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Notable Sources
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Lessons from the Ant
TANAKH
The ant exemplifies industriousness and self-sufficiency, preparing for the future without needing leaders or supervision. The Book of Proverbs uses the ant as a model for hard work and diligence, encouraging us to learn from its ways.
Ant Control on Holidays
TALMUD
Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel offers a unique method for dealing with ant hills on holidays, balancing the need for pest control with the restrictions of the festival. The Jerusalem Talmud, an ancient corpus of law, ethics, and stories from the land of Israel, in tractate Moed Katan, discusses permissible activities during the intermediate days of Jewish festivals, including this intriguing method of ant control.
A Lesson in Humility
MIDRASH
The dialogue between King Solomon and the queen of the ants imparts a valuable lesson about humility and recognizing higher powers. Louis Ginzberg’s early 20th-century compilation, Legends of the Jews, retells biblical stories with added details and interpretations from Jewish traditions.
Crop Ruination
COMMENTARY
The Mishnah in tractate Peah discusses whether fields that have been ruined by various means, including by ants, still have the requirement of leaving the corners of the field for the needy. Ovadiah Bartenura's 15th century commentary on the Mishnah provides additional insight into how ants damage fields of grain.
The Halakhic Dilemma of Eating an Ant
TALMUD
The halakhic implications of eating an ant delve into the nuances of Jewish dietary laws and the concept of liability for consuming forbidden creatures. The Talmudic discussion in tractate Nazir explores whether liability for eating an ant depends on it being a whole creature or just a viable entity.
Divine Wisdom in the Smallest of Creatures
JEWISH THOUGHT
The complexity and wonder of an ant's formation reflect the Creator's power and wisdom as much as, if not more than, the formation of larger creatures. In his 11th-century work, Duties of the Heart, Rabbi Bachya ibn Pekudah explores the manifestation of Divine wisdom in the creation of both large and small creatures.
The Legal Consequences of Eating Ants
TALMUD
Eating an ant violates multiple prohibitions in the Torah, leading to specific legal consequences. The Talmudic tractate Makkot details the exact number of lashes and the specific verses in Leviticus that are violated by consuming ants.
Nature's Tiny Strategists
COMMENTARY
Ants, though small and seemingly insignificant, demonstrate remarkable intelligence and foresight by preparing their food during the summer for the winter. Proverbs, part of the Ketuvim (Writings) in the Hebrew Bible, offers moral and ethical teachings, and Steinsaltz's commentary provides deeper insights into these teachings.
The Ant Sings Its Own Praises
LITURGY
Observing the ant can inspire us to be more diligent and wise. Perek Shirah, an ancient liturgical collection of verses associated with different parts of creation, uses the ant as a model of industriousness, drawing from Proverbs 6:6.
A coloured plate showing ants, from the British Library archive
A coloured plate showing ants, from the British Library archive
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