את המגל ואת השפן ואת הארנבת ואת החזיר (ויקרא יא ד ה ו ז), את הגמל, זו מלכות בבל, שנאמר בת בבל השדודה [אשרי שישלם לך את גמולך שגמלת לנו] (תהלים קלז ח), את ארנבת, זו מלכות מדי, שנאמר ויבקש המן להשמיד וגו' (אסתר ג ו), את השפן זו יון שהשפילה את התורה מפי הנביאים, ואת החזיר זו מלכות אדום הרשעה, שנאמר יכרסמנה חזיר מיער (תהלים פ יד), למה נמשלה לחזיר שעתיד הקב"ה להחזיר עליה את מדת הדין, כיצד לעתיד לבא הקבה מוציא כרוז כל מי שעסק בתורה יבא ויטול כרו, ואף הגוים אומרים תן לנו שכרינו שאף אנו עשינו מצוה פלונית, אמר הקב"ה כל מי שלא אכל שקצים ורמשים יבא ויטול שכרו, באותה שעה הם נוטלין איפופסין שלהן, שנאמר אוכלי בשר החזיר והשקץ והעכבר יחדו יספו נאם ה' (ישעיה סו יז). (Lev. 11:4–7:) < THESE, HOWEVER, YOU MAY NOT EAT…: > THE CAMEL < … >; THE ROCK BADGER< … >; THE HARE< … >; AND THE PIG.61Tanh., Lev. 3:8; cf. Lev. R. 13:5. THE CAMEL (rt.: GML) represents the kingdom of Babylon, since it is stated (in Ps. 137:8): O DAUGHTER OF BABYLON, WHO ARE TO BE DESTROYED, [BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO REPAYS YOU THE RECOMPENSE (rt.: GML) WITH WHICH YOU RECOMPENSED (rt.: GML) US. THE ROCK BADGER represents the kingdom of Media, since it is stated (in Esth. 3:6): SO HAMAN SOUGHT TO DESTROY < ALL THE JEWS >….62The exact relation of the rock badger (ha’arnevet) to Media is unclear. One possibility is suggested by Lev. 11:6, according to which the rock badger has marks of both uncleanness and cleanness. Lev. R. 13:5 reports two versions of such an interpretation. The Rabbis interpreted this mix to mean that Media produced a righteous as well as a wicked person (perhaps Haman and Mordecai or Haman and Darius the Mede of Dan. 11:1). According to R. Judah b. R. Simon, the last Darius was clean on the side of his mother Esther and unclean on his father’s side. THE HARE alludes to Greece, because it brought low the Torah from the mouth of the prophets.63Probably because prophecy ceased under Greek rule; but according to Lev. R. 13:5, “hare” alludes to the Greek kingdom, because Ptolemy’s mother was named “Hare.” Cf. yMeg. 1:11 (71d), according to which the Greek translaters of Lev. 11:6 emended “hare” to “short-legged one” for the same reason. Cf. also Meg. 90b, according to which it was Ptolemy’s wife who was named Hare. In actuality the person named “Hare” (Gk.: Lagos) was Ptolemy’s father. THE PIG represents the evil kingdom of Edom (i.e., Rome), since it is stated (in Ps. 80:14 [13]): THE PIG OF THE FOREST GNAWS AT IT (i.e., at Jerusalem).64See ARN, A, 34. Why is it compared to the pig (rt.: HZR)? Because the Holy One is going to pay it back (rt.: HZR) with strict judgment. How? In the age to come the Holy One will issue a proclamation: Whoever has been engaged in the Torah may come and receive his reward. Then the gentiles also will say: Give us our reward, for we also have performed such and such a commandment. The Holy One < however > has said: Whoever has not eaten abhorrent creatures and creeping things may receive his reward. At that time they < will > receive their judgment,65Gk.: apophasis. as stated (in Is. 66:17): THOSE WHO EAT THE FLESH OF THE PIG, THE ABHORRENT CREATURE, AND THE MOUSE SHALL BE CONSUMED TOGETHER, SAYS THE LORD.
חסלת פרשת שמיני The End of Parashah Shemini