Pesachim 6

Chapter 6

א משום בניו אורחא הוא
1 it was natural on account of his sons. But it is written, And it was so, as she rode on her ass?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XXV, 20.');"><sup>1</sup></span> - There it was natural through fear of the night. Alternatively, there was no fear of the night, but there was fear of David.
ב והכתיב (שמואל א כה, כ) והיא רוכבת על החמור התם משום ביעתותא דליליא אורחא הוא ואיבעית אימא משום ביעתותא דליליא ליכא משום ביעתותא דדוד איכא ואיבעית אימא ביעתותא דדוד נמי ליכא משום ביעתותא דהר איכא
2 Another alternative: there was no fear of David either, but there was the fear of the mountain. Yet is not 'unclean' written in Scripture?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It occurs many times. The circumlocution employed in the cited instances merely serves to indicate that delicate phraseology is a matter which must also enter into consideration, v. Rashi.');"><sup>2</sup></span> Rather wherever they are equal[ly convenient], [Scripture] discourses in a refined language; but wherever more words would be required, the shorter phraseology is employed. As R'Huna said in Rab's name - others say, R'Huna said in Rab's name on R'Meir's authority: one should always teach his pupil in concise terms.
ג ובאורייתא מי לא כתיב טמא אלא כל היכא דכי הדדי נינהו משתעי בלשון נקיה כל היכא דנפישין מילי משתעי בלשון קצרה כדאמר רב הונא אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא אמר רב משום ר"מ לעולם ישנה אדם לתלמידו דרך קצרה
3 And where they are equal he discourses in refined speech? Yet surely 'riding' [rokebeth] and 'sitting' [yoshebeth] are alike [in length], yet 'riding' [rokebeth] is stated? - Rakebeth is stated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., rokebeth is written defectively, without a waw, which makes it shorter than yoshebeth. Yoshebeth could not be written defectively, as the defective form of yoshebeth has always a special meaning (Tosaf.) . R. Han. reverses it: the full form of yoshebeth is required, as a particular deduction is made from it.');"><sup>3</sup></span> Two disciples sat before Rab. one said, This discussion has made us [as tired] as an exhausted swine;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'something else' - the unmentionable. The rendering 'exhausted' is Rashi's. R. Han. renders differently.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ד וכל היכא דכי הדדי נינהו משתעי בלשון כבוד והא רוכבת ויושבת דכי הדדי נינהו וקאמר רוכבת רכבת כתיב
4 while the other said, This discussion has made us [as tired] as an exhausted kid; and Rab would not speak to the former. There were two disciples who sat before Hillel, one of whom was R'Johanan B'Zakkai-others state, before Rabbi, and one of them was R'Johanan: One said, Why must we vintage [grapes] in cleanness, yet need not gather [olives] in cleanness? While the other said: Why must we vintage in cleanness, yet may gather [olives] in uncleanness?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Shab. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> I am certain that the latter will be an authorized teacher<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he will give teaching'.');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ה הנהו תרי תלמידי דהוו יתבי קמיה דרב חד אמר שויתינן האי שמעתא כדבר אחר מסנקן וחד אמר שויתינן האי שמעתא כגדי מסנקן ולא אישתעי רב בהדי דהאיך
5 in Israel, he observed; and it did not take long before<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was not few days until'.');"><sup>7</sup></span> he was an authorized teacher in Israel. There were three priests: one said, I received as much as a bean [of the shewbread]; the second said, I received as much as an olive; while the third said, I received as much as a halta'ah's tail.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a gross expression. Halta'ah is a species of lizard (Jast.) .');"><sup>8</sup></span> They investigated his pedigree<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'after him'.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
ו הנהו תרי תלמידי דהוו יתבי קמיה דהלל וחד מינייהו רבן יוחנן בן זכאי ואמרי לה קמיה דרבי וחד מינייהו רבי יוחנן חד אמר מפני מה בוצרין בטהרה ואין מוסקין בטהרה וחד אמר מפני מה בוצרין בטהרה ומוסקין בטומאה אמר מובטח אני בזה שמורה הוראה בישראל ולא היה ימים מועטים עד שהורה הוראה בישראל
6 and found a blemish of unfitness in him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They discovered that his genealogy was impure and that he was unfit to serve in the Temple.');"><sup>10</sup></span> But we learned: one must not investigate from the altar and above?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Once a priest has officiated at the altar the purity of his descent must be assumed, as priests were not allowed to officiate without full investigation in the first place.');"><sup>11</sup></span> - Do not say, a blemish of unfitness, but a baseness which made him unfit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They found his own character too vile for officiating on the altar. According to this emendation, the literal translation 'after him' must be retained in the text.');"><sup>12</sup></span> Alternatively, there it was different, because he impaired his status himself.
