Moed Katan 31

זו עשירית האיפה שלו דברי רבי יהודה

- which is his [own meal-oblation<a rel="footnote" href="#1">¹</a> consisting of] one tenth part of an ephah [of fine flour]: These are the words of R'Judah. R'Simeon says, [the wording:] And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary [into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary], he shall offer his sinoffering<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIV, 27.');">²</span>

ר"ש אומר (יחזקאל מד, כז) בבאו יקריב בזמן שראוי לביאה ראוי להקרבה בזמן שאינו ראוי לביאה אינו ראוי להקרבה

[implies that only] when he is fit to go into the sanctuary he is fit to offer up [his own oblation]: and when he is not fit to go into the sanctuary, he not fit to offer up [his own oblation].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That is, R. Simeon does not allow a leper and common priest or a layman to send his offerings to the Temple until after his purification and atonement by sacrifices. For a leper had to attend in person to be purified by the stated ceremony (Lev. XIV, 11, 14-18, 20) .');">³</span> Raba said: Whence do we know<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Scripturally.');">⁴</span> the regulation that we send a messenger of the Court?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So amended by Bah. V. D.S. To invite one to a suit.');">⁵</span>

אמר רבא מנלן דמשדרין שליחא דבי דינא ומזמנינן ליה לדינא דכתיב (במדבר טז, יב) וישלח משה לקרא לדתן ולאבירם בני אליאב ומנלן דמזמנינן לדינא דכתיב (במדבר טז, טז) ויאמר משה אל קרח אתה וכל עדתך

- From what is written: And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 12.');">⁶</span> And whence do we know that we summon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The defendant.');">⁷</span> him to attend [in person]? - From what is written, And Moses said to Korah, Be thou and all thy congregation before the Lord, thou and Aaron [tomorrow].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16.');">⁸</span>

לקמי גברא רבה דכתיב (במדבר טז, טז) לפני ה' את ופלניא דכתיב אתה והם ואהרן דקבעינן זימנא דכתיב מחר זימנא בתר זימנא דכתיב (ירמיהו מו, יז) קראו שם פרעה מלך מצרים שאון העביר המועד

[Whence, to appear] 'before a great personage'? - From what is written, Before the lord.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16.');">⁸</span> [To name both parties], 'thou and So-and-so'? - From what is written, Thou and they [that are with thee] and Aaron.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16.');">⁸</span> That we fix a time? - As it is written, To-morrow.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16.');">⁸</span>

ומנלן דאי מתפקר בשליחא דבי דינא ואתי ואמר לא מיתחזי כלישנא בישא דכתיב (במדבר טז, יד) העיני האנשים ההם תנקר

Time and again?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he does not obey the first summons.');">⁹</span> - As it is written: They called there,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Summoned', so the Targum.');">¹⁰</span> Pharaoh the king of Eqypt [the author of] 'commotion'; he hath let the appointed time pass by.

ומנלן דמשמתינן דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) אורו מרוז דהכי סברא דגברא רבה דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) אמר מלאך ה' ומנלן דמחרמינן דכתיב אורו ארור

[As I live, saith the King, the Lord of Hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XLVI, 17-18. V. Rash. Cf. Targum and Rashi ad loc cit.');">¹¹</span> And whence do we know that if one behaves insolently towards the Court's messenger and the latter comes and reports it, this is not deemed slander [on his part]? - As it is written: [And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab]; And they said: [We will not come up].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 12.');">⁶</span> Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men?

דאכיל ושתי בהדיה וקאי בארבע אמות דידיה דכתיב יושביה ומנלן דפרטינן חטאיה בציבורא דכתיב (שופטים ה, כג) כי לא באו לעזרת ה'

[We will not come up].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVI, 12-l4. V. Rashi. ibh,nan ibhsnan sna');">¹²</span> Whence do we derive that we [may] pronounce a shammetha<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' probably a dialectical form for from to curse, which occurs in this sense of 'cursing' in a Nabatean El-Hejra inscription (Cooke N. Sem. Inscr. No. 80p. 220 line 8) ; cf. infra ');">¹³</span> [imprecation]? - From the text: Curse ye Meroz.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judg. V, 23.');">¹⁴</span>

ואמר עולא בד' מאה שיפורי שמתיה ברק למרוז איכא דאמרי גברא רבה הוה ואיכא דאמרי כוכבא הוה שנאמר (שופטים ה, כ) מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים

Whence do we derive that it must be according to the considered opinion of some prominent person? - From the text: [Curse ye Meroz] said the angel of the Lord<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judg. V, 23.');">¹⁴</span> [to Barak]. And whence do we derive that we pronounce the herem?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 90, n. 5.');">¹⁵</span>

ומנלן דמפקרינן נכסיה דכתיב (עזרא י, ח) וכל אשר לא יבא לשלשת הימים בעצת השרים והזקנים יחרם כל רכושו והוא יבדל מקהל הגולה

- Front the [same] text: Curse ye a cursing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a repeated cursing (of the defiant sinner) .');">¹⁶</span> Whence do we derive that [it falls on one who] eats and drinks with the offender or stands within four cubits of him? - From the same text: [Curse ye a cursing] the inhabitants thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Judg. V, 23.');">¹⁷</span> Whence do we derive that we publish the details of his offence? - From the [same] text: Because they [the denizens of Meroz] came not to the help of the Lord.

ומנלן דנצינן ולייטינן ומחינן ותלשינן שיער ומשבעינן דכתיב (נחמיה יג, כה) ואריב עמם ואקללם ואכה מהם אנשים ואמרטם ואשביעם

And, said 'Ulla, Barak pronounced the shammetha<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Note that shammetha is here used as the equivalent of herem, or its Aramaic form ahramta.');">¹⁸</span> against Meroz with [the blast of] four hundred horns. Some say that Meroz was [the name of] a great personage;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or hero, who gave his name to the city 'Meroz'. V. Gen. IV, 17, Num. XXXII, 41-42; also cf. Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea, Constantinople.');">¹⁹</span>

ומנלן דכפתינן ואסרינן ועבדינן הרדפה דכתיב (עזרא ז, כו) הן למות הן לשרושי הן לענש נכסין ולאסורין מאי לשרושי אמר אדא מרי אמר נחמיה בר ברוך אמר רב חייא בר אבין אמר רב יהודה הרדפה מאי הרדפה אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב מנדין לאלתר ושונין לאחר ל' ומחרימין לאחר ששים

others say that it was [the name of] a star,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A planet, like Mars, Mercury, Jupiter; or a constellation, like Perseus or Orion.');">²⁰</span> as it is written [there]: They fought from Heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judg. V, 20.');">²¹</span> Whence do we derive that his property may be forfeited?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of disobedience of the court.');">²²</span>

א"ל רב הונא בר חיננא הכי אמר רב חסדא מתרין ביה שני וחמישי ושני ה"מ לממונא אבל לאפקירותא לאלתר

- From the text: And whosoever come not within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited and himself separated from the congregation of the captivity.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra X, 8.');">²³</span> Whence do we derive that we may quarrel [with an offender], curse him, smite him, pluck his hair and put on him an oath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To desist from his malpractices.');">²⁴</span> - From the text: And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair and made them swear by God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Neh. XIII, 25.');">²⁵</span>

ההוא טבחא דאיתפקר ברב טובי בר מתנה אימנו עליה אביי ורבא ושמתוהו לסוף אזל פייסיה לבעל דיניה אמר אביי היכי ליעביד לישרי ליה לא חל שמתא עליה תלתין יומין לא לישרי ליה קא בעו רבנן למיעל

Whence do we derive that we may fetter, arrest and prosecute them? - From the text: [Let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence], whether it be unto death, or to uprooting, or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra VII, 26.');">²⁶</span> What is meant by 'uprooting? Said [R.] Adda Mari, reporting Nehemiah B'Baruch, who said in the name of R'Hiyya B'Abin, who had it from Rab Judah, it mean the hardafah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Active pursuit, 'prosecution'; cf. Judg. XX, 43 for the term in this sense');">²⁷</span>

א"ל לרב אידי בר אבין מידי שמיע לך בהא א"ל הכי אמר רב תחליפא בר אבימי אמר שמואל טוט אסר וטוט שרי אמר ליה ה"מ לממונא אבל לאפקירותא עד דחיילא שמתא עליה תלתין יומין

What is denoted by hardafah? - Said Rab Judah son of R'Samuel B'Shelath in the name of Rab: It means, They declare him 'separated'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Repel or expel him from their midst. Niddui and herem are Mishnaic, Palestinian terms, while shammetha is a popular Babylonian term loosely used for either, and whose legal denotation was the subject of discussion in Talmudic times (e.g., Ned. 7a-b) and later in Geonic responsa; as to its precise meaning, v. B.M. Lewin's Otzar ha-Geonim IV on Mashkin, Responsa 29ff, pp. 17-19.');">²⁸</span> forthwith; then [if he still persists] they repeat [the same declaration] after thirty days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ordinary period of niddui, 'separation'.');">²⁹</span> and finally they pronounce the herem on him after sixty days.

