Ancient Burial Caves, Rankings of Beauty, and the Magus: Tales of R' Bena’a (Bava Batra 58a)
Outline
Burial cave of Abraham and Sarah
Burial cave of Adam
Ranking the Beauty of Sarah, Eve, Adam, Shekhinah, Rav Kahana, Rav, R' Abbahu, and Jacob
Story of a magus who disturbed graves
The Passage
Burial cave of Abraham and Sarah
The Talmud recounts an incident involving R' Bena’a, who was marking burial caves1 to prevent ritual impurity. When he reached the cave of Abraham (in the Cave of Machpelah), he encountered Eliezer, Abraham's servant, and asked what Abraham was doing.
Eliezer replied that Abraham was lying with Sarah, who was examining his head.
R' Bena’a asked Eliezer to inform Abraham of his presence. Eliezer allowed him to enter, noting that in the higher world, there is no evil inclination, making it appropriate for R' Bena’a to see Abraham and Sarah in this intimate position. R' Bena’a measured the cave.
רבי בנאה הוה קא מציין מערתא.
כי מטא למערתא דאברהם, אשכחיה לאליעזר עבד אברהם דקאי קמי בבא.
אמר ליה: מאי קא עביד אברהם?
אמר ליה: גאני בכנפה דשרה, וקא מעיינא ליה ברישיה.
אמר ליה, זיל אימא ליה: בנאה קאי אבבא.
אמר ליה: ליעול – מידע ידיע דיצר בהאי עלמא ליכא.
עייל, עיין ונפק.
Having mentioned R' Bena’a, the Gemara relates an incident in which he was involved. R' Bena’a was marking burial caves for the purpose of helping to prevent the contracting of ritual impurity.
When he arrived at the cave of Abraham, i.e., the Cave of Machpelah, he encountered Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, who was standing before the entrance.
R' Bena’a said to him: What is Abraham doing at this moment?
Eliezer said to him: He is lying in the arms of Sarah, and she is examining his head.
R' Bena’a said to him: Go tell him that Bena’a is standing at the entrance, so that he should assume an appropriate position to receive a visitor.
Eliezer said to him: Let him, i.e., R' Bena’a, enter, since it is known that there is no evil inclination in this higher world, so it is not inappropriate for R' Bena’a to see Abraham and Sarah in this position.
He entered, examined the cave in order to measure it, and exited.
Burial cave of Adam
R' Bena’a then proceeded to the cave of Adam.
A Divine Voice (בת קול) warned him not to gaze upon Adam, who has the same image (ikon) as God.2 R' Bena’a insisted he needed to mark the cave, and the voice informed him that the dimensions of Adam's cave matched those of Abraham's.
R' Bena’a saw Adam's heels, which shone brightly like two suns.3
כי מטא למערתא דאדם הראשון, יצתה בת קול ואמרה: ״נסתכלת בדמות דיוקני, בדיוקני עצמה אל תסתכל״.
״הא בעינא לציוני מערתא!״
כמדת החיצונה כך מדת הפנימית.
ולמאן דאמר שני בתים זו למעלה מזו – כמדת עליונה כך מדת התחתונה
אמר רבי בנאה: נסתכלתי בשני עקיביו, ודומים לשני גלגלי חמה.
When he arrived at the cave of Adam the first man, who is buried in the same area, a Divine Voice emerged and said: You gazed upon the likeness4 of My image, i.e., Abraham, who is similar to the image of Adam the first man. Do not gaze upon My image itself, i.e., Adam the first man, about whom the verse states that he was formed in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27).
R' Bena’a said: But I need to mark the cave.
The voice said to him: As the measurements of the dimensions of the outer cave where Abraham is buried, so are the measurements of the dimensions of the inner cave, where Adam is buried.
The Gemara notes: And according to the one who says that the Cave of Machpelah consists of two chambers, this one above that one, not two adjacent chambers, the voice said: As the measurements of the dimensions of the upper cave where Abraham is buried, so are the measurements of the dimensions of the lower cave. Therefore, there is no need to measure it.
R' Bena’a says: I gazed at his, Adam’s, two heels, and they shone so brightly that they are similar to two suns.
Ranking the Beauty of Sarah, Eve, Adam, Shekhinah, Rav Kahana, Rav, R' Abbahu, and Jacob
The Talmud makes comparisons of beauty in ascending order of resemblance to divine perfection. It states that Sarah's beauty surpasses that of almost all other humans, being akin to the difference between a human and a monkey. Sarah, in turn, is less beautiful compared to Eve in the same manner, and Eve is similarly less beautiful compared to Adam. Adam’s beauty is incomparable to the Shekhinah (שכינה - the Divine Presence).
