Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath

Folio 76a

R. Eleazar said: This does not agree with R. Simeon b. Eleazar. For it was taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar stated a general rule: That which is not fit to put away, and such is not [generally] put away, yet it did become fit to a certain person¹  and he did put it away; then another came and carried it out, the latter is rendered liable through the former's intention.

MISHNAH. HE WHO CARRIES OUT A COW'S MOUTHFUL OF STRAW, A CAMEL'S MOUTHFUL OF PEA-STALKS ['EZAH], A LAMB'S MOUTHFUL OF EARS OF CORN, A GOAT'S MOUTHFUL OF HERBS, MOIST GARLIC OR ONION LEAVES TO THE SIZE OF A DRIED FIG, [OR] A GOAT'S MOUTHFUL OF DRY [LEAVES], [IS CULPABLE].²  AND THEY DO NOT COMBINE WITH EACH OTHER,³  BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ALIKE IN THEIR STANDARDS.

GEMARA. What is 'EZAH? — Said Rab Judah: The stalks of certain kinds of peas.

When R. Dimi came,⁴  he stated: If one carries out a cow's mouthful of straw for a camel, — R. Johanan maintained: He is culpable: R. Simeon b. Lakish said: He is not culpable. In the evening R. Johanan ruled thus, [but] in the morning he retracted. R. Joseph observed: He did well to retract, since it is not sufficient⁵  for a camel. Said Abaye to him: On the contrary, logic supports his original view, since it is sufficient for a cow.⁶  But when Rabin came,⁷  he said: If one carries out a cow's mouthful of straw for a camel, all agree that he is culpable. Where do they differ: if one carries out a cow's mouthful of pea-stalks for a cow,⁸  and the reverse was stated: R. Johanan maintained: He is not culpable; Resh Lakish maintained: He is culpable. R. Johanan maintained; He is not culpable: eating through pressing need is not designated eating. Resh Lakish maintained, He is culpable: eating through pressing need is designated eating.

A LAMB'S MOUTHFUL OF EARS OF CORN. But it was taught: As much as a dried fig? — Both standards are identical.

MOIST GARLIC OR ONION LEAVES TO THE SIZE OF A DRIED FIG, [OR] A GOAT'S MOUTHFUL OF DRY LEAVES. AND THEY DO NOT COMBINE WITH EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ALIKE IN THEIR STANDARDS. R. Jose b. Hanina said: They do not combine for the more stringent, but they do combine for the more lenient [standard].⁹  Yet can anything combine when their standards are not alike?¹⁰  But surely we learnt: A garment¹¹  three [handbreadths] square, a sack¹²  four square, a hide five square, and [reed] matting six square [are susceptible to uncleanness as midras].¹³  Now it was taught thereon: A garment, sacking, a hide, and matting combine with each other.¹⁴  And R. Simeon observed: What is the reason? Because they are liable to the uncleanness of sitting.¹⁵  Thus the reason is that they are liable to the uncleanness of sitting;¹⁶  but whatever is not liable to the uncleanness of sitting is not so? — Said Raba:

1. He found a use for it.
2. These are the respective minima to which value is assigned, and for which a penalty is incurred. Each is the minimum which will satisfy the animal whose food it is. Moist garlic or onion leaves are fit for human consumption, hence the standard of a dried fig, which is the minimum for all human food.
3. To make up the minimum.
4. V. p. 12, n. 9.
5. Lit., 'fit'.
6. And since it is cow's fodder, that is the determining factor, notwithstanding that he carries it out for a camel.
7. V. p. 12, n. 9.
8. This is not a cow's usual food, and it eats it only when nothing else is obtainable.
9. The commodity whose standard is greater does not combine with that whose standard is lesser to make up that lesser quantity, but the latter does combine with the former to make up the greater quantity. That which requires a lesser quantity is naturally more stringent.
10. Even for the more lenient?
11. I.e., a piece of cloth.
12. A rough material, as of goats hair.
13. v. p. 312, n. 9.
14. When joined to make up the requisite minimum, they are susceptible to midras.
15. I.e., the uncleanness caused by a zab's (q.v. Glos.) sitting upon them when pieced together. That is because one may employ them thus for patching up a saddle.
16. And having that in common, they can naturally combine.

