Page:The old paths, or The Talmud tested by Scripture.djvu/147

 for some of them are great whales, as is said in the 5th chapter of Bava Bathra, 'Rabbah Bar Bar Channa says, Once upon a time we were sailing in a ship, and we saw that fish upon whose back the sand remains and rushes grow; we thought it was terra firma, and landed, and remained there and cooked. But when the fish's back grew warm, he turned round, and if the ship had not been at hand we must have been drowned.' They that go down to the sea in ships in the present time tell similar stories: and perhaps the Leviathan and his mate, mentioned by our rabbies, belonged to this species. However, the philosophers of the children of our people attribute to this chapter matter deeper than philosophy, but which we do not want in this place." (Com. in Gen. i. 21.) It is true that Abarbanel here distinctly admits the existence of mysteries in that chapter of the Talmud. But it is equally plain, that he considered the Leviathan, mentioned by the rabbies, not as an allegory, but a real creation; and therefore assigned it to the same class as the wonderful fish seen by Bar Bar Channa, unless we take his words as a sly insinuation, that the story of Leviathan is about as true as that narrated by the veracious rabbi.

These two great rabbies, then, did not take the legend of Leviathan figuratively; and we might add some other similar testimonies, but that Behemoth also claims a share of our attention, and an inquiry into his nature will contribute evidence to the same effect, that this legend was not taken figuratively but literally. In the first place, D. Levi himself refers us to Job xl. 15, and there we read, "Behold now Behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass like an ox." Here there certainly is no allegory. The words speak of a living creature, and so they are interpreted by all the Jewish commentators, whom we have an opportunity of consulting. Ralbag says—

"Behemoth is an animal, that is his name." (Com. in loc.) Aben Esra, on the words, "Behold now Behemoth, which I made with thee," says—

"Behemoth is the name of a great beast. In the habitable world there is not a greater than it. The reason why the words with thee are added, is, that it is a land animal,