To summarize as a list, in ascending order of beauty (“X compared to Y is like a monkey compared to a human“):
Sarah
Eve
Adam
Shekhinah
Furthermore, it is said that the beauty (שופריה) of Rav Kahana is a reflection (מעין) of Rav's beauty, which reflects R' Abbahu's beauty, which mirrors the beauty of Jacob, and ultimately, Jacob's beauty is a semblance of Adam's beauty.5
To summarize as a list, in ascending order of beauty (“the beauty of X is a semblance of the beauty of Y“)
Rav Kahana
Rav (1st generation amora)
R' Abbahu (3rd generation amora of Eretz Yisrael)
Jacob
Adam
הכל בפני שרה – כקוף בפני אדם.
שרה בפני חוה – כקוף בפני אדם.
חוה בפני אדם – כקוף בפני אדם.
אדם בפני שכינה – כקוף בפני אדם.
שופריה דרב כהנא – מעין שופריה דרב,
שופריה דרב – מעין שופריה דרבי אבהו,
שופריה דרבי אבהו – מעין שופריה דיעקב אבינו,
שופריה דיעקב אבינו – מעין שופריה דאדם הראשון.
Along these lines, the Gemara states that
all people compared to Sarah are like a monkey compared to a human, as Sarah was exceedingly beautiful;
Sarah compared to Eve is like a monkey compared to a human;
Eve compared to Adam is like a monkey compared to a human;
and Adam compared to the Divine Presence is like a monkey compared to a human.
It was also stated that
the beauty of Rav Kahana is a semblance of the beauty of Rav.
The beauty of Rav is a semblance of the beauty of R' Abbahu.
The beauty of R' Abbahu is a semblance of the beauty of Jacob our forefather.
The beauty of Jacob our forefather is a semblance of the beauty of Adam the first man.
Story of a magus who disturbed graves
The Talmud recounts a story about a magus6 who was rummaging through graves and reached the burial cave of Rav Tovi bar Mattana (רב טובי בר מתנה). Rav Tovi (despite being dead) grabbed the magus by his beard and would not let go. Abaye intervened, pleading with Rav Tovi to release the magus, which he did.
The following year, the magus returned and Rav Tovi again grabbed his beard. This time, Rav Tovi did not release him. Abaye had to bring scissors and cut the magus's beard, to release him from Rav Tovi’s hold.
ההוא אמגושא דהוה חטיט שכבי.
כי מטא אמערתא דרב טובי בר מתנה, תפשיה בדיקניה.
אתא אביי, אמר ליה: במטותא מינך, שבקיה.
לשנה אחריתי הדר אתא, תפשיה בדיקניה.
אתא אביי, לא שבקיה, עד דאייתי מספרא, וגזיה לדיקניה.
On the topic of burial caves, the Gemara relates that there was a certain magus [amgusha] who was rummaging through the graves of the dead.
When he arrived at the burial cave of Rav Tovi bar Mattana, Rav Tovi grabbed him by his beard and would not release him.
Abaye came and said to Rav Tovi: I beg of you to release him.
The magus came again in another year, and Rav Tovi grabbed him by his beard.
Abaye came and requested that he release him, but Rav Tovi did not release him, until Abaye brought a scissors and cut his beard.
מציין מערתא - for a story of R’ Shimon ben Lakish doing this, see my previous piece on R’ Hiyya. See also the stories of Abba Shaul the gravedigger, and his stories of the massive ancient skeletons of famous Biblical personalities, in my previous piece.
דיוקני - from the Greek word ikon, cognate with modern English icon.
גלגלי חמה - literally: “spheres of suns”.
דמות - “likeness". Compare Wikipedia, “Dmuta":
In Mandaeism, a dmuta (Classical Mandaic: ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀ, lit. 'image') or dmut is a spiritual counterpart or "mirror image" in the World of Light.
This list is quoted in Bava_Metzia.84a.7-9 as well, in the context of a discussion about the beauty/handsomness of R’ Yoḥanan, tempered by his lack of beard (הדרת פנים - an idiom, literally meaning: “beauty of countenance“)
אמר רבי יוחנן: אנא אשתיירי משפירי ירושלים
האי מאן דבעי מחזי שופריה דרבי יוחנן,
נייתי כסא דכספא מבי סלקי,
ונמלייה פרצידיא דרומנא סומקא,
ונהדר ליה כלילא דוורדא סומקא לפומיה,
ונותביה בין שמשא לטולא,
הנהו זהרורי מעין שופריה דרבי יוחנן.
R’ Yoḥanan said: I alone remain of the beautiful (שפירי) people of Jerusalem.
The Gemara continues: One who wishes to see something resembling the beauty (שופריה) of R’ Yoḥanan
should bring a new, shiny silver goblet from the smithy (בי סלקי)
and fill it with red pomegranate seeds (פרצידיא)
and place a diadem (כלילא) of red roses upon the lip of the goblet,
and position it between the sunlight and shade.
That luster (זהרורי - “bright rays”) is a semblance of R’ Yoḥanan’s beauty.
איני? והאמר מר: שופריה דרב כהנא מעין שופריה דרבי אבהו, שופריה דרבי אבהו מעין שופריה דיעקב אבינו, שופריה דיעקב אבינו מעין שופריה דאדם הראשון!
