Pesachim 101

אי אתה רשאי להתירן בפניהם אמר לו ולאו מי איתמר עלה אמר רב חסדא בכותאי כותאי מאי טעמא משום דמסרכי מילתא הנך אינשי נמי סרכי מילתא

you may not permit it in their presence? Said he to him, Yet was it not stated thereon, R'Hisda said: This refers to Cutheans.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The people whom Shalmaneser settled in Samaria after the deportation of the Ten Tribes. They formally accepted Judaism, but as they retained many heathen practices, their religious status fluctuated, until they were finally declared heathens. In the present passage they are treated as Jews, but so lax as to require special laws.');">¹</span> What is the reason in the case of Cutheans?

אלא אמר רב אשי חזינן אי רובן אורז אכלי לא ניכלה זר באפייהו דילמא משתכחא תורת חלה מינייהו ואי רובן דגן אכלי ניכלה זר באפייהו דילמא אתי לאפרושי מן החיוב על הפטור ומן הפטור על החיוב

Because they confound one thing [with another]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If they were treated with leniency in one case, their laxity in general would increase.');">²</span> Then these people too [being ignorant] confound one thing [with another]? - Rather, said R'Ashi, we consider: if most of them eat rice [bread], a lay Israelite must not eat it [the hallah] in their prese lest the law of hallah be [altogether] forgotten by them; but if most of them eat corn [bread], let a lay Israel eat it in their presence, lest they come to separate [hallah] from what is liable upon what is exempt, and from what is exempt upon what is liable.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hallah can be separated from one piece of dough upon another piece, providing that both are liable; but if one is liable while the other is not, the separated piece is not hallah, while the other remains forbidden as tebel. Hence if they separate hallah from rice dough, which is really exempt, upon dough of wheat, which is liable, the latter remains tebel, and by eating it they transgress. Again, if they separate hallah from wheat dough upon itself and upon a rice dough, the former is not hallah but likewise tebel, and when it is given to the priest he eats tebel.');">³</span> [It was stated in] the text: 'Things which are permitted, yet others treat them as forbidden, you may not permit it in their presence.

גופא דברים המותרין ואחרים נהגו בהן איסור אי אתה רשאי להתירן בפניהן אמר רב חסדא בכותאי עסקינן וכ"ע לא והתניא רוחצין שני אחין כאחד ואין רוחצין שני אחין בכבול ומעשה ביהודה והלל בניו של רבן גמליאל שרחצו שניהם כאחד בכבול ולעזה עליהן כל המדינה אמרו מימינו לא ראינו כך ונשמט הלל ויצא לבית החיצון ולא רצה לומר להן מותרין אתם

Said R'Hisda: This refers to Cutheans'. Yet not [to] all people? Surely it was taught: Two brothers may bathe together,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'as one' - without fear that this may induce a desire for pederasty.');">⁴</span>

יוצאים בקורדקיסון בשבת ואין יוצאין בקורדקיסון בשבת בבירי ומעשה ביהודה והלל בניו של רבן גמליאל שיצאו בקורדקיסון בשבת בבירי ולעזה עליהן המדינה ואמרו מימינו לא ראינו כך ושמטום ונתנום לעבדיהן ולא רצו לומר להן מותרין אתם

yet two brothers do not bathe [together] in Cabul.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A place southeast of Acco. Though the fear of pederasty may seem far-fetched, this is not so when its prevalence in the Roman Empire is remembered; v. Weiss, Dor, 11, 21f.');">⁵</span> And it once happened that Judah and Hillel, the sons of R'Gamaliel, bathed together in Cabul, and the whole region criticized them, saying, 'We have never seen such [a thing] in [all] our days;' whereupon Hillel slipped away and went to the outer chamber,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the baths.');">⁶</span> but he was unwilling to tell them, 'You are permitted [to do this]'.

ויושבין על ספסלי נכרים בשבת ואינן יושבין על ספסלי נכרים בשבת בעכו ומעשה בר"ש בן גמליאל שישב על ספסלי נכרים בשבת בעכו ולעזה עליו כל המדינה אמרו מימינו לא ראינו כך נשמט על גבי קרקע ולא רצה לומר להן מותרין אתם בני מדינת הים נמי כיון דלא שכיחי רבנן גבייהו ככותים דמו

[Again,] one may go out in slippers on the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though they are loose-fitting; we do not fear that they may fall off and the wearer will thus come to carry them in the street, which of course is forbidden.');">⁷</span> yet people do not go out in slippers in Beri.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town in Galilee.');">⁸</span> And it once happened that Judah and Hillel, the sons of R'Gamaliel, went out in slippers on the Sabbath in Beri, whereupon the whole district criticized them, saying, 'We have never seen such [a thing] in [all] our days'; so they removed them and gave them to their [non-Jewish] servants, but they were unwilling to tell them, 'You are permitted [to wear these].'

בשלמא ספסלי נכרים משום דמחזי כמקח וממכר בקורדקיסון נמי דילמא משתלפין ואתי לאיתויינהו ארבע אמות ברשות הרבים

Again, one may sit on the stools of Gentiles on the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When they are engaged in business, and we do not fear that the Jew who sits down there will be suspected of doing the same.');">⁹</span> yet people do not sit on the stools of Gentiles on the Sabbath in Acco.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A town and harbour on the coast of Phoenicia.');">¹⁰</span> And it once happened that R'Simeon B'Gamaliel sat down on the stools of Gentiles on the Sabbath in Acco, and the whole district criticized him, saying, 'We have never seen such [a thing] in [all] our days'.

