Taanit 42

ביום אחד או בארבעה ימים אין זה דבר

In Derokereth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Identified with Daraukat on the Tigris, v. Obermeyer p. 197.');">¹</span> a city that supplied five hundred foot-soldiers three deaths took place in one day, whereupon R'Nahman B'Hisda ordained a [public] fast.

דרוקרת עיר המוציאה חמש מאות רגלי הוה ויצאו ממנה שלשה מתים ביום אחד גזר רב נחמן בר רב חסדא תעניתא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק כמאן כר"מ

R'Nahman B'Isaac said, This must be in accordance with the authority of R'Meir who declared, If for goring at long intervals [during three days] there is [full] liability, how much more so for goring at short intervals [in one day].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.K. 24a. An ox is considered a goring ox (mu'ad) if he gored three times in three days. R. Meir takes the view that he is considered a goring ox if he gored three times in one day (cf. ibid. 23b) .');">²</span> Said R'Nahman B'Hisda to R'Nahman B'Isaac: Pray, take a seat nearer us.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Take a more prominent place worthy of your great learning of which you have just given us proof.');">³</span>

דאמר ריחק נגיחותיו חייב קירב נגיחותיו לא כ"ש

The latter replied: We have taught, R'Jose says: It is not the place that honours the man but it is the man who honours the place. We find it thus In connection with Mt.

א"ל רב נחמן בר רב חסדא לרב נחמן בר יצחק ליקום מר ליתי לגבן א"ל תנינא רבי יוסי אומר לא מקומו של אדם מכבדו אלא אדם מכבד את מקומו שכן מצינו בהר סיני שכל זמן שהשכינה שרויה עליו אמרה תורה (שמות לד, ג) גם הצאן והבקר אל ירעו אל מול ההר ההוא נסתלקה שכינה ממנו אמרה תורה (שמות יט, יג) במשוך היובל המה יעלו בהר

Sinai, as long as the Shechinah dwelt thereon the Torah declared, Neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 3.');">⁴</span> but once the Shechinah had departed thence the Torah said, When the ram's horn soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIX, 13.');">⁵</span>

וכן מצינו באהל מועד שבמדבר שכל זמן שהוא נטוי אמרה תורה (במדבר ה, ב) וישלחו מן המחנה כל צרוע הוגללו הפרוכת הותרו זבין והמצורעים ליכנס שם

The same too we find in connection with the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness; so long as it remained pitched the Torah commanded, That they put out of the camp every leper;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 2.');">⁶</span> but once the curtains were rolled up<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the continuation of their journeyings.');">⁷</span>

אמר ליה אי הכי ניקום אנא לגבי מר אמר ליה מוטב יבא מנה בן פרס אצל מנה בן מנה ואל יבא מנה בן מנה אצל מנה בן פרס

both those with a running issue and the lepers were permitted to enter therein. Thereupon R'Hisda retorted: If so I will come nearer to you; whereupon the latter replied: It is more fitting that a scholar, the son of an ordinary man, should go to one who is a scholar and is the son of a scholar, than the latter should go towards the former.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Hisda, the father of R. Nahman, was a more eminent scholar than Isaac, the father of R. Hisda, as can be seen from the fact that the former was an ordained rabbi and is referred to as R. Hisda, whereas the latter is termed Isaac without the title 'Rabbi'. To show his less distinguished xrp ic vbn vbn xrp ancestry R. Nahman refers to himself as ( == GR. **,mina and , half of a mina) . Lit., 'a mina the son of half a mina', while R. Nahman is designated by him as 'mina the son of a mina'.');">⁸</span>

בסורא הוות דברתא בשיבבותיה דרב לא הוות דברתא סברו מיניה משום זכותיה דרב דנפיש איתחזי להו בחילמא רב דנפישא זכותיה טובא הא מילתא זוטרא ליה לרב אלא משום ההוא גברא דשייל מרא וזבילא לקבורה

Once a plague broke out in Sura but it did not affect the locality in which Rab resided. People thought that this was on account of Rab's great merit but in a dream it was made clear to them that this was far too small a matter to need Rab's great merit, but that it was on account of the merit of a certain man who made it a practice to lend shovel and spade for burials.

בדרוקרת הוות דליקתא ובשיבבותיה דרב הונא לא הוות דליקתא סבור מינה בזכותא דרב הונא דנפיש איתחזי להו בחילמא האי זוטרא ליה לרב הונא אלא משום ההיא איתתא דמחממת תנורא ומשיילי לשיבבותיה

Once a fire broke out in Derokereth but it did not spread to the locality where R'Huna resided. People thought that it was on account of the great merit of R'Huna, but in a dream it was made clear to them that this was far too small a matter to need R'Huna's great merit, but that it was on account of a certain woman who [on the eve of Sabbaths] would heat her oven and permit her neighbours to make use of it.

