epidemic

MISHNAH: Similarly, a town in which there is an epidemic or a building collapse, this town fasts and blows the shofar, and all its surroundings fast but do not blow the shofar; Rebbi Aqiba says they blow the shofar but do not fast.

HALAKHAH: There was an epidemic in Sepphoris but it did not touch the avenue where Rebbi Ḥanina was dwelling. The Sepphoreans were saying, why is this old man amongst us sitting in peace while the neighborhood and the town is ruined? He came to preach and said before them: There was one Zimry in his generation but 24’000 fell of Israel. But we, how many Zimry are in our generation and you are complaining?

MISHNAH: What is an epidemic? A town which could mobilize 500 soldiers and there were taken out three dead persons on three consecutive days.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Levi said, it is written: The Eternal will stick to you the epidemic. {A parable} of a woman who sticks three loaves together. How is this acted on? Is it not that larger it needs another rate? Let us hear it from the following: Even a city large as Antiochia, and there were brought out three dead persons during three consecutive days. This implies that larger it needs another rate. The houses about which they spoke, healthy but not shaky. And similarly, young people but not old ones. It was stated: Diphtheria any; two by plague and one by diphtheria. Come and see, “diphtheria any” and you are saying so? It is needed for the case that they blew the shofar about diphtheria and it went away and after that two died of a plague and one of diphtheria.

MISHNAH: About the following one blows the shofar on a Sabbath: About a town surrounded by Gentiles or a river, and a ship in danger in the ocean. Rebbi Yose said, to help but not to vociferation. Simeon from Timna says, also about an epidemic but the Sages did not agree with him.

In what respect are these fasts more rigorous than the preceding ones? In that on these the alarm must be sounded and the shops must be closed. How is the alarm sounded? R. Judah says, by blowing the shofar; R. Judah, son of R. Samuel b. Shilat says in the name of Rab, by the supplication: "Answer us!" It was thought that the one who advocates blowing the shofar is opposed to the use of the supplication: "Answer us!" and that the one who is in favor of the supplication: "Answer us!" is opposed to blowing the shofar. If so, the latter authority would disagree with this Baraita: No less than seven fast days are enjoined upon the community, and on each of them eighteen alarms are sounded; in order to remember this, take Jericho as a sign. Now, in Jericho it was done by blowing the shofar! You must therefore say that everybody admits that blowing the shofar is a proper means of sounding the alarm, but a difference of opinion exists regarding the supplication: "Answer us!" the one authority considering it a mode of sounding the alarm, the other not considering it as such. But has the supplication: "Answer us!" ever been called alarm-sounding? Does not a Baraita state: "For other calamities that break forth and come upon a community, as epidemic eruptions on the skin, locusts, flies, hornets, mosquitoes and a plague of serpents and scorpions, no alarm was sounded (for their disappearance), but cries were uttered"? Now, crying certainly is by mouth! Answer: There are different opinions of teachers in this matter, for we read in the Mishnah: "On the following occasions the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath: When a city is surrounded by troops of the enemy or is threatened by the overflow of a river, and for a ship which is near foundering; R. Jose says, we may do so in order to secure the people's help, but not in the form of crying to God." Now, how is that sounding to be done? By the use of the Shofar? Is it allowed to blow the Shofar on a Sabbath? Undoubtedly, then, the Mishnah means by crying "Answer us!" And yet it terms it "sounding"! It stands proved.

4. Similarly if a city is visited by an epidemic or its houses are falling in, that city should fast and sound the alarm, while the surrounding places should fast but should not sound the alarm. R. 'Aḳiba says, they should sound the alarm, but need not fast. What is considered an epidemic? When, in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot soldiers, three men die in succession within three successive days.

4. Similarly if a city is visited by an epidemic or its houses are falling in, that city should fast and sound the alarm, while the surrounding places should fast but should not sound the alarm. R. 'Aḳiba says, they should sound the alarm, but need not fast. What is considered an epidemic? When, in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot soldiers, three men die in succession within three successive days.

7. On the following occasions the alarm is sounded even on the Sabbath: When a city is surrounded by troops of the enemy, or is threatened with a flood, and when a ship is foundering on the sea; R. Jose says, in this case the alarm may be sounded only as a signal for help, but not as a form of supplication; Simeon the Temanite said (the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath) also on account of an epidemic, but the other Sages did not agree with him.

Our Rabbis have taught: The alarm for rain for the trees must be sounded in the middle of the Passover season, while the alarm for rain for cisterns, ditches, and caves must be sounded in the middle of the Tabernacles season: if there is no water for drinking purposes, the alarm is to be sounded at once. What is meant by "at once"? The first Monday, Thursday, and Monday. In all these cases the alarm is sounded only in the province concerned. If there is an epidemic of croup the alarm is sounded, provided the disease proves fatal, but if it is not fatal, the alarm is not sounded. The alarm is sounded on account of the appearance of locusts, no matter in what numbers; R. Simeon b. Eleazar said, the alarm is sounded also on account of grasshoppers.

Similarly if a city is visited by an epidemic, or its houses are falling in, etc. It was taught: The falling in of houses here spoken of refers to sound houses and not shaky ones, to such as are not liable to fall in and not to such as are liable to fall in. Are not "sound" and "not liable to fall in," the same? And are not "shaky" and "liable to fall in," the same? No, we must needs distinguish between the two, as for instance in a case where the walls (were sound but) fell, because they were too high or stood on the banks of a river.

