Chullin 60: On the Sun & the Moon; the Superiority of G-d and the State of Being "Less Than"

Yesterday's daf (59a) offered a new Mishna.  It described how to determine the kashrut status of birds, fish, grasshoppers and other creatures.  Today's daf branches far from our last Mishna.

We begin with challenges given to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya from the Roman Emperor.  When he wishes to see the Lord, Rabbi Yehoshua offers to look at the sun, which is impossible.  That much more so to look at the master of the sun, he explains.  

The Roman Emperor then asks to make a meal for our G-d.  Rabbi Yehoshua suggests he set plates of food on a clear part of the beach - the wind whisks everything away. When the same thing is done in the winter, the meal is rained on and swallowed by the sea.  Rabbi Yehoshua explains that G-d's servants blew on the meal and rained on the meal and ate it themselves; G-d would never reach such an offering.  

Finally, the Emporer's daughter asks for our G-d's favour as He is a carpenter (Psalms) - to bring her a distaff used for weaving.  Rabbi Yehoshua prays for the distaff. The daughter contracts leprosy and is given a distaff to use while begging in the market.  Rabbi Yehoshua sees her and she asks for G-d to take the distaff back.  Rabbi Yehoshua explains that our G-d gives but does not take away.

The Gemara then considers differences between bulls and donkeys.  It also considers the prohibition against mixing species when referring to grass, which is already mixed.  

We are told a story about the sun and the moon where Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi  sees the moon in competition with the sun, offering that one should be less bright - but not the moon!  Rabbi Shimon explains that the moon continues to beg for G-d's mercy and to allow it to be brighter.  The moon understands that though people count our months with the moon, it is written in Genesis that we use the sun to count.  G-d eventually convinces the moon that other creatures who are 'the lesser' are still great.

The rabbis attempt to understand the differences between different nations that have challenged the people of Israel.  This is part of a larger conversation about difference - when the Torah teaches something that seems contradictory.  All seemingly contradictory statements are, of course, explained.