(א) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה ע֣וֹד נֶ֤גַע אֶחָד֙ אָבִ֤יא עַל־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְעַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֕ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה כְּשַׁ֨לְּח֔וֹ כָּלָ֕ה גָּרֵ֛שׁ יְגָרֵ֥שׁ אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּֽה׃ (ב) דַּבֶּר־נָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיִשְׁאֲל֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ ׀ מֵאֵ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ וְאִשָּׁה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת רְעוּתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֖סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃ (ג) וַיִּתֵּ֧ן ה' אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָעָ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם גַּ֣ם ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֗ה גָּד֤וֹל מְאֹד֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעֵינֵ֥י עַבְדֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ {ס} (ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר ה' כַּחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ה) וּמֵ֣ת כׇּל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחַ֣ר הָרֵחָ֑יִם וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃ (ו) וְהָ֥יְתָ֛ה צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ לֹ֣א נִהְיָ֔תָה וְכָמֹ֖הוּ לֹ֥א תֹסִֽף׃ (ז) וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֙לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן אֲשֶׁר֙ יַפְלֶ֣ה ה' בֵּ֥ין מִצְרַ֖יִם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ח) וְיָרְד֣וּ כׇל־עֲבָדֶ֩יךָ֩ אֵ֨לֶּה אֵלַ֜י וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לִ֣י לֵאמֹ֗ר צֵ֤א אַתָּה֙ וְכׇל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן אֵצֵ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹ֖ה בׇּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃ {ס}
(24) Pharaoh then summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship ה' ! Only your flocks and your herds shall be left behind; even your dependents may go with you.” (25) But Moses said, “You yourself must provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings to offer up to our God ה'; (26) our own livestock, too, shall go along with us—not a hoof shall remain behind: for we must select from it for the worship of our God ה'; and we shall not know with what we are to worship ה' until we arrive there.” (27) But ה' stiffened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not agree to let them go. (28) Pharaoh said to him, “Be gone from me! Take care not to see me again, for the moment you look upon my face you shall die.” (29) And Moses replied, “You have spoken rightly. I shall not see your face again!” (1) And ה' said to Moses, “I will bring but one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; after that he shall let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you out of here one and all. (2) Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.” (3) ה' disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people. Moreover, Moses himself was much esteemed in the land of Egypt, among Pharaoh’s courtiers and among the people. (4) Moses said, “Thus says ה': Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians, (5) and every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the first-born of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the first-born of the cattle. (6) And there shall be a loud cry in all the land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again; (7) but not a dog shall snarl at any of the Israelites, at human or beast—in order that you may know that ה' makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. (8) “Then all these courtiers of yours shall come down to me and bow low to me, saying, ‘Depart, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will depart.” And he left Pharaoh’s presence in hot anger.
~ What are the emotions depicted in this last encounter between Pharaoh and Moshe?
~ What do you make of the detail regarding dogs? Could the narrative be read without it?
Dogs in Ancient culture
Anubis assumed different roles in various contexts. Depicted as a protector of graves as early as the First Dynasty (c. 3100 – c. 2890 BC), Anubis was also an embalmer. By the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BC) he was replaced by Osiris in his role as lord of the underworld. One of his prominent roles was as a god who ushered souls into the afterlife. He attended the weighing scale during the "Weighing of the Heart", in which it was determined whether a soul would be allowed to enter the realm of the dead. Anubis is one of the most frequently depicted and mentioned gods in the Egyptian pantheon, however, no relevant myth involved him.
The Anubis Shrine; 1336–1327 BC; painted wood and gold; 1.1 × 2.7 × 0.52 m; from the Valley of the Kings; Egyptian Museum (Cairo)
In the Ptolemaic period (350–30 BC), when Egypt became a Hellenistic kingdom ruled by Greek pharaohs, Anubis was merged with the Greek god Hermes, becoming Hermanubis. The two gods were considered similar because they both guided souls to the afterlife. The center of this cult was in uten-ha/Sa-ka/ Cynopolis, a place whose Greek name means "city of dogs." There is literary evidence that the worship of this god was continued in Rome through at least the 2nd century.
