Yoma 154

אם תענה מתשמיש ואם תקח מצרות ואימא אידי ואידי מצרות מי כתיב אם תקח ואם תקח כתיב

if thou shalt afflict' by denying conjugal duty, 'if thou shalt take' refers to rivals. But say [perhaps]: Both [afflictions due] to rival women? - Does Scripture say: 'If thou shalt take',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the second part of the verse would state explicitly what the first implies.');">¹</span>

ואימא אידי ואידי מצרות חד לצרות דידיה וחד לצרות דאתיין ליה מעלמא דומיא דאם תקח מי כתיב אם תקח ואם תענה אם תענה ואם תקח כתיב

it reads: 'And if thou shalt take' But perhaps both refer to affliction through rivals; one through rivalries among them, the other through rivalries of new wives, so that ['if thou shalt afflict'] would be the same as 'if thou shalt take'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the question as to the meaning of 'and' would be disposed of.');">²</span> Does Scripture say: 'If thou wilt take and afflict'?

א"ל רב פפא לאביי הא תשמיש גופה איקרי ענוי דכתיב (בראשית לד, ב) וישכב אותה ויענה א"ל התם שעינה מביאות אחרות

It reads: If thou shalt afflict and thou shalt take.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lesser evil would be mentioned first, whereas the marrying of Jacob of other additional women would constitute the larger wrong.');">³</span> R'Papa said to Abaye: But intercourse in itself is described as affliction, for it is written: And he lay with her and afflicted her?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXIV, 2.');">⁴</span>

ת"ר אסור לרחוץ מקצת גופו ככל גופו ואם היה מלוכלך בטיט ובצואה רוחץ כדרכו ואינו חושש אסור לסוך מקצת גופו ככל גופו ואם היה חולה או שהיו לו חטטין בראשו סך כדרכו ואינו חושש

He answered: He afflicted her through other [forms of] intercourse. Our Rabbis taught: It is forbidden to wash part of the body [on the Day of Atonement], as [it is forbidden to wash] the whole body.

תנא דבי מנשה רשב"ג אומר מדיחה אשה ידה אחת במים ונותנת פת לתינוק ואינה חוששת

But if one was soiled with mud or excrement, he may wash in his usual way without any fear.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of transgressing the prohibition of washing on the Day of Atonement.');">⁵</span> It is forbidden to anoint part of the body [as it is forbidden to anoint] the whole body.

אמרו עליו על שמאי הזקן שלא רצה להאכיל בידו אחת וגזרו עליו להאכיל בשתי ידים מ"ט אמר אביי משום שיבתא

If however, one was sick or had scabs on his head, he may anoint himself in his usual way without any fear. The School of R'Menasseh taught: R'Simeon B'Gamaliel said: A woman may wash one of her hands in water to give bread to an infant without any fear.

ת"ר ההולך להקביל פני אביו או פני רבו או פני מי שגדול ממנו עובר עד צוארו במים ואינו חושש

It was reported about the older Shammai<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The colleague of Hillel in the Sanhedrin under King Herod.');">⁶</span> that he would not [hand food] to be eaten even with one hand, whereupon the Rabbis decreed that he must do so with both hands.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shammai did not wish to allow himself the concession made by the Rabbis, since he always took the severer view for himself, when two interpretations of ritual obligations were involved. But the Rabbis decided that their permission to wash one's hand was a matter of safeguarding the child's health, and Shammai's unwillingness to accept their rule was unjustified. To emphasize that they imposed upon him the obligation to wash both his hands before handing food to his infant.');">⁷</span>

איבעיא להו הרב אצל תלמיד מאי ת"ש דאמר רב יצחק בר בר חנה אנא חזיתיה לזעירי דאזל לגבי רב חייא בר אשי תלמידיה רב אשי אמר ההוא רב חייא בר אשי הוא דאזל לגביה דזעירי רביה

Why that? Abaye said: Because of Shibta.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An evil spirit, or odour, that endangers the health of those that eat food touched with unwashed hands.');">⁸</span>

רבא שרא לבני עבר ימינא למעבר במיא לנטורי פירי א"ל אביי לרבא תניא דמסייע לך שומרי פירות עוברין עד צוארן במים ואין חוששין

Our Rabbis taught: One who goes to visit his father or his teacher, or his superior,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the day of Atonement and in order to reach him must wade through a river. 'His superior' is one to whom one owes obeisance either by Biblical or Rabbinic law or by the exigencies of political situation.');">⁹</span> may walk through water up to his neck without any fear.

