From Unicorns to Two-Spined Beasts: Talmudic Wonders of Creation (Chullin 60a-b)

The Primordial Creations of Unicorns, Grass, and Moon

This sugya gathers a set of interpretations on Creation and the earliest sacrificial acts, weaving together themes of primordial perfection, cosmic harmony, and divine mystery. It begins with Rav Yehuda’s striking claim that the bull Adam offered as a thanksgiving sacrifice was no ordinary animal, but one with a single horn on its forehead—a kind of unicorn. He draws this from Psalms 69:32, where the word makrin (“horned”) can suggest two horns, but which Rav Naḥman insists is written defectively (makran) to imply only one.

The same verse is used to advance a second teaching of Rav Yehuda: the bull’s horns preceded its hooves, signifying that it was not born in the natural way but emerged fully formed from the earth, its head and power before its footing.

This reading dovetails with R' Yehoshua ben Levi’s more general principle: all the works of Creation were brought forth in their full stature, full wisdom, and complete form. His proof comes from Genesis 2:1, where tzeva’am (“their host”) is reinterpreted as tzivyonam (“their form”). Creation, in this vision, is instantaneous and perfect, not a process of gradual maturation.

R. Ḥanina bar Pappa develops the theme of Creation’s intentionality further. Citing Psalms 104:31, he imagines the “minister of the world” praising God when the grasses themselves reasoned by kal va-ḥomer that if God commanded trees to reproduce “after their kind,” how much more should the grasses, which grow in tangled mixture, adhere to that principle. They immediately sprouted each after its kind, demonstrating a world attuned to divine law even without explicit instruction.

A different cosmic drama unfolds with R' Shimon ben Pazi, who highlights a textual tension in Genesis 1:16. The verse first describes “two great lights” but then distinguishes between a greater and a lesser. He explains that the moon argued that “two kings cannot share one crown,” leading God to command her diminishment. The moon protests—why should she be punished for speaking the truth? God offers compensations: she will shine both by day and night, Israel will reckon months by her cycles, and righteous figures (including Jacob and David) will be called “the small one” (ha-katan) in her honor. Yet, as R' Shimon ben Lakish adds, God ultimately orders a monthly sin offering “for YHWH” (Numbers 28:15) as atonement for having diminished the moon (an audacious anthropomorphic confession of divine imperfection).

Turning back to the problem of vegetation, Rav Asi notices a contradiction: Genesis 1:12 says grasses sprouted on the third day, but Genesis 2:5 states no shrub was yet in the earth by the sixth. His resolution: the plants had appeared but stood waiting just beneath the surface until Adam prayed for rain, whereupon they grew. This demonstrates, he says, that God desires the prayers of the righteous. A story about Rav Naḥman bar Pappa’s own garden confirms the point—his seeds sprouted only after he prayed.

The sugya closes with a curious zoological note on ha-shesua in Deuteronomy 14:7. Rav Ḥanan bar Rava explains this is not a redundant adjective but a distinct creature, a bizarre animal with two backs and two spines. Since Moses could not have known of such a being without divine revelation, its mention proves the Torah’s heavenly origin. Rav Ḥisda instructs his colleague R' Taḥlifa to record the foreign technical terms—kinnigi (hunter) and ballisteri (archer)—in his aggadic collection (as explanatory glosses).

Outline

Intro

The Passage - From Unicorns to Two-Spined Beasts: Talmudic Wonders of Creation (Chullin 60a-b)

1. Rav Yehuda - The bull Adam sacrificed had a single horn on its forehead (=unicorn) - Psalms 69:32

   1. Rav Naḥman - Supports Rav Yehuda: the spelling of “makrin” (without yod) implies one horn (despite plural vocalization)

2. Rav Yehuda - The bull Adam sacrificed had horns before hooves (i.e. it emerged fully formed from the earth) - Psalms 69:32

3. R' Yehoshua b. Levi - All creations were made at full stature, full understanding, and full form at Creation

   1. Prooftext - Genesis 2:1

4. R' Ḥanina bar Pappa - Grasses reasoned by a fortiori that they must grow by species - Genesis 1:11–12; Psalms 104:31

   1. … they complied, prompting the angel of the world to praise

5. R' Shimon ben Pazi - The moon complained about two great lights; God diminished it, later compensating it - Genesis 1:16

6. R' Shimon ben Lakish - The New Moon goat offering is “for YHWH” as atonement for God diminishing the moon - Numbers 28:15

7. Rav Asi - Contradiction between plants created on day 3 and absent until day 6; resolved: they sprouted only after Adam’s prayer - Genesis 1:12; Genesis 2:5

