Urban Legend: "Snake People" and "Mermaids"

B"H

For different reasons, many people are attracted by distorted humans or nature disasters. Mermaids and other strange looking people have been arousing curiosity for hundreds of years. Today, a couple of video fakers put their videos into Youtube in order to get more readers onto their websites. Others just mislead people like in the video showing a "Snake Woman". This video is a complete fake and I wrote a Youtube comment:

It is an obvious computer fake. Furthermore, it is biologically impossible that a being "half man half animal" could exist. According to medical aspects, this is just impossible but people are attracted by the idea and others know how to exploit that kind of curiosity, as you can see in the video.

Until the Flood and Noach's Generation, humans had a different DNA and it was common that babies were born after humans and animals were having sex together. See Talmud Sanhedrin 108 ff. With this kind of perversion, the Generation of Noach destroyed G - d's Ma'aseh Bereshit (creation) and, in my opinion, this was the real reason why G - d brought about the Flood. However, after the Flood, humankind underwent a DNA change and, from then on, it was impossible for a human bearing a baby from an animal.

So, there are neither "Snake People" nor anything similar. On a medical basis, this would simply be impossible ! A human can not become a fly (see movie THE FLY) or any other animal - like monster (see movie THE RELIC). 

Link:

Mermaids and other half - human Beings

Mermaids and other half - human Beings

B”H 

Don't we love those movies where a  kind of monster is shown ? Half human and half animal such as a mermaid or the beast in "The Beauty and the Beast". The X - Files as well as other similar TV series have been extremely successful showing us the unbelievable. The hidden side of our existence. I am not too familiar with psychology but there must be a reason why we humans are attracted to "half - humans" (half animal, half human). The question is whether these creatures do really exist and if it is possible that an animal and a human begot a baby.

Even the Talmud Bechorot 8 is dealing with half humans. In this case with dolphins. The mammals have sex the same way as humans. They are intelligent and called "the men of the sea" but are they really like us ?

Rashi does believe in the existence of mermaids although not due to a relationship between a human and a dolphin. Other Rabbis totally disagree with the Rashi opinion and say that there aren't any half humans around. This would be completely impossible after the Flood of Noach. However, Rashi's opinion doesn't surprise, as quite a few medieval Rabbis thought that mysterious creatures exist and that Talmudic and Midrashic stories referring to them are actually true.

The generation of Noach used to have sex with animals, as the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin is teaching us. Due to a different human DNA in the days of Noach, men were able to procreate from animals. Thus, the entire G - dly creation got messed up, as there were strange creatures running around. A cow half human, half man, for instance. Even the different animal species had sex with each other and procreated. A chicken with a dog and just imagine what came out of that. If we had a time machine and went back into the days of Noach, we would definitely faint. The pure Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hollywood would be so jealous !

After the Flood, G - d changed the human DNA and therefore, it became impossible procreating with an animal. It simply doesn't exist anymore although some horror movies will tell you the opposite. We don't get that old anymore, as the people before the Flood. We are vulnerable too illnesses (the people in Noach's generation were not sick) and we don't have such a long life - span anymore. In other words, we are completely different from Noach's Generation.

Link: 

Jonah and the Fish

You don't see the Sun, you don't see G - d !

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

Without going into too many details, I am just mentioning the teaching in brief because I love it. 

The Gemara in the Talmud Tractate Chullin 59b / 60a mentions a conversation between Caesar and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananyah. 

Remark: When it says CAESAR in the Talmud, it doesn't necessarily refer to the Roman emperor but rather to a Roman governour.

Caesar asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananyah to show him G - d. The Rabbi placed Caesar standing in front of the sun and asked him to look right into the bright sunlight. Caesar said that he can't, as the sunlight is too much for his eyes. Rabbi Yehoshua replied: "If even regarding the sun, which is one of the servants that stand before G - d, - you say that you are unable to gaze upon it. How then could you ever be able to behold the Divine Presence ?

The MAHARSHA as well as the MAHARAL commentate: If you are unable to gaze upon the sun, which is a physical entity, surely you cannot see G - d, who is metaphysical !

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Source: Artscroll Talmud / Stone Edition

The Jaspar Stone and Dama Ben Netina

B"H

In Judaism, sleep is considered as something very important. Not only because sleep is good for your health but also in regard to "not waking up a person in vain". One should respect a person sleeping and not constantly waking him up for no reason. 