Although the Greeks and Romans typically scorned Egyptian animal-headed gods as bizarre and primitive, Anubis was sometimes associated with Sirius in the heavens and Cerberus and Hades in the underworld. In his dialogues, Plato often has Socrates utter oaths "by the dog", "by the dog of Egypt", and "by the dog, the god of the Egyptians" to appeal to Anubis as an arbiter of truth in the underworld. [Wikipedia, v. Anubis]
In the article "Man's best friend for eternity: dog and human burials in ancient Egypt", available here, Salima Ikram shows that while many animals were eventually mummified and buried in Egypt, dogs are the first to receive that honor. They were both pets and working animals: hunting aids and guards. Here is the mummified dog found in a kings tomb in the Valley of Kings. It might have belonged to one of the kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty buried nearby (Amenhotep II (1424-1398 BC) or Horemheb [1328-1298 BC]) and might well have been his favorite hunting hound.
Mummified dogs were also found as votive mummies, meaning, those functioned as an intercessor with Anubis, carrying prayers.
Canine cemeteries of different sizes are found throughout Egypt. Millions of dogs of all ages have been interred in these cemeteries, all with varying qualities of mummification.
Canine cemeteries were not only an Egyptian phenomenon. In Ashkelon, nowadays Israel, 1,400 burials of dogs were found and dated from 6th–4th centuries BC (Hellenistic and Persian periods). The burials are not connected to veneration of dogs in a deified form, but due to the fact that dogs worked and were part of the life in villages. The burials were done with care, with each animal placed in its own individual (unmarked) pit. Dogs were buried wherever there was space, in or near roads, abandoned buildings and construction sites. The skeletons were not scavenged before burial, suggesting that the dead dogs were buried quickly. There is evidence that even wild dogs were buried this way: the dogs were unexceptional in size and robustness, suggesting that they were not selected by humans. About two thirds of skeletons were not matured to adult form, which approximates the death rate for wild dogs.
[Canan Cakirlar et al., “Persian Period Dog Burials in the Levant: New Evidence from Tell El-Burak (Lebanon) and a Reconstruction of the Phenomenon,” Ancient Near Eastern Studies. Supplement 44 (2014): 243–64; Liora K. Horwitz, Samuel R. Wolff, and Steven Ortiz, “The Context and Biometry of Iron Age II and Hellenistic Period Dog ‘Burials’ from Tel Gezer Compared to Those from Other Sites in the Region,” in The Wide Lens in Archaeology, ed. Justin Lev-Tov, Paula Hesse, and Allan Gilbert, Honoring Brian Hesse’s Contributions to Anthropological Archaeology (Lockwood Press, 2017), 297–334. ]
~ This video shows the life of a urban pack of dogs in Greece. Is there anything that surprised you?