אלא רוחצין מאי טעמא לא כדתניא עם הכל אדם רוחץ חוץ מאביו וחמיו ובעל אמו ובעל אחותו ור' יהודה מתיר באביו מפני כבוד אביו והוא הדין לבעל אמו

[Accordingly] he slipped down on to the ground, but he was unwilling to tell them, 'You are permitted [to do this]'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In all these instances Jews are referred to, yet we see that this law holds good.');">¹¹</span> - The people of the coastal region, since Rabbis are not common among them, are like Cutheans.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In that leniency may lead to laxity, where there is none to show them the difference between what is mere stringency and what is really prohibited by law.');">¹²</span> As for [not sitting on] Gentiles' stools, that is well, [the reason being] because it looks like [engaging] buying and selling.

ואתו אינהו וגזור בשני אחין משום בעל אחותו תנא תלמיד לא ירחץ עם רבו ואם רבו צריך לו מותר

[That they do not go out] in slippers too [is understandable], lest they fall off and they come to carry them four cubits in the street. But what is the reason that [brothers] do not bathe [together]? - As it was taught: A man may bathe with all, except with his father, his father-in-law, his mother's husband and his sister's husband.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In their case this may lead to impure thoughts.');">¹³</span> But R'Judah permits [a man to bathe] with his father, on account of his father's honour,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He can perform some services for him and help him.');">¹⁴</span>

כי אתא רבה בר בר חנה אכל דאייתרא עול לגביה רב עוירא סבא ורבה בריה דרב הונא כיון דחזינהו כסייה מינייהו אתו ואמרו ליה לאביי אמר להו שווינכו ככותאי

and the same applies to his mother's husband. Then they [the people of Cabul] came and forbade [it] in the case of two brothers on account of [bathing with] his sister's husband.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lest the latter be thought permitted too.');">¹⁵</span> It was taught: A disciple must not bathe with his teacher, but if his teacher needs him, it is permitted.

ורבה בר בר חנה לית ליה הא דתנן נותנין עליו חומרי המקום שיצא משם וחומרי המקום שהלך לשם אמר אביי הני מילי מבבל לבבל ומארץ ישראל לא"י אי נמי מבבל לא"י אבל מא"י לבבל לא כיון דאנן כייפינן להו עבדינן כוותייהו

When Rabbah B'Bar Hanah came,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From Palestine to Babylonia.');">¹⁶</span> he ate of the stomach fat.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The stomach is partly curved, like a bow, and partly straight, like the string of a bow, which is the meaning of the present word. The fat on the straight part of the stomach is really permitted, but in Babylonia it was treated as forbidden.');">¹⁷</span> Now, R''Awira<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Alfasi and Rosh read: 'Awia.');">¹⁸</span>

רב אשי אמר אפילו תימא מא"י לבבל הני מילי היכא דאין דעתו לחזור ורבה בר בר חנה דעתו לחזור הוה א"ל רבה בר בר חנה לבניה בני לא תאכל לא בפני ולא שלא בפני אני שראיתי את ר' יוחנן שאכל כדי הוא ר' יוחנן לסמוך עליו בפניו ושלא בפניו אתה לא ראית אותו לא תאכל בין בפני בין שלא בפני

the Elder and Rabbah son of R'Huna visited him; as soon as he saw them, he hid<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'covered'.');">¹⁹</span> it [the fat] from them. When they narrated it to Abaye he said to them, 'He has treated you like Cutheans'.

ופליגא דידיה אדידיה דאמר רבה בר בר חנה סח לי רבי יוחנן בן אלעזר פעם אחת נכנסתי אחר ר"ש בן רבי יוסי בן לקוניא לגינה

But does not Rabbah B'Bar Hanah agree with what we learned: WE LAY UPON HIM THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE PLACE WHENCE HE DEPARTED AND THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE PLACE WHITHER HE HAS GONE? - Said Abaye: That is only [when he goes] from [one town in] Babylonia to [another in] Babylonia, or from [a town in] Palestine to [another in] Palestine, or from [a town in] Babylonia to [another in] Palestine; but not [when he goes] from [a place in] Palestine to [another in] Babylonia, [for] since we submit to them,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We accept their jurisdiction.');">²⁰</span> we do as they.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a Palestinian going to Babylonia may retain his home practice, for this cannot give rise to quarrels.');">²¹</span> R'Ashi said: You may even say [that this holds good when a man goes] from Palestine to Babylonia; this is, however, where it is not his intention to return; but Rabbah B'Bar Hanah had the intention of returning. Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said to his son: My son, do not eat [this fat], whether in my presence or not in my presence. As for me who saw R'Johanan eat [it], R'Johanan is sufficient [an authority] to rely upon in his presence and not in his presence. [But] you have not seen him [eat it]; [therefore] do not eat, whether in my presence or not in my presence. Now, [one statement] of his disagrees with [another statement] of his. For Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said: R'Johanan B'Eleazar related to me: I once followed R'Simeon son of R'Jose B'Lakuna into a kitchen garden,