Keritot 11

בבואה לבבואה דבבואה נידע דאתי לביתיה

the reflection of his shadow, he will know that he will return home.

ולאו מילתא היא דילמא חלשא דעתיה ומתרע מזליה

But it is not the proper thing [to make these tests], for one might be discouraged and mar his fortune.

אמר אביי

Said Abaye: Since you hold that symbols are meaningful, every man should make it a habit to eat on New Year pumpkin, fenugreek, leek, beet and dates.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These are regarded as symbols of fertility, abundance and quick growth.');">¹</span>

השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא יהא רגיל איניש למיכל ריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי סילקא ותמרי

R'Mesharsheya said to his sons: 'When you wish to come before your teacher to learn, revise at first your Mishnah and then go to your teacher; and when you are sitting before your teacher look at the mouth of your teacher, as it is written: But thine eyes shall see thy teacher;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXX, 20.');">²</span>

א"ל רב משרשיא לבניה

and when you study any teaching, do so by the side of water, for as the water is drawn out, so your learning may be prolonged.

כי בעיתו למיזל למגמר קמיה רבכון גרוסו מעיקרא מתני' והדר עולו קמי רבכון

Be on the dustheaps of Matha Mehasia rather than in the palaces of Pumpeditha.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town which was reputed for violence and dishonesty; v. Hor. ');">³</span>

וכי יתביתו קמי רבכון חזו לפומיה דרבכון שנאמר

Eat a stinking fish rather than cutha<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cutha is a dish containing milk, breadcrumbs and salt. It is described in Pes. ');">⁴</span>

(ישעיהו ל, כ) והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך

that breaks rocks.

וכי גריסיתו שמעתא גרוסו על מיא דכי היכי דמשכי מיא תמשוך שמעתכון

And Hannah prayed and said: my heart exulteth in the Lord, my horn is exalted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. II, 1. lan');">⁵</span>

אקילקי דמתא מחסיא ולא אפדני דפומבדיתא

It says, 'my horn is exalted', but not 'my jar is exalted'.

טב גילדנא סריא למיכל מכותחא דרמי כיפי

David and Solomon were anointed from a horn,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. ibid. XVI, 13 and I Kings 1, 39. 'to blow', used with the 'horn' connotes at the same time to prolong.');">⁶</span>

(שמואל א ב, א) ותתפלל חנה ותאמר עלץ לבי בה' רמה קרני רמה קרני ולא רמה פכי

and therefore their rule was prolonged; Saul and Jehu, however, were anointed from a jar,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. I Sam. X, 1 and II Kings IX, 1, 3.');">⁷</span>

דוד ושלמה שנמשחו בקרן נמשכה מלכותם

and their rule<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., their dynasty.');">⁸</span>

שאול ויהוא שנמשחו מן הפך לא נמשכה מלכותם:

was not prolonged.

המפטם את הקטרת:

WHEN ONE COMPOUNDS INCENSE.

ת"ר

Our Rabbis have taught: 'When one compounds incense for experimenting or in order to hand it over to the community, he is culpable; if in order to smell of it, he is guilty.

המפטם את הקטרת ללמד בה או למוסרה לציבור פטור להריח בה חייב

He who smells it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the incense of the community.');">⁹</span>

והמריח בה פטור אלא שמעל

is not culpable,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e.,is not subject to kareth. Kareth is only prescribed for the manufacture of incense with the purpose to smell of it.');">¹⁰</span>

ומי איכא מעילה

but he is guilty of sacrilege.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. Mak. III, 1.');">¹¹</span>

והאמר ר"ש בן פזי א"ר יהושע ב"ל משום בר קפרא

But is smelling subject to the law of sacrilege?

קול ומראה וריח אין בהן משום מעילה

Has not R'Simeon son of Pazzi stated in the name of R'Joshua son of Levi on behalf of Bar Kappara: Hearing, seeing and smelling<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., of things belonging to Temple property, e.g., the smelling of incense.');">¹²</span>

ריח אחר שתעלה תמרתו אין בו משום מעילה [שהרי] אין לך דבר אחר שנעשה מצותו ומועלין בו

are not subject to the law of sacrilege?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because these are considered immaterial forms of use. V. pes. 26a.');">¹³</span>

אלמה לא

- The reference to smelling means, after the pillar of the [incense] smoke has ascended,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., after it had been burnt.');">¹⁴</span>

והרי תרומת הדשן דנעשית מצותה ומועלין בה

in which case it is not subject to the law of sacrilege, for nothing is subject to the law of sacrilege, after the prescribed command has been performed therewith.

משום דהוי תרומת הדשן ובגדי כהונה שני כתובים הבאים כאחד וכל שני כתובין הבאין כאחד אין מלמדים

Is this indeed so?

הניחא לרבנן אלא לר' דוסא מאי איכא למימר

Behold the separation of the ashes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the ashes separated from the altar and placed by the side of it. Cf. Lev. VI, 3 and Me'il. 11b.');">¹⁵</span>

דתניא

is subject to the law of sacrilege, although the prescribed, command has been performed therewith.