ואילו רבי יוחנן לא קא חשיב ליה!
שאני רבי יוחנן, דהדרת פנים לא הויא ליה.
The Gemara asks: Is that so? Was Rabbi Yoḥanan so beautiful? But doesn’t the Master say:
The beauty of Rav Kahana is a semblance of the beauty of R’ Abbahu; the beauty of R’ Abbahu is a semblance of the beauty of Jacob, our forefather; and the beauty of Jacob, our forefather, is a semblance of the beauty of Adam the first man, who was created in the image of God.
And yet R’ Yoḥanan is not included in this list!
The Gemara answers: R’ Yoḥanan is different from these other men, as he did not have “a beauty of countenance” (הדרת פנים), i.e., he did not have a beard.
רבי יוחנן הוה אזיל ויתיב אשערי טבילה,
אמר:
כי סלקן בנות ישראל מטבילת מצוה
לפגעו בי,
כי היכי דלהוו להו בני שפירי כוותי,
גמירי אורייתא כוותי.
The Gemara continues to discuss R’ Yoḥanan’s beauty:
R’ Yoḥanan would go and sit by the entrance to the ritual bath (טבילה - tevila)
He said to himself:
When Jewish women come up from their immersion for the sake of a mitzva, after their menstruation,
they should encounter me first,
so that they have beautiful children like me,
and sons learned in Torah like me.
This is based on the idea (=maternal impression) that the image upon which a woman meditates during sex affects the child she conceives.
Broader analysis:
Structure and Progression
The text is organized as a series of ascending comparative gradations, with each successive step being "like a monkey compared to a human."
Similarly, the second segment on beauty mirrors this structure, ascending from Rav Kahana through various sages to Jacob and finally Adam, emphasizing Adam as the archetype of human beauty.
The repetition of the simile "like a monkey compared to a human" creates a rhythmic and poetic effect, emphasizing the gulf between each level.
Imagery and Symbolism
Heels like two suns: Adam’s physical radiance is highlighted through vivid imagery, evoking light, purity, and otherworldly perfection.
Monkey compared to a human: This stark comparison conveys the vast difference in physical or spiritual qualities, underscoring the idea of declining beauty and perfection across generations.
The focus on beauty as a reflection of spiritual or divine essence elevates physical appearance to a theological concept, intertwining aesthetics with metaphysics.
Intertextuality
This passage resonates with Biblical narratives, particularly the descriptions of Adam as being created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and of Sarah’s exceptional beauty (Genesis 12:11). By drawing from these textual traditions, the passage anchors its literary imagery in scriptural foundations.
Anthropocentrism and Theocentrism
The gradation of beauty reflects a tension between human and divine. While Adam and Jacob represent the pinnacle of human achievement, they remain inferior to the Shekhina (Divine Presence). This hierarchical worldview places humanity as a mediating entity between the earthly and divine realms.
The focus on physical beauty can be interpreted as a metaphor for spiritual and moral greatness, suggesting that outward appearances mirror inner qualities.
Cultural and Gender Dynamics
The narrative is explicitly androcentric, focusing on male figures as the standard of beauty, with the exception of Sarah and Eve. This reflects broader trends in rabbinic literature, where women’s roles and characteristics are often framed in relation to men.
The comparisons to monkeys, while striking, may carry implicit value judgments about those perceived as "lesser," whether in terms of beauty, spirituality, or status.
Declinism and Generational Degradation
The passage embodies the rabbinic motif of yeridat hadorot (decline of the generations), positing that humanity's spiritual and physical stature diminishes over time. Adam, as the first human, is the ultimate ideal, while later figures are but faint reflections.
For more on yeridat hadorot and declinism in talmudic literature, see my pieces:
“The End of an Era: The Mishnah on Societal Decline and the Discontinuation of Rituals (Mishnah Sotah 9:9-15)”, final part here
Cross-Cultural Parallels
The notion of diminishing human excellence echoes Platonic ideals of a perfect form or archetype, with earthly beings as imperfect reflections. In this sense, Adam aligns with the Platonic form of humanity.
Comparisons between divine and human beauty also find parallels in Greek mythology, where mortals’ beauty is often described as inferior to the gods but remarkable nonetheless (e.g., Helen of Troy as a "mortal goddess").
In Islamic tradition, the concept of nur (light) is similarly used to describe prophetic or divine beauty, linking physical appearance with divine illumination.
Compare also the foundational Greek myth of the judgement of Paris, which was the ultimate divine cause of the Trojan War in Greek mythology
Comparisons with Other Rabbinic Texts
Other Talmudic passages describe Adam as being so tall he reached the heavens, reinforcing his primordial greatness (see my piece here, section “Adam was originally massive; he spoke Aramaic“). This passage complements such traditions by focusing on his physical beauty rather than his size or intellect.
The emphasis on Jacob’s beauty as a reflection of Adam aligns with his description as “the chosen of the patriarchs,” further cementing his elevated status in rabbinic lore.
אמגושא - a Persian Zorastrian priest.