ט ואם היה עבה כו': תנא טרופה בשמן ונתונה באילפס אמר ליה מר בריה דרבינא לבריה מי שמיע לך ביצה קלה מאי היא אמר ליה ביעתא דצילצלא מאי טעמא משום דזוטרא אימא דציפרתא אישתיק אמר ליה מידי שמיע לך בהא [אמר ליה הכי] אמר רב ששת ביצת תרנגולת ומאי קרו לה ביצה קלה שיערו חכמים אין לך ביצה קלה לבשל יותר מביצת תרנגולת ומאי שנא כל שיעורי שבת כגרוגרת והכא כביצה אמר ליה הכי אמר רב נחמן כגרוגרת מביצה קלה:
9 THIS IS R. AKIBA'S VIEW. BUT THE SAGES SAY; AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR THE SEAL ON LETTERS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a smaller standard. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> [FOR] MANURE, OR THIN SAND, [THE STANDARD IS] AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR FERTILIZING A CABBAGE STALK; THIS IS R. AKIBA'S VIEW. BUT THE SAGES MAINTAIN: FOR FERTILIZING ONE LEEK PLANT. THICK SAND, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR PUTTING ON A FULL PLASTER TROWEL. A REED, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR MAKING A PEN. BUT IF IT IS THICK OR CRUSHED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And unfit for a pen. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> [THE STANDARD IS] AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR BOILING THE LIGHTEST OF EGGS BEATEN UP AND PLACED IN A STEW POT. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. ON A FULL PLASTER TROWEL. A Tanna taught: As much as is required for putting on the top of a plasterer's trowel. Which Tanna holds that sand improves plaster? — Said R. Hisda: R. Judah. For it was taught: One must not plaster his house with lime unless he mixed it with straw or sand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To darken it as a sign of mourning. This was after the destruction of the Temple. v. B.B. 60b. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> R. Judah said: Straw is permitted, but sand is forbidden, because it becomes cement.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And is an improvement. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> Raba said, You may say that it agrees even the Rabbis: The spoiling thereof makes it fit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: since it may not be used without darkening, this spoiling makes it fit for use, and hence is adopted as a standard. Others (with whom Rashi disagrees): the spoiling of the colour is nevertheless an improvement, for the sand strengthens it. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> A REED, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR MAKING A PEN. It was taught: A pen which reaches one's finger joints. R. Ashi asked: The upper joint or the lower? The question stands over. BUT IF IT IS THICK, etc. A Tanna taught: Beaten up with oil and placed in a stew pot. Mar, son of Rabina, said to his son: Have you heard what a light egg is? — He replied: An egg of a turtle dove. What is the reason? Because it is small! Then say [the egg of a zipparta?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jast.: a small bird, supposed to be the humming bird. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> He was silent. Have you then heard anything on this? he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The son. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> asked him. Said he to him, Thus did R. Shesheth say: It is a fowl's egg, and why is it called a light egg? The Sages estimated, You have no egg quicker [lighter] to boil than a fowl's egg. And wherefore [he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The son. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> asked] are all the [food-]standards of the Sabbath the size of a dried fig, whereas here it is an egg? Said he to him, Thus did R. Nahman say: [It means] as much as [is required to boil the size of] a dried fig of a light egg.