Bava Metzia 118

וזה הוא תנור של עכנאי מאי עכנאי אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל שהקיפו דברים כעכנא זו וטמאוהו תנא באותו היום השיב רבי אליעזר כל תשובות שבעולם ולא קיבלו הימנו

and this was the oven of 'Aknai.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This refers to an oven, which, instead of being made in one piece, was made in a series of separate portions with a layer of sand between each. R. Eliezer maintains that since each portion in itself is not a utensil, the sand between prevents the whole structure from being regarded as a single utensil, and therefore it is not liable to uncleanness. The Sages however hold that the outer coating of mortar or cement unifies the whole, and it is therefore liable to uncleanness. (This is the explanation given by Maimonides on the Mishnah, Kel. V, 10. Rashi a.l. adopts a different reasoning). 'Aknai is a proper noun, probably the name of a master, but it also means 'snake'. ([G]) which meaning the Talmud proceeds to discuss. ');">¹</span> Why [the oven of] 'Aknai? — Said Rab Judah in Samuel's name: [It means] that they encompassed it with arguments<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'words'. ');">²</span>

אמר להם אם הלכה כמותי חרוב זה יוכיח נעקר חרוב ממקומו מאה אמה ואמרי לה ארבע מאות אמה אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מן החרוב חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי אמת המים יוכיחו חזרו אמת המים לאחוריהם אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מאמת המים

as a snake, and proved it unclean. It has been taught: On that day R. Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'all the arguments in the world'. ');">³</span> but they did not accept them. Said he to them: 'If the <i>halachah</i> agrees with me, let this carob-tree prove it!' Thereupon the carob-tree was torn a hundred cubits out of its place — others affirm, four hundred cubits. 'No proof can be brought from a carob-tree,' they retorted. Again he said to them: 'If the <i>halachah</i> agrees with me, let the stream of water prove it!' Whereupon the stream of water flowed backwards — 'No proof can be brought from a stream of water,' they rejoined. Again he urged: 'If the <i>halachah</i> agrees with me, let the walls of the schoolhouse prove it,' whereupon the walls inclined to fall. But R. Joshua rebuked them, saying: 'When scholars are engaged in a halachic dispute, what have ye to interfere?' Hence they did not fall, in honour of R. Joshua, nor did they resume the upright, in honour of R. Eliezer; and they are still standing thus inclined. Again he said to them: 'If the <i>halachah</i> agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!' Whereupon a Heavenly Voice cried out: 'Why do ye dispute with R. Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the <i>halachah</i> agrees with him!' But R. Joshua arose and exclaimed: 'It is not in heaven.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXX, 12. ');">⁴</span>

חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי כותלי בית המדרש יוכיחו הטו כותלי בית המדרש ליפול גער בהם רבי יהושע אמר להם אם תלמידי חכמים מנצחים זה את זה בהלכה אתם מה טיבכם לא נפלו מפני כבודו של רבי יהושע ולא זקפו מפני כבודו של ר"א ועדיין מטין ועומדין

What did he mean by this? — Said R. Jeremiah: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai; we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice, because Thou hast long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai, After the majority must one incline.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 2, though the story is told in a legendary form, this is a remarkable assertion of the independence of human reasoning. ');">⁵</span> R. Nathan met Elijah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was believed that Elijah, who had never died, often appeared to the Rabbis. ');">⁶</span>

חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי מן השמים יוכיחו יצאתה בת קול ואמרה מה לכם אצל ר"א שהלכה כמותו בכ"מ

and asked him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do in that hour? — He laughed [with joy], he replied, saying, 'My sons have defeated Me, My sons have defeated Me.' It was said: On that day all objects which R. Eliezer had declared clean were brought and burnt in fire.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As unclean. ');">⁷</span> Then they took a vote and excommunicated him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'blessed him,' a euphemism for excommunication. ');">⁸</span>

עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו ואמר (דברים ל, יב) לא בשמים היא מאי לא בשמים היא אמר רבי ירמיה שכבר נתנה תורה מהר סיני אין אנו משגיחין בבת קול שכבר כתבת בהר סיני בתורה (שמות כג, ב) אחרי רבים להטות אשכחיה רבי נתן לאליהו א"ל מאי עביד קוב"ה בההיא שעתא א"ל קא חייך ואמר נצחוני בני נצחוני בני