(ה) וַה' אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אֲחִיָּ֗הוּ הִנֵּ֣ה אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרׇבְעָ֡ם בָּאָ֣ה לִדְרֹשׁ֩ דָּבָ֨ר מֵעִמְּךָ֤ אֶל־בְּנָהּ֙ כִּֽי־חֹלֶ֣ה ה֔וּא כָּזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֑יהָ וִיהִ֣י כְבֹאָ֔הּ וְהִ֖יא מִתְנַכֵּרָֽה׃ (ו) וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲחִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־ק֤וֹל רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּאָ֣ה בַפֶּ֔תַח וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בֹּ֖אִי אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרׇבְעָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֗ה אַ֚תְּ מִתְנַכֵּרָ֔ה וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י שָׁל֥וּחַ אֵלַ֖יִךְ קָשָֽׁה׃ (ז) לְכִ֞י אִמְרִ֣י לְיָרׇבְעָ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֛עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרִמֹתִ֖יךָ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָעָ֑ם וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ח) וָאֶקְרַ֤ע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־הָיִ֜יתָ כְּעַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁמַ֨ר מִצְוֺתַ֜י וַֽאֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֤ךְ אַֽחֲרַי֙ בְּכׇל־לְבָב֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת רַ֖ק הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽי׃ (ט) וַתָּ֣רַע לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֡לֶךְ וַתַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֩ אֱלֹקִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֤ים וּמַסֵּכוֹת֙ לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי וְאֹתִ֥י הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גַוֶּֽךָ׃ (י) לָכֵ֗ן הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא רָעָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יָרׇבְעָ֔ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י לְיָֽרׇבְעָם֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר עָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִֽעַרְתִּי֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י בֵית־יָרׇבְעָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְבַעֵ֥ר הַגָּלָ֖ל עַד־תֻּמּֽוֹ׃ (יא) הַמֵּ֨ת לְיָרׇבְעָ֤ם בָּעִיר֙ יֹאכְל֣וּ הַכְּלָבִ֔ים וְהַמֵּת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י ה' דִּבֵּֽר׃ (יב) וְאַ֥תְּ ק֖וּמִי לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ בְּבֹאָ֥הֿ רַגְלַ֛יִךְ הָעִ֖ירָה וּמֵ֥ת הַיָּֽלֶד׃ (יג) וְסָֽפְדוּ־ל֤וֹ כׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כִּי־זֶ֣ה לְבַדּ֔וֹ יָבֹ֥א לְיָרׇבְעָ֖ם אֶל־קָ֑בֶר יַ֣עַן נִמְצָא־ב֞וֹ דָּבָ֣ר ט֗וֹב אֶל־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֥ית יָרׇבְעָֽם׃
(21) God is for us a God of deliverance; GOD the Lord provides an escape from death. (22) God will smash the heads of His enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks about in his guilt. (23) The Lord said, “I will retrieve from Bashan, I will retrieve from the depths of the sea; (24) that your feet may wade through blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion of your enemies.”
~ What is the function of dogs in these passages?
~ How do you imagine the coexistence of humans and dogs?
(33) But Saul said to David, “You cannot go to that Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he [Goliath] has been a warrior from his youth!” (34) David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and if a lion or a bear came and carried off an animal from the flock, (35) I would go after it and fight it and rescue it from its mouth. And if it attacked me, I would seize it by the beard and strike it down and kill it. (36) Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and that uncircumcised Philistine shall end up like one of them, for he has defied the ranks of the living God. (37) The LORD,” David went on, “who saved me from lion and bear will also save me from that Philistine.” “Then go,” Saul said to David, “and may the LORD be with you!” (38) Saul clothed David in his own garment; he placed a bronze helmet on his head and fastened a breastplate on him.-g (39) David girded his sword over his garment. Then he tried to walk; but-h he was not used to it. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk in these, for I am not used to them.” So David took them off. (40) He took his stick, picked a few smooth stones from the wadi, put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s bag and, sling in hand, he went toward the Philistine. (41) The Philistine, meanwhile, was coming closer to David, preceded by his shield-bearer. (42) When the Philistine caught sight of David, he scorned him, for he was but a boy, ruddy and handsome. (43) And the Philistine called out to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods; (44) and the Philistine said to David, “Come here, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” (45) David replied to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hands. I will kill you and cut off your head; and I will give the carcasses-j of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. All the earth shall know that there is a God in Israel. (47) And this whole assembly shall know that the LORD can give victory without sword or spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and He will deliver you into our hands.” (48) When the Philistine began to advance toward him again, David quickly ran up to the battle line to face the Philistine. (49) David put his hand into the bag; he took out a stone and slung it. It struck the Philistine in the forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. (50) Thus David bested the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck him down and killed him. David had no sword; (51) so David ran up and stood over the Philistine, grasped his sword and pulled it from its sheath; and with it he dispatched him and cut off his head.
