Bava Metzia 173

(בראשית יט, ג) ויפצר בם מאד א"ר אלעזר מכאן שמסרבין לקטן ואין מסרבין לגדול

<i>And he pressed upon them greatly</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XIX, 3. ');">¹</span> — R. Eleazar said: This teaches that one may shew unwillingness to an inferior person,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In declining his invitation. ');">²</span>

כתיב (בראשית יח, ה) ואקחה פת לחם וכתיב (בראשית יח, ז) ואל הבקר רץ אברהם אמר רבי אלעזר מכאן שצדיקים אומרים מעט ועושים הרבה רשעים אומרים הרבה ואפילו מעט אינם עושים

but not to a great man. It is written, <i>And I will fetch a morsel of bread</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVIII, 5. ');">³</span>

מנלן מעפרון מעיקרא כתיב (בראשית כג, טו) ארץ ארבע מאות שקל כסף ולבסוף כתיב (בראשית כג, טז) וישמע אברהם אל עפרון וישקל אברהם לעפרון את הכסף אשר דבר באזני בני חת ארבע מאות שקל כסף עובר לסוחר דלא שקל מיניה אלא קנטרי דאיכא דוכתא דקרי ליה לתיקלא קנטירא

but it is also written, <i>And Abraham ran unto the herd</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 7 — very much more than he offered. ');">⁴</span> Said R. Eleazar: This teaches that righteous men promise little and perform much; whereas the wicked promise much and do not perform even little. Whence do we know [the latter half]? — From Ephron. At first it is written, <i>The land is worth four hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIII, 15. ');">⁵</span>

כתיב (בראשית יח, ו) קמח וכתיב סלת א"ר יצחק מכאן שהאשה צרה עיניה באורחים יותר מן האיש

but subsequently, <i>And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver, current money with the merchant</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16. ');">⁶</span> indicating that he refused to accept anything but <i>centenaria</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Centenarius = 100 manehs; a maneh = 100 zuz = 25 shekels. ');">⁷</span>

כתיב (בראשית יח, ו) לושי ועשי עוגות וכתיב (בראשית יח, ח) ויקח חמאה וחלב ובן הבקר ואילו לחם לא אייתי לקמייהו

for there is a place where <i>shekels</i> are called <i>centenaria</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence he gave him 400 centenaria, instead of ordinary shekels as he demanded at first: this is deduced from the phrase 'current money with the merchant', implying that it was recognised everywhere as a shekel. ');">⁸</span> Scripture writes, [<i>ordinary</i>] <i>meal</i>, and [it is then written], <i>fine meal</i>!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XVIII, 6: And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of [H]; the two words being apparently mutually exclusive. ');">⁹</span>

אמר אפרים מקשאה תלמידו של רבי מאיר משמיה דרבי מאיר אברהם אבינו אוכל חולין בטהרה היה ושרה אמנו אותו היום פירסה נדה

— Said R. Isaac: This shews that a woman looks with a more grudging eye upon guests than a man.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Thus Abraham had to give her clear and specific instructions to provide fine meal; v. Meklenburg, J.Z. [H] a.l.] ');">¹⁰</span> It is written, <i>Knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">¹¹</span>

(בראשית יח, ט) ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך ויאמר הנה באהל להודיע ששרה אמנו צנועה היתה אמר רב יהודה אמר רב ואיתימא רבי יצחק יודעים היו מלאכי השרת ששרה אמנו באהל היתה אלא מאי באהל כדי לחבבה על בעלה

but it is also written, <i>And he took butter and milk, and the calf</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 8. ');">¹²</span> yet he brought no bread before them! — Ephraim Maksha'ah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Probably the disputant. [Or perhaps name of a place; v. Klein, MGWJ, 1920, P. 192.] ');">¹³</span>

רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא אמר כדי לשגר לה כוס של ברכה תני משום רבי יוסי למה נקוד על איו שבאליו לימדה תורה דרך ארץ שישאל אדם באכסניא שלו והאמר שמואל אין שואלין בשלום אשה כלל על ידי בעלה שאני

a disciple of R. Meir, said in his teacher's name: Our Patriarch Abraham ate <i>hullin</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">¹⁴</span> only when undefiled,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he treated hullin as consecrated food, which may not he eaten when defiled. ');">¹⁵</span>

(בראשית יח, יב) אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה אמר רב חסדא אחר שנתבלה הבשר ורבו הקמטין נתעדן הבשר ונתפשטו הקמטין וחזר היופי למקומו

and that day our mother Sarah had her menstrual period.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And so defiled the bread she had baked. As she was already old, the phenomenon was an earnest of the rejuvenation which was to make the birth of Isaac possible. ');">¹⁶</span> <i>And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, She is in the tent</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 9. ');">¹⁷</span>

