Niddah 99

רבי מאיר היא

— R. Meir.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who disqualifies a man blind in one eye from acting as judge. ');">¹</span>

דתניא היה רבי מאיר אומר

For it was taught: R. Meir used to say, What was the purport of the Scriptural text, According to their word shall every controversy and every leprosy be?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 5. ');">²</span>

מה ת"ל (דברים כא, ה) על פיהם יהיה כל ריב וכל נגע וכי מה ענין ריבים אצל נגעים

What connection could controversies have with leprosies? But<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Owing to juxtaposition. ');">³</span>

מקיש ריבים לנגעים

controversies were compared to leprosies, as leprosies must be examined by day, since it is written, And in the day when&nbsp;… appeareth in him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 14, emphasis on 'day'. (E.V. 'whensoever' for 'in the day when'). ');">⁴</span>

מה נגעים ביום דכתיב (ויקרא יג, יד) וביום הראות בו אף ריבים ביום

so must controversies be tried by day; and<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By a further analogy (cf. prev. n. but one). ');">⁵</span>

ומה נגעים שלא בסומא דכתיב (ויקרא יג, יב) לכל מראה עיני הכהן אף ריבים שלא בסומא

as leprosies are not to be examined by a blind man,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even by one who is blind in one eye only. ');">⁶</span>

ומקיש נגעים לריבים מה ריבים שלא בקרובים אף נגעים שלא בקרובים

since it is written, Wherever the priest looketh,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 12 emphasis on the last word. ');">⁷</span>

אי מה ריבים בשלשה אף נגעים בשלשה

so are controversies not to be tried by a blind man.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even by one who is blind in one eye only. ');">⁶</span>

ודין הוא ממונו בשלשה גופו לא כ"ש

And<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Owing to juxtaposition. ');">⁸</span>

ת"ל (ויקרא יג, ב) והובא אל אהרן הכהן או אל אחד מבניו הכהנים הא למדת שאפילו כהן אחד רואה את הנגעים

leprosies are further compared to controversies: As controversies are not to be tried by relatives, so are leprosies not to be examined by relatives. In case [one were to argue:] 'As controversies must be tried by three men so must leprosies also be examined by three men, this being logically arrived at a minori ad majus: If controversies affecting one's wealth must be tried by three men, how much more so matters affecting one's body', it was explicitly stated, When he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest or unto one of his sons the priests.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 2 emphasis on 'Aaron' and 'one'. ');">⁹</span>

ההוא סמיא דהוה בשבבותיה דרבי יוחנן דהוה קדיין דינא ולא קאמר ליה ולא מידי

Thus you have learnt that even a single<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. prev. n. ');">¹⁰</span>

היכי עביד הכי

priest may examine leprosies.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At any rate it follows, as was stated above, that according to R. Meir a blind man (even if in one eye only) is eligible as judge. Our Mishnah, therefore, represents his view. ');">¹¹</span>

והאמר רבי יוחנן

A certain blind man who lived in the neighbourhood of R. Johanan used to try lawsuits and the latter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan. ');">¹²</span>

הלכה כסתם משנה ותנן

told him nothing against it. But how could he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan. ');">¹²</span>

כל הכשר לדון כשר להעיד ויש כשר להעיד ואין כשר לדון

act in this manner, seeing that R. Johanan actually stated, 'The <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with an anonymous Mishnah', and we have learnt,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As an anonymous Mishnah. ');">¹³</span>

ואמרינן

WHOSOEVER IS ELIGIBLE TO ACT AS JUDGE IS ELIGIBLE TO ACT AS WITNESS, BUT ONE MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO ACT AS WITNESS AND NOT AS JUDGE, and when the question was raised, 'What was this intended to include?' R. Johanan replied, 'To include one who is blind in one eye'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which clearly shows that according to R. Johanan no blind man is eligible to act as judge. Why then did he raise no objection against the blind man's conduct? ');">¹⁴</span>

לאתויי מאי

— R. Johanan found another anonymous Mishnah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which allows a blind man to act as judge. ');">¹⁵</span>

ואמר רבי יוחנן

For we have learnt, Monetary suits must be tried by day and may be concluded by night.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sanh. 32a; which shows that, according to this Mishnah, 'controversies' were not compared to 'leprosies' for though the latter may not be examined by night the trying of the former may well be concluded by night. And since the two were not compared in this respect they were not compared as regards the ineligibility of a blind man either. ');">¹⁶</span>

לאתויי סומא באחת מעיניו

But why should this anonymous Mishnah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The latter, cited from Sanh. ');">¹⁷</span>

רבי יוחנן סתמא אחרינא אשכח דתנן

be deemed more authoritative than the former?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Our Mishnah. Lit., 'and what is the strength of that anonymous etc.' ');">¹⁸</span>

דיני ממונות דנין ביום וגומרין בלילה

If you wish I might reply: An anonymous Mishnah which represents the view of a majority<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As does the one from Sanh. Our Mishnah, as was explained supra, represents the view of R. Meir alone. ');">¹⁹</span>

ומאי אולמיה דהאי סתמא מהאי סתמא

is preferable. And if you prefer I might reply: Because it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The latter, cited from Sanh. ');">²⁰</span>