(ויקרא טז, כג) והניחם שם מלמד שטעונין גניזה

- The law concerning the separation of the ashes and that of the garments of the High Priest<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Used on the Day of Atonement, cf. Lev. XVI, 23f.');">¹⁶</span>

רבי דוסא אומר

are two texts teaching the same thing, and where two texts teach the same thing no inference may be made [from them].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or rather, the fact that the same law is applied in the text to two instances is taken to exclude its application to others.');">¹⁷</span>

כשירין הן לכהן הדיוט ומה תלמוד לומר והניחם שם שלא ישתמש בהן ביום הכפורים אחר

This is right according to the Rabbis, but what is to be said according to R'Dosa?

משום דהוי תרומת הדשן ועגלה ערופה שני כתובין הבאין כאחד וכל שני כתובין הבאין כאחד אין מלמדין

For it has been taught: And he shall place them [the garments] there,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid.');">¹⁸</span>

תרומת הדשן מאי היא

[means] that they have to be hidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., so as not to be used again. They are thus subject to sacrilege even after their use.');">¹⁹</span>

דתניא

R'Dosa holds: They may be used by an ordinary priest, and 'he shall place them there' means that he [the high priest] shall not use it again on another Day of Atonement.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hul. 117a.');">²⁰</span>

(ויקרא ו, ג) ושמו אצל המזבח מלמד שטעונין גניזה עגלה ערופה מאי היא

- The law concerning the separation of the ashes and that of the heifer whose neck is broken are two texts teaching the same thing, and where two texts teach the same thing no inference may be made [from them for other instances].'

דתניא

What is the case of the separation of the ashes? - It has been taught: He shall place it by the side of the altar;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. VI, 3.');">²¹</span>

(דברים כא, ד) וערפו שם את העגלה בנחל מלמד שטעונין גניזה

this teaches that it has to be hidden.'

ולמ"ד

What is the case of the heifer whose neck is broken? - It has been taught: And shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 4. 'There' is superfluous, and is taken to imply that it shall remain there for ever and must not be used. vpurgv');">²²</span>

שני כתובין הבאים כאחד מלמדין הכא ודאי אין מלמדין משום דהוי תרי מיעוטי

this teaches that it has to be buried.

בתרומת הדשן כתיב ושמו הדין אין מידי אחרינא לא גבי עגלה ערופה כתיב

And even according to him who holds, one may infer for other instances where two texts teach the same thing, here indeed no inference can be made because there are two limitations.

הערופה ערופה אין מידי אחרינא לא

In connection with the separation of the ashes, it is written: 'He shall place it': It, and not anything else; in connection with the heifer whose neck is broken, it is written: Whose neck is broken;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 6. The article in the word is superfluous and is understood in a restrictive sense.');">²³</span>

ת"ר

only the one whose neck is broken and not anything else.

פיטום הקטרת הצרי והציפורן והחלבנה והלבונה משקל שבעי' של שבעים מנה מור וקציעה שיבולת נרד וכרכום משקל ששה עשר של ששה עשר מנה הקושט שנים עשר קילופה שלשה וקנמון תשעה

Our Rabbis have taught: The compound of incense consisted of balm, onycha, galbanum and frankincense, each in the quantity of seventy manehs;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">²⁴</span>

בורית כרשינה תשעה קבין

of myrrh, cassia, spikenard and saffron, each sixteen manehs by weight; of costus twelve, of aromatic rind three, and of cinnamon nine manehs; of lye obtained from leek nine kabs;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">²⁴</span>

יין קפריסין סאין תלתא קבין תלתא אם אין לו יין קפריסין מביא חמר חיוריין עתיק

of Cyprus wine three se'ahs<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">²⁴</span>

מלח סדומית רובע מעלה עשן כל שהוא

and three kabs, though if Cyprus wine is not available, old white wine may be used instead; of salt of Sodom<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or sea-salt. Cf. B.B. 20b.');">²⁵</span>

ר' נתן אומר

the fourth of a kab, and of ma'aleh 'ashan<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'smoke-raiser', i.e., a herb which makes the smoke of the frankincense rise.');">²⁶</span>

אף כיפת הירדן כל שהוא

a minute quantity.

ואם נתן בה דבש פסלה

R'Nathan says: Also of Jordan resin a minute quantity.

חיסר אחת מכל סממניה חייב מיתה

If, however, honey is added, the incense is rendered unfit; while if one omits one of the ingredients,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the high priest who enters the Holy of Holies with the unfit incense (Rashi) . It may also refer to the manufacturer of the incense.');">²⁷</span>

רש"א

he is liable to the penalty of death.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the hand of heaven.');">²⁸</span>

הצרי אינו אלא שרף [הנוטף] מעצי הקטף

R'Simeon son of Gamaliel said: Balm is nothing but a resin which exudes from the wood of the balsam-tree; the lye obtained from leek was rubbed over the onycha in order to render it beautiful, and in the Cyprus wine the onycha was steeped that its odour might be intensified.

