Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 2, scan section 37

son about to give him exercise. R. Jehudah says: "When (may she do) this ? If the child lifts one foot and sets down the other; but if it trails (its leg) behind, she must not." GEMARA: Said R. Jehudah in the name of Rabh: " If a cow fall into a lake, it is allowed to throw into the lake bolsters, bundles, vessels, etc., in order to give the cow a foothold and enable her to get out." An objection was made: We have learned in a Boraitha: " If a cow fall into a lake, food may be brought to her in order that she may not starve to death." So it refers only to food, but nothing is said in reference to bolsters, etc. This presents no difificulty. Where food can be brought it may be done, but when the cow cannot be reached, bolsters, etc., may be brought. But a vessel that is prepared for other * Water was never kept uncovered in the Orient for fear of snakes, and any water that was found uncovered was immediately thrown out. 282 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. purposes is thereby destroyed ? That is simply a rabbinical ordinance, but pity for creatures is a Mosaic law and has prece- dence. "A runaway hen may be chased,'' etc. The hen may be chased, but not led. This is a similar teaching to that of an- other Boraitha, wherein we have learned, that all animals and birds may be led about in private ground with the exception of a hen. Why not a hen. Said Abayi: " Because a hen, when led, will not walk, but will jump and fly, and the man leading her will be forced to carry her. ' ' MISHNA: On a feast-day one must not deliver cattle, about to give birth, of their young, but may be of assistance to them in any other manner. One may give a woman (about to give birth to a child) all assistance possible, even call a midwife from a distance ; one may violate the Sabbath on her account and tie the navel-string. R. Jose says: One may also cut the string. Lastly, one may accomplish anything necessary for the circum- cision on the Sabbath. GEMARA: What is meant by " being of assistance "? Said R. Jehudah: " To hold up the young, that it may not fall," and R. Na'hman said: "To pull out the young by pressing the sides." R. Jehudah's explanation is supported by the following Boraitha: " How is an animal assisted in giving birth to her young ? By holding up the young, blowing air into its nos- trils, and leading it to its mother's breast, so that it may suck." R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said: " When a clean animal (one that may be eaten) gave birth to her young on a festival and would not take to it, we would coerce her into taking to her off- spring." How would this be done? Said Abayi: "They would bring a handful of salt, lay it in the mother's womb, and the pain that would be caused thereby would remind the mother of her young, and she would immediately take to them, and they would pour the water discharged by the mother on the young, so that the mother would scent it and seek her young. This was done, however, only with a clean animal, but not with an unclean animal. Why so ? Because usually an unclean ani- mal will not cast off her young, and should she do so, she will never take to them again." One may give a woman {about to give birth to a child) all assistance possible.'' Let us see! The Mishna says, that one may call a midwife even from a distance, and then, that one may violate the Sabbath on her account. What is the object in TRACT SABBATH. 283 particularizing what may be done ? The Mishna means to tell us, what the rabbis taught, viz. : "If a woman lying in is in need of a light, another woman may light a candle for her; and if she needs oil, the waitress may bring her oil through public ground in her hands; should that not be sufficient she may bring it in her hair, and if that does not suffice she may bring it in a vessel." The master said: "If a woman lying in is in need of a candle, another woman may light it for her." Is this not self- evident ? He means to tell us, that even if the woman lying in be blind, and one might say, that being blind she needs no candle, hence it should not be lit ; the candle should be lit for her at all events, for she may need a thing that others could not see without a light, while, by aid of the light, they would find it and hand it to her. Further, it says, that a woman may bring her oil in her hair. This would be worse still, for the hair would have to be wrung, and that would make the woman (who brought the oil) guilty of wringing (on Sabbath). Rabba and R. Joseph both said, that wringing hair does not constitute wringing within the meaning of the law. R. Ashi said: " Even if wringing the hair would constitute wringing within the meaning of the law, the woman should bring the oil in a vessel which should be placed on the hair (head) ; for any work which must of a necessity be performed on a Sabbath, should be performed in as far different a manner from that done on a week-day as possible." R. Jehudah said in the name of Samuel: "As long as the womb of a woman lying in is still open, whether she says she must have it done or not, the Sabbath may be violated for her. As soon, however, as the womb is closed, the Sabbath may be violated only if shfe says she must have it done ; other- wise, it must not be violated, so taught Mar Zutra. " R. Ashi, however, taught in the name of the preceding authority, that as soon as the womb is closed, even if the w^oman says she must have it done, the Sabbath must not be violated on her account. Said Rabhina to Mareimar: " Mar Zutra is more lenient in his teaching, and R. Ashi the stricter; according to whom does the Halakha prevail?" Answered Mareimar: "The Halakha according to Mar Zutra prevails, for it is the general rule, that wherever human lives are concerned, the more lenient teaching is always accepted as final." At what time is the womb considered to be open ? Abayi 284 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. said: " From the time the woman commences to give birth." R. Huna the son of R. Jehoshua said: " From the time blood commences to flow " ; and others say, from the time that she becomes helpless and her attendants lay her on the bed. How long is the womb considered to be open ? Abayi said, for three days after birth, and Rabha in the name of R. Jehu- dah said, for seven days, and others say for thirty days. The scholars of Neherdai divide the time of a woman lying in into three periods of three, seven, and thirty days each. During the first period, whether the woman says she must have it done or whether she says it need not be done, the Sabbath may be violated for her. During the second period, if she says it must be done, the Sabbath may be violated ; but if she says it need not be done, it must not be violated ; and during the third period,