8. Anecdote of Rav Naḥman bar Pappa confirming Rav Asi: his garden sprouted only after prayer

9. Rav Ḥanan bar Rava - “Shesua” is a distinct species with 2 backs and 2 spines; proof of divine revelation in Torah - Deuteronomy 14:7

10. Rav Ḥisda to R' Taḥlifa - Instructs to record Greek/Latin loanwords ‘kinnigi’ and ‘ballisteri’ in aggada

The Passage

Chullin.60a.7-60b.8

Rav Yehuda - The bull Adam sacrificed had a single horn on its forehead (=unicorn) - Psalms 69:32

ואמר רב יהודה:

שור שהקריב אדם הראשון --

קרן אחת היתה לו במצחו

שנאמר (תהלים סט, לב):

"ותיטב לה'

משור פר מקרין מפריס"

And Rav Yehuda says:

The bull that Adam, the first man, sacrificed as a thanks offering for his life being spared --

had a single horn on its forehead,

as it is stated:

“And it shall please YHWH

better than a bullock that has horns [makrin] and hoofs” (Psalms 69:32).

Rav Naḥman - Supports Rav Yehuda: the spelling of “makrin” (without yod) implies one horn (despite plural vocalization)

מקרין תרתי משמע

אמר רב נחמן:

מקרן כתיב.

The Talmud comments: On the contrary, the word makrin indicates two horns.

Rav Naḥman said:

Although it is vocalized in the plural, makran is written in the verse, without the letter yod, to indicate that it had only a single horn.

Rav Yehuda - The bull Adam sacrificed had horns before hooves (i.e. it emerged fully formed from the earth) - Psalms 69:32

ואמר רב יהודה:

שור שהקריב אדם הראשון --

קרניו קודמות לפרסותיו

שנאמר: "ותיטב לה' משור פר מקרין מפריס"

מקרין ברישא

והדר מפריס.

And Rav Yehuda says:

With regard to the bull that Adam, the first man, sacrificed --

its horns preceded its hooves.

It was not born of a cow, but rose fully formed out of the earth such that its head emerged first,

as it is stated: “And it shall please YHWH better than a bullock that has horns and hoofs.”

The phrase “has horns” comes first,

and only afterward the word “hoofs.”

R' Yehoshua b. Levi - All creations were made at full stature, full understanding, and full form at Creation

מסייע ליה לר' יהושע בן לוי

דאמר ריב"ל:

כל מעשה בראשית --

1. בקומתן נבראו

2. בדעתן נבראו

3. בצביונם נבראו

And this supports the statement of R' Yehoshua ben Levi,

as R' Yehoshua ben Levi says:

All items created during the acts of Creation --

1. were created with their full stature (קומתן), immediately fit to bear fruit;

2. they were created with their full mental capacities (דעתן);

3. they were created with their full form¹

Prooftext - Genesis 2:1

שנאמר (בראשית ב, א): "ויכולו השמים והארץ וכל צבאם"

אל תקרי "צבאם"

אלא "צביונם"

As it is stated: “And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1).

Do not read it as: “The host of them [tzeva’am]”;

rather, read it as: Their form [tzivyonam].

R' Ḥanina bar Pappa - Grasses reasoned by a fortiori that they must grow by species - Genesis 1:11–12; Psalms 104:31

דרש רבי חנינא בר פפא:

(תהלים קד, לא) "יהי כבוד ה' לעולם

ישמח ה' במעשיו"

§ R' Ḥanina bar Pappa taught:

“May the glory of YHWH endure forever;

let YHWH rejoice in His works” (Psalms 104:31).

פסוק זה שר העולם אמרו

בשעה שאמר הקב"ה (בראשית א, יב) "למינהו" באילנות

נשאו דשאים קל וחומר בעצמן:

אם רצונו של הקב"ה בערבוביא --

למה אמר "למינהו" באילנות?!

This verse was stated by the minister of the world, i.e., the angel charged with overseeing the world.

When God said: “Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree bearing fruit after its kind” (Genesis 1:11),

the grasses drew an a fortiori inference with regard to themselves:

They reasoned: If God wishes the mixing of species --

why did he say: “After its kind”, with regard to the trees?!

ועוד

ק"ו:

• ומה אילנות --

  • שאין דרכן לצאת בערבוביא

    • אמר הקב"ה: "למינהו"

• אנו --

  • עאכ"ו.

And furthermore,

let us draw an a fortiori inference:

• If with regard to trees,

  • which do not naturally grow mixed, as they are large and distinct from one another,

    • God said: “After its kind,”

• with regard to us, since grass naturally grows mixed --

  • all the more so

… they complied, prompting the angel of the world to praise

מיד --

כל אחד ואחד יצא למינו

פתח שר העולם ואמר:

"יהי כבוד ה' לעולם

ישמח ה' במעשיו"

[...]