The Talmud Yerushalmi (Peah 1:1) teaches us how to honour one's father by telling us about the Gentile DAMA BEN NETINA. The story which is also mentioned in Talmud Bavli - Kiddushin 31a, further teaches us how important sleep can be. 

The person who honoured his father most was actually vicious Esav. Despite all his evil deeds, Esav never forgot to honour his father Yaakov. For instance, he always put on clean clothes before standing in front of his father. 

In the days of the First Temple, a man called Dama Ben Netina used to live in Ashkelon. He was not Jewish and his family was supporting itself with two different businesses: 1. Dealing with diamonds 2. raising cattle and flocks of sheep. 

In the times of the First Temple, the High Priest (Cohen HaGadol) still wore the breastplate Urim ve’Turim. It disappeared after the Temple destruction by the Babylonians. I will digg deeper into the entire topic of the Urim veTurim in a different article. Here I am only mentioning briefly that the Cohen HaGadol used also used the breastplate for getting answers regarding complicated questions and issues. 

 Source: Temple Institute

The breastplate consisted of twelve precious stones representing the twelve Jewish tribes. The Talmud tells us that once, the Jaspar stone representing the tribe of Benjamin got lost. Thus, a new Jaspar had to be found but this turned out to be very hard. No one seemed to own such a stone. After a while the Jews found out that the Gentile Dama Ben Netina owned a Jaspar.

Money was collected and a Jewish delegation travelled to Ashkelon in order to purchase the Jaspar from Dama. The latter received the Jews in his house but told them to be quiet, as his father was asleep. The Jews told him what had happened and Dama was willing to sell his Jaspar. However, the stone was laying in a safe and the key for the safe was under his father's pillow. Dama Ben Netina refused to wake up his father in order to get the key. 

The Jews kept on offering more and more money but Dama still refused. He said that it is not the money but a matter of honouring his father. The Jews were impressed and returned to Jerusalem. Some time later, a businessman was found who sold them his Jaspar. 

One or two years later, the Jews needed another "Parah Adumah - Red Hefer" for burning it in a special procedure on the Mount of Olives (see Talmud Tractate Parah). Such a cow must only have red hair and not hair of a different colour. It turned out that Dama Ben Netina had such a cow whose ashes are able to bring about spiritual cleansing. 

Again, the Jews went to see Dama and purchased the red cow. This time, the deal took place and Dama Ben Netina only asked for the amount the Jews had offered him before for the Jaspar.

What this story also teaches us is that sometimes we feel like loosing a business. At first we are not willing to agree due to moral reasons but, in the end, another deal may come up rewarding us for the loss. 

Mermaids and other half - human beings

B”H 

Don't we love those movies where a  kind of monster is shown ? Half human and half animal such as a mermaid or the beast in "The Beauty and the Beast". The X - Files as well as other similar TV series have been extremely successful showing us the unbelievable. The hidden side of our existence. I am not too familiar with psychology but there must be a reason why we humans are attracted to "half - humans" (half animal, half human). The question is whether these creatures do really exist and if it is possible that an animal and a human begot a baby.

Even the Talmud Bechorot 8 is dealing with half humans. In this case with dolphins. The mammals have sex the same way as humans. They are intelligent and called "the men of the sea" but are they really like us ?

Rashi does believe in the existence of mermaids although not due to a relationship between a human and a dolphin. Other Rabbis totally disagree with the Rashi opinion and say that there aren't any half humans around. This would be completely impossible after the Flood of Noach. 

The generation of Noach used to have sex with animals, as the Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin is teaching us. Due to a different human DNA in the days of Noach, men were able to procreate from animals. Thus, the entire G - dly creation got messed up, as there were strange creatures running around. A cow half human, half man, for instance. Even the different animal species had sex with each other and procreated. A chicken with a dog and just imagine what came out of that. If we had a time machine and went back into the days of Noach, we would definitely faint. The pure Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hollywood would be so jealous !

