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The Aramaic Targum of Psalm 104 incorporates Rabbinic tradition by portraying the mythological Leviathan as created for the sport of the righteous at a future banquet, a theme also found in the midrash of Leviticus Rabbah.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Targum Psalm 104:26
Targum
24 How many are your works, O Lord! You have made all of them in wisdom; the earth is full of your possessions. 25 This sea is great and broad in extent; creeping things are there without number, both tiny creatures and large. 26 There the ships go about, [and] this Leviathan you created for the sport of the righteous at the supper of his dwelling place. 27 All of them rely on you to give their food in its time. 28 You will give it to them, and they gather it; you will open your hand, and they are satisfied with goodness.
Leviticus Rabbah 13:3
Aggadah
Rabbinic
Another matter, “this is the animal” – that is what is written: “Every saying of God is refined” (Proverbs 30:5). Rav said: The mitzvot were given to Israel only to refine mankind with them. Why to that extent? “He is a shield for all who rely on Him (Proverbs 30:5). Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon said: The Behemoth and the Leviathan will engage in an animal fight before the righteous in the future. Anyone who was not a spectator at the animal fights of the nations of the world in this world, will merit to see it in the World to Come. How will they be slaughtered? The Behemoth will stab the Leviathan with its horns and tear it open, and the Leviathan will smash the Behemoth with its fins and stab it to death. The Sages say: Is this a valid ritual slaughter? But did we not learn: Everyone slaughters, and one may always slaughter, and one may slaughter with any item, except for the serrated side of the harvest sickle, a saw, the teeth of an animal, and a fingernail, because they strangle?
Date: 500 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The Targum on Psalms 104:25-26 appears also to be familiar with the theme of the eschatological contest, when it describes how Leviathan was created in order to “sport” at the banquet of the righteous. The midrashim is also familiar with this motif. From Leviticus Rabbah 13:3, one learns ... Pesikta de Rav Kahana (Sup. II.4) also knows about the eschatological fight between the two biblical monsters ..."
Orlov, Andrei
Fight between Leviathan and Behemoth in the Messianic Time
(pp. 1-12) Marquette University, 2022
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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