Immediately,

every kind of grass emerged after its kind, as it is stated: “And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind” (Genesis 1:12).

The minister of the world began to speak and said:

“May the glory of YHWH endure forever;

let YHWH rejoice in His works,”

who do His will even when not explicitly instructed.

[...]

R' Shimon ben Pazi - The moon complained about two great lights; God diminished it, later compensating it - Genesis 1:16

רבי שמעון בן פזי רמי:

• כתיב

  • (בראשית א, טז): "ויעש אלהים את שני המאורות הגדולים"

• וכתיב:

  • "את המאור הגדול, ואת המאור הקטן"

§ R' Shimon ben Pazi raises a contradiction between two verses.

• It is written:

  • “And God made the two great lights” (Genesis 1:16),

• and it is also written in the same verse:

  • “The greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night,” indicating that only one was great.

אמרה ירח לפני הקב"ה:

רבש"ע!

אפשר לשני מלכים שישתמשו בכתר אחד?!

אמר לה: לכי ומעטי את עצמך.

R' Shimon ben Pazi explains: When God first created the sun and the moon, they were equally bright.

Then, the moon said before God:

God!

is it possible for two kings to serve with one crown?! One of us must be subservient to the other.

God therefore said to her, i.e., the moon: If so, go and diminish yourself.

אמרה לפניו:

רבש"ע!

הואיל ואמרתי לפניך דבר הגון

אמעיט את עצמי?!

אמר לה: לכי ומשול ביום ובלילה

She said before Him:

God!

since I said a correct observation before You,

must I diminish myself?!

God said to her: As compensation, go and rule both during the day along with the sun and during the night.

אמרה ליה:

מאי רבותיה דשרגא בטיהרא?!

מאי אהני?!

אמר לה: זיל לימנו בך ישראל ימים ושנים

She said to Him:

What is the greatness of shining alongside the sun?!

What use is a candle in the middle of the day?!

God said to her: Go; let the Jewish people count the days and years with you,² and this will be your greatness.

אמרה ליה:

יומא נמי אי אפשר דלא מנו ביה תקופותא

דכתיב (בראשית א, יד):

"והיו

1. לאותות

2. ולמועדים

3. ולימים ושנים"

זיל ליקרו צדיקי בשמיך

1. (עמוס ז, ב) "יעקב הקטן"

2. "שמואל הקטן"

3. (שמואל א יז, יד) "דוד הקטן"

She said to Him:

But the Jewish people will count with the sun as well,

as it is impossible that they will not count seasons (תקופותא) with it,³

as it is written:

“And let them be

1. for signs,

2. and for seasons (מועדים),

3. and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14).

God said to her: Go; let righteous men be named after you. Just as you are called the lesser [ha-katan] light, there will be

1. Ya’akov HaKatan, i.e., Jacob our forefather (see Amos 7:2),

2. Shmuel HaKatan the tanna,

3. and David HaKatan, i.e., King David (see I Samuel 17:14).

R' Shimon ben Lakish - The New Moon goat offering is “for YHWH” as atonement for God diminishing the moon - Numbers 28:15

חזייה דלא קא מיתבא דעתה

אמר הקב"ה: הביאו כפרה עלי שמיעטתי את הירח

והיינו דאמר ר"ש בן לקיש:

מה נשתנה שעיר של ראש חדש

שנאמר בו (במדבר כח, טו): "לה'"?

אמר הקב"ה:

שעיר זה יהא כפרה

על שמיעטתי את הירח.

God saw that the moon was not comforted.

God said: Bring atonement for me, since I diminished the moon.

And this is what R' Shimon ben Lakish says:

What is different about the goat offering of the New Moon,⁴

that it is stated with regard to it: “For YHWH” (Numbers 28:15)?

God said:

This goat shall be an atonement for Me

for having diminished the size of the moon.

Rav Asi - Contradiction between plants created on day 3 and absent until day 6; resolved: they sprouted only after Adam’s prayer - Genesis 1:12; Genesis 2:5

רב אסי רמי:

• כתיב (בראשית א, יב):

  • "ותוצא הארץ דשא בתלת בשבתא"

• וכתיב (בראשית ב, ה):

  • "וכל שיח השדה טרם יהיה בארץ" במעלי שבתא

§ Rav Asi raises a contradiction between two verses:

• It is written:

  • “And the earth brought forth grass” (Genesis 1:12), on the 3rd day of the week of Creation.

• And it is also written:

  • “No shrub of the field was yet in the earth” (Genesis 2:5), on Shabbat eve, Friday, the 6th day of Creation, immediately before Adam was created.