After the Flood, G - d changed the human DNA and therefore, it became impossible procreating with an animal. It simply doesn't exist anymore although some horror movies will tell you the opposite. We don't get that old anymore, as the people before the Flood. We are vulnerable too illnesses (the people in Noach's generation were not sick) and we don't have such a long life - span anymore. In other words, we are completely different from Noach's Generation.

Link: 

Jonah and the Fish

Fish before the time of Jonah

Fish at Jerusalem's Machane Yehudah Markt

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B”H

Many of you won't even guess it but the Talmud actually contains countless of mystical teachings and is not exclusively a history and Halacha collection.

The following Talmudic teaching is not necessarily a mystical topic but it shows an interesting aspect from the time of creation.

The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) of Talmud Tractate Bechorot 8 teaches that humans, fish and snakes reproduce from face to face. The Gemara explains why the fish have sex with their faces looking at each other. The reason is that G - d spoke to the fish which had swallowed Jonah and told him to return Jonah on dry land.

Therefore the Gemara is asking if all fish changed their sexual behaviour at this very moment when G - d spoke to one particular fish ?

The famous German Talmudist Rabbi Yaakov Emden from Hamburg – Altona (1697 – 1776) answered that the fish were created this way from the beginning. G - d created them the way facing each other while having sex, as He knew that one day, He (G - d) would speak to the fish. 

Somewhere else, the Talmud teaches that G - d created certain things and animals before the creation process and during Twilight on the very first Shabbat Eve. Example: Miriam's Well, the mouth of Bilam's mule or the staff of Moshe. However, the sex behaviour of the fish were not among those pre - creations but my intention is to show you that G - d created beforehand in order to enable different situations later on in history.

The Chassid who slept in the Cemetery

B”H

The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) in the Talmud Tractate Berachot 18b teaches us about a Chassid who slept in a cemetery. One day before Rosh HaShana, the Chassid gave away a large amount ot money and his wife got angry. That night, the Chassid preferred to sleep in the cemetery.

The Gemara is asking the question how the man could have been a Chassid when sleeping on a cemetery. Doesn’t the same Talmud Tractate (daf 43b) teach that a Talmid Chacham should not go out alone at night ?

The Kisei Rachamim said that the Chassid didn’t sleep on the cemetery but nearby. 

The Talmud commentator Maharsha explained that the Chassid never went to the cemetery but experienced the entire scene in a dream.

Rabbi Israel Salanter commentated that the Gemara didn’t directly intend to say that the Chassid’s wife was angry at her husband. However, she made her husband angry. As it was one day before Rosh HaShana (a Jewish holiday when the whole world is being judged), the Chassid preferred sleeping on the cemetery in order to keep the anger at his wife low. Otherwise G – d may have judged her too harsh.

The Gemara continues that the Chassid suddenly heard spirits discussing the afflictions the world would receive in the new year. However, the Talmud teaches at a different section that the Heavenly Court is judging only during the day and not at night (Talmud Rosh HaShana 8). How then could the Chassid hear the voices of the Heavenly Court ?

The Vilna Gaon commentated that the Chasid slept in the cemetery on the night preceding the second day of Rosh Hashanah, after the decree had been issued on the first day.

The origin of Herod (Hordos)

B”H

The true origin of Herod (Hebrew: Hordos) is quite controversial. There are opinions claiming that Herod originally came from Edom and was an Edomite. At a certain point in Jewish history, the Edomites were forced to convert to Judaism and also Herod’s family converted. However, Herod never became a real Jew and never intended to be one.

The second theory regarding the origin of Herod is taught in Talmud Bava Batra 3b. The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) there teaches that Herod was originally a slave in the house of the Hasmoneans.

The Hasmonean revolt against the Syrian – Greek occupants was led by Mattiyahu, the Cohen HaGadol (High Priest). In 165 B.C.E., the Second Temple was recaptured by the Jews and we all know what happened, as we commemorate the victory on Chanukkah.

More than twenty years later, the Sanhedrin and the people proclaimed the Hasmonean Shimon, Mattiyahu’s last living son, as “Prince of the Jews”. The Hasmonean dynasty ruled from that year until 36 B.C.E. when it was overthrown by Herod. 

The Talmud teaches that Herod was a slave in the house of the Hasmoneans and had his eyes on a young girl from the famous family. One day Herod heard a heavenly voice telling him that any slave that revolts now will succeed in his rebellion. Herod rose and killed all members of the Hasmonean family except for the young girl he loved. 