Said they, 'Who shall go and inform him?' 'I will go,' answered R. Akiba, 'lest an unsuitable person go and inform him, and thus destroy the whole world.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., commit a great wrong by informing him tactlessly and brutally. ');">⁹</span> What did R. Akiba do? He donned black garments and wrapped himself in black,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As a sign of mourning, which a person under the ban had to observe. ');">¹⁰</span>

אמרו אותו היום הביאו כל טהרות שטיהר ר"א ושרפום באש ונמנו עליו וברכוהו ואמרו מי ילך ויודיעו אמר להם ר"ע אני אלך שמא ילך אדם שאינו הגון ויודיעו ונמצא מחריב את כל העולם כולו

and sat at a distance of four cubits from him. 'Akiba,' said R. Eliezer to him, 'what has particularly happened to-day?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what is this day (different) from yesterday (or to-morrow)?' ');">¹¹</span> 'Master,' he replied, 'it appears to me that thy companions hold aloof from thee.' Thereupon he too rent his garments, put off his shoes, removed [his seat] and sat on the earth, whilst tears streamed from his eyes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rending the garments etc. were all mourning observances. (In ancient times mourners sat actually upon the earth, not, as nowadays, upon low stools.) — The character of R. Eliezer is hotly contested by Weiss and Halevi. The former, mainly on the basis of this story (though adducing some other proof too), severely castigates him as a man of extreme stubbornness and conceit, who would brook no disagreement, a bitter controversialist from his youth until death, and ever seeking quarrels (Dor. II, 82). Halevy (Doroth 1, 5, pp. 374 et seqq.) energetically defends him, pointing out that this is the only instance recorded in the whole Talmud of R. Eliezer's maintaining his view against the majority. He further contends that the meekness with which he accepted his sentence, though he was sufficiently great to have disputed and fought it, is a powerful testimony to his humility and peace-loving nature. ');">¹²</span>

מה עשה ר"ע לבש שחורים ונתעטף שחורים וישב לפניו ברחוק ארבע אמות אמר לו ר"א עקיבא מה יום מיומים אמר לו רבי כמדומה לי שחבירים בדילים ממך אף הוא קרע בגדיו וחלץ מנעליו ונשמט וישב על גבי קרקע

The world was then smitten: a third of the olive crop, a third of the wheat, and a third of the barley crop. Some say, the dough in women's hands swelled up. A Tanna taught: Great was the calamity that befell that day, for everything at which R. Eliezer cast his eyes was burned up. R. Gamaliel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Nasi and the prime mover in the ban against R. Eliezer. ');">¹³</span>

זלגו עיניו דמעות לקה העולם שליש בזיתים ושליש בחטים ושליש בשעורים ויש אומרים אף בצק שבידי אשה טפח תנא אך גדול היה באותו היום שבכל מקום שנתן בו עיניו ר"א נשרף

too was travelling in a ship, when a huge wave arose to drown him. 'It appears to me,' he reflected, 'that this is on account of none other but R. Eliezer b. Hyrcanus.' Thereupon he arose and exclaimed, 'Sovereign of the Universe! Thou knowest full well that I have not acted for my honour, nor for the honour of my paternal house, but for Thine, so that strife may not multiply in Israel! 'At that the raging sea subsided. Ima Shalom was R. Eliezer's wife, and sister to R. Gamaliel. From the time of this incident onwards she did not permit him to fall upon his face.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the Eighteen Benedictions there follows a short interval for private prayer, during which each person offered up his own individual supplications to God. These were called supplications ([H]), and the suppliant prostrated himself upon his face; they were omitted on New Moons and Festivals. — Elbogen, Der judische Gottesdienst, pp. 73 et seq. Ima Shalom feared that her husband might pour out his grief and feeling of injury in these prayers, and that God, listening to them, would punish R. Gamaliel, her brother. ');">¹⁴</span>

ואף ר"ג היה בא בספינה עמד עליו נחשול לטבעו אמר כמדומה לי שאין זה אלא בשביל ר"א בן הורקנוס עמד על רגליו ואמר רבונו של עולם גלוי וידוע לפניך שלא לכבודי עשיתי ולא לכבוד בית אבא עשיתי אלא לכבודך שלא ירבו מחלוקות בישראל נח הים מזעפו

Now a certain day happened to be New Moon, but she mistook a full month for a defective one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jewish months consist of either 30 days (full) or 29 (defective). Thinking that the previous month had consisted of 29 days, and that the 30th would be New Moon, she believed that R. Eliezer could not engage in these private prayers in any case, and relaxed her watch over him. But actually it was a full month, so that the 30th was an ordinary day, when these prayers are permitted. ');">¹⁵</span> Others say, a poor man came and stood at the door, and she took out some bread to him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., she did not mistake the day, but was momentarily forced to leave her husband in order to give bread to a beggar. ');">¹⁶</span>

