Pesachim 98

ואינו מתקבל:

and unacceptable thing. Our Rabbis taught: Let a man always sell all he has and marry the daughter of a scholar.

תנו רבנן לעולם ימכור אדם כל מה שיש לו וישא בת תלמיד חכם לא מצא בת תלמיד חכם ישא בת גדולי הדור לא מצא בת גדולי הדור ישא בת ראשי כנסיות לא מצא בת ראשי כנסיות ישא בת גבאי צדקה לא מצא בת גבאי צדקה ישא בת מלמדי תינוקות ולא ישא בת עמי הארץ מפני שהן שקץ ונשותיהן שרץ ועל בנותיהן הוא אומר (דברים כז, כא) ארור שוכב עם כל בהמה

If he does not find<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., cannot obtain.');">¹</span> the daughter of a scholar, let him marry the daughter of [one of] the great men of the generation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gedole ha-dor, title probably designating the civil leaders of the community. v. Buchler, Sepphoris, p. 9.');">²</span>

תניא ר' אומר עם הארץ אסור לאכול בשר (בהמה) שנאמר (ויקרא יא, מו) זאת תורת הבהמה והעוף כל העוסק בתורה מותר לאכול בשר בהמה ועוף וכל שאינו עוסק בתורה אסור לאכול בשר בהמה ועוף:

If he does not find the daughter of [one of] the great men of the generation, let him marry the daughter of the head of synagogues. If he does not find the daughter of the head of synagogues,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The archi synagogos, the supreme authority over the synagogues in the town; v. Git., Sonc. ed. p. 202, n. 5.]');">³</span>

אמר רבי אלעזר עם הארץ מותר לנוחרו ביום הכיפורים שחל להיות בשבת אמרו לו תלמידיו ר' אמור לשוחטו אמר להן זה טעון ברכה וזה אינו טעון ברכה:

let him marry the daughter of a charity treasurer. If he does not find the daughter of a charity treasurer, let him marry the daughter of a elementary school-teacher, but let him not marry the daughter of an 'am ha-arez, because they are detestable and their wives are vermin, and of their daughters it is said, Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVII, 21.');">⁴</span>

אמר רבי אלעזר עם הארץ אסור להתלוות עמו בדרך שנאמר (דברים ל, כ) כי היא חייך ואורך ימיך על חייו לא חס על חיי חבירו לא כל שכן

It was taught, Rabbi said: An 'am ha-arez may not eat the flesh of cattle, for it is said, This is the law [Torah] of the beast, and of the fowl;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XI, 46.');">⁵</span> whoever engages in [the study of] the Torah may eat the flesh of beast and fowl, but he who does not engage in [the study of] the Torah may not eat the flesh of beast and fowl.

אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יוחנן עם הארץ מותר לקורעו כדג אמר רבי שמואל בר יצחק ומגבו:

R'Eleazar said: An 'am ha-arez, it is permitted to stab him [even] on the Day of Atonement which falls on the Sabbath. Said his disciples to him, Master, say to slaughter him [ritually]?

תניא אמר רבי עקיבא כשהייתי עם הארץ אמרתי מי יתן לי תלמיד חכם ואנשכנו כחמור אמרו לו תלמידיו רבי אמור ככלב אמר להן זה נושך ושובר עצם וזה נושך ואינו שובר עצם:

He replied: This [ritual slaughter] requires a benediction, whereas that [stabbing] does not require a benediction. R'Eleazar said: One must not join company with an 'am ha-arez on the road, because it is said, for that [the Torah] is thy life, and the length of thy days:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXX, 20.');">⁶</span>

תניא היה רבי מאיר אומר כל המשיא בתו לעם הארץ כאילו כופתה ומניחה לפני ארי מה ארי דורס ואוכל ואין לו בושת פנים אף עם הארץ מכה ובועל ואין לו בושת פנים:

[seeing that] he has no care [pity] for his own life,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In that he forsakes the Torah.');">⁷</span> how much the more for the life of his companions! R'Samuel B'Nahmani said in R'Johanan's name: One may tear an 'am haarez like a fish! Said R'Samuel B'Isaac: And [this means] along his back.

תניא רבי אליעזר אומר אילמלא אנו צריכין להם למשא ומתן היו הורגין אותנו

It was taught, R'Akiba said: When I was an 'am ha-arez<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Akiba was a poor, illiterate shepherd before he became a scholar; v. Ned. 50a.');">⁸</span> I said: I would that I had a scholar [before me], and I would maul him like an ass.

תנא רבי חייא כל העוסק בתורה לפני עם הארץ כאילו בועל ארוסתו בפניו שנאמר (דברים לג, ד) תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה אל תקרי מורשה אלא מאורסה

Said his disciples to him, Rabbi, say like a dog! The former bites and breaks the bones, while the latter bites but does not break the bones, he answered them. It was taught, R'Meir used to say: Whoever marries his daughter to an 'am ha-arez, is as though he bound and laid her before a lion: just as a lion tears [his prey] and devours it and has no shame, so an 'am ha-arez strikes and cohabits and has no shame.