רב יוסף שרא להו לבני בי תרבו למיעבר במיא למיתי לפירקא למיזל לא שרא להו א"ל אביי א"כ אתה מכשילן לעתיד לבא איכא דאמרי שרא להו למיתי ושרא להו למיזל א"ל אביי בשלמא למיתי לחיי אלא למיזל מאי טעמא כדי שלא תהא מכשילן לעתיד לבא

They asked: How about a master who visits his disciple? - Come and hear: For R'Isaac B'Bar Hana said: I saw Ze'iri who went to R'Ashi, his disciple. R'Ashi said: That was R'Hiyya B'Ashi, who went to Ze'iri, his master.

רב יהודה ורב שמואל בר רב יהודה הוו קיימי אגודא דנהר (פפא) אמברא דחצדד והוה קאי רמי בר פפא מהך גיסא רמא להו קלא מהו למיעבר למיתי לגבייכו למשאל שמעתא א"ל רב יהודה רב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו עובר ובלבד שלא יוציא ידו מתחת חפת חלוקו איכא דאמרי א"ל רב שמואל בר רב יהודה תנינא עובר ובלבד שלא יוציא ידו מתחת חפת חלוקו

Raba permitted the people of 'Ibar Jemina<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Lit., 'the right (= south) side', the district south of Mahoza on the Tigris, where lay the orchards of Mahoza and which could not be reached except across some canal, v. Obermeyer p. 181.]');">¹⁰</span> to walk through water for the purpose of guarding [fruits] the crop.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Apparently the people of Ibar Jemina came up to Mahoza for the service of the Day of Atonement and Raba permitted them to return home by wading through water in order to guard their produce, v. loc. cit.].');">¹¹</span>

מתקיף לה רב יוסף ובחול כי האי גונא מי שרי והכתיב (יחזקאל מז, ג) וימד אלף באמה ויעבירני במים מי אפסים מכאן שמותר לעבור עד אפסיים

Abaye said to Raba: I know a teaching that supports you [your decision]: Those who guard the crop may walk up to the neck through water without any fear. R'Joseph permitted the people of Be Tarbu<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Near Pumbeditha, v. Obermeyer. p. 230].');">¹²</span>

וימד אלף ויעבירני במים מים ברכים מכאן שמותר לעבור עד ברכים וימד אלף ויעבירני מי מתנים מכאן שמותר לעבור עד מתנים מכאן ואילך וימד אלף נחל אשר לא אוכל לעבור

to walk through the water in order to go to the lecture [of the Day of Atonement] but he did not permit them to return [in the same fashion]. Abaye said to him: If so, you will put a stumbling-block in their way for the future.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They will abstain from attending the lecture on future occasions because of the discomfort involved in having to wait until the end of the Day of Atonement for their return home.');">¹³</span>

אמר אביי שאני נחל דרדיפי מיא

Some say: He permitted them to go and to return [through water], whereupon Abaye said: Quite right [to permit them] to do so on the way to the lecture, but why the permission on their return? - Lest you put a stumbling-block in their way for the future. Rab Judah and R'Samuel son of R'Judah were standing at the bank of Nehar Papa,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [A canal that passed through Pumbeditha, v. Obermeyer. p. 227].');">¹⁴</span>

יכול יעבירנו בסיחוי ת"ל (יחזקאל מז, ה) כי גאו המים מי שחו מאי מי שחו שיוטא שכן קורין לשייטא סייחא יכול יעבירנו בבורני קטנה ת"ל (ישעיהו לג, כא) בל תלך בו אני שיט יכול יעבירנו בבורני גדולה ת"ל (ישעיהו לג, כא) וצי אדיר לא יעברנו מאי משמע כדמתרגם רב יוסף לא תזיל ביה בספינת ציידין ובורני רבתי לא תגוזינה

at the ford of Hazdad, and Rami B'Papa was standing on the other bank. He shouted across: How about going over to you to inquire about a decision of the Law?