What is considered an epidemic? When in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers etc. The Rabbis taught: If in a small town capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers as, for instance, Kefar 'Imḳi, three men died within three successive days, it is to be considered an epidemic, but if the three men died in one day or in four days, it does not constitute an epidemic; if in a larger city, capable of furnishing fifteen hundred men as, for instance, Kefar 'Akko, nine men died successively within three days, it constitutes an epidemic,

What is considered an epidemic? When in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers etc. The Rabbis taught: If in a small town capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers as, for instance, Kefar 'Imḳi, three men died within three successive days, it is to be considered an epidemic, but if the three men died in one day or in four days, it does not constitute an epidemic; if in a larger city, capable of furnishing fifteen hundred men as, for instance, Kefar 'Akko, nine men died successively within three days, it constitutes an epidemic,

What is considered an epidemic? When in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers etc. The Rabbis taught: If in a small town capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers as, for instance, Kefar 'Imḳi, three men died within three successive days, it is to be considered an epidemic, but if the three men died in one day or in four days, it does not constitute an epidemic; if in a larger city, capable of furnishing fifteen hundred men as, for instance, Kefar 'Akko, nine men died successively within three days, it constitutes an epidemic,

What is considered an epidemic? When in a city capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers etc. The Rabbis taught: If in a small town capable of furnishing five hundred foot-soldiers as, for instance, Kefar 'Imḳi, three men died within three successive days, it is to be considered an epidemic, but if the three men died in one day or in four days, it does not constitute an epidemic; if in a larger city, capable of furnishing fifteen hundred men as, for instance, Kefar 'Akko, nine men died successively within three days, it constitutes an epidemic,

but if they died in one day or in four days, it is not an epidemic.

An epidemic once broke out in Sura, but in the neighborhood of Rab's residence the epidemic did not appear. The people thought that this was due to Rab's merits, but in a dream they were told that the miracle was too slight to be attributed to Rab's great merit and that it happened because of the merits of a man who willingly lent hoe and shovel to a cemetery (for the digging of graves).

An epidemic once broke out in Sura, but in the neighborhood of Rab's residence the epidemic did not appear. The people thought that this was due to Rab's merits, but in a dream they were told that the miracle was too slight to be attributed to Rab's great merit and that it happened because of the merits of a man who willingly lent hoe and shovel to a cemetery (for the digging of graves).

R. Judah was once informed that a pest broke out among the swine and he ordered a public fast. Are we to say that R. Judah was of the opinion that an epidemic which breaks out among one kind (of living beings) is liable to spread also among the other kinds? No, it is different in the case of swine, because their intestines are similar to those of human beings.

Samuel was told that there was an epidemic among the people of Khuza. He ordered a public fast. The people objected, saying that the place was far off, whereupon Samuel said, "Do you think that the (absence of a) ferry will prevent the epidemic from spreading?"

Samuel was told that there was an epidemic among the people of Khuza. He ordered a public fast. The people objected, saying that the place was far off, whereupon Samuel said, "Do you think that the (absence of a) ferry will prevent the epidemic from spreading?"

R. Naḥman was told that there was an epidemic in Palestine, so he ordered a fast, saying, "If the mistress is stricken, how much the more so her servant!" Is the fact that the one is mistress and the other servant the reason for ordaining a fast? Suppose both were servants, would we not order a fast? Is it not a fact that when Samuel was told of an epidemic among the people of Khuza, he ordered a fast (in Neharde'a)? In that case it was different, for caravans were frequently travelling between the two places and might have carried the infection (to Neharde'a).

R. Naḥman was told that there was an epidemic in Palestine, so he ordered a fast, saying, "If the mistress is stricken, how much the more so her servant!" Is the fact that the one is mistress and the other servant the reason for ordaining a fast? Suppose both were servants, would we not order a fast? Is it not a fact that when Samuel was told of an epidemic among the people of Khuza, he ordered a fast (in Neharde'a)? In that case it was different, for caravans were frequently travelling between the two places and might have carried the infection (to Neharde'a).

Simeon the Temanite said (the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath) also on account of an epidemic, but the other Sages did not agree with him, etc. The question was raised: Did the Rabbis disagree with Simeon only so far as the Sabbath was concerned, but agreed with him with regard to week-days, or did they disagree with him in both? Come and hear: Simeon the Temanite said, the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath for an epidemic, and all the more so on week days; Hanan b. Phineas, the disciple of R. 'Aḳiba, said in the name of R. 'Aḳiba, the alarm is not to be sounded either on the Sabbath or on week days.

Simeon the Temanite said (the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath) also on account of an epidemic, but the other Sages did not agree with him, etc. The question was raised: Did the Rabbis disagree with Simeon only so far as the Sabbath was concerned, but agreed with him with regard to week-days, or did they disagree with him in both? Come and hear: Simeon the Temanite said, the alarm is sounded on the Sabbath for an epidemic, and all the more so on week days; Hanan b. Phineas, the disciple of R. 'Aḳiba, said in the name of R. 'Aḳiba, the alarm is not to be sounded either on the Sabbath or on week days.