When the Philistines saw that their warrior was dead, they ran.
(11) The man of God [Elisha] kept his face expressionless for a long time; and then he wept. (12) “Why does my lord weep?” asked Hazael. “Because I know,” he replied, “what harm you will do to the Israelite people: you will set their fortresses on fire, put their young men to the sword, dash their little ones in pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.” (13) “But how,” asked Hazael, “can your servant, who is a mere dog, perform such a mighty deed?” Elisha replied, “The LORD has shown me a vision of you as king of Aram.”
~ How is the term dog being used in these two passages? Compared to what we read in part I, does it make sense?
(11) I became Your charge at birth;
from my mother’s womb You have been my God. (12) Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help. (13) Many bulls surround me,
mighty ones of Bashan encircle me. (14) They open their mouths at me
like tearing, roaring lions. (15) My life ebbs away:-d
all my bones are disjointed;
my heart is like wax,
melting within me; (16) my vigor dries up like a shard;
my tongue cleaves to my palate;
You commit me to the dust of death. (17) Dogs surround me;
a pack of evil ones closes in on me,
like lions [they maul] my hands and feet.-e (18) I take the count of all my bones
while they look on and gloat. (19) They divide my clothes among themselves,
casting lots for my garments.
(20) But You, O LORD, be not far off;
my strength, hasten to my aid. (21) Save my life from the sword,
my precious life from the clutches of a dog. (22) Deliver me from a lion’s mouth;
from the horns of wild oxen rescue me. (23) Then will I proclaim Your fame to my brethren,
praise You in the congregation.
(24) You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
All you offspring of Jacob, honor Him!
Be in dread of Him, all you offspring of Israel! (25) For He did not scorn, He did not spurn
the plea of the lowly;
He did not hide His face from him;
when he cried out to Him, He listened. (26) Because of You I offer praise-i in the great congregation;
I pay my vows in the presence of His worshipers.
(11) My faithful God will come to aid me;
God will let me gloat over my watchful foes. (12) Do not kill them lest my people be unmindful;
with Your power make wanderers of them;
bring them low, O our shield, the Lord, (13) because of their sinful mouths,
the words on their lips.
Let them be trapped by their pride,
and by the imprecations and lies they utter. (14) In Your fury put an end to them;
put an end to them that they be no more;
that it may be known to the ends of the earth
that God does rule over Jacob. Selah.
(15) They come each evening growling like dogs,
roaming the city. (16) They wander in search of food;
and whine if they are not satisfied. (17) But I will sing of Your strength,
extol each morning Your faithfulness;
for You have been my haven,
a refuge in time of trouble.
~ How is the image of dogs in these two passages? How does a dog change once it is in a pack of other dogs?
(9) As a thorn comes to the hand of a drunk, so a proverb to the mouth of a dullard. (10) A master can produce anything, but he who hires a dullard is as one who hires transients. (11) As a dog returns to his vomit, so a dullard repeats his folly.
(17) A passerby who embroils in someone else’s quarrel is like one who seizes a dog by its ears.
(כט) שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה מֵיטִ֣יבֵי צָ֑עַד וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה מֵיטִ֥בֵי לָֽכֶת׃ (ל) לַ֭יִשׁ גִּבּ֣וֹר בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה וְלֹא־יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־כֹֽל׃ (לא) זַרְזִ֣יר מׇתְנַ֣יִם אוֹ־תָ֑יִשׁ וּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְ אַלְק֥וּם עִמּֽוֹ׃
(29) There are three that are stately of stride, four that carry themselves well: (30) The lion is mightiest among the beasts, and recoils before none; (31) The greyhound, the he-goat, and also a king whom none dares resist.-a
~ How is the image of the dog used in these three pieces of proverbs?
Person and beast - that is to say, even the animals of Israel, that were shepherding the beasts to get them on the way, [even at them] the [Egyptian] dogs did not bark.
~ Did the Israelites have dogs themselves, according to the Lekach Tov?