אמר ר' יהודה בן פזי אף מלאך המות אין לו רשות לעבור בתוכו כתיב הכא בל תלך בו אני שיט וכתיב התם (איוב א, ז) משוט בארץ

Rab Judah answered; Rab and Samuel both agree: One may come over, provided one take not one's hand out of the bosom of his shirt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., to throw his cloak over his shoulder, it would look as if he were carrying it, rather than wearing it.');">¹⁵</span> Some say: It was R'Samuel, son of Rab Judah who said: We were taught, He may come over, provided he take not his hand out of the bosom of his shirt.

אמר ר' פנחס משום רב הונא צפוראה מעין היוצא מבית קדשי הקדשים בתחילה דומה לקרני חגבים כיון שהגיע לפתח היכל נעשה כחוט של שתי כיון שהגיע לאולם נעשה כחוט של ערב כיון שהגיע אל פתח עזרה נעשה כפי פך קטן והיינו דתנן ראב"י אומר מים

R'Joseph demurred: But, even on a weekday is such action permitted?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To walk through water up to one's neck.');">¹⁶</span> Does not Scripture say: He measured a thousand cubits and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVII, 3.');">¹⁷</span> hence we infer that it is permitted to pass through water up to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were up to the knees;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 4.');">¹⁸</span> hence we learn that it is permitted to pass through waters up to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the loins;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 4.');">¹⁸</span> hence we know that it is permissible to pass through water up to the loins. Henceforth: Afterward he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I would not pass through.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 5.');">¹⁹</span> Abaye said: It is different with a river whose waters run rapidly.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As with the river, coming from the Holy of Holies; but this is no precedent.');">²⁰</span> One might have assumed that it is permissible to swim across such a river, therefore the text reads: For the waters were risen, waters to swim in.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 5.');">¹⁹</span> What does 'sahu' mean? - 'Swim', for a swimmer is called 'sayaha'. One might have assumed that it is permissible to pass through such [river] in a small Liburnian boat, therefore the text reads: Wherein, shall go no galley with oars.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXXIII, 21.');">²¹</span> One might have assumed that one may cross it in a big Liburnian ship, therefore Scripture says: Neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As with the river, coming from the Holy of Holies; but this is no precedent.');">²⁰</span> How does that follow from the text? - As R'Joseph interprets it: No fisher's boat goes thereon, no big boat traverses it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Targum on Prophets a.l.');">²²</span> R'Judah B'Pazzi said: Even the Angel of Death has no permission to cross it, for here it is said: 'Wherein shall go no galley with oars [shayit].'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job I, 7. The argument is based on the analogy of expression. The conditions attaching to the 'shayit' in Isaiah inferred from Ezekiel apply also to shut in Job. Hence, just as there it is forbidden, by inference, to cross the river, so may the Angel of Death, as another shayit not do so either.');">²³</span> and there it reads: From going [shut] to and fro in the earth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job I, 7. The argument is based on the analogy of expression. The conditions attaching to the 'shayit' in Isaiah inferred from Ezekiel apply also to shut in Job. Hence, just as there it is forbidden, by inference, to cross the river, so may the Angel of Death, as another shayit not do so either.');">²³</span> R'Phinehas in the name of R'Huna of Sepphoris said: The spring that issues from the Holy of Holies in its beginning resembles the antennae of locusts; as it reaches the entrance to the Sanctuary it becomes as the thread of the warp; as it reaches the Ulam,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Main Hall leading into the interior of the Sanctuary.');">²⁴</span> it becomes as the thread of the woof; as it reaches the entrance to the [Temple] court, it becomes as large as the mouth of a small flask, that is meant by what we learned: R'Eliezer B'Jacob said: [Hence] go forth the waters