Here too they are fit for patterns.¹

MISHNAH. HE WHO CARRIES OUT [HUMAN] FOODSTUFFS TO THE SIZE OF A DRIED FIG IS LIABLE, AND THEY COMBINE WITH EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THEY ARE EQUAL IN THEIR STANDARDS, EXCEPT THEIR SHELLS, KERNELS, STALKS, HUSKS²  AND COARSE BRAN.³  R. JUDAH SAID: EXCLUDING THE SHELLS OF LENTILS, BECAUSE THEY ARE BOILED TOGETHER WITH THEM.⁴

GEMARA. Now, do not husks and coarse bran combine [with the grain or flour]? But we learnt: Just over five quarters of flour are liable to hallah,⁵  [including] that itself [sc. the flour], the husks and the bran?⁶  — Said Abaye: That is because a poor man eats his bread [baked] of unsifted dough.⁷

R. JUDAH SAID: EXCLUDING THE SHELLS OF LENTILS, BECAUSE THEY ARE BOILED TOGETHER WITH THEM. Only lentils, but not beans? But it was taught, R. Judah said: Excluding the shells of beans and lentils. — There is no difficulty: The one refers to new [beans],⁸  the other to old. Why not old ones? Said R. Abbahti: Because they look like flies in the dish.⁹

CHAPTER VIII

MISHNAH. HE WHO CARRIES OUT [RAW] WINE, [THE STANDARD IS THAT IT BE] ENOUGH FOR THE MIXING OF A CUP;¹⁰  MILK, AS MUCH AS IS QUAFFED AT A TIME; HONEY, SUFFICIENT TO PLACE ON A SCAB;¹¹  OIL, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED TO RUB IN A SMALL LIMB; WATER, ENOUGH FOR RUBBING COLLYRIUM;¹²  AND ALL OTHER LIQUIDS, [THE STANDARD IS] A REBI'ITH;¹³  AND ALL WASTE WATER,¹⁴  A REBI'ITH. R. SIMEON SAID: [THE STANDARD FOR] ALL THESE IS A REBI'ITH, ALL THESE MEASURES HAVING BEEN STATED ONLY IN RESPECT OF THOSE WHO PUT THEM AWAY.¹⁵

GEMARA. A Tanna taught: Enough for the mixing of a full-measured¹⁶  cup. And what is a full-measured cup? The cup of benediction.¹⁷  R. Nahman said in Rabbah b. Abbuha's name: The cup of benediction must contain a quarter of a rebi'ith [of raw wine], so that it may be mixed and amount to a rebi'ith. Said Raba, We too

1. These can be pieced together to serve as a commercial pattern or sample of one's ware.
2. Or, thin bran (Levy, Worterbuch).
3. These are not eaten, and consequently do not combine with the edible foodstuffs.
4. Hence they count as foodstuffs too, and are excluded from the exception.
5. v. supra 15a for notes.
6. Thus they do combine.
7. But with respect to the Sabbath bread of better quality is required before liability is incurred.
8. Their shells combine.
9. The peel of old beans goes black and when in the dish looks like flies.
10. Wine had to be mixed with water before it could be drunk.
11. Rashi offers two interpretations: (i) the sore spot on the backs of horses or camels, caused by the chafing of the saddle; (ii) a bruise on the hand or foot.
12. An eye-salve. Rashi: to rub it over and cause it to dissolve. — So that it can be applied to the eye in liquid form.
13. v. Glos.
14. Any dirty liquid that must be poured out.
15. v. supra 75b, p. 359, n. 6. Here Rashi explains: These measures are less than a rebi'ith, and only one who actually put away that quantity and then carries it out is liable to a sin-offering. Tosaf. on 75b s.v. [H] accepts Rashi's explanation a.l. and rejects the present one.
16. Lit., 'fair'.
17. Grace after meals. It is sometimes recited over a cup of wine, which must be a full-measured rebi'ith, i.e., full to the very brim.