Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 1, scan section 1

:if;!iii!itlii))tw»m)U tihravy of t:Ke theological Seminary PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY ^^i> PRESENTED BY John Stuart Conning, D.D. BM 500 .R6 1918 v. 1-2 Talmud. New edition of the Babylonian Talmud NEW EDITION \ OF THE Babylonian Talmud ©rtginal Uejt EbiteD, Corrected, 3Formulate&, an& Uran6late& into Engltsb BY MICHAEL L. RODKINSON JFlrst Bftftion "Revise D anO Correcte& BY THE REV. DR. ISAAC M. WISE President Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, O. Volume L TRACT SABBATH SECOND EDITION, RE-EDITED, REVISED AND ENLARGED Boston THE TALMUD SOCIETY 1918 EXPLANATORY REMARKS. In our translation we adopted these principles: }. Tenan of the original — We have learned in a Mishna; Tlawa— We have learned iu a Boraitha; Jtemar — It was taught. 3. Questions are indicated by the interrogation point, and are immediately followed by the answers, without being so marked. 3. When in the original there occur two statements separated by the phrase, Lishtia achrena or IVaibayith Aetna ox Ikha ^'a»«rj (literally, "otherwise interpreted"), we translate only the second. 4. As the pages of the original are indicated in our new Hebrew edition, it is not deemed necessary to mark them in the English edition, this being only a translation from the latter. 5. Words or passages enclosed in round parentheses ( ) denote the explanation rendered by Rashi to the foregoing sentence or word. Square parentheses [ ] contain commentaries by authorities of the last period of construction of the Gemara. CoPrtlGMT, 1903, B» MICHAEL L. KOUKINSON. Copyright 1916, by NEW TALMUD lUBLISHING SOCIETY TO EDWIN R. A. SELIGMAN, Ph.D. Professor of Political Science at Columbia University IN RECOGNITION OF VIS WARM INTEREST AND VALUABLE SERVICES IN PROMOTING THE STUDY OF LITERATURE, AND HIS GREAT INSTRUMENTALITY IN ASSISTING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO BROADEN THEIR MINDS, AND REACH A HIGHER SOCIAL PLANE, AND FOR HIS MANY WORKS FOR THE COMMUNAL WELFARE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN BEHALF OF THE EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE THIS VOLUME IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE EDITOR AND TRANSLATOR MICHAEL L. RODKINSON. June 15, 1901. New York City. CONTENTS. PAGE Preface to the Second Edition . . , , vii Editor's Preface ix Brief General Introduction to the Babylonian Talmud xv Introduction to Tract Sabbath ..... xxi Synopsis of Subjects of Volume I. — Tract Sabbath . xxix CHAPTER I. Regulations concerning Transfer on Sabbath . . i CHAPTER n. Regulations concerning the Sabbath and 'Hanukah Light 31 CHAPTER HI. Regulations concerning Stoves, Hearths, and Ovens . 63 CHAPTER IV. Regulations concerning the Depositing of Victuals on THE Sabbath 83 CHAPTER V. Regulations concerning Gear which May and May Not be Worn by Animals on the Sabbath ... 91 CHAPTER VI. Regulations concerning What Garments (serving as Ornaments) Women May Go Out with on the Sabbath 107 vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE The General Rule concerning the Principal Acts of Labor on Sabbath 127 CHAPTER VIII. Regulations concerning the Prescribed Quantity of Victuals and Beverages which Must Not be Carried ABOUT on the Sabbath 143 CHAPTER IX. Rabbi Aqiba's Regulations on Different Subjects , 154 CHAPTER X. Further Regulations concerning the Prescribed Quan- tity OF Things to be Stored 171 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The translator of the Talmud, who has now reached the thirteenth volume of his task, covering twenty-one tracts of this great work, certainly cannot point with any great pride to the fact that this is the second edition of his translation which first appeared in 1896, for he believes that the opening and bringing to light of a book so long withheld from the gaze of the curious, and even the learned, should have attracted more attention and deserved greater consideration than it has received. However, he is glad to see that thousands of readers have at last taken advantage of the opportunity of looking into the " sealed book," and to such an extent that second editions have become neces- sary, both of this volume and of the Tract Rosh Hashana of the fourth volume, which he has reedited and enlarged upon, add- ing many historical facts and legends, so that they now appear as practically new works. This is certainly an encouragement to him to continue his work^ with the hope that in time it will gain the proper rec- ognition and proper attention which he thinks this great work of the sixth century should receive at the hands of all scholars and even laymen. In revising this volume the translator had in mind the many criticisms which have been passed upon his effort and which have appeared in various papers throughout different countries, but he gave his attention to those only which were not prompted by animosity and jealousy. He begs to call the attention of all critics to the dictum of the Talmud, " Kal Hat'haloth Kashoth " (all beginnings are difficult) ; for, bearing this in mind, they would no doubt have been more moderate. viii PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The translator will be very grateful to critics who will call his attention to any mistakes made in the translation of the original text. However, he will positively ignore criticisms of the kind described above. The translator further hopes that this and the succeeding volumes will meet with the favor and approval of the public, which will be sufificient reward to repay him for his efforts. M. L. R. New York, June, 1901. EDITORS PREFACE. [To the first edition?^ The Hebrew edition of Rosh Hashana contains an elaborate introduction in three chapters, the translation of which does not appear as yet. Its contents include many important rules which we have followed in the entire work, but we do not feel called upon at this time to engross the time of the English reader by reciting them. We, however, deem it a duty to %z.y a few words, so that the reader may understand our position and the reason why we have undertaken a work which will probably be produc- tive of much adverse criticism in certain quarters. The fate of the Talmud has been the fate of the Jews. As soon as the Hebrew was born* he was surrounded by enemies. His whole history has been one of struggle against persecution and attack. Defamation and deformation have been his lot. So, too, has it been with the Talmud. At the beginning of its for- mative period, viz., the development of the Mishna, it was beset by such enemies as the Sadducees, the Boethusians, and other sects, not to mention the Roman Government. f When its canon was fixed, the Karaites tried to destroy or belittle its influ- ence, and since that time it has been subjected to an experience of unvarying difficulty. Yet, with remarkable truth, the words