flax

MISHNAH: In what does one store away and in what may one not store away? One does not store away in olive cake, nor in manure, nor in salt, nor in lime, nor in sand, whether moist or dry. Not in straw, nor in fibers, nor in grape pits, nor in grasses when they are moist but one may store away in them when dry. One may store away in garments, and produce, and pigeon wings, and flax residue, and in fine sawdust. Rebbi Jehudah forbids if it is fine and permits coarse.

“And in flax residue, and in sawdust.” We have stated נְסוּרֶת. In the House of Rebbi they stated נְעוֹרֶת. This implies that both are the same.

There, we have stated: “The measure for one who bleaches, who beats flax, or who dyes, or who spins,” and here you are saying so? The one who dyes, here one who brings out to dye.

MISHNAH: The measure of one who bleaches, or who beats flax, who dyes, or who spins, is double the width of a span. The measure for him who weaves two threads is the length of a span.

One may bathe in the ocean and in the waters of Tiberias even though one intends to do this for medical purposes, but not in water used for soaking flax or in the Dead Sea. When? If he intended this for medical purposes; therefore to lift himself from impurity to purity it is permitted. Rebbi Samuel, Rebbi Berekhiah’s brother said, on condition that he not tarry.

Rebbi Abba, Ḥinena bar Shelemia, Rav Jeremiah in the name of Rav: If he used steps of ladders for roofing it is (qualified) [disqualified]. Male parts, it is qualified. Female parts, it is disqualified. If he roofed with bundles of flax, it is disqualified, with raw flax it is qualified. If he roofed it with ropes, there are Tannaim who state, qualified, and there are Tannaim who state, disqualified. He who said qualified, with bast ropes; but he who said disqualified, with linen ropes.

Rebbi Abba, Ḥinena bar Shelemia, Rav Jeremiah in the name of Rav: If he used steps of ladders for roofing it is (qualified) [disqualified]. Male parts, it is qualified. Female parts, it is disqualified. If he roofed with bundles of flax, it is disqualified, with raw flax it is qualified. If he roofed it with ropes, there are Tannaim who state, qualified, and there are Tannaim who state, disqualified. He who said qualified, with bast ropes; but he who said disqualified, with linen ropes.

HALAKHAH: It was stated: From the worn-out trousers of the High Priest they lit the inner lights, and from the worn-out trousers of common priests they lit the outer lights. Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, it is written, to elevate the permanent light. They estimated to say that nothing produces a flare but flax.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Ḥama bar Uqba in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: One blows the shofar for the failure of the flax crop. What is the reason? Horrible and execrable things happened in the land. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: One blows the shofar about hot East wind. What is the reason? I went black without sun, I rose in the assembly to pray. Rebbi Eleazar said, honor your healer before you need him. What is the reason? If your prayer had preceded your need, and all efforts of power. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Rebbi Joḥanan said, [if you prayed, no one up high will begrudge you, but all will reinforce your power, and all efforts of power. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, if you prayed,] do not keep your mouth narrow, but open your mouth and I shall fill it.

From where the translation? Rebbi Ze`ira in the name of Rav Ḥananel: They read in the Scroll of the Torah, that is the reading. Explained, that is the translation. Making sense, these are the accents. And understood the reading, this is the Masora, and some say, these are the decisions, and some say, these are the starts of verses. Rebbi Ze`ira in the name of Rav Ḥananel: Even an expert in the Torah like Ezra should not pronounce with his mouth and read as it is said about Baruch: And from his mouth he would read all these words to me and I was writing on a scroll with ink. But was it not stated, “it happened that Rebbi Meïr was in Essia where there was no Esther scroll written in Hebrew, when he wrote it by heart and read it. One does not infer from emergency situations. But there are those who say that he wrote two. He wrote the first by heart, and copied the second one from the first one, put away the first and read from the second.” Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose says, I can write the entire Torah from memory. The Elder Rebbi Ḥiyya said, I can write the entire Torah for two minas. How would he do it? He buys flax seed for two minas, sowed and harvested it, made ropes to catch deer and wrote the entire Torah on their hides. Rebbi heard it and said, happy is (the people) [the generation] to which you belong.

Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Just as they differ here they differ in the rules of mourning. As it was stated: The following things one does for the mourner in his mourning period. One presses his vat, and stirs his wine, and plugs his amphoras, and his repeatedly turned olives one grinds as usual, and one waters his irrigated fields if it is time for them to be irrigated, and one sows his field flax at the start of the rainy season, the words of Rebbi Jehudah. They told him, if it is not sown with flax it can be sown with another kind; if it was not sown in this week it can be sown in another week. Who is “they told him”? Rebbi Yose. The argument of Rebbi Jehudah seems inverted. There he said, small amounts may be lost so large amounts not be lost, and here he says so? There is a difference since there he is wont to be tricky. So much more the argument of Rebbi Jehudah seems inverted, since there where he is wont to be tricky he says it is permitted, here where he is not wont to be tricky, not so much more? Rebbi Ḥinnena said, who is “they told him”? The Sages following Rebbi Jehudah’s argument for the holiday.

Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Just as they differ here they differ in the rules of mourning. As it was stated: The following things one does for the mourner in his mourning period. One presses his vat, and stirs his wine, and plugs his amphoras, and his repeatedly turned olives one grinds as usual, and one waters his irrigated fields if it is time for them to be irrigated, and one sows his field flax at the start of the rainy season, the words of Rebbi Jehudah. They told him, if it is not sown with flax it can be sown with another kind; if it was not sown in this week it can be sown in another week. Who is “they told him”? Rebbi Yose. The argument of Rebbi Jehudah seems inverted. There he said, small amounts may be lost so large amounts not be lost, and here he says so? There is a difference since there he is wont to be tricky. So much more the argument of Rebbi Jehudah seems inverted, since there where he is wont to be tricky he says it is permitted, here where he is not wont to be tricky, not so much more? Rebbi Ḥinnena said, who is “they told him”? The Sages following Rebbi Jehudah’s argument for the holiday.

MISHNAH: A person may haul in his produce because of thieves and remove his flax from the steeping to avoid spoiling on condition that he not plan his work on the holiday. In all cases if they planned their work for the holiday it should spoil.

Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi: It happened that a girl went to wash at the river when they said to her, your betrothed is passing by. She said, let my mother go and marry him! When the case came before the Sages, they said that there is no repudiation stronger than that. Rebbi Ḥanina said, It happened that a girl went to buy flax from the flax dealer when they said to her, your betrothed is passing by. She said, let my mother go and marry him! When the case came before the Sages, they said that there is no repudiation stronger than that. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehudah: “Even if she went to buy something at the store and said, I cannot endure my husband X, there is no repudiation stronger than this.

Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi: It happened that a girl went to wash at the river when they said to her, your betrothed is passing by. She said, let my mother go and marry him! When the case came before the Sages, they said that there is no repudiation stronger than that. Rebbi Ḥanina said, It happened that a girl went to buy flax from the flax dealer when they said to her, your betrothed is passing by. She said, let my mother go and marry him! When the case came before the Sages, they said that there is no repudiation stronger than that. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehudah: “Even if she went to buy something at the store and said, I cannot endure my husband X, there is no repudiation stronger than this.

We have stated: carders. Some Tannaїm state: spinners. He who said carders, they card wool. He who said spinners, they spin flax.

MISHNAH: When the Elders of Jerusalem had completed their work and left, the Elders of that town bring “a cattle calf, one which never had been used for work, which never had drawn under a yoke.” Bodily defects do not disqualify it. One brings it down to an etan valley; the meaning of etan is “hard”. Even if it is not hard it is qualified. One breaks its neck with a stiletto from behind. Its place is forbidden to be used for sowing or agricultural works; it may be used to card flax or to hew stones.

It was stated so: He forces her to work with wool, but not with flax since that causes bad breath and broadens the lips.

MISHNAH: One who made a vow to abstain from garments is permitted sack-cloth, carpets, and goat’s hair cloth. If he said, a qônām that wool shall not come onto me, he is permitted to cover himself with shorn wool; that linen should not come upon me, he is permitted to cover himself with linen fibers. Rebbi Jehudah says, everything refers to the vow. If he was carrying and sweating and smelling badly, when he said, a qônām that no wool or flax should be on me, he is permitted to wear but forbidden to carry on his back.

So is the Mishnah: If he was carrying and sweating; when he said, a qônām that no wool or flax should be on me, he is forbidden to wear them but permitted to carry them on his back.

HALAKHAH: “A woman may lend to her neighbor,” etc. Rebbi Zeïra asked before Rebbi Mana: Does our Mishnah deal with the implicit case, rather than the explicit? He said to him, is the implicit case not explicit? He said to him, I can say a coarse sieve to count coins, a sieve to sift sand, grindstones to grind spices, a stove to put in flax bundles.

