amoraim

He who prepares to pray must equalize his feet. Two Amoraim, Rebbi Levi and Rebbi Simon; one of them says like angels and one of them says like priests. He who says like priests, (Ex. 20:23): “You shall not ascend my alter by stairs;” that means that they were walking with their heel next to the great toe and great toe next to the heel. He who says like angels (Ez. 1:7)” “Their feet were a straight foot.” Rebbi Ḥanina bar Andrei in the name of R. Samuel ben Soṭar: angels have no moving joints. What is the reason? (Dan. 7:16) “I approached one of those standing,” the fixed ones.

Mishnah: “nor immerse vessels.” Our Mishnah is about large vessels but for small vessels one may be cunning about them and immerse them. Rebbi Hoshaia stated, a person may fill an impure vessels from a cistern, be cunning about it and immerse it. It was stated: If his pail fell into a cistern, or his vessels fell into a cistern, he may be cunning about them and immerse them. Two Amoraim, one said, about vessels impure in original impurity; the other said, about vessels impure in derivative impurity. He who said in (original) impurity objected to the one who said in (derivative) impurity, even on a weekday it would require sundown? He answered him, if he wants to use them to eat profane food in purity.

Cahana asked Rav, may one go out with twisted chains? He told them, does one say, it is forbidden for a man to go out with his belt? Rav Huna instructed the wife of the Head of the Diaspora to put golden felt on the wig. Rebbi Joḥanan instructed these of the House of Con to put a patch with pearls on the jacket. Rebbi Ila said, anything connected to a garment is like the garment. And we have stated, one may go out with bells on his garment but one may not go out with bells around his neck. There are Tannaim who state that in both cases they are subject to impurity, and there are Tannaim who state that in both cases they are not subject to impurity. He who said, in both cases they are subject to impurity, if he made clappers for them, but he who said, in both cases they are not subject to impurity, if he did not make clappers for them. Even if he did make clappers for them they should be pure! Did not Rebbi Abbahu, Simeon bar Abba say in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Bells on a crib. Two Amoraim. One said he can move it to and fro, only he should make no sound. But the other said, if he made a sound it is forbidden, otherwise it is permitted. There, although they are not made for sound on the Sabbath they are made for sound on weekdays; but here if they are not made for sound either on the Sabbath or weekdays, why did he make clappers for them?

He who burns potter’s clay, softens glass, melts pitch, melts מוסרין. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Ḥanina: One who melts down lead is liable because of cooking. One who roasts, or who fries, who preserves by cooking, or by smoking, all these because of cooking. If somebody cooked in the hot springs of Tiberias, what? Ḥizqiah said, it is forbidden; Rebbi Joḥanan said, it is permitted. Rebbi Mana said, I went to Caesarea and heard Rebbi Zeriqan in the name of Ḥizqiah; for Ḥizqiah it was a problem: what if the Passover sacrifice was cooked in the hot springs of Tiberias? Two Amoraim, one said, it is forbidden; the other said, it is permitted. He who said, it is forbidden, do not eat from it raw, nor cooked in water. But he who said, it is permitted, but only roasted in fire, its head with its feet and its innards.

Rebbi Zeˋira in the name of Rav Ḥisda: If pegs stick out from the walls of an alley, a person places a beam on them and allows the alley, on condition that they be within three [hand-breadths] of the alley. Two Amoraim, one said, only if they are strong enough to carry the beam and its tiles, but the other said, even if they are not strong enough to carry the beam and its tiles. Rebbi Zeˋira asked: under the beam it is forbidden but it permits the alley? Rebbi Aḥa ben Rebbi Ulla said, why did one not say to him, did we not find this for Samuel? As Samuel said, under the beam it is forbidden but it permits the alley. Rebbi Zeˋira in the name of Samuel: Under the beam and between the laths it is judged like a threshold.