איבעית אימא

was taught among the laws of legal procedure.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With which the tractate of Sanh. deals. A law occurring in a tractate that is devoted to similar laws is more reliable than one occurring in a tractate that is mainly devoted to a totally different subject. ');">²¹</span>

סתמא דרבים עדיף ואיבעית אימא

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. WHATSOEVER IS SUBJECT TO TITHES IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FOOD-UNCLEANNESS;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since only foodstuffs are subject to tithe. ');">²²</span>

משום דקתני לה גבי הלכתא דדיני

BUT THERE IS A KIND OF FOODSTUFF<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is presently explained in the Gemara. ');">²³</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> כל שחייב במעשרות מטמא טומאת אוכלין ויש שמטמא טומאת אוכלין ואינו חייב במעשרות

THAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FOOD-UNCLEANNESS AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO TITHES.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> לאתויי מאי

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. What was this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second clause of our Mishnah. ');">²⁴</span>

לאתויי בשר ודגים וביצים

intended to include? — To include flesh, fish and eggs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Only foodstuffs that grow from the ground are subject to tithe. ');">²⁵</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> כל שחייב בפאה חייב במעשרות ויש שחייב במעשרות ואינו חייב בפאה

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. WHATSOEVER IS SUBJECT TO THE OBLIGATION OF <i>PE'AH</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'corner'. Cf. When ye reap the harvest&nbsp;… thou shalt not wholly reap the corner of thy field&nbsp;… thou shalt leave them for the poor (Lev. XIX, 9f). ');">²⁶</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> לאתויי מאי

IS ALSO SUBJECT TO THAT OF TITHES; BUT THERE IS A KIND OF PRODUCE WHICH IS SUBJECT TO THE OBLIGATION OF TITHES AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO THAT OF <i>PE'AH</i>.

לאתויי תאנה וירק שאינו חייב בפאה

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. What was this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second clause of our Mishnah. ');">²⁴</span>

דתנן כלל אמרו בפאה

intended to include? — To include the fig-tree and vegetables, which are not subject to the obligation of <i>pe'ah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But are liable to tithes. ');">²⁷</span>

כל שהוא אוכל ונשמר וגידולו מן הארץ ולקיטתו כאחד ומכניסו לקיום חייב בפאה

For we have learnt: They<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Rabbis. ');">²⁸</span>

אוכל למעוטי ספיחי סטים וקוצה ונשמר למעוטי הפקר וגידולו מן הארץ למעוטי כמהים ופטריות ולקיטתו כאחד למעוטי תאנה ומכניסו לקיום למעוטי ירק

have laid down a general rule concerning <i>pe'ah</i>. Whatsoever is a foodstuff, is kept under watch, grows<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. 'draws its nourishment' (v. Tosaf.). ');">²⁹</span>

ואילו גבי מעשר תנן

from the ground, is all harvested at the same time, and is taken in for storage, is subject to <i>pe'ah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pe'ah I, 4. ');">³⁰</span>

כל שהוא אוכל ונשמר וגידולו מן הארץ חייב במעשרות ואילו לקיטתו כאחד ומכניסו לקיום לא קתני

'A foodstuff', excludes the after-growths of woad and madder;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Plants used only in dyeing which are unsuitable as food. ');">³¹</span>

אם היו בהם שומים ובצלין חייבין דתנן מלבנות בצלים שבין הירק ר' יוסי אומר

'is kept under watch', excludes hefker; 'grows<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. 'draws its nourishment' (v. Tosaf.). ');">³²</span>

פאה מכל אחת ואחת וחכ"א

from the ground', excludes morils and truffles;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which are not planted Aliter: Which (cf. prev. n.) do not draw their nourishment from the ground. ');">³³</span>

מאחת על הכל

'is all harvested at the same time', excludes the fig-tree;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And similar trees whose fruit ripens at different times. ');">³⁴</span>

אמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן

and is taken in for storage', excludes vegetables. As regards tithes, however, we have learnt: Whatsoever is a foodstuff, is kept under watch and grows from the ground is subject to the obligation of tithes;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ma'as. I, 1. ');">³⁵</span>

עולשין שזרען מתחילה לבהמה ונמלך עליהן לאדם

whereas 'is all harvested at the same time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would have excluded the fig-tree and the like. ');">³⁶</span> and is taken in for storage'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would have excluded vegetables. ');">³⁷</span> was not mentioned.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It thus follows that figs and vegetables are liable to tithes though exempt from pe'ah. The tithe mentioned is, of course, only Rabbinical, since Pentateuchally only corn, wine and oil are subject to the obligations of tithe. ');">³⁸</span> But if garlic or onions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Vegetables that are taken in for storage. ');">³⁹</span> grew among them<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The other vegetables. ');">⁴⁰</span> they are subject [to <i>pe'ah</i>]. For we have learnt: As regards plots of onions between other vegetables, R. Jose ruled, <i>Pe'ah</i> must be left from each<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the other vegetables form a division between one plot and another. ');">⁴¹</span> and the Sages ruled, From one for all.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The intervening vegetables being disregarded, Pe'ah III, 4. ');">⁴²</span> Rabbah b. Bar Hana citing R. Johanan ruled: If endives were originally sown for cattle-food and then [the owner] changed his mind<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While they were still attached to the ground. ');">⁴³</span> to use them for human food,