כתיב (בראשית יח, יב) ואדוני זקן וכתיב (בראשית יח, יג) ואני זקנתי דלא מותיב הקב"ה כדקאמרה איהי

this is to inform us that she was modest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore kept herself secluded. ');">¹⁸</span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The Ministering Angels knew that our mother Sarah was in the tent, but why [bring out the fact that she was] in her tent? In order to make her beloved to her husband.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By impressing him with her modesty. ');">¹⁹</span>

תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל גדול שלום שאפי' הקב"ה שינה בו שנאמר (בראשית יח, יב) ותצחק שרה בקרבה וגו' (בראשית יח, יב) ואדוני זקן וכתיב (בראשית יח, יג) ויאמר ה' אל אברהם וגו' ואני זקנתי

R. Jose son of R. Hanina said: In order to send her the wine-cup of Benediction.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The wine-cup over which the Grace after meals is recited and which is partaken by all the guests. V. Ber. 51a.] ');">²⁰</span> It has been taught on the authority of R. Jose: Why are the letters <i>ejw</i> in <i>elajw</i> dotted?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And they said unto him, [H], is written [H]; [H] means, 'where is he?' ');">²¹</span>

(בראשית כא, ז) ותאמר מי מלל לאברהם הניקה בנים שרה כמה בנים הניקה שרה אמר רבי לוי אותו היום שגמל אברהם את יצחק בנו עשה סעודה גדולה היו כל אומות העולם מרננים ואומרים ראיתם זקן וזקנה שהביאו אסופי מן השוק ואומרים בנינו הוא ולא עוד אלא שעושין משתה גדול להעמיד דבריהם

The Torah thereby taught etiquette, that a man must enquire of his hostess [about his host].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus they asked Sarah, Where is he (sc. Abraham)' just as they asked him about her (Tosaf.). [Rashi interprets: that a man should enquire (of the host) about the hostess. On dotted letters, v. Sanh. (Sonc. ed.) p. 285, n. 3.] ');">²²</span> But did not Samuel say: One must not inquire at all after a woman's well-being?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to Tosaf.'s interpretation of the preceding dictum, this question cannot refer to it, but to the literal meaning of the verse, that they enquired after Sarah. ');">²³</span>

מה עשה אברהם אבינו הלך וזימן כל גדולי הדור ושרה אמנו זימנה את נשותיהם וכל אחת ואחת הביאה בנה עמה ומניקתה לא הביאה ונעשה נס בשרה אמנו ונפתחו דדיה כשני מעיינות והניקה את כולן ועדיין היו מרננים ואומרים אם שרה הבת תשעים שנה תלד אברהם בן מאה שנה יוליד מיד נהפך קלסתר פנים של יצחק ונדמה לאברהם פתחו כולם ואמרו (בראשית כה, יט) אברהם הוליד את יצחק

— [When enquiry is made] through her husband, it is different [and permitted]. <i>After I have waxed old, I have had youth</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 12. ');">²⁴</span>

עד אברהם לא היה זקנה מאן דהוה בעי למשתעי בהדי אברהם משתעי בהדי יצחק בהדי יצחק משתעי בהדי אברהם אתא אברהם בעא רחמי והוה זקנה שנאמר (בראשית כד, א) ואברהם זקן בא בימים

R. Hisda said: After the flesh is worn and the wrinkles have multiplied, the flesh was rejuvenated, the wrinkles were smoothed out, and beauty returned to its place. It is written, <i>And</i> my lord is<i> old</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 12. ');">²⁵</span>

עד יעקב לא הוה חולשא אתא יעקב בעא רחמי והוה חולשא שנאמר (בראשית מח, א) ויאמר ליוסף הנה אביך חולה עד דאתא אלישע לא הוה דחליש ואתפח אתא אלישע בעא רחמי ואתפח שנאמר (מלכים ב יג, יד) ואלישע חלה את חליו אשר ימות בו מכלל דחלה חלי אחריתי

but it is also written, [<i>And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child,] seeing that I am old</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 13. ');">²⁶</span> the Holy One, blessed be He, not putting the question in her words! — The School of Ishmael taught: Peace is a precious thing, for even the Holy One, blessed be He, made a variation for its sake, as it is written, <i>Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also</i>; whereas it is further written,<i> And the Lord said unto Abraham</i> etc…<i>seeing that I am old</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., God did not report that part of her statement which referred to Abraham's old age, [H], a.l.] ');">²⁷</span>

תנו רבנן שלשה חלאין חלה אלישע אחד שדחפו לגיחזי בשתי ידיו ואחד שגירה דובין בתינוקות ואחד שמת בו שנאמר (מלכים ב יג, יד) ואלישע חלה את חליו אשר ימות בו:

<i>And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXI, 7. ');">²⁸</span> How many children then did Sarah suckle?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Seeing that she had only one. ');">²⁹</span>