A person gave a pledge to another; the other reneged on it. Rebbi Abba, Rebbi Hila, and Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa all three say it was a deal about flax seed and he had given partial payment. The case came before Rebbi Joḥanan, who said: Either he delivers the entire contract or one may turn him over to “Him Who exacted retribution.” Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Joseph said, either he delivers for the amount of the pledge or ome may turn him over to “Him Who exacted retribution.” Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Joseph agrees with Rebbi Joḥanan in a sale which is not usually split, such as of a cow or a stole. Is a woman usually acquired split? Rebbi Ḥaggai and Rebbi Yudan both said, a sale usually may be split, the acquisition of a wife cannot be split.

MISHNAH: If the carrier of the beam was first and the carrier of the amphora last. If the jar broke on the beam, he is not liable; but if the carrier of the beam stopped walking, he is liable, except that he is not liable if he said to the carrier of the amphora: stop! If the carrier of the amphora was first and the carrier of the beam last. If the jar broke on the beam, he is liable, but if the carrier of the amphora stopped walking, he is not liable, except that he is liable if he said to the carrier of the beam: stop! The same applies if one carries fire and the other flax.

MISHNAH: If a spark came from under a hammer and caused damage, he is liable. If a camel was loaded with flax and while it walked in the public domain the flax entered a store, was lit by the storekeeper’s light, and set the building on fire, the camel’s owner is liable. If the store owner put his light outside, the store owner is liable. Rebbi Jehudah says, in case of a Ḥanukkah light he is not liable.

MISHNAH: If a spark came from under a hammer and caused damage, he is liable. If a camel was loaded with flax and while it walked in the public domain the flax entered a store, was lit by the storekeeper’s light, and set the building on fire, the camel’s owner is liable. If the store owner put his light outside, the store owner is liable. Rebbi Jehudah says, in case of a Ḥanukkah light he is not liable.

MISHNAH: Which finds are his and which ones does he have to make public? The following finds are his: If he found scattered produce, scattered coins, bundles of grain in the public domain, or fig cakes, baker’s loaves, strings of fish, cuts of meat, local fleece-wool, bundles of flax, or strips of purple wool; these are his.

HALAKHAH: “Just as there is cheating in trade,” etc. “One may not put on make-up.” Rebbi Eudaimon the salt dealer was mollifying his spread. Jacob bar Aḥa said to him, did we not state: “one may not put on make up”? His word implies that there is make-up on food. Rebbi Ze‘ira was working with flax. He went to Rebbi Abbahu and asked him, may I make my work look good? He told him, go and apply all you know. Rebbi Abbahu was working on those shawls. He came to ask Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina, how am I with those shawls? He told him, go and apply all you know. Rebbi Abba painted a bathtub. Rebbi Jacob from Emmaus stated: What means: “one may not put on make up”? One may not say to him, paint yourself.

Abba bar Zamina gave a denar to the food merchant and took from him at the cheapest rate of the entire year. Rav did not agree. Rebbi Ḥiyya the Elder had flax. The donkey drivers wanted to buy from him. He told them, it is not my intention to sell this before Purim. They said to him, sell it to us now at the price which you would sell it for at Purim. He went to ask Rebbi, who told him, it is forbidden. He went out, formulated this in a baraita, and stated the following: “If one was owing money and the other wanted to take from him on the threshing floor, when he told him, credit it to my account by the market rate and I shall provide you all twelve months; this is forbidden for it is not as if the assarion came to his hand.” Rav said, my uncle Rebbi Ḥiyya will agree that if they paid him and he immediately acquired, then it is permitted. If he paid beforehand and acquired afterwards, it is permitted; if he acquired earlier and paid afterwards, it is forbidden.

Rebbi Eleazar invested a denar with a person and told him, what it earns between now and Ḥanukkah is mine [and yours], afterwards I do not have any part with you, whether they earn or lose it is yours. He wanted to give to him after Ḥanukkah but he did not accept. Rebbi Eleazar had misgivings because of “close to gain and far from loss,” as it was stated: “Close to gain and far from loss is the way of the wicked. Close to loss and far from gain is the way of the just. Close and far equally to both is the way of everybody.” Rebbi Isaac invested denars with a person. He wanted to stipulate as did Rebbi Eleazar but the other did not accept. Cahana invested 40 denars with a person to buy flax for him. Flax went up in price. He went to ask Rav, who told him to go and collect 40 large kor.

Rebbi Eleazar invested a denar with a person and told him, what it earns between now and Ḥanukkah is mine [and yours], afterwards I do not have any part with you, whether they earn or lose it is yours. He wanted to give to him after Ḥanukkah but he did not accept. Rebbi Eleazar had misgivings because of “close to gain and far from loss,” as it was stated: “Close to gain and far from loss is the way of the wicked. Close to loss and far from gain is the way of the just. Close and far equally to both is the way of everybody.” Rebbi Isaac invested denars with a person. He wanted to stipulate as did Rebbi Eleazar but the other did not accept. Cahana invested 40 denars with a person to buy flax for him. Flax went up in price. He went to ask Rav, who told him to go and collect 40 large kor.

