📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 9

בַּחֲמִישִׁי הִשְׁרִיץ מִן הַמַּיִם כָּל מִין עוֹף, זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, טְהוֹרִים וּטְמֵאִים. בִּשְׁנֵי סִימָנִים הֵן מִטַּהֲרִין: בַּזֶּפֶק וּבַקֻּרְקְבָן נִקְלָף. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: בְּאֶצְבַּע יְתֵרָה. וּשְׁנֵי מִינֵי עוֹפוֹת נִבְחֲרוּ לְקָרְבַּן עוֹלָה, אֵלּוּ הֵן: תּוֹר וּבְנֵי יוֹנָה.

THE CREATION AND WONDERS OF THE FIFTH DAY ON the fifth day He caused the waters to bring forth abundantly all kinds of winged fowls, male and female, unclean and clean. By two signs 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, namely, the turtle-dove and the young pigeon.

בַּחֲמִישִׁי הִשְׁרִיץ מִן הַמַּיִם כָּל מִין דָּגִים זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, טְמֵאִים וּטְהוֹרִים. בִּשְׁנֵי סִימָנִים הֵם מִטַּהֲרִים: סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת, וְאִם לָאו הֵם טְמֵאִים.

He 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; and if they do not have them (i.e. both signs) they are unclean.

בַּחֲמִישִׁי הִשְׁרִיץ מִן הַמַּיִם כָּל מִינֵי חֲגָבִים זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת טְמֵאִים וּטְהוֹרִים, בִּשְׁנֵי סִימָנִים הֵן מְטַהֲרִים: בִּכְרָעַיִם אֲרֻכִּים שֶׁהֵן מְקַפְּצִין עַל הָאָרֶץ וּבִכְנָפַיִם מְכַסִּין אֶת כָּל הַגּוּף, וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁשָּׁרְצוּ מִן הַמַּיִם דָּגִים וַחֲגָבִים נֶאֱכָלִים שֶׁלֹּא בִשְׁחִיטָה, אֲבָל הָעוֹף אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא בִשְׁחִיטָה; אֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הַמַּיִם דָּמָן נִשְׁפָּךְ כַּמַּיִם וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ דָּמָן נִכְסוֹת בֶּעָפָר.

On the fifth day He caused the waters to bring forth abundantly all kinds of locusts, male and female, clean and unclean. By two signs are they declared to be clean: by their long legs with which they jump, 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, are (eaten) without (being subject to the laws of) Shechiṭah (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 || have their blood covered with earth, and such as have been created from the water must have their blood poured out like water.

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לֹא עַל הַמַּיִם בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁרְצוּ, אֶלָּא אַף עַל הָעַכּוּ״ם שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ כַּמַּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ז, יב): ״וּשְׁאוֹן לְאֻמִּים כִּשְׁאוֹן מַיִם כַּבִּירִים יִשָּׁאוּן״, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁשָּׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּךְ עֲתִידִים הָעַכּוּ״ם לִשְׁרֹץ בָּעוֹלָם וְנִלְחָמִים אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ לְהַשְׁחִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָתַתִּי גוֹי בְּגוֹי וּמַמְלָכָה בְּמַמְלָכָה כִּי אֱלֹהִים הֲמָמָם בְּכָל צָרָה״ וּכְתִיב אַחֲרָיו יְשׁוּעַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב טו, ז): ״וְאַתֶּם חִזְקוּ וְאַל יִרְפּוּ יְדֵיכֶם״.

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 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, and they will fight one another to destroy (one another), as it is said, "And they were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; 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, "But be ye strong; and your hands shall not be slack" (2 Chron. 15:7).

