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The Covenant of Seven Ewes

TANAKH

The use of seven ewes as a form of proof and covenant between Abraham and Abimelech highlights the significance of symbolic acts in establishing ownership and resolving disputes. In the book of Genesis, Abraham gives seven ewes to Abimelech to establish his ownership of a well, using the number seven to signify an oath and the ewes as a testimony.

Abraham then set seven ewes of the flock by themselves, and Abimelech said to Abraham, “What mean these seven ewes which you have set apart?” He replied, “You are to accept these seven ewes from me as proof that I dug this well.”

Genesis 21:28-30

Firstborn Exemptions and Obligations

TALMUD

The exemption from the mitzva of the firstborn for a ewe that gave birth to a goat and a goat that gave birth to a ewe highlights the complexity and specificity of Jewish law. The Talmudic tractate Bekhorot discusses the intricate laws surrounding the consecration of firstborn animals, including the conditions under which an animal is considered a firstborn.

A ewe that gave birth to a goat of sorts and a goat that gave birth to a ewe of sorts are exempt from the mitzva of the firstborn. And if the offspring has some of the characteristics of its mother, it is obligated in the mitzva of firstborn.

Bekhorot 16b:2

The Status of Firstborn Lambs

MISHNAH

The Torah commands that the firstborns of domesticated animals be given as gifts to priests. The Mishnah delves into the complexities and differing rabbinic opinions on handling firstborn male lambs born simultaneously, highlighting the obligations towards priests and owners.

In the case of a ewe that had not previously given birth, and it gave birth to two males and both their heads emerged as one, Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: Both of them are given to the priest, as it is stated in the plural: “Every firstborn that you have of animals, the males shall be to the Lord” (Exodus 13:12). And the Rabbis say: It is impossible for two events to coincide precisely, i.e., their births were not at precisely the same time. Rather, one preceded the other…

Mishnah Bekhorot 2:6

The Halakhic Complexity of Hybrid Offspring

TALMUD

The Torah prohibits slaughtering an animal and its offspring together on the same day. In the Talmudic tractate Chullin, the sages discuss the details of this commandment and which animals it applies to.

§ The Sages taught in a baraita (see Tosefta 5:1): The prohibition against slaughtering an animal itself and its offspring applies to the offspring of diverse kinds of animals, such as a goat and a ewe, and to the koy, even though the prohibition does not apply to undomesticated animals. Rabbi Eliezer says: With regard to a hybrid that results from the mating of a goat and a ewe, the prohibition of a mother and its offspring applies…

Chullin 79b:2

Pampered Ewes?

TALMUD

The Mishnah in tractate Shabbat lists particular accoutrements with which domesticated animals are and are not allowed to roam about outside on Shabbat. The later rabbis of the Gemara, however, were not always sure what exactly the words in the Mishnah referred to, and here, different sages discuss different possible explanations for what the Mishnah means by ewes that are 'ḥanunot'.

The mishna teaches: And ewes may not go out ḥanunot. The Gemara relates that Rav Aḥa bar Ulla sat before Rav Ḥisda and he sat and he said: From when they shear the wool off the animal, they soak a soft swatch of wool or some other material in oil and place it on the animal’s forehead so that it will not catch cold until its wool grows back. Ḥanunot refers to animals with those swatches. Rav Ḥisda said to him: If so, you turned the animal into the Exilarch, Mar Ukva. That is treatment fit for him, not for a shorn sheep…

Shabbat 54b:11-14

The Beloved Ewe

COMMENTARY

The deep emotional bond and personal care that the poor man has for his single ewe, treating it as a beloved member of his household rather than merely property, is a powerful metaphor for understanding themes of justice and moral accountability. This parable, told by the prophet Nathan to King David, uses the imagery of a poor man's ewe to symbolize Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, as elaborated in Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz' contemporary commentary on the Book of Samuel.

The poor man had nothing save one little ewe that he had bought; he took care of it, by feeding and caring for it himself, and it grew up together with him and with his children. Since this lamb was the poor man’s only possession, he treated it like an actual member of his household. It would eat from his bread, and it would drink from his cup, and it would lie in his bosom; it became like a daughter to him. The lamb was not merely his property; it was also a beloved, treasured creature.

Steinsaltz on II Samuel 12:3

Kindness in Action

CHASIDUT

The mitzvah of not slaughtering an animal and its young on the same day teaches us the importance of kindness and the proper way to approach prayer. Rabbi Mordechai Leiner’s Mei HaShiloach delves into the attribute of kindness as rooted in Leviticus 22:28, and how it informs our understanding of divine attributes.

“An ox or a ewe, do not slaughter it and its young in the same day.” (Vayikra, 22:28)
The Targum of Yonatan ben Uziel renders this verse, “Just as your Father is merciful, so too shall you be merciful in the land. An ox or a ewe, do not slaughter it and its young in the same day.” On this we find in the holy Zohar (Vayikra, 92b), “We have learned that actions below arouse corresponding actions from above. If a man acts properly below, it arouses a similar power from above. If a man acts with kindness in the world, it arouses kindness from above, etc…

Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Leviticus, Emor 6

Teeth Like a Flock of Ewes

COMMENTARY

The metaphorical comparison of teeth to a flock of ewes in Song of Songs highlights their whiteness, cleanliness, and orderly arrangement. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary on Song of Songs provides deeper insights into its poetic imagery, connecting readers to the plain meaning of the text.

Your teeth are like a flock of ordered ewes that have come up from being washed, when they are extremely white and clean. As the ewes emerge simultaneously from the water, the entire herd is lined up like white teeth, that are all paired, and there is none missing among them.

Steinsaltz on Song of Songs 4:2

The Shepherd King

COMMENTARY

According to tradition, David's conscientiousness as a shepherd demonstrated his suitability to lead the nation. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, highlights King David's qualities as a shepherd in his commentary on Psalms.

From behind the nursing ewes He brought him For he would shepherd the nursing ewes for his father, because he was merciful and would bring the kids first and feed them the upper tips of the grasses, which are tender. Then after them he would bring out the he-goats, who would eat the middle of the grasses, and afterwards, he would bring out the older ones, who would eat the roots. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “This one is fit to shepherd My people.”

Rashi on Psalms 78:71:1

The Nazirite's Offerings

TANAKH

The Torah provides detailed instructions for sacrificial offerings, including the specific types and conditions of animals required. In the book of Numbers, the Torah outlines the requirements for a Nazirite's offerings.

As an offering to יהוה that person shall present: one male lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; one ewe lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a sin offering; one ram without blemish for an offering of well-being;

Numbers 6:14

"Lilienthal" Wimpel [Torah Binder made from Circumcision Cloth]; embroidered by Koppel Heller Segal; Munich, Germany; 1814 [80.83]. Magnes database record. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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