(1) לא יחרץ כלב, - Not even a dog will snarl - The angel will harm and destroy the firstborn Egyptians but the firstborn of the Israelites will not experience harm [from any source, not] even from the noise of barking from dangerous animals.
~ Rashbam, grandson of Rashi, has a very specific view of dogs. What is it?
אָמַר לְךָ רַב יְהוּדָה: לְעוֹלָם ״מְהַלְקְטִין״ דְּסָפֵי לֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ, ״מַלְקִיטִין״ דְּשָׁדֵי לֵיהּ קַמַּיְיהוּ, וּדְקָא קַשְׁיָא לָךְ יוֹנֵי שׁוֹבָךְ וְיוֹנֵי עֲלִיָּיה לְמִישְׁדֵּא קַמַּיְיהוּ נָמֵי לָא? הָנֵי מְזוֹנוֹתָן עָלֶיךָ, וְהָנֵי אֵין מְזוֹנוֹתָן עָלֶיךָ. כִּדְתַנְיָא: נוֹתְנִין מְזוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי כֶלֶב, וְאֵין נוֹתְנִין מְזוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי חֲזִיר. וּמָה הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה? זֶה מְזוֹנוֹתָיו עָלֶיךָ, וְזֶה אֵין מְזוֹנוֹתָיו עָלֶיךָ. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: מַתְנִיתִין נָמֵי דַּיְקָא, אֵין נוֹתְנִין מַיִם לִפְנֵי דְבוֹרִים וְלִפְנֵי יוֹנִים שֶׁבַּשּׁוֹבָךְ, אֲבָל נוֹתְנִין לִפְנֵי אֲווֹזִין וְלִפְנֵי תַרְנְגוֹלִין וְלִפְנֵי יוֹנֵי הַרְדִּיסָיוֹת. מַאי טַעְמָא? לָאו מִשּׁוּם דְּהָנֵי מְזוֹנוֹתָן עָלֶיךָ, וְהָנֵי אֵין מְזוֹנוֹתָן עָלֶיךָ. וְלִיטַעְמָיךְ, מַאי אִירְיָא מַיָּא? אֲפִילּוּ חִיטֵּי וּשְׂעָרֵי נָמֵי לָא! אֶלָּא, שָׁאנֵי מַיָּא דִּשְׁכִיחִי בְּאַגְמָא. דְּרַשׁ רַבִּי יוֹנָה אַפִּיתְחָא דְּבֵי נְשִׂיאָה: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק דִּין דַּלִּים״ — יוֹדֵעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּכֶּלֶב שֶׁמְּזוֹנוֹתָיו מוּעָטִין, לְפִיכָךְ שׁוֹהָה אֲכִילָתוֹ בְּמֵעָיו שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים. כְּדִתְנַן: כַּמָּה תִּשְׁהֶה אֲכִילָתוֹ בְּמֵעָיו וִיהֵא טָמֵא — בַּכֶּלֶב שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים מֵעֵת לְעֵת, וּבָעוֹפוֹת וּבַדָּגִים כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּפּוֹל לָאוּר וְתִשָּׂרֵף. אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמִשְׁדֵּא אוּמְצָא לְכַלְבָּא. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב מָרִי: מְשַׁח אוּדְנֵיהּ, וְחוּטְרָא אַבָּתְרֵיהּ. הָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּדַבְרָא, אֲבָל בְּמָתָא לָא, דְּאָתֵי לְמִסְרַךְ. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: לֵית דְּעָנִי מִכַּלְבָּא, וְלֵית דְּעַתִּיר מֵחֲזִירָא.