כָּל הַנְּהָרוֹת, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְהַלְּכִין עַל הָאָרֶץ הֵם טוֹבִים וּבְרוּכִים וּמְתוּקִים וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן הֲנָיָה לָעוֹלָם, נִכְנְסוּ לַיָּם הֵם מְאוֹרִים רָעִים וּמְרוֹרִים וְאֵין מֵהֶם הֲנָיָה לָעוֹלָם; כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבּוֹטְחִים בְּצֵל יוֹצְרָם הֵם בְּרוּכִים וּמְתוּקִים וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן הֲנָיָה לָעוֹלָם, וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהֵם סָרִים מֵאַחֲרֵי יוֹצְרָם וּבָטְחוּ בְחֻקּוֹת הָעַכּוּ״ם הֵם נֶאֱרָרִים וְרָעִים וְאֵין מֵהֶם הֲנָיָה לָעוֹלָם. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמֵּימֵי נְהָרוֹת מַאֲכָל לַיָּם, כָּךְ הֵם מַאֲכָל לְאִשּׁוֹ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם, וְכָל הַגְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִים בַּיָּם וְרַע הֵם לַאֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם וּמֵהֶם הַדָּגִים מִזְדַּוְּגִים.

All rivers flowing on the earth, as soon as they flow on the earth, they are blessed and good and sweet. There is some benefit to the world through them; (when) they flow into the sea they are bad, 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 the world stands. (When) the men of Israel depart from their Creator and trust in the statutes of the nations, 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, 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, and thereby the fish are fed.

בַּחֲמִישִׁי נֶהֶפְכוּ כָל הַמַּיִם לְדָם בְּמִצְרַיִם, בַּחֲמִישִׁי יָצְאוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, בַּחֲמִישִׁי עָמְדוּ מֵימֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן לִפְנֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה', בַּחֲמִישִׁי סָתַם חִזְקִיָּהוּ אֶת הַמַּעְיָנוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לב, ל): ״וְהוּא יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ סָתַם אֶת מוֹצָא מֵימֵי גִיחוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן״.

On the fifth day the waters in Egypt were changed into blood. On the fifth day our forefathers went forth from Egypt. On the same (i.e. fifth) day the waters of the Jordan stood still before the ark of the Covenant of God. On the same (i.e. fifth) day Hezekiah stopped the fountains which were in Jerusalem, as it is said, "This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon" (2 Chron. 32:80).

בַּחֲמִישִׁי הִשְׁרִיץ מִן הַמַּיִם לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ, מְדוֹרוֹ בַּמַּיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וּבֵין שְׁנֵי סְנַפִּירָיו הַבָּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן שֶׁל אֶרֶץ עוֹמֵד, וְכָל הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבַּיָּם מְזוֹנוֹ שֶׁל לִוְיָתָן וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹחֵק עִמּוֹ יוֹם יוֹם וְהוּא פּוֹתֵחַ פִּיו וְהַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּא יוֹמוֹ לְהֵאָכֵל הוּא בּוֹרֵחַ וְנָס וְנִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ פִּיו שֶׁל לִוְיָתָן וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹחֵק בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קד, כו): ״לִוְיָתָן זֶה יָצַרְתָּ לְשַׂחֶק בּוֹ״.

On the fifth day He brought forth from the water the Leviathan, the flying serpent, and its dwelling is in the lowest waters; and between its fins rests the middle bar of the earth. All the great sea monsters in the sea are the food for the Leviathan. Every day 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" (Ps. 104:26).

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ פָּרִים וְרָבִים בָּאָרֶץ, וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁשָּׁרְצוּ מִן הַמַּיִם פָּרִים וְרָבִים בַּמַּיִם, חוּץ מִכָּל מִין עוֹף כָּנָף שֶׁבְּרִיָּתוֹ מִן הַמַּיִם וּפָרֶה וְרָבֶה בָּאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, כב): ״וְהָעוֹף יִרֶב בָּאָרֶץ״. וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁשָּׁרְצוּ מִן הַמַּיִם פָּרִים וְרָבִים בְּבֵיצִים, וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ פָּרִים וְרָבִים בְּוָלָד.

Rabbi Mana 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; and such as were created from the earth increase and multiply by fœtus (i.e. living offspring).