Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 1, scan section 65

allowed by the rabbis ? Is it not a fact that the rabbis allow the larger ? Said Ulla: (R. Jehudah refers to) the tooth of a key. " Glass of stifficient size," etc. A Boraitha states: Sufificient glass to cut two threads at once. "A splinter,'" etc. Said R. Na'hman in the name of R. Johanan : "Provided it is large enough to hurt." But how large should it be ? R. Elazar b. Jacob teaches in a Boraitha: The weight of ten zuz. Zunin once entered the college and questioned the teachers. " What is the prescribed quantity for gravel used in privy for toilet purposes?" He was answered: "The equivalent in quantity to the size of an olive, a nut, or an egg." Said he: " It would then be necessary to carry along a scale." So they deliberated, and decided that the quantity should be a handful. Rabba b. R. Shilla asked of R. Hisda: "Is it permitted to carry up gravel to the roof (for the purpose cited above, as it is 152 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. extra trouble, which is prohibited on the Sabbath) ? ' ' He an- swered: "Precious is the honor of man. For honor's sake, even a direct scriptural commandment may be circumvened ! " Said R. Johanan : It is forbidden to use fragments of earthen- ware for toilet purposes (after doing one's necessities) on the Sabbath. What is the reason ? Is it to say because it is dan- gerous, then it should be forbidden also on week days; or is it to say because of witchcraft, it would also be prohibited on week days ? What then is the reason ? Is it because it may remove the hair (from the posterior) ? Would this not be an act per- formed without intention (and work done unintentionally, he is of the opinion is permissible) ? R. Nathan b, Ashia answered : A great man made the assertion ; we have to find, therefore, a reason for it. There is no doubt whatever that fragments of earthenware are prohibited to be used on week days, when some other things can easily be obtained ; but on Sabbath, if nothing else happens to be on hand, nor may be bought, the fragments might be considered as utensils; and, lest one might be inclined to think that for this reason they would be permitted to be used, he informs us that they are not. Can witchcraft be exercised through the agency of fragments? Aye; for the following proves it : R. Hisda and Rabba b. R. Hana once travelled in a ship, and a matron who wanted to go on the same ship asked their permission to sit down near them, which they refused. She pronounced a certain word and the ship stood still, but they in turn pronounced a certain word and the ship moved on. She then said: " It grieves me sorely that I cannot inflict some pun- ishment on you, seeing that you use no fragments for toilet pur- poses, nor do you kill the vermin in garments, nor do you pull out vegetables from a bundle (but cut the bundle first). ' ' (Hence it may be seen that fragments can be used as a means for the exercise of witchcraft.) R. Huna said to his son Rabba: Why do you not go more frequently to R. Hisda, who expounds the law so pointedly ? Answered the son : " Of what use would it be? He never taught me but mere worldly knowledge, such as, for instance : Not to sit down to excrementize with a jerk nor to force myself too much, lest the intestines come out and endanger life." R. Huna then rejoined: " Thou sayest ' mere worldly knowledge.' He is in- terested in the life of the people, and you call it mere worldly knowledge. So much the more should you go to him." TRACT SABBATH. 153 R, Hisda and Rabhina differ as to the consequences of one withholding to perform his necessities. One is of the opinion that foul breath is the result, while the other holds that the entire body assumes a bad odor. The opinion of the latter is sup- ported by the following Boraitha: " He who takes nourishment while in need of performing his necessities is compared to a stove in which a fire was built without previously removing the ashes, which is invariably the cause of a bad smell. One who feels like performing his necessities, but cannot do so, R. Hisda advises that he keep on sitting down and getting up until able. R. Hanan from Neherdai advises him to look for another place, but the rabbis say the sole remedy is to think of nothing else." The rabbis taught : One who is about to eat a hearty meal should walk ten times four ells or four times ten ells, then per- form a (natural) necessity, and after that go in and sit down to the meal. MISHNA V. : The prescribed quantity of fragments (of earthenware) is the size of such as are placed between two boards, is the decree of R. Jehudah. R. Meir says, of a size sufficient to stir a fire with. R. Jossi, of a size to receive (hold) a quarter of a lug. Said R. Meir : Although no positive proof for my assertion can be found in the Scripture, still a vague refer- ence can be deduced from the passage [Isaiah, xxx. 14]: " So that there cannot be found among their fragments a sherd to rake fire from a hearth." Said R. Jossi: "Therefrom you would adduce your proof ? It says immediately after that [ibid., ibid.], ' and to draw water from a pit.' " GEMARA: We must assume that the prescribed quantity allowed by R. Jossi is larger than that allowed by R. Meir; but the scriptural text shows that R. Meir allows the larger; because, is it possible that the prophet will curse them with a larger object after having cursed them with a smaller ? Said Abayi : R. Meir also means a fragment used to stir a big fire with ; hence his frag- ment is larger than R. Jossi's. " Satd R. Jossi," etc. Is not R. Jossi's answer correct ? What could R. Meir rejoin ? R. Meir might say that the prophet intends to convey that not only shall they not have anything of the least value left, but they shall not even have anything that is as valueless as a piece of fragment big enough to contain a drop of water. CHAPTER IX. RABBI AQIBA's REGULATIONS ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS. MISHNA /. : R. Aqibasaid: Whence do we deduce that one who carries an idol is as unclean (ritually) as a woman suffering from menstruation ? From the passage [Isaiah, xxx. 23] : " Thou wilt cast them away as a filthy thing.* * Get thee hence ! ' wilt thou say unto them." Thus, in the same manner as a woman suffering from menstruation causes (ritual) uncleanness, so does also an idol. GEMARA: Rabba said: The passage mentioned in the Mishna should be interpreted thus: " Estrange f them from thy- self as a stranger; Get thee hence, say unto him, but tell him not to come in ! " Further Rabba said : It is unanimously conceded that the carrying of idols causes (ritual) uncleanness and hence it is compared to menstruation, but there is a dissenting opinion among the rabbis concerning a stone (used as a pedestal for an idol or upon which a woman suffering from menstruation chanced