Bar Juchne

Bar Juchne
Grouping Local legend
Sub grouping Bird
Country Middle East
Region Uncertain
Habitat Presumably lived near water.

Bar Juchne or Bar-Yuchnei is a colossal legendary bird from Jewish mythology which was believed to have a wingspan large enough to block out the sun.

The first mention of the creature comes from the Talmud (Bekhorot, fol. 57 col. 2)[1] which tells of a Bar Juchne egg falling from its nest and destroying 300 cedars and flooding 60 villages/cities.[2] The Talmud says of the event: 'The question therefore arose, "Does the bird generally throw out its eggs?" Rav Ashi replied, "No; that was a rotten one."'[1]

The Bar Juchne is often compared to other monstrous birds thought to roam the skies over the Middle Eastern region, like the Roc and the Anak. Researchers have suggested that reports of these large avian creatures across the Middle Eastern Area may have originated from sightings of actual giant birds, perhaps even a surviving prehistoric relic, maybe a Pterosaur like creature. What ever it was has surely moved on or died out by now as modern sightings of large birds in the skies of the Middle East have all but ceased, leaving us to wonder just what was at the bottom of all these giant bird legends.

It is said that it would be roasted, along with Leviathan and Behemoth, and served at a banquet for the Children of Israel at the coming of the Messiah.[3]

See also

References

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  1. 1 2 A Talmudic Miscellany, trans Paul Isaac Hershon, Routledge, 2001, ISBN 0415244587 Google Books
  2. ↑ Encyclopedia metropolitan, FA Cox, Griffin, 1852 Google Books
  3. ↑ The Classical Journal, Vol XVI, Sep/Dec 1817, London Google Books
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