The RAMBAN (Nachmanides) commentates here that the Hasmoneans got punished by G – d because they didn’t reinstitute the kingdom of the House of Yehudah. Instead, they proclaimed themselves as king although they didn’t have the right to do so.

After Herod had killed all members of the household, he intended to marry the young girl. She refused and ascended to the roof shouting “Whoever comes in future years and says I AM A DESCENDANT FROM THE HOUSE OF THE HASMONEANS IS IN TRUTH A SLAVE because there is no one left from that family. After this declaration, the maiden jumped from the roof and thus committed suicide.

The Gemara teaches that Herod preserved her body in honey for seven years. There are claims that he had sexual intercourse with the dead body of the young girl, and there are voices saying that this did not happen.

Kamtza & Bar Kamtza

B"H

Tisha be'Av (9th Av) is over and we are already celebrating the "happy day" of Tu be'Av (15th Av) but I would still like to tell you a Talmudic story regarding Tisha be'Av. The famous story about "Kamtza and Bar Kamtza". The Gemara (Rabbinic discussions) in Gittin 55b - 56a teaches us that, as a result of the incident involving Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Jerusalem was destroyed.

A certain man, who had a friend named KAMTZA and an enemy named BAR KAMTZA, made a banquet. He told his attendant: "Go and bring KAMTZA to join me at the banquet". The attendant went and mistakenly brought him BAR KAMTZA. When the host arrived at the banquet and found Bar Kamtza sitting there, he said to Bar Kamtza: "Look here, that man (you) is the enemy of that man (me). What do you want here ? - Get up and get out !" Bar Kamtza said to him: "Since I have come, let me stay, and I will give you of whatever I eat and drink".

The host said to Bar Kamtza: "No, I will not let you stay !"

Bar Kamtza said: "I will give you the value of half your banquet".

Again the host said no.

Bar Kamtza: "I will give you the value of your entire banquet".

The host said NO. He grabbed Bar Kamtza and threw him out.

Bar Kamtza said to himself: "Since the Rabbis were seated at the banquet and did not rebuke him for the way he treated me, it is evident that what he did was acceptable to them. I will go and spread slander against the Rabbis in the royal palace.

He went to Caesar (the term is sometimes used for a Roman emperor but also for those acting as his representative) and told him that the Jews have rebelled against Rome. Bar Kamtza said to Caesar: "Send them an animal as a sacrifice and see whether they offer it in their Temple !"

Caesar went and sent a fine calf with Bar Kamtza. As he was going to Jerusalem, Bar Kamtza caused a blemish in the calf's upper lip, or, as some say, he caused a cataract in the eye. The Rabbis considered offering it for the sake of peaceful relations with the Roman government. Rabbi Zechariya ben Avkulas said to them, "But people will then say that blemished animals may be offered on the Altar !"

The Rabbis considered killing Bar Kamtza so that he would not be able to go and tell Caesar that the offering had been refused. Rabbi Zechariya said to them, "But people will then say that one who blemishes consecrated animals is put to death !"

Rabbi Yochanan said: "The tolerance displayed by Rabbi Zechariya ben Avkulas in refusing to have Bar Kamtza put to death destroyed our Temple, burnt down our Sanctuary and exiled us from our land.

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Commentaries:

It states in Talmud Yoma 9b that the Second Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred (Sinat Chinam).

The Talmudic commentator Maharsha states that the Rabbis were not in a position to speak up when the man threw out Bar Kamtza because of the host's great power.

Rashi states that a Gentile (in this case CAESAR) may voluntarily bring offerings to be sacrificed on the Altar in the Temple, the same as a Jew.

It is a Biblically prohibited to blemish an animal designated as an offering (Talmud Bechorot 33b). The prohibition carries the penalty of lashes; it is not a capital offense. People might mistakenly assume that Bar Kamtza was executed for violating this prohibition (Rashi).

In fact, the destruction of the Temple had already been Divinely decreed. This incident was effective only in causing the destruction to take place at that particular time. As far as the Temple was concerned, Caesar would have spared it had his sacrifice been offered in it. Now that his sacrifice was refused, he decided to destroy the Temple, arguing that it served him no purpose (the Maharsha).