אמרו ליה לרב יהודה אתו קמצי גזר תעניתא אמרו ליה לא קא מפסדן אמר להו זוודא אייתו בהדייהו

Once Rab Judah was informed that locusts had come and he ordained a fast. He was then told that no damage had been done, whereupon he exclaimed: Have they then brought provision with them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That they did not damage the crops.');">⁹</span>

אמרו ליה לרב יהודה איכא מותנא בחזירי גזר תעניתא נימא קסבר רב יהודה מכה משולחת ממין אחד משולחת מכל המינין לא שאני חזירי דדמיין מעייהו לבני אינשי

Once Rab Judah was informed that pestilence was raging among the swine and he ordained a fast. Can it then be concluded from this that Rab Judah is of the opinion that a plague scourging one species of animals is likely to attack also other species?

אמרו ליה לשמואל איכא מותנא בי חוזאי גזר תעניתא א"ל והא מרחק אמר ליכא מעברא הכא דפסיק ליה

No, the case of the swine is exceptional, because their intestines are l unto those of human beings. Once Samuel was informed that pestilence was raging amongst the inhabitants of Be Hozae,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The modern Khurzistan, v. Obermeyer p. 204.]');">¹⁰</span>

אמרו ליה לרב נחמן איכא מותנא בארעא דישראל גזר תעניתא אמר אם גבירה לוקה שפחה לא כל שכן

and he ordained a fast. The people said to him: surely [Be Hozae] is a long distance away from here.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Nehardea, the place of Samuel.');">¹¹</span>

טעמא דגבירה ושפחה הא שפחה ושפחה לא והא אמרו ליה לשמואל איכא מותנא בי חוזאי גזר תעניתא שאני התם כיון דאיכא שיירתא דלווי ואתיא בהדיה

He replied: Would then a crossing prevent it from spreading?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS.M. and Rashi. Nothing can prevent disease from spreading. Cur. edd. 'There is here no crossing to prevent them'.');">¹²</span> Once R'Nahman was informed that there was pestilence in Palestine and he ordained a fast, for he said, If the 'Mistress' is stricken how much more so the 'Maidservant'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Palestine is the Mistress and Babylon the Maidservant.');">¹³</span>

אבא אומנא הוה אתי ליה שלמא ממתיבתא דרקיעא כל יומא ולאביי כל מעלי יומא דשבתא לרבא כל מעלי יומא דכיפורי הוה קא חלשא דעתיה דאביי משום דאבא אומנא אמרו ליה לא מצית למיעבד כעובדיה

[Are we then to assume] that the reason for his ordaining the fast was because it was a case of 'mistress' and 'maidservant', but if both were maidservants', he would not have ordained the fast? But did not Samuel ordain a fast [in Nehardea] when he was informed that there was pestilence amongst the inhabitants of Be Hozae?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And there the Maidservant alone was concerned.');">¹⁴</span>

ומאי הוו עובדיה דאבא אומנא דכי הוה עביד מילתא הוה מחית גברי לחוד ונשי לחוד ואית ליה לבושא דאית ביה קרנא דהוות בזיעא כי כוסילתא כי הוות אתיא ליה איתתא הוה מלביש לה כי היכי דלא ניסתכל בה ואית ליה דוכתא דצניעא דשדי ביה פשיטי דשקיל דאית ליה שדי ביה דלית ליה לא מיכסיף

The case there was exceptional since there are caravans which it accompanies and with which it comes along. Abba was a cupper and daily he would receive greetings from the Heavenly Academy.

כי הוה אתרמי ליה צורבא מרבנן אגרא מיניה לא שקיל ובתר דקאי יהיב ליה פשיטי ואמר ליה זיל בריא נפשך יומא חד שדר אביי זוגא דרבנן למיבדקיה אותבינהו ואכלינהו ואשקינהו ומך להו ביסתרקי בליליא

Abaye received greetings on every Sabbath eve, Raba on the eve of every Day of Atonement. Abaye felt dejected because of [the signal honour shown to] Abba the Cupper. People said to him: This distinction is made because you cannot do what Abba does. What was the special merit of Abba the Cupper? When he performed his operations he would separate men from women, and in addition he had a cloak which held a cup [for receiving the blood]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The caravans carry with them the pestilence to Nehardea.');">¹⁵</span> and which was slit at the shoulder<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'between the shoulders, shoulder blade'.');">¹⁶</span> and whenever a woman patient came to him he would put the garment on her shoulder<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Var. lec.: a garment which had many slits at the shoulder blade.]');">¹⁷</span> in order not to see her [exposed body].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He would insert the cup through the slit on the shoulder to bleed the patient without having to expose her body.');">¹⁸</span> He also had a place<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'hidden'.');">¹⁹</span> out of public gaze<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Var. lec.: 'outside (his surgery) '].');">²⁰</span> where the patients deposited their fees which he would charge; those that could afford it put their fees there, and thus those who could not pay were not put to shame.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Var. lec.: and those who could not pay could come in and sit down, and were not etc.]');">²¹</span> Whenever a young scholar happened to consult him not only would he accept no fee from him but on taking leave of him he also would give him some money at the same time adding, Go and regain strength therewith. One day Abaye sent to him two scholars in order to test him. He received them and gave them food and drink and in the evening he prepared woollen mattresses for them [to sleep on].