If from him to a river were 75 cubits. Two Amoraim, one said, he measures with a rope of 50 cubits and returns 25 cubits; but the other one said, he measures with a rope of 50 cubits and the remainder he measures with a rope of four cubits. If the river was narrow on top and wide below, up to 50 cubits one considers it as if full of dust and pebbles; otherwise one sees it inclining upwards and inclining downwards. If the river was bent, Rebbi Ḥasdai says, with telescopes he estimates in the plain and does the same with a mountain. Rebbi Aḥa, Rebbi Ḥinena, Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: only if the measure results in the mountain four hand-breadths as a place. Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Abuna in the name of Rav Jehudah, Rebbi Yudan has it in the name of Rav: If one holds it high above his head and the other by his feet, everybody agrees that one strip-measures. The high one over his head and the low one on his hips, everybody agrees that one strip-measures. Where do they disagree? On his heart; Rebbi Meïr says one strip-measures but the Sages say one does not strip-measure.

If they were two. Two Amoraim, one said ten [hand-breadths], the other one said four. He who said ten objected to the one saying four: Does it not turn out that two domains use one domain? He told him, the public domain annuls.

“His mother Helene made a golden chandelier at the door of the Temple..” Two Amoraim. One said, a chandelier. But the other said, a basin. Aquila translated before the chandelier, λαμπάδος.

Rebbi Zeˋira, Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If a wall collapsed in a dead-end street populated by Gentiles, but where one Jew lived, one digs there because of the Jew. How far? Two Amoraim. One said, up to his nose; the other said, up to his navel. He who said, up to his nose, about one who was healthy; he who said up to his navel, about one who was intoxicated.

Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: It happened that a mule of Rebbi’s household died and they declared its blood pure regarding the carcass. Rebbi Eleazar asked Rebbi Simon, how much? He did not take notice of him. He asked Rebbi Joshua ben Levi who told him, it is pure up to a quartarius. More than that is impure. Rebbi Eleazar felt badly that Rebbi Simon had not repeated the tradition to him. Rav Beva was sitting stating this occurrence. Rebbi Isaac bar Bisna asked him, is it pure up to a quartarius; more than that impure? He was unfriendly to him. Rebbi Zeriqa asked him, because he asked you, you were unfriendly to him? He answered him, because my mind was not clear, I was unfriendly to him, as Rebbi Ḥanan said, your life will hang far from you, that is one who buys a year’s supply of wheat, you will be fearful night and day, that is one who buys from the Saracen, and you will not believe in your survival, that is one who buys from the retail store, and I am dependent on retail stores. What about it? “Rebbi Joshua ben Bathyra testified about blood of carcasses that it is pure.” What means pure? It is pure in the flesh, but for impurity it makes impure. There, we have stated “The blood of a crawling animal is like its flesh, it makes impure but does not prepare. Nothing else is like this,” in the amount needed that its blood makes impure like its flesh. Rav Yose said, two Amoraim disagree, one says impure, and one says pure. He who says “impure” follows Rebbi Jehudah; he of “pure” follows Rebbi Joshua ben Bathyra. Rav Abuha of Iman the sister of Rebbi Jehudah was the instructor of the Patriarch.]

It is written, they looked after Moses until he reached the Tent. Two Amoraim, one says for shame, the other one says for praise. He who says for shame, “look at the thigh, look at the feet, look at his flesh. He eats from the Jews, and drinks from the Jews, everything he has is from the Jews.” He who says for praise, to see the just ones is meritorious [great for one who was worthy to see him.]

You are finding that when Nebuchadnezzar campaigned here, he came and sat in Daphne of Antiochia. The Great Synhedrion went to him and said to him, did the time come that this House be destroyed? He said to them, give me the one which I made king over you and I will depart. They came and said to Jehoiachin, the king of Judea, Nebuchadnezzar wants you. When he heard this from them, he took the keys of the Temple and climbed to the roof of the Temple. He said before Him: Master of the world! In the past we were trustworthy for You and Your keys were handed to us. Now that we are not trustworthy for You, Your keys are handed to You. Two Amoraim, One said, he threw them upwards and they never returned. The other said, He saw that something like a hand came and took them from him. When all the freeholders of Jehudah heard this, they climbed to the tops of their roofs, fell down, and died. That is what is written, Saying about the valley of vision: Why are you doing this, that you climbed on all roofs, the noisy, full, humming city.

