Monster Fights and Monster Barbecues
Courtesy of the British Library.
There’s no singular Jewish tradition about the afterlife, apocalypse, end of days, or world to come. Rather, our tradition has preserved hundreds of ideas about what the ultimate future holds. One particularly wild tradition concerns a kaiju battle between two monsters: the Leviathan, a giant sea-beast and the Behemoth, an equally giant wild ox. At the end of the battle, God will kosher-slaughter both creatures and righteous people will get to eat the monster meat. (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 74b)
“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… and anyone who did not partake of not [kosherly] slaughtered meat in this world will be able to partake of it in the future.” (Leviticus Rabbah 13:3)
- What are the criteria for being able to watch the Apocalypse Monster Fight and partake of the End of Days BBQ?
- What do you think is the connection between the criteria and reward?
- What might this tradition tell us about Rabbi Yudan’s feelings about kosher law?
“… The Behemoth will stab the Leviathan with its horns and tear it, and the Leviathan will smash the Behemoth with its fins and stab it… The Sages ask: Is this a valid ritual slaughter? Rabbi Avin bar Kahana said: The Holy One blessed be He said: “For [a new] Torah will emerge from Me” (Isaiah 51:4); [this means] a novel Torah ruling will emerge from Me…” (Leviticus Rabbah 13:3)
- The Sages’ main concern about this tradition is that it doesn’t seem to follow current kosher-slaughter law. How does Rabbi Avin resolve this difficulty?
- What other questions do you have about this tradition? How might you creatively resolve them?
- What, if anything, do you avoid but wish you could partake in? What would have to change in the world for you to feel comfortable changing your practice?