Rav Yehuda could have said to you: Actually, mehalketin means that one feeds the bird by hand, and malkitin mean that one throws the food before them. And that which was difficult for you: Is throwing food before doves in a dove-cote or doves in an attic also not permitted on Shabbat? This is not difficult because with regard to these chickens and geese that were mentioned, sole responsibility for their sustenance is incumbent upon you as they are incapable of providing for themselves. However, in the case of these doves, responsibility for their sustenance is not incumbent upon you, and therefore, it is prohibited to place food before them, as it was taught in a baraita: One may place sustenance before a dog on Shabbat, but one may not place sustenance before a pig. And what is the difference between this and that? In this case of the dog, responsibility for its sustenance is incumbent upon you, and in that case of the pig, responsibility for its sustenance is not incumbent upon you, as no Jew raises pigs. Rav Ashi said: The language of the mishna is also precise in support of this explanation, as we learn: And one may not place water before bees or before doves in a dove-cote because they are capable of finding their own food; however, one may place water before geese and chickens and before hardisian doves. What is the reason for this distinction? Is it not because for these, geese and chickens, responsibility for their sustenance is incumbent upon you, and for those, bees and doves, responsibility for their sustenance is not incumbent upon you? The Gemara rejects this proof: And according to your reasoning, why did the mishna cite a case specifically involving water? Even wheat and barley should also not be permitted. Rather, the reason for the distinction between the halakhot is that water is different because it is found in a lake or in other reservoirs, and therefore one need not exert himself to provide water for bees and doves. That is not the case with the rest of their food. Returning to the discussion of feeding dogs, the Gemara cites additional statements on the topic. Rabbi Yona taught at the entrance to the house of the Nasi: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The righteous man takes knowledge of the cause of the poor” (Proverbs 29:7)? The Holy One, Blessed be He, knows that for a dog, its sustenance is scarce and they are not fed sufficiently. Therefore, its food remains in its intestines for three days so that the dog will be sustained by that food, as we learned in a mishna dealing with the halakhot of ritual impurity: After an animal eats flesh from a corpse, how long does its food remain in its intestines undigested and therefore ritually impure? In the case of a dog it is for three twenty-four hour periods, and for fowl and fish, who digest their food quickly, it is the equivalent of the time it takes for the flesh to fall into the fire and be consumed by the fire. Rav Hamnuna said: Learn from it: It is the way of the world, i.e., proper conduct, to throw a piece of meat before a dog, as even the Holy One, Blessed be He, concerns Himself with the dog’s sustenance. The Gemara asks: And how much food should one give to a dog? Rav Mari said: Give it the equivalent of the measure of its ear and strike it immediately thereafter with a staff so that the dog will not grow attached to the one who fed it. This applies specifically when one is in the field, but in the city, one should not give anything to a dog because the dog will be drawn to follow him and remain with him. Rav Pappa said: There is no creature poorer than a dog, and no creature richer than a pig, as pigs will eat anything, and people provide them with plentiful amounts of food.
~ What is the scenes between humans and dogs that this piece suggest?
~ Can you feed a dog on Shabbat?
~ What is a dog used for?
~ What does the story after try to teach?
~ Rabbis liked their shoes.
ומהו (שם) ועל במותי ידריכני. על במותי בימאות שלי ידריכני. אלו המצריים שכיון שנשתקעו בים רמז הקב"ה לים והשליכם ליבשה והיו ישראל רואין אותם מתים. שנאמר (שמות יד ל) וירא ישראל. ומכירין אותם. מה היו עושין להן כל אחד ואחד מישראל נוטל כלבו והולך ונותן רגלו על צוארו של מצרי והיה אומר לכלבו אכול מן היד הזו שנשתעבדה בי אכול מן המעים הללו שלא חסו לי. שכן כתיב (תהלים סח כד) למען תמחץ רגלך בדם לשון כלביך וגו'. אמרו ישראל לפני הקב"ה כבר עשית לנו נסים הללו אף אנו לא נהיה כפויי טובה. ומה יש לנו לעשות שירות ותשבחות אז ישיר משה. הוי למנצח על אילת השחר. ...