בורית כרשינה ששפין בה את הציפורן כדי שתהא נאה

In fact urine might well serve this purpose, but urine may not be brought within the precincts of the Temple.

יין קפריסין ששורין בו את הציפורן כדי שתהא עזה

This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The last passage.');">²⁹</span>

והלא מי רגלים יפין לה אלא שאין מכניסין מי רגלים למקדש

supports R'Jose son of R'Hanina, who says: It is holy and it shall be holy unto you,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXX, 32.');">³⁰</span>

מסייע ליה לר' יוסי בר"ח

implies that all work in connection therewith must be performed within the sacred precincts.

דאמר

An objection was raised: If one dedicates his possessions to the Temple<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Without specification, in which case the possessions go to the Temple repair fund; but the things suitable for the altar must not be used for the repair fund. Objects fit for communal offerings cannot be offered, however, for the community, because such offerings must be brought out of communal funds.');">³¹</span>

(שמות ל, לב) קדש היא קדש תהיה לכם כל מעשיה לא יהו אלא בקדש

and there are among them things fit for communal offerings, they shall be given to the [Temple] craftsmen as wages.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shek. IV, 6.');">³²</span>

מיתיבי

Now what is meant by 'things fit [for communal offerings]'?

המקדיש נכסיו והיו בה דברים הראויין לקרבנות הציבור ינתנו לאומנין בשכרן

If cattle or beast,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a standing phrase, not precise in this instance, as a beast of chase is not fit for the altar.');">³³</span>

הני דברים הראויין מאי נינהו

this has already been taught;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shek. IV, 6.');">³⁴</span>

אי בהמה וחיה תנא ליה אי יינות שמנים וסלתות תנא ליה

if wine, oil or fine flour, this has already been taught; hence It must refer to incense.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We thus find that the frankincense may be compounded as profane goods and then dedicated to the Temple.');">³⁵</span>

אלא לאו קטרת

- Said R'Oshaia: [It refers to] that which is given to the craftsmen as their wages;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the remnant of frankincense, left over from the past year; cf. R. H. 7a. At the beginning of Nisan the taxes for communal offerings were collected. The frankincense bought with the money of the previous levy was not allowed to be used in the new year. It was therefore necessary to resort to the device mentioned below, in order to make the use of the remnant in the new year possible.');">³⁶</span>

א"ר אושעיא

for we learnt: 'What was done with the remnant of the frankincense?

באותה הניתנת לאומנים בשכרן

They set apart [an amount equivalent to the craftsmen's] wages [from the Temple Treasury], the remnant was then exchanged against this money, handed over to the craftsmen as their wages and then bought back again from them with the money of the new levy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. IV, 5; cf. also Me'il. ');">³⁷</span>

דתניא

To this R'Joseph demurred: Surely in connection with all remnants it teaches: 'And then it is bought back again from the new levy'; whereas in connection with this teaching,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. Shek. IV, 6.');">³⁸</span>

מותר הקטרת מה היו עושין בה

this is not stated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It accordingly cannot refer to a remnant.');">³⁹</span>

היו מפרישין (ממנה) שכר האומנין ומחללין אותה על מעות האומנין ונותנין אותן לאומנין בשכרן וחוזרים ולוקחין אותה מתרומה חדשה

- Rather, said R'Joseph: It refers to one of the ingredients of the frankincense.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before the mixing, and not to the prepared incense.');">⁴⁰</span>

מתקיף לה רב יוסף

Our Rabbis have taught: The frankincense consisted of three hundred and sixty-eight manehs;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the total weight of the ingredients of incense, as expounded above.');">⁴¹</span>

הא בכולהו מותרות תני

three hundred and sixty-five<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the average length also of the Jewish year, if the leap years are taken into consideration.');">⁴²</span>

חוזרין ולוקחין אותה מתרומה חדשה והכא לא תני

corresponding to the days of the solar year, and of the three remaining manehs the high priest took his hands full [into the holy of holies] on the Day of Atonement,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. XVI, 12.');">⁴³</span>

אלא אמר רב יוסף

while the remnant was given to the craftsmen for their wages, as we have learnt: What was done with the remnant of the frankincense?

באחד מסממני הקטרת

They set apart an amount equivalent to the craftsmen's wages [from the Temple Treasury], the remnant was then exchanged against this money, handed over to the craftsmen as their wages and then bought back again from then, with the money of the Temple Chamber.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The version above of the same Mishnah reads 'new levy' instead of 'Temple Chamber' which is the same thing.');">⁴⁴</span>

ת"ר

קטרת היתה נעשית שס"ח מנה שס"ה כנגד ימות החמה שלשה מנין יתירין שמהן מכניס כהן גדול מלא חפניו ביום הכיפורים והשאר ניתנת לאומנין בשכרן

כדתניא

מותר הקטרת מה היו עושין בה

מפרישין (ממנה) שכר האומנין ומחללין אותה על מעות האומנין ונותנין אותן לאומנין בשכרן וחוזרין ולוקחין אותה מתרומת הלשכה