Derasha 1 on Bereishis 36:24

TT #54 · Parashas Vayishlach · Passuk 36:24

Complete Passuk

וְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־צִבְע֖וֹן וְאַיָּ֣ה וַעֲנָ֑ה ה֣וּא עֲנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָצָ֤א אֶת־הַיֵּמִם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בִּרְעֹת֥וֹ אֶת־הַחֲמֹרִ֖ים לְצִבְע֥וֹן אָבִֽיו׃

And these are the sons of Tzivon: Ayah and Anah. He is Anah who found the yemim in the wilderness while pasturing the donkeys for Tzivon his father.

Chabad · Genesis 36:24

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Pesachim 54a (and related discussions of the “yemim”).

Sefaria · Pesachim 54a

Core Text of Chazal

אשר מצא את הימים במדבר — מאי ימים? אמר רב: מוליא דחמרי, ורבי יהושע בן לוי אמר: חצי פרדות.

“Who found the yemim in the wilderness” — What are yemim? Rav said: mules; and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: half-mules.

On the daf / in context

The Gemara debates the identity of the mysterious “yemim” discovered by Anah.

Type of Learning

Derash on the rare word yemim (Bavli).

What Is Learned

The yemim found by Anah are identified by the Sages as mules or a related hybrid animal.