ז הנהו תלתא כהני חד אמר להו הגיעני כפול וחד אמר הגיעני כזית וחד אמר הגיעני כזנב הלטאה בדקו אחריו ומצאו בו שמץ פסול
7 A certain Syrian [i.e., non-Jew] used to go up and partake of the Passover sacrifices in Jerusalem, boasting It is written, there shall no alien eat thereof. no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XII, 43,48.');"><sup>13</sup></span> yet I eat of the very best. Said R'Judah B'Bathyra to him: Did they supply you with the fat-tail?
ח והא (תניא) אין בודקין מן המזבח ולמעלה
8 No, he replied. [Then] when you journey up thither say to them, Supply me with the fat-tail. When he went up he said to them, Supply me with the fat-tail. But the fat-tail belongs<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'goes up'.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ט לא תימא שמץ פסול אלא אימא שחץ פסול ואי בעית אימא שאני התם דאיהו דארע נפשיה
9 to the Most High!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it is burnt on the altar.');"><sup>15</sup></span> they replied. Who told you [to do] this? they inquired.
י ההוא ארמאה דהוה סליק ואכיל פסחים בירושלים אמר כתיב (שמות יב, מג) כל בן נכר לא יאכל בו (שמות יב, מח) כל ערל לא יאכל בו ואנא הא קאכילנא משופרי שופרי
10 R'Judah B'Bathyra. answered he. What is this [matter] before us? they wondered.
יא אמר ליה רבי יהודה בן בתירא מי קא ספו לך מאליה אמר ליה לא כי סלקת להתם אימא להו ספו לי מאליה כי סליק אמר להו מאליה ספו לי אמרו ליה אליה לגבוה סלקא
11 They investigated his pedigree, and discovered that he was a Syrian, and killed him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a non-Jew might not even penetrate beyond a certain point within the Temple precincts on pain of death, and a public notice gave due warning of this. Josephus An'. XV, II, GR. ** 5.');"><sup>16</sup></span> Then they sent [a message] to R'Judah B'Bathyra: 'Peace be with thee,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the customary greeting in Hebrew.');"><sup>17</sup></span> R'Judah B'Bathyra, for thou art in Nisibis<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the north-east corner of Mesopotamia; it contained an important Jewish community. V. Obermeyer, p. 128-130.');"><sup>18</sup></span> yet thy net is spread in Jerusalem.'
יב אמרו ליה מאן אמר לך הכי אמר להו רבי יהודה בן בתירא אמרו מאי האי דקמן בדקו בתריה ואשכחוהו דארמאה הוא וקטלוהו שלחו ליה לרבי יהודה בן בתירא שלם לך ר' יהודה בן בתירא דאת בנציבין ומצודתך פרוסה בירושלים
12 R'Kahana fell sick. [So] the Rabbis sent R'Joshua son of R'Idi, instructing him, Go and find out what is wrong with him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'what is his sentence?'');"><sup>19</sup></span> He went and found him dead.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'his soul had repose.'');"><sup>20</sup></span> Thereupon he rent his garment and turned the rent behind him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that it should not be immediately perceptible - this was to lessen the shock.');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יג רב כהנא חלש שדרוה רבנן לר' יהושע בריה דרב אידי אמרו ליה זיל בדוק מאי דיניה אתא אשכחיה דנח נפשיה קרעיה ללבושיה ואהדריה לקרעיה לאחוריה ובכי ואתי אמרו ליה נח נפשיה אמר להו אנא לא קאמינא (משלי י, יח) ומוציא דבה הוא כסיל
13 and went along weeping. He has died? asked they of him. I have not said it, he answered, 'for he that uttereth evil tidings is a fool'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. X, 18. E.V. . uttereth slander, etc.');"><sup>22</sup></span>
יד יוחנן חקוקאה נפק לקרייתא כי אתא אמרו ליה חיטין נעשו יפות אמר להם שעורים נעשו יפות אמרו ליה צא ובשר לסוסים ולחמורים דכתיב (מלכים א ה, ח) השעורים והתבן לסוסים ולרכש מאי הוי ליה למימר אשתקד נעשו חיטין יפות אי נמי עדשים נעשו יפות:
14 Johanan of Hukok<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Northern Palestine; v. Josh. XIX, 34.');"><sup>23</sup></span> went out to some villages.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To inspect the crops.');"><sup>24</sup></span> on his return he was asked, 'Has the wheat crop been successful? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'comely'.');"><sup>25</sup></span> 'The barley crop has been successful,' he replied.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By which they might understand that the former was not. He was unwilling actually to state the bad news.');"><sup>26</sup></span> 'Go out and tell it to horses and asses,' they retorted, 'for it is written, Barley also and straw for the horses an swift steeds.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings v, 8.');"><sup>27</sup></span> What then should he have said? - Last year the wheat crop was successful; or, the lentil crop is successful.
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