Pesachim 104

אוכלין על של בין הכיפין ואין אוכלין על שבין השיצין

One may eat [in reliance] on those that are among the upper [overarching] boughs but one may not eat [in reliance] on those that are among the single prickly branches.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lower portion of the palm tree near the roots is surrounded with single prickly, thorn-like branches. Now, when a wind blows, the falling dates are retained both among the ordinary (upper) branches as well as the prickly ones. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel rules that you may eat only as long as there are dates among the higher branches, which are accessible; but those (in the prickly branches must be disregarded, since animals cannot take them because of the prickles. In our Mishnah the first Tanna means: When they have completely ceased, even from the prickly branches, he must remove them. Whereas R. Judah maintains that unless one can go and bring them, i.e., unless they are accessible, he must remove them, which means even if there are still dates on these thorn branches.');">¹</span> We learned elsewhere: There are three [separate] districts<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'countries'.');">²</span> in respect of removal: Judea, Transjordania and Galilee;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In each the time of removal is when the produce has 'ceased from the field' in that particular district.');">³</span>

תנן התם שלש ארצות לביעור יהודה ועבר הירדן וגליל ושלש ארצות בכל אחת ואחת ולמה אמרו שלש ארצות לביעור שיהיו אוכלין בכל אחת ואחת עד שיכלה האחרון שבה

and there are three districts in each of them separately.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The produce ceasing in each at a different time.');">⁴</span> Then why did they say, There are [only] three districts in respect of removal?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Instead of nine.');">⁵</span> Because in each one they may eat until it [the produce] has ceased in the last [region] thereof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rash: until it has ceased in the last subdivision. Tosaf. explains it differently v. Shebi. IX, 2-3.');">⁶</span>

מנא הני מילי אמר רב חמא בר עוקבא א"ר יוסי בר חנינא אמר קרא (ויקרא כה, ז) ולבהמתך ולחיה אשר בארצך כל זמן שחיה אוכלת מן השדה האכל לבהמה שבבית כלה לחיה אשר בשדה כלה לבהמתך מן הבית

Whence do we know it? - Said R'Hama B''Ukba in the name of R'Jose B'Hanina, Scripture saith, [And the sabbath-produce of the land shall be food for you.]and for thy cattle, and for the beasts that are in thy land:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 6f.');">⁷</span> as long as the [wild] beasts can eat in the field, feed the cattle in the house;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., domestic animals.');">⁸</span> when there is no more for the beasts in the field, make an end of it for the cattle in the house;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., you must no longer keep the produce in the house for your private needs.');">⁹</span>

וגמירי דאין חיה שביהודה גדילה על פירות שבגליל ואין חיה שבגליל גדילה על פירות שביהודה

and we have it on tradition that the beasts in Judea do not live on the produce of Galilee, and the beasts in Galilee do not live on the produce of Judea.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they do not stray so far in search of food (Rashi) .');">¹⁰</span> Our Rabbis taught: Produce which went from the Land<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., Palestine, 'the Land' par excellence.');">¹¹</span> abroad<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to without the Land.'');">¹²</span>

ת"ר פירות שיצאו מארץ ישראל לחוצה לארץ מתבערין בכל מקום שהן רשב"א אומר יחזרו למקומן ויתבערו משום שנאמר בארצך הא אפיקתיה

must be removed wherever it is.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The law of sabbatical produce, being dependent on the soil, is binding in Palestine only, v. Kid. 36b; yet it is also binding upon Palestine produce, even when transplanted elsewhere. Nevertheless, he is not bound to take it back to Palestine for removal, but can do it wherever he is.');">¹³</span> R'Simeon B'Eleazar said: They must go back to their [original] place and be removed, because it is said, 'in thy land'. But you have utilized this?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To show that one district cannot rely on another.');">¹⁴</span>

קרי ביה בארץ בארצך אי נמי מאשר בארצך

- Read therein, 'in the land', 'in thy land'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., Scripture could have written 'in the land', which would suffice for the present exegesis. In thy land intimates both.');">¹⁵</span> Alternatively, [it is deduced] from, 'that are [asher] in thy land'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Asher is superfluous; hence it can be used for this purpose.');">¹⁶</span> R'Safra went from the Land abroad, [and] he had with him a barrel of wine of the Sabbath year.

