Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 13, scan section 79

harvest-time for the purpose of increasing the price). And so we have also learned in the following Boraitha: One must not forestall fruit, grain, etc., by which a livelihood is made, as, e.g., wine, oil, and fine flour; but spices, pepper, etc., one may. This is said, however, if one buys it from the market; but from one's own field it is allowed to store everything. One is also allowed to store up in Palestine for the following three years — for the eve of a Sabbatic year, for the Sabbatic year itself, and for the succeeding year (as in the last year people must wait for the new crop). In famine years, however, even a kab of carobs must not be stored up, for it produces a curse to the prices. R. Jose b. Hanina said to Puga his servant: Go, store up for me grain for three years — for the eve of the Sab- batic year, the Sabbatic year itself, and the succeeding year. The rabbis taught : There must not be exported from Pales- tine things by which a livelihood is made, as wine, oil, and fine meal. R. Jehudah b. Bathyra allows to export wine, because it diminishes intoxication ; and even from Palestine to Syria the export of the above is prohibited. Rabbi, however, allows ex- port from the last province of Palestine to the first province of Syria which bounds it. The rabbis taught : One must not buy from the farmer things by which a livelihood is made for the purpose of selling in the market at a higher price in the provinces of Palestine; but for the farmer himself it is allowed to sell in the markets. It was said, however, that R. Elazar b. Azarya used to sell wine and oil to the retail dealers, and they sold it at a higher price; and the reason was, that he holds with R. Jehudah con- cerning wine ; and oil was abundant in the markets of his place, so that the retail dealers could not affect the price. The rabbis taught: One must not derive twice a profit on eggs. Said Mari b. Mari: In the interpretation of the Boraitha Rabh and Samuel differ. According to one, it means one shall not double the price; and according to the other, it means one seller shall not sell it to another seller so that he has profit, and the seller in the market will also make a profit — but he himself must sell it in the market. The rabbis taught: It may be prayed by blowing of horns, even on Sabbath, when business becomes dull. Said R. Jo- hanan: This is to be done in case remnants of flax become very low in Babylon, and wine and oil in Palestine. Said R. Joseph: Provided that the stuff was lowered to near half-price. TRACT BABA BATHRA (LAST GATE). 199 The rabbis taught: One must not emigrate from Palestine to other provinces, unless the price of grain has increased to the extent of a selah for two saahs. Said R. Simeon: This is only when one could not find any grain at all to buy; but if he can get it even at the price of a selah for each saah, one must not emigrate. And so also was the opinion of R. Simeon b. Johai, who used to say that Elimelech, Mahlon, and Kilyon were the great men of their generation, and were their leaders; and they were punished only because they emigrated from Palestine. As it is written [Ruth, i. 19]: " All the city was in commotion about them, and people said. Is this Naomi?" And to the question: What does it mean ? said R. Itz'hak: It means: See what has become of Naomi, who emigrated from Palestine. He said again : At that day when Ruth reached Palestine, the wife of Boaz had died ; and this is what people say, that before the deceased departed the substitute for managing the house was already prepared. Rabba b. R. Huna in the name of Rabh said : Boaz is identical with Ibzan. What came he to teach us ? That which was said in his name elsewhere, viz. : One hundred and twenty banquets Boaz made for his children. As it is written [Judges, xii. 9]: " And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in for his sons from abroad," etc. And at each marriage two banquets were given — one in the father's and one in the father- in-law's house — and to not one of them did he invite Manoah, saying: What return can I expect of this childless man ? And there is a Boraitha that all the children died when he (Boaz) was still alive. And he remarried and begat one who was better than all the sixty, the same was Obed, who was born by Ruth, from whom David descended. R. Hanan b. Rabha in the name of Rabh said: Elimelech, Shalman the kinsman, [Ruth, iv. i] and the father of Naomi all were the descendants of Nahshon ben Aminadab. To what purpose was it said ? To teach that even him who is a descend- ant of such great men, the meritorious acts of his parents do not absolve him when he emigrates from Palestine. The same said again in the name of the same authority: The name of Abraham's mother was Amthlai bath Khrubu, and the name of Haman's mother was Amthlai bath Urbthi; the name of the mother of David was Nzb'th bath Edal ; the mother of Samp- son, Z'llpunith, and his sister N'shiin. To what purpose was this said ? For an answer to the Epicuristen (who deny all 200 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. the legends of the Bible, saying, for instance: If Abraham ex- isted, why was his mother's name not mentioned, as doubtless his father had many wives, and the mother of Abraham should be distinguished, the same being the case with the others men- tioned above? and we answer them that all their names are known to us traditionally). The same said again in the name of the same authority: Abraham our father was in prison ten years — three in the city of Khutha and seven in Qurdu. R. Dimi of Nahardea, how- ever, taught the reverse (seven in Khutha and three in Qurdu; some say that he was imprisoned by Nimrod and others by his father, because he broke his idols). R. Hisda said: The city Eibra-Zeira of Khutha is the city Ur Kasdim mentioned in the Bible. R. Hanan b. Rabha in the name of Rabh said again: On the day when Abraham our father departed from this world, all the great men of the nations stood up in a file and said : Woe to the world, that has lost its leader ! and woe to the ship, that has lost its jt^y5f/3V7<27? (steerer) ! It is written [I Chron. xxix. ii]: "And thou art exalted as the head above all." And the above said in the name of Rabh : Even an ofificer of wells (who has to keep order in using them for watering the fields) is appointed by Heaven {i.e., that even such an insignificant ofifice is not filled without the decree of Heaven; and he takes the verse literally, " and thou art ex- alted over all the heads that are appointed by thee "). R. Hyya b. Abin in the name of R. Jehoshua b. Karsha said: Elimelech would not emigrate from Palestine, if he could get even bran-f^our for use. But why was he punished ? Be-