Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Nedarim 109:7

שמע רבא ואתא לקמיה במעלי יומא דכפורי אשכחיה לשמעיה דהוה קא מזיג קמיה כסא דחמרא אמר ליה הב לי דאמזיג ליה אנא יהב ליה וקא מזיג איהו כסא דחמרא כי קא שתי אמר הדין מיזגא דמי למיזגא דרבא בריה דרב יוסף בר חמא אמר ליה הוא ניהו

should be given to Raba. So Raba sent [an enquiry] to R. Joseph: what is meant by 'allalta? — R. Joseph replied, It is [taught in] a Baraitha: And all agree that if he vows [abstinence] from tebu'ah, the five species only are forbidden him. Said Abaye to him. How compare? Tebu'ah implies only the five species, [whereas] 'allalta implies everything. When this was repeated before Raba, he observed, I am in no doubt that 'allalta means everything. My problem is this: What of the rent of houses and the hire of ships? Shall We say, Since they depreciate, they are not included in 'allalta,' or perhaps since the depreciation is imperceptible they [too] are termed 'allalta?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Allalta, perhaps derived by popular etymology from [H] to enter, to come in (as revenue), applies to that which appreciates, not depreciates. viz., field produce, which from the time of sowing until it is ready for food appreciates in value. Once ready, it cannot depreciate as food, whereas a house, even when still fit for its purpose, continuously depreciates. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> The scholars narrated this to R. Joseph, 'Since he does not need us!' he exclaimed, 'why did he send to us?' And so R. Joseph was annoyed. When Raba learnt this, he went before him on the eve of the Day of Atonement, and found his attendant mixing him a cup of wine.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Wine was not drunk raw, but had to be diluted with water. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>

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