רב ספרא נפק מארץ ישראל לחוצה לארץ הוה בהדיה גרבא דחמרא דשביעית לוו בהדיה רב הונא בריה דרב איקא ורב כהנא אמר להו איכא דשמיע ליה מיניה דרבי אבהו הלכה כר"ש בן אלעזר או לא א"ל רב כהנא הכי א"ר אבהו הלכה כר' שמעון בן אלעזר א"ל רב הונא בריה דרב איקא הכי א"ר אבהו אין הלכה כרשב"א

Now, R'Huna the son of R'Ika and R'Kahana accompanied him. He asked them, Is there any one who has heard from R'Abbahu<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who was his teacher.');">¹⁷</span> [whether] the halachah is as R'Simeon B'Eleazar or not? - Said R'Kahana to him: Thus did R'Abbahu say: The halachah is as R'Simeon B'Eleazar.

אמר רב ספרא נקוט הא כללא דרב הונא בידך דדייק וגמר שמעתתא מפומיה דרביה כרחבה דפומבדיתא דאמר רחבה אמר רב יהודה הר הבית סטיו כפול היה סטיו לפנים מסטיו קרי עליה רב יוסף (הושע ד, יב) עמי בעצו ישאל ומקלו יגיד לו כל המיקל לו מגיד לו

R'Huna the son of R'Ika [however] said to him, Thus did R'Abbahu say: The halachah is not as R'Simeon B'Eleazar. Said R'Safra, Accept this ruling of R'Huna,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'hold . . in your hand'.');">¹⁸</span> because he is meticulously careful to learn the laws from his teacher, like Rehabah of Pumbeditha.

ר' אילעאי קץ כפנייתא דשביעית היכי עביד הכי לאכלה אמר רחמנא ולא להפסד וכי תימא הני מילי היכא דנחית לפירא אבל היכא דלא נחית לפירא לא והאמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה הני מתחלי דערלה אסירי הואיל ונעשו שומר לפירי

For Rehabah said in Rab Judah's name: The Temple Mount consisted of a double colonnade, [i.e.,] a colonnade within a colonnade.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra ');">¹⁹</span> [Thereupon] R'Joseph applied to him [R'Safra] the verse, My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff [makkelo] declareth unto them:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hos. IV, 12.');">²⁰</span> whoever is lenient [mekal] to him, to him he concedes [right].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A humorous play on words, connecting makkel, a staff, with mekal, he is lenient.');">²¹</span>

ושומר לפירי אימת הוה בכופרי וקא קרי להו פירי ר"נ דאמר כר' יוסי דתנן רבי יוסי אומר סמדר אסור מפני שהוא פירי ופליגי רבנן עליה

R'Elai cut down date-berries of the Sabbatical year.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., before they ripened and were fit for food (R. Hananel) ; Rashi: he cut down the palm tree before the dates had ripened.');">²²</span> How might he do thus: the Merciful One said, [It. shall be] for food,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 6.');">²³</span>

מתקיף לה רב שימי מנהרדעא ומי פליגי רבנן עליה דרבי יוסי בשאר אילנות והא תנן מאימתי אין קוצצין את האילנות בשביעית ב"ש אומרים כל האילנות משיוציאו וב"ה אומרים החרובין משישרשרו והגפנים

but not for destruction? And should you answer that is only where it has reached<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'descended to'.');">²⁴</span> [the stage of] fruit,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., when it is ripe.');">²⁵</span> but not where it has not reached [the stage of] fruit, - surely R'Nahman said in Rabbah B'Abbuha's name: The calyxes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which surround the date in its early stage.');">²⁶</span> of 'orlah are forbidden, because they became a guard for the fruits. Now, when is it a guard for the fruits? When they are unripe berries, yet he calls them fruits! - R'Nahman ruled as R'Jose. For we learned, R'Jose said: The [berries of 'orlah] in the budding stage [semadar] are forbidden, because they count as fruit; whereas the Rabbis disagree with him. To this R'Shimi of Nehardea demurred; yet do the Rabbis disagree with R'Jose in respect to other trees,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Apart from the vine, to which the above refers.');">²⁷</span> - surely we learned, From when may you not cut down trees in the Sabbatical year?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As stated above, they must be used for food, not for destruction. Now the question is: at what stage are their fruits regarded as food, so that the tree must not be cut down, but left until its fruit ripens.');">²⁸</span> Beth Shammai maintain: All trees [may not be cut down] from when they bring forth;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi explains here: the first leaves (preceding the fruits) ; but in Ber. ');">²⁹</span> but Beth Hillel rule: The carob trees from when they form chains [of carobs]; the vine trees,