אלא עד שלא יתחילו במלאכה צא ואמור להם על מנת שאין לכם עלי אלא פת וקטנית כו': אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרב יוסף לרב חסדא פת קטנית תנן או פת וקטנית תנן אמר ליה האלהים צריכה וי"ו כי מורדיא דלברות:

— R. Levi said: On the day that Abraham weaned his son Isaac, he made a great banquet, and all the peoples of the world derided him, saying, 'Have you seen that old man and woman, who brought a foundling from the street, and now claim him as their son! And what is more, they make a great banquet to establish their claim!' What did our father Abraham do? — He went and invited all the great men of the age, and our mother Sarah invited their wives. Each one brought her child with her, but not the wetnurse, and a miracle happened unto our mother Sarah, her breasts opened like two fountains, and she suckled them all. Yet they still scoffed, saying, 'Granted that Sarah could give birth at the age of ninety, could Abraham beget [child] at the age of a hundred?' Immediately the lineaments of Isaac's visage changed and became like Abraham's, whereupon they all cried out, Abraham begat Isaac.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXV, 19. ');">³⁰</span> Until Abraham there was no old age;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., old age did not mark a Person. ');">³¹</span>

רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר אינו צריך הכל כמנהג המדינה: הכל לאתויי מאי לאתויי הא דתנן השוכר את הפועל ואמר לו כאחד וכשנים מבני העיר נותן לו כפחות שבשכירות דברי רבי יהושע וחכמים אומרים משמנין ביניהם:

whoever wished to speak to Abraham would speak to Isaac, and the reverse.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they looked exactly alike. ');">³²</span> Thereupon he prayed, and old age came into existence, as it is written, <i>And Abraham was old and well-stricken in age</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXIV, 1. He is the first mentioned to have been ill. ');">³³</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> ואלו אוכלין מן התורה העושה במחובר לקרקע בשעת גמר מלאכה ובתלוש מן הקרקע עד שלא נגמרה מלאכתו ובדבר שגידולו מן הארץ ואלו שאין אוכלים העושה במחובר לקרקע

Until Jacob there was no illness:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One lived his allotted years in full health and then died suddenly. ');">³⁴</span> then Jacob came and prayed, and illness came into being, as it is written, And one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XLVIII, 1; v. preceding note. ');">³⁵</span> Until Elisha no sick man ever recovered, but Elijah came and prayed, and he recovered, for it is written, Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XIII, 14. ');">³⁶</span> thus proving that he had been sick on previous occasions too,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'with a different sickness'. ');">³⁷</span> [but had recovered]. Our Rabbis taught: On three occasions did Elisha fall sick: once when he repulsed Gehazi with both hands;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Sanh. 107b. ');">³⁸</span> a second time when he incited bears against children;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. II Kings II, 23f. ');">³⁹</span> and a third with the sickness whereof he died, as it is written, Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings XIII, 14. ');">³⁶</span> BUT, BEFORE THEY BEGIN WORK, GO OUT AND TELL THEM, '[I ENGAGE YOU] ON CONDITION THAT YOU HAVE NO OTHER CLAIM UPON ME BUT BREAD AND PULSE' etc. R. Aha, the son of R. Joseph, said to R. Hisda: Did we learn, 'Bread [made] of pulse,' or 'bread and pulse'? — He replied: In very truth, a <i>waw</i> ['and'] is necessary<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., bread and beans. ');">⁴⁰</span> as large as a rudder on the Libruth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Libruth, a river or canal, unidentified. [For various attempts to explain the phrase. v. Perles, J. Beitrage z. rab. Sprach u. Alter., 1893, p. 6.] ');">⁴¹</span> R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: IT WAS UNNECESSARY [TO STIPULATE THUS]: EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON LOCAL CUSTOM. What does EVERYTHING add?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 496, n. 3. ');">⁴²</span> — It adds that which has been taught: If one engages a labourer, and stipulates, '[I will pay you] as one or two townspeople [are paid],' he must remunerate him with the lowest wage [paid]: this is R. Joshua's view. But the Sages say: An average must be struck.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And R. Simeon b. Gamaliel's principle teaches the view of the Sages. ');">⁴³</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. NOW, THE FOLLOWING [LABOURERS] MAY EAT [OF THAT UPON WHICH THEY ARE EMPLOYED] ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURAL LAW: HE WHO IS ENGAGED UPON THAT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE SOIL WHEN ITS LABOUR IS FINISHED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., when it is removed from the soil. ');">⁴⁴</span> AND UPON THAT WHICH IS DETACHED FROM THE SOIL BEFORE ITS LABOUR IS COMPLETED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., before it reaches the stage of being liable to tithes or the 'separation of dough'. ');">⁴⁵</span> PROVIDING THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT GROWS FROM THE EARTH. BUT THE FOLLOWING MAY NOT EAT: HE WHO IS ENGAGED UPON THAT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE SOIL