Beitzah 21

Quick gem and a longer gem.

Quick gem: Judaism believes that animals have souls: Rabbi Akiva says: When the verse states “every soul,” it comes to teach that even the soul of an animal is included.

Longer gem: Everyone gets tired and doesn’t want to think too hard sometimes, as we see in this amusing story:

§ Rav Avya the Elder raised the following dilemma before Rav Huna: If an animal is owned in partnership, half of it belonging to a gentile and half of it to a Jew, what is the halakha with regard to slaughtering it on a Festival? Rav Huna said to him: It is permitted. Rav Avya said to him: And what is the difference between this case and that of vow-offerings and gift-offerings? Seeking to distract Rav Avya so that he need not answer his question, Rav Huna said to him: Look, a raven flies in the sky!

Amazing! Rav Huna clearly knows the law, but to explain it seems to be more than he wants to do at that moment. So, what does he do? Tries to distract Rav Avya and avoid answering. But why?

When Rav Avya left, Rabba, son of Rav Huna, said to his father: Was this not Rav Avya the Elder, whom Master would recommend to us, saying that he is a great man? If you respect him, why did you treat him in that manner and evade his question? Rav Huna said to him: What should I have done for him? Today I am in a state best described by the verse: “Let me lean against the stout trunks; let me couch among the apple trees” (Song of Songs 2:5), meaning I am worn out and exhausted from all the communal responsibility that has fallen upon me, and he asked me about something that requires reasoning and careful examination, and therefore I could not provide an immediate answer.

Oh I love this little story. Sometimes all you can get is a short answer. Sometimes teachers/rabbis/parents/teens/humans are just to tired to really get into things properly. And often, their shortness has nothing to do with you.

We all have souls, from dogs to sages, and they all need rest sometimes.

Chag Sameach.