אימא שלום דביתהו דר"א אחתיה דר"ג הואי מההוא מעשה ואילך לא הוה שבקה ליה לר"א למיפל על אפיה ההוא יומא ריש ירחא הוה ואיחלף לה בין מלא לחסר איכא דאמרי אתא עניא וקאי אבבא אפיקא ליה ריפתא

[On her return] she found him fallen on his face. 'Arise,' she cried out to him, 'thou hast slain my brother.' In the meanwhile an announcement was made from the house of Rabban Gamaliel that he had died. 'Whence dost thou know it?' he questioned her. 'I have this tradition from my father's house: All gates are locked, excepting the gates of wounded feelings.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'wrong', v. p. 354, n. 4. She felt sure that R. Eliezer had seized the opportunity of her absence or error to cry out to God about the ban. ');">¹⁷</span> Our Rabbis taught: He who wounds the feelings of a proselyte transgresses three negative injunctions, and he who oppresses him infringes two. Wherein does wronging differ? Because three negative injunctions are stated: Viz., <i>Thou shalt not wrong a stranger</i> [i.e., a proselyte],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 20. ');">¹⁸</span>

אשכחתיה דנפל על אנפיה אמרה ליה קום קטלית לאחי אדהכי נפק שיפורא מבית רבן גמליאל דשכיב אמר לה מנא ידעת אמרה ליה כך מקובלני מבית אבי אבא כל השערים ננעלים חוץ משערי אונאה

<i>And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not wrong him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIX, 33. ');">¹⁹</span></i> and ye shall not therefore wrong each his fellowman,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 17. ');">²⁰</span>

תנו רבנן המאנה את הגר עובר בשלשה לאוין והלוחצו עובר בשנים

a proselyte being included in <i>'fellowman</i>.' But for 'oppression' also three are written, viz., <i>and thou shalt not oppress him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 20. ');">²¹</span></i> Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 9. ');">²²</span>

מאי שנא מאנה דכתיבי שלשה לאוין (שמות כב, כ) וגר לא תונה (ויקרא יט, לג) וכי יגור אתך גר בארצכם לא תונו אותו (ויקרא כה, יז) ולא תונו איש את עמיתו וגר בכלל עמיתו הוא לוחצו נמי שלשה כתיבי (שמות כב, כ) ולא תלחצנו (שמות כג, ט) וגר לא תלחץ (שמות כב, כד) ולא תהיה לו כנושה וגר בכלל הוא אלא אחד זה ואחד זה בשלשה

and [<i>If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee,] thou shalt not be to him as a usurer</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 24 ');">²³</span> which includes a proselyte! — But [say] both [are forbidden] by three [injunctions].

תניא רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר מפני מה הזהירה תורה בל"ו מקומות ואמרי לה במ"ו מקומות בגר מפני שסורו רע

It has been taught: R. Eliezer the Great said: Why did the Torah warn against [the wronging of] a proselyte in thirty-six, or as others say, in forty-six, places? Because he has a strong inclination to evil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi in Hor. 13a. Jast.: because his original character is bad — into which evil treatment might cause him to relapse. ');">²⁴</span> What is the meaning of the verse,<i> Thou shalt neither wrong a stranger, nor oppress him; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt</i>? It has been taught: R. Nathan said: Do not taunt your neighbour with the blemish you yourself have.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus be translates the verse: Do not wrong a proselyte by taunting him with being a stranger to the jewish people seeing that ye yourselves were strangers in Egypt. ');">²⁵</span>

מאי דכתיב וגר לא תונה ולא תלחצנו כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים (תנינא) רבי נתן אומר מום שבך אל תאמר לחברך והיינו דאמרי אינשי דזקיף ליה זקיפא בדיותקיה לא נימא ליה לחבריה זקיף ביניתא:

And thus the proverb runs:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'people say.' ');">²⁶</span> If there is a case of hanging in a man's family record, say not to him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [So MS.M.; cur. edd. read, 'to his fellow'.] ');">²⁷</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> אין מערבין פירות בפירות אפי' חדשים בחדשים

'Hang this fish up for me.' <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. PRODUCE MAY NOT BE MIXED WITH OTHER PRODUCE, EVEN NEW WITH NEW,