אלמא קסבר אביי הני בי תלתא דשמיתו לא אתו תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה

Said R'Huna B'Hinena, This is what R'Hisda said: They [first] warn him on Monday, [then] on the Thursday<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Beth din had their regular sessions on Mondays and Thursdays: a practice said to have been one of the Ten Institutions introduced by Ezra, B.K. ');">³⁰</span> [following] and [again on the] Monday. This rule applies if he disregards a monetary judgment; but in a case of sheer contumacy the ban is imposed forthwith.

דאיבעיא להו הני בי תלתא דשמיתו מהו למיתי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה ת"ש מנודה לרב מנודה לתלמיד מנודה לתלמיד אינו מנודה לרב

When a certain butcher had been insolent to R'Tobai B'Mattena, Abaye and Raba were appointed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With a third person, v. infra.');">³¹</span> to investigate and they pronounced the shammetha on him. In the end, the fellow went and appeased his litigant.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Apologized to R. Tobai.');">³²</span>

מנודה לעירו מנודה לעיר אחרת מנודה לעיר אחרת אינו מנודה לעירו מנודה לנשיא מנודה לכל ישראל מנודה לכל ישראל אינו מנודה לנשיא רשב"ג אומר אחד מן התלמידים שנידה ומת חלקו אינו מופר

Said Abaye, What is one to do? Should we absolve him now? The shammetha had not lasted [its] thirty days.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The normal period of a 'separation'. V. R. Han.');">³³</span>

ש"מ תלת שמע מינה תלמיד שנידה לכבודו נידויו נידוי ושמע מינה כל אחד ואחד מיפר חלקו וש"מ הני בי תלתא דשמיתו לא אתו תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה

Shall we not absolve him? The Rabbis want to go in to him!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They need him to obtain their meat. [Var. lec. 'The Rabbis wish to depart' (Han.) . The Rabbis, who took part in imposing the ban and who must consequently be present at the absolution, wish to depart and the opportunity of releasing him will thus be lost, v. infra].');">³⁴</span> Said lie to R'Idi B'Abin: 'Have you [perchance] heard aught bearing on this? ' He replied: 'Thus said R'Tahlifa B'Abimi as reporting Samuel: "A toot<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The horn blown at banning.');">³⁵</span>

אמר אמימר הלכתא הני בי תלתא דשמיתו אתו בי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה א"ל רב אשי לאמימר והא תניא רשב"ג אומר אחד מן התלמידים שנידה ומת חלקו אינו מופר מאי לאו אינו מופר כלל לא עד דאתו בי תלתא אחריני ושרו ליה

binds and a toot releases!"' [Said Abaye] to him, Yea, but this obtains only in the case of disregarding a monetary decision, but in a case of contumacy [it holds] until it has rested on him for thirty days! Anyhow, that shows that Abaye was of opinion that if three people had pronounced the shammetha on a man three others cannot come and release him!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Rashi! Since he himself was anxious to perform the release. In var. lec. supra n. 6 the question is clear.]');">³⁶</span> For the question was raised: If three people had pronounced the shammetha on a man, can three others come and remit it for him? - Come and hear: 'One who has been "separated" [under a ban] by the master is [deemed as] "separated" from the disciple;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the ban is effective also as far as the disciple is concerned; and similarly in all the other cases that follow.');">³⁷</span> but one who has been "separated" by the disciple is not [considered as] "separated" from the master.

ת"ר אין נידוי פחות מל' יום ואין נזיפה פחות מז' ימים ואף על פי שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר שנאמר (במדבר יב, יד) ואביה ירק ירק בפניה הלא תכלם שבעת ימים

One who is "separated" by his own town is also "separated" from another town; but one who is "separated" by another town is not [considered] "separated" from his own town. One who is "separated" by the Nasi [Prince] is "separated" in all Israel; but one who is "separated" by all Israel is not [thereby] "separated" from the "Prince". Rabban Simeon B'Gamaliel says that if one of the disciples had "separated" someone and died, his part is not nullified'.

