Derasha 1 on Bereishis 1:21

TT #49 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 21

Complete Passuk

וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה ׀ הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Bava Basra 74b (verified).

E-Daf image (Bava Basra 74b)

Core Text

Core Textהַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדֹלִים — הָכִי תַּרְגִּימוּ: אַרְזִילֵי דְיַמָּא. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: זֶה לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ וְלִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן.
English of Core Text: “The great tanninim” — thus they translated: the sea-reeds (or sea-monsters). And Rabbi Yochanan said: This is Leviathan the straight serpent and Leviathan the coiled serpent.
On the daf / in context: In the long aggadic section on the sea and its creatures, the “great tanninim” are identified either as ordinary large sea creatures or specifically as the Leviathans.
Type of Learning: Custom (identity of the great tanninim)
What Is Learned: The great tanninim are understood either as large sea creatures or as the Leviathan pair.