Rebbi Simeon says four, but the rabbis say three. What is the rabbis’ reason? סֻכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת, these are three. One for the top, and two for the bottom, and the third from their words. What is Rebbi Simeon’s reason? סוּכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת plene, these are four. One for the top, and three for the bottom, and the fourth from their words. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, two Amoraim. One explained the rabbis’ reason, the other explained Rebbi Simeon’s reason. What is the rabbis’ reason? A sukkah shall be for shade during daytime against dryness, that is one for the top. [סוּכּוֹת סוּכּוֹת [סוּכּוֹת, these are three. What is Rebbi Simeon’s reason? A sukkah shall be for shade during daytime against dryness, that is one for the top. סוּכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת סֻכּוֹת plene, these are four. The rabbis of Caesarea understand the reason of Rebbi Simeon and the rabbis’ reason from this verse: a sukkah shall be for shade during daytime against dryness, that is one. For shelter and hiding, that is two. From stream and rain. The rabbis consider from stream and rain as one, Rebbi Simeon considers from stream and rain as two.

HALAKHAH: Two thatched roofs one on top of the other, the upper one has more sunshine than shade, the lower one has not more sunshine than shade. Together, their shade is more than their sunshine. How much may be between them so that they combine? Two Amoraim, one said, ten, the other one said, four. The one who said ten objected to the one who said four: because of a tent? We find a tent which is one hand-breadth.

“And instituted there a great alteration.” What alteration did they make there? They caused the men to be for themselves and the women to be for themselves, following what we have stated there: “Originally it was smooth but they surrounded it with ledges standing out that the women could see from above and the men below, so they should not be mixed. From where did they learn? From the words of the Torah: The Land will be lamenting, all families separately. Two Amoraim, one said, this is the eulogy of the Messiah, but the other one said, this is the eulogy of evil inclinations. He who said, this is the eulogy of the Messiah, if at the moment they are mourning you are saying the men to be for themselves and the women to be for themselves, when they are merry not so much more? He who says, this is the eulogy of evil inclinations, if there are no evil inclinations you are saying the men to be for themselves and the women to be for themselves, when evil inclinations exist not so much more!

HALAKHAH: The Mishnah is about large implements, but for small implements one may use a trick and immerse them. Rebbi Hoshaya stated, a person may fill am impure vessel from the cistern, and be tricky about it and immerse it. If his pail fell into the cistern, his vessel fell into the cistern, he may be tricky about it and immerse it. Two Amoraim, one said about implements impure in original purity; the other said, about implements impure in derivative impurity. The one who said impure in derivative impurity objected to the one who said impure in original purity, even on a weekday would it not need sundown? He said to him, about one who wants to eat his profane food in purity.

Rebbi Ze`ira said, come and see how insolent is the Land of Israel, that it yields fruit. Why does it yield fruit? Two Amoraim. One said, because one fertilizes it. The other one said, because one turns its earth over. It happened that a person was sowing in the valley of Arbel when he dug down with his hand and brought up burning dust which burned the seeds.

“Rebbi Jehudah says, she may not use lime because it disfigures her.” Two Amoraim, Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Mana. One said, they disagreed about lime which she removed on the holiday, but lime which she removes after the holiday everybody agrees that it is forbidden. But the other says, they disagreed about lime which she removes after the holiday. But lime which she removes during the holiday everybody agrees that it is permitted. We did not know who said what. From what R. Ḥanina, Rebbi Yasa said in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, Rebbi Jehudah is consistent: just as Rebbi Jehudah said there, temporary pain is pain, so he says here, temporary disfiguration is disfiguration. This implies that they disagreed about lime which she removed on the holiday, but lime which she removes after the holiday is forbidden.

Our Rabbis have taught : A Ba'al Keri upon whom nine Kabs of water have been poured becomes clean. Nahum, the man of Gam Zu, whispered this to R. 'Akiba, who whispered it to Ben 'Azzai. Ben 'Azzai went out and taught it to his disciples publicly. Two Palestinian Amoraim, R. Jose b. Abin and R. Jose b. Zebida, differ on this matter ; one stating that Ben 'Azzai taught it, the other that he whispered it.

