아모스 5:9의 미드라쉬

(Fol. 77b) R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "The Holy One, praised be He! created not one single thing in vain. He created the snail as a remedy for the scab (of the camel); He created the fly for the sting of a wasp, the gnat for the bite of a serpent, the serpent itself for curing sores of the head, and the ichneumon-fly for the sting of a scorpion." How should this remedy be applied? Let one bring a black one and a white one of the insects, boil them and place where required. Our Rabbis taught: "There are five sorts of fear: the fear of the strong for the weak; the fear of the lion for the mosquito; the fear of the elephant for the gnat; the fear of the scorpion for the ichneumon-fly; the fear of the eagle for the fly-catcher; and the fear of the leviathan for the stickleback." R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "Where is the Biblical passage to prove it? (Amos 5, 9.) That causeth wasting to prevail against the strong (Amos 5, 9)." R. Zeira once found R. Juda standing at the door of the latter's father-in-law's house in a very cheerful mood, and disposed to answer, if he was asked, concerning all the secret processes of nature. R. Zeira asked him: "Why is it that the she-goats take the lead [of the flock]?" "Because," answered R. Juda, "it is in accordance with the creation; at first darkness, then light." R. Zeira asked him again: "Why are she-goats not provided with tails as are the sheep?" "Those who cover us are themselves covered and those that do not cover us are not covered." "Why has the camel a short tail?" "Because it feeds among thorns." "Why has the ox a long tail?" "Because it grazes in plains and must protect itself against the gnats." "Why are the feelers of the locust flexible?" "Because the locust swarms in fields: were the feelers inflexible, the locust would be blinded by losing them in knocking against trees, for Samuel said: 'All that is necessary to blind a locust is to tear his feelers.'" "Why do the eyelids of the chicken close upward?" "Because it ascends at night upon elevated things and if the eyelids would close downward, the least smoke which comes from below would blind the chicken's eyes." Our Rabbis taught: "Three living things grow stronger as they grow older. They are the fish, the serpent and the pig."