: “Such as were created from the water increase and multiply by living offspring” (e.g. whales); whereas such as were brought forth from the water are hatched from the egg” (e.g. the duck). The 1st ed. reads: “multiply on the earth.” Does the 1st ed. here preserve the true reading?]