מלמד ש:

יצאו דשאים

ועמדו על פתח קרקע

עד שבא אדם הראשון

ובקש עליהם רחמים

וירדו גשמים וצמחו

ללמדך ש:

הקב"ה מתאוה לתפלתן של צדיקים.

Rav Asi explains: This teaches that

the grasses emerged on the third day

and stood at the opening of the ground, but they did not grow

until Adam, the first man, came

and prayed for mercy upon them,

and rain came, and they sprouted.

And this is meant to teach you that

God desires (מתאוה) the prayers of the righteous.

Anecdote of Rav Naḥman bar Pappa confirming Rav Asi: his garden sprouted only after prayer

רב נחמן בר פפא הויא ליה ההיא גינתא

שדי ביה ביזרני --

ולא צמח

בעא רחמי

אתא מיטרא וצמח

אמר היינו דרב אסי

The Talmud recounts: Rav Naḥman bar Pappa had a certain garden.

He planted seeds --

but they did not sprout.

He prayed for mercy,

and rain came, and they sprouted.

He said: This is what is meant by the statement of Rav Asi, that God desires the prayers of the righteous.

Rav Ḥanan bar Rava - “Shesua” is a distinct species with 2 backs and 2 spines; proof of divine revelation in Torah - Deuteronomy 14:7

אמר רב חנן בר רבא:

(דברים יד, ז) "השסועה" —

בריה בפני עצמה היא

שיש לה:

1. שני גבין

2. ושני שדראות

§ In one of the passages discussing kosher and non-kosher animals, the Torah states: “Nevertheless, these you shall not eat of them that only chew the cud, or of them that have split hooves that are cloven [ha-shesua]: The camel, and the hare, and the hyrax” (Deuteronomy 14:7).

Rav Ḥanan bar Rava said:

“Ha-shesua” (שסועה) —

is not a redundant description of the split hooves but a distinct creature:

1. which has two backs

2. and two spines

and therefore looks like an entirely cloven animal.

וכי משה רבינו

• קניגי היה

• או בליסטרי היה?!

מכאן תשובה לאומר אין תורה מן השמים.

One might ask: But Moses our teacher

• was a hunter,⁵

• or was he an archer,⁶

who was familiar with the most exotic animals?!

Rather, from here there is a refutation to those who say that the Torah is not from Heaven,

since Moses could not have known of the existence of such an animal save by divine revelation.

Rav Ḥisda to R' Taḥlifa - Instructs to record Greek/Latin loanwords ‘kinnigi’ and ‘ballisteri’ in aggada

א"ל רב חסדא לרב תחליפא בר אבינא:

זיל כתוב "קניגי" ו"בליסטרי" באגדתיך

ופרשה.

Rav Ḥisda said to Rav Taḥlifa bar Avina:

Go write this statement about the “hunter” [kinnigi] and the “archer” [ballisteri] in your book of aggada,

and explain those two words, since some are unfamiliar with them.

1. צביונם.

Jastrow defines it as “desire, pleasure“; the full entry (modernized):

צביון

masculine (preceding article)

desire, pleasure

• Ketubot 111a (reference to צבי, Ezekiel 26:20): ארץ שצביוני בה מתיה חיים וכו׳ "the dead of the land in which I have my desire, shall be revived etc." (see צבי 1).

• Genesis Rabbah section 10 (reference to צבא Job 7:1): וכל צביונו של וכו׳ "and all the desire of man refers to what is earthly."

• Exodus Rabbah section 1 (play on הצבבה, 1 Chronicles 4:8): שעשה צביונו וכו׳ "he did the will of YHWH" […]

• Hullin 60a: כל … בקומתם … ברעתם … בצביונם נבראו "all the works (animals) of creation were created in their full-grown stature, with their consent, with their pleasure (in their mission, with reference to צבאם, Genesis 2:1)"; [Rashi: according to the shape of their own choice].

• Rosh Hashanah 11a (see Manuscript Munich, Rabbinowitz Dikdukei Soferim ad loc.).

See also the etymological discussion in Hebrew Wiktionary, “צביון“, section “גיזרון“.

2. Referring to the fact that the Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar, as opposed to a purely solar one.

3. I.e., season are dependent on the solar cycle, not the lunar one.

4. שעיר של ראש חדש.

See:

• Hebrew Wikipedia, “קורבן מוסף של ראש חודש“

• Michlol, “שעיר ראש חודש“

5. קניגי.

From Greek, see Jastrow:

(corresp[onding] to a form κυνηγευς [=kynēgeus] = κυνηγός [=kynēgos])

hunter.

6. בליסטרי .

From Greek, see Jastrow:

(ballistarius, βαλιστάριος [=balistarios])

attendant of the catapult, also archer.

I.e. this word means "ballista operator" or "artilleryman" - someone who operated the ballista (ancient siege weapon).