Note that all the Amoraim and Tannaim are at variance over the ordinance of Ezra, so let us see how Ezra ordained it.

Abbai said : Ezra ordained forty Saot for a healthy person whose emission was voluntary and nine Kabs for a healthy person when it was involuntary. Then came the Amoraim and differed as to a person indelicate health. Some were of the opinion that the delicate person whose emission was voluntary is like the healthy man whose emission was voluntary [and requires forty Saot], and the delicate person when it was involuntary like the healthy man when it was involuntary [and requires nine Kabs]. Others, however, were of opinion that the delicate person whose emission was voluntary is like a healthy man whose emission was involuntary [and requires nine Kabs], and the delicate person when it was involuntary is exempt therefrom altogether.

Raba said : Granted that Ezra instituted immersion ; did he, then, institute the pouring of water? For lo, the teacher said, "Ezra instituted immersion for those who are Ba'al Keri" ! But, said Raba, Ezra instituted immersion in forty Saot for a healthy person whose emission was voluntary, and then the Rabbis came and instituted [the pouring of] nine Kabs for a healthy man when it was involuntary. After that the Amoraim came and differed as to what was to be done to a person in delicate health. Some were of opinion that the delicate person whose emission was voluntary was like a healthy man when it was voluntary [and required immersion], and a delicate person when it was involuntary like a healthy person when it was involuntary [and required pouring]. Others, however, were of opinion that the healthy person when it was voluntary required forty Saot ; and the delicate person when it was voluntary, like the healthy man when it was involuntary, required nine Kabs; but a delicate person whose emission was involuntary was exempt therefrom altogether.

Two Amoraim in the West differ, viz. : R Jose b. Abin and R. Jose b. Zebida : one said : Because he causes jealousy between God's creatures ; the other said : Because he makes the ordinances of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be simply acts of mercy, whereas they are injunctions.

R. Zera said to Rab Hisda, "Let the master come and teach." He replied, "[The regulations concerning] Grace after meals have I not learnt, so shall I teach !" R. Zera asked him, "How is that?" He replied, "When I visited the house of the Exilarch and said the Grace after meals, Rab Sheshet stretched his neck over me like a serpent." "But why ?" "Because I made no reference to the Covenant, the Torah or the Kingship." "And why didst thou not mention them?" "In accord with the statement of Rab Hananel in the name of Rab, viz. : If one has not referred to the Covenant, the Torah and the Kingship, he has complied with the requirements of the law — 'the Covenant' because it does not apply to women ; 'the Tordh and the Kingship' because they apply neither to women nor slaves." "And thou didst abandon all these Tannaim and Amoraim and act according to the view of Rab!"

When Rabin came he said in the name of R. Yohanan: Both this one and that one for seven days. R. Yoseph said: Hold fast to the decision of Rabbah b. Bar Hana, since with regard to Sukkah, all the amoraim adopt the same position as he.

One should not pray for rain until shortly before the season of rain. The Amoraim understood that praying for rain and mentioning it are the same thing. Who then is the author of this statement? Raba said, its author can only be R. Joshua, who said (above p. 8) that one is to mention the rain from the time when "the lulab is put away." 'Abbayi, however, replied to Raba, you might just as well say that the author of that statement is R. Eliezer, for praying for rain is one thing and mentioning it is another.

Another version: The Amoraim understood

Rabbah said: [She said], “Pride goes before the fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Abaye and Rava both of whom said: [She said], “With their poison I will prepare their feast” (Jeremiah 51:39). Rabbah b. Abbuha found Elijah and said to him: Which of these reasons prompted Esther to act as she did? He replied: [All] the reasons given by all the Tannaim and all the Amoraim.

Two amoraim in the West [Palestine] differed over this: R. Yose b. Abin and R. Yose b. Z’vida. One said, it is because he creates jealousy in the work of the creation, and the other says it is because he makes the qualities of the Holy One, blessed be He, acts of mercy, whereas they are only decrees.