אמר רב חסדא נידוי שלנו כנזיפה שלהן ונזיפה דידהו שבעה ותו לא והא ר"ש בר רבי ובר קפרא הוו יתבי וקא גרסי קשיא להו שמעתא א"ל ר"ש לבר קפרא דבר זה צריך רבי א"ל בר קפרא לר"ש ומה רבי אומר בדבר זה

From this you derive three points: - [a] That if a disciple 'separated' someone in [defence of] his personal dignity,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Since we find that a disciple's ban has no force as far as the teacher is concerned, which can apply only to a ban imposed in defence of the disciple's own dignity, and not to one for a general transgression.]');">³⁸</span> the 'separation' lies, and you infer [b] that each person revokes his own part, and you infer [c] that if a body of three have pronounced a shammetha on a person, three others may not come and release him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ (b) and (c) are inferred from the statement of R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. The phrase 'his part is not nullified' is taken to mean that it can never be nullified.]');">³⁹</span> Amemar said: 'The rule in practice is, that if a body of three have laid a shammetha on a person, a body of three others [can] come and release him'.

אזל א"ל לאבוה איקפד אתא בר קפרא לאיתחזויי ליה א"ל בר קפרא איני מכירך מעולם ידע דנקט מילתא בדעתיה נהג נזיפותא בנפשיה תלתין יומין

Said R'Ashi to Amemar, But it is taught: 'Rabban Simeon B'Gamaliel says that if one of the disciples "separated" someone and died, his part is not nullified'! Does not this meal, that it cannot be nullified at all? - No, [it means] not until a body of three others come and release him. Our Rabbis taught: No 'separation' ban holds less than thirty days and no 'reproof'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nezfah, a 'snub'; sometimes ge'arah, a 'shout'. Cf. Gen. XXXVII, 10 and Zech. II, 2.');">⁴⁰</span> holds less than seven days; and although there is no direct proof on that point, there is an [indirect] 'indication' of it: If h father had but spit in her face, should she<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Miriam.');">⁴¹</span>

שוב פעם אחד גזר רבי שלא ישנו לתלמידים בשוק מאי דרש (שיר השירים ז, ב) חמוקי ירכיך כמו חלאים מה ירך בסתר

not hide in shame seven days? [Let her be shut up without the camp seven days and after that he shall be brought in again].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XII, 14. t,gna');">⁴²</span> R'Hisda remarked, 'Our "separation" [in Babylon] corresponds to their "reproof" [in Palestine]'. But is their 'reproof' of only seven days' duration, not more? Is it not a fact that R'Simeon, Rabbi's son, and Bar Kappara were once sitting rehearsing the lesson together when a difficulty arose about a certain passage<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' ; something 'heard' or 'repeated', usually a halachic interpretation repeated in the name of a well-known master.');">⁴³</span> and R'Simeon said to Bar Kappara, 'This [matter] needs Rabbi [to explain it]', and Bar Kappara replied: 'And what forsooth can Rabbi [have to] say on this? ' He went and repeated it to his father, [at which] the latter was vexed, and [when] Bar Kappara next presented himself before Rabbi, he said: 'Bar Kappara, I have never known you!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., I don't (want to) know you, stay away, or I have never been able to understand your attitude towards me. B. Kappara clashed with Rabbi on several occasions. The cause, it seems, was not personal, but rather due to the different schools to which they each belonged. B. K. belonged to the 'Southern Sages' (Lydda and Caesarea) and was himself the compiler of an often quoted collection of Mishnah (Baraitha) .');">⁴⁴</span> He realized that he [Rabbi] had taken the matter to heart and submitted himself to the [disability of a] 'reproof' for thirty days. Again, on one occasion, Rabbi issued an order that they should not teach disciples in the open public market place. ⁴⁵ - How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Torah, which is allegorically represented by Shulammith, 'Perfection' or 'Pence', the beloved of Solomon (the divine) King of Perfection or Peace. Cf. Prov. III, 13-18; VIII, 1 ff.');">⁴⁶</span> The roundings of thy thighs are like the links of a chain [the work of the hands of a skilled workman].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cant. VII, 2. (Cf. its counterpart V, 15) .');">⁴⁷</span> As the thigh is covered