גדולה שנאה ששונאין עמי הארץ לתלמיד חכם יותר משנאה ששונאין עובדי כוכבים את ישראל ונשותיהן יותר מהן: תנא שנה ופירש יותר מכולן

It was taught, R'Eliezer said: But that we are necessary to them for trade, they would kill us. R'Hiyya taught: Whoever studies<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'engages in'.');">⁹</span>

תנו רבנן ששה דברים נאמרו בעמי הארץ אין מוסרין להן עדות ואין מקבלין ממנו עדות ואין מגלין להן סוד ואין ממנין אותן אפוטרופוס על היתומים ואין ממנין אותן אפוטרופוס על קופה של צדקה ואין מתלוין עמהן בדרך ויש אומרים אף אין מכריזין על אבידתו

the Torah in front of an 'am ha-arez, is as though he cohabited with his betrothed in his presence,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So great is the affront which the 'am ha-arez feels when Torah is studied in his presence, v. Rashi.');">¹⁰</span> for it is said, Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance [morashah] of the congregation of Jacob:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXIII, 4.');">¹¹</span>

ותנא קמא זמנין דנפיק מיניה זרעא מעליא ואכיל ליה שנאמר (איוב כז, יז) יכין וצדיק ילבש:

read not morashah but me'orasah [the betrothed].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the Torah is as the bride of the whole of Israel.');">¹²</span> Greater is the hatred wherewith the 'amme ha-arez, hate the scholar than the hatred wherewith the heathens hate Israel, and their wives [hate even] more than they.

וכן מי שיצא וכו':

It was taught: He who has studied and then abandoned [the Torah] [hates the scholar] more than all of them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' More than any 'am ha-arez hates the scholar.');">¹³</span> Our Rabbis taught: Six things were said of the 'amme ha-arez': We do not commit testimony to them; we do not accept testimony from them; we do not reveal a secret to them; we do not appoint them as guardians for orphans; we do not appoint them stewards<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Heb. is the same as in the previous phrase. Epitropos is a steward who looks after another person's estates, etc.');">¹⁴</span>

למימרא דרבי מאיר סבר כביצה הוא דחשיב ורבי יהודה סבר כזית נמי חשיב ורמינהי עד כמה הן מזמנין עד כזית ורבי יהודה אומר עד כביצה

over charity funds; and we must not join their company on the road. Some say, We do not proclaim their losses too.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He who finds lost property is bound to proclaim it; if the owner is an 'am ha-arez, he is not bound to proclaim it.');">¹⁵</span>

אמר רבי יוחנן מוחלפת השיטה

And the first Tanna?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why does he omit this?');">¹⁶</span> - Virtuous seed may sometimes issue from him, and they will enjoy<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'eat'.');">¹⁷</span>

אביי אמר לעולם לא תיפוך התם בקראי פליגי הכא בסברא פליגי התם בקראי פליגי רבי מאיר סבר (דברים ח, י) ואכלת זו אכילה ושבעת זו שתיה ואכילה בכזית ורבי יהודה סבר ואכלת ושבעת אכילה שיש בה שביעה ואיזו זו בכביצה

it, as it is said, He will prepare i and the just shall put it on.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXVII, 17.');">¹⁸</span> SIMILARLY, HE WHO WENT OUT OF etc. Shall we say that R'Meir holds, only as much as an egg is of importance, whereas R'Judah holds, Even as much as an olive too is of importance?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., worthy of being taken into account.');">¹⁹</span>

הכא בסברא פליגי דרבי מאיר סבר חזרתו כטומאתו מה טומאתו בכביצה אף חזרתו בכביצה ור' יהודה סבר חזרתו

But the following contradicts it: For what [minimum] quantity<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'how far?'');">²⁰</span> must they recite grace in common?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When three or more people dine together they must recite grace in common, prefacing it with the statement, 'Let us say grace', and they must not separate before this is done, even if each intends reciting grace alone. Here the question is: what is the minimum meal for which this is necessary?');">²¹</span> Until as much as an olive.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That is the minimum. Until ('ad) is meant in a diminishing sense.');">²²</span> R'Judah said: Until as much as an egg! - Said R'Johanan: The discussion<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the opinions,');">²³</span> must be reversed. Abaye said, After all you need not reverse [it]: there they differ in [the interpretation of Scriptural] verses, [whereas] here they differ in a matter of logic.' There they differ in [the interpretation of] verses':R'Meir holds: And thou shalt eat,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VIII, 10.');">²⁴</span> this refers to eating; and be satisfied, this means drinking, and eating is [constituted] by as much as an olive.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the minimum called eating, e.g.. for eating this quantity of forbidden food liability is incurred; the command to eat unleavened bread on the first night of Passover means at least as much as an olive. The verse continues: and thou shalt bless the Lord thy God - i.e., recite grace.');">²⁵</span> While R'Judah holds: 'And thou shalt eat and be satisfied' [implies] eating in which there is satisfaction [of one's hunger], and what is that? As much as an egg.' Here they differ in a matter of logic', for R'Meir holds: Its return is like its defilement:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the same quantity of leaven which is subject to defilement as an eatable necessitates returning in order to remove it.');">²⁶</span> just as its defilement requires as much as an egg, so does its return require as much as an egg. While R'Judah holds, its return