And what is "guides me on my high places"? (Habakkuk 3:19) Those were the Egyptians, that since they were stuck in the sea, the Holy One of Blessing motioned to the sea, and [the sea] threw them onto the dry land, and Israel saw them die, as it is written "and Israel saw" (Ex. 14:30). And they recognized them. What did they do? Each Israelite got their dog, and after breaking the neck of the Egyptian said to their dog: go and eat this hand that enslaved me, eat this stomach that had no pity on me. That is why it is written "that your feet may wade through blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion of your enemies" (Psalms 68:24). Israel said in front of the Holy Blessed One: You did all these miracles for us, and we did not recognize it. And what do we have to sing, as songs and praises? "Az Yashir Moshe". That is also "Lamenatzeach al ayelet hashachar" (Psalms 22) ...
~ Each Israelite has a dog, according to this midrash. Why, in your opinion?
אמר קין לפניו רבון העולמי' גדול עווני מנשוא שאין בו כפרה ונחשב לו הדבר הזה כתשובה שנא' גדול עווני מנשוא ולא עוד אלא יעמד אח בארץ ויזכיר את שמך הגדול ויהרגני. מה עשה הקב"ה נטל אות אחת מעשרים ושתים אותיות שבתורה וכתב על זרועו של קין שלא יהרג שנא' וישם ה' לקין אות הכלב שהיה משמר צאנו של הבל הוא היה שומרו מכל חית השדה ומעוף השמי' ....
Cain spoke before the Holy One of Blessing: Sovereign of all the worlds ! "My sin is too great to be borne" (Gen. 4:13), for it has no atonement. This utterance was reckoned to him as repentance, as it is said, "And Cain said unto the Lord, My sin is too great to be borne" (ibid.); further, Cain said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Now will a certain righteous one arise on the earth and mention Thy great Name against me and slay me. What did the Holy One of Blessing do? He took one letter from the twenty-two letters, and put (it) upon Cain's arm that he should not be killed, as it is said, "And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain" (Gen. 4:15). The dog which was guarding Abel's flock also guarded him from all the beasts of the field and all the fowl of the heavens. ...
(12) "And He said to him: 'therefore, whoever kills Kayin" (Gen. 4:15) - Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemiah. Rabbi Yehudah says: the domestic animals, the wild ones and the fowl entered to demand justice for the blood of Hevel. He said to them: therefore I say 'whoever kills Kayin will be killed'. Said Rabbi Levi: the Primordial Snake entered to demand justice for the blood of Hevel.The Holy One of Blessing said to him: therefore I say 'whoever kills Kayin will be killed'. Rabbi Nechemiah says: Kayin's judgment is not like the judgment of the rest of the murderers, Kayin killed and had no one to learn from, from here onwards 'whoever kills Kayin will be killed'. "And Ad-nai put on Kayin a sign" (Gen. 4:15) - Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemiah. Rabbi Yehudah said: He made the Sun shine for him. Said Rabbi Nechemiah: to that evil one the Holy One of Blessing would make the sun shine?! Rather, it teaches that He made tzara'at [a scaly skin condition] shine on him! As you say: 'and if they do not believe you or pay heed to the first sign, [they will believe the second.'] (Exodus 4:8) Rav said: He gave him a dog. Aba Yosi ben Keisari said: He made a horn sprout on him. Rav said: He made him an example for murderers. Rabbi Chanin said: He made him an example for ba'alei teshuvah [penitents, returners, Heb. also shavim]. Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shime'on ben Lakish said: He suspended his judgment until the Flood came and drowned him, as it is written 'and He blotted out all those standing on the face of the land' (Gen. 7:23), just as you say 'And Kayin stood up/rose' (Gen. 4:8)
~ Perek Shira - Composed: c.500 BCE - c.1100 CE
Perek Shirah, A Chapter of Song, is an anonymously written, ancient text. The work is a list of 84 elements in nature and an accompanying verse from the Tanakh. Some of the elements are: sun, water, apple, lion, and fly. The message of the work is that all aspects of the natural world teach about ethics and philosophy. The lesson is learned from the attached verse from the Tanakh.