MISHNAH: If somebody hired tradesmen and they tricked one another, they only have mutual complaints on one another. If somebody hired a donkey driver, or a teamster, carriage carriers, or flute players for a bride or a burial, workers to bring his flax from the soaking pond, or anything in danger of being lost, if they reneged at a place where nobody is available, he hires at their expense or tricks them.

HALAKHAH: “If somebody hired tradesmen,” etc. What means, they tricked one another? Come, work for me for five large [coins]. It turned out it was work for ten large [coins]. You work for me a job which needs ten days. It turned out it was work for five days. What means, [they] tricked the householder? Come, work for me with your colleagues {for ten large [coins]. It turned out it was work for five large [coins]. You work for me a job which needs five days.} It turned out it was work for ten days. “When was this said; if the donkey drivers did not start yet. But if they went and did not find grain, or workers to weed and found the field flooded, he has to pay them for going and coming. But one cannot compare coming loaded with coming empty, or working with being idle, sitting in the shadow with sitting in the sun.” Rebbi Ḥiyya the Elder hired donkey drivers to bring his flax. They went and found it wet. (Rav) said to him, go and pay them their full fee. He said to them, not that I would be obligated to pay you your fee but I, Ḥiyya, am handing it over to you.

MISHNAH: One who contracts with another for a field for a few years may not sow flax and does not have sycamore logs. If he contracted for seven years, he may sow flax and does have sycamore logs.

MISHNAH: One who contracts with another for a field for a few years may not sow flax and does not have sycamore logs. If he contracted for seven years, he may sow flax and does have sycamore logs.

HALAKHAH: “One who contracts with another for a field,” etc. One understands that for wheat he may not sow flax. For flax may he not sow wheat? Flax damages the soil for three years and you say so? Rebbi Menaḥem, the brother of Rebbi Gorion, explained before Rebbi La: It is better to sow flax after flax but not barley after barley.

HALAKHAH: “One who contracts with another for a field,” etc. One understands that for wheat he may not sow flax. For flax may he not sow wheat? Flax damages the soil for three years and you say so? Rebbi Menaḥem, the brother of Rebbi Gorion, explained before Rebbi La: It is better to sow flax after flax but not barley after barley.

HALAKHAH: “One who contracts with another for a field,” etc. One understands that for wheat he may not sow flax. For flax may he not sow wheat? Flax damages the soil for three years and you say so? Rebbi Menaḥem, the brother of Rebbi Gorion, explained before Rebbi La: It is better to sow flax after flax but not barley after barley.

HALAKHAH: “One who contracts with another for a field,” etc. One understands that for wheat he may not sow flax. For flax may he not sow wheat? Flax damages the soil for three years and you say so? Rebbi Menaḥem, the brother of Rebbi Gorion, explained before Rebbi La: It is better to sow flax after flax but not barley after barley.

HALAKHAH: “One who contracts with another for a field,” etc. One understands that for wheat he may not sow flax. For flax may he not sow wheat? Flax damages the soil for three years and you say so? Rebbi Menaḥem, the brother of Rebbi Gorion, explained before Rebbi La: It is better to sow flax after flax but not barley after barley.

MISHNAH: If a tree overhangs another’s field, he may cut it in the height of the plough’s ox-goad; carob tree and sycamore along the plumb line. Over an irrigated field along the plumb line. Abba Shaul says, every non-fruit-bearing tree along the plumb line. If a tree overhangs the public domain, one has to cut it so that a camel with a rider on it may pass; Rebbi Jehudah says, loaded with flax or bundles of vine cuttings. Rebbi Simeon says, any tree [must be cut] along the plumb line because of impurity.

MISHNAH: Four situations for sellers. If one contracted to sell high quality wheat and it turned out to be low quality, the buyer may annul the contract. Low quality and it turned out to be high quality, the seller may annul the contract. Low quality and it turned out to be low quality, high quality and it turned out to be high quality, neither of them may annul the contract. Brown grain and it turned out to be white grain, white grain and it turned out to be brown grain, olive wood and it turned out to be sycamore wood, sycamore wood and it turned out to be olive wood, wine and it turned out to be vinegar, vinegar and it turned out to be wine, either of them may annul the contract. If somebody sold produce to another and this one moved it without measuring, he took possession. If he was measuring without moving, he did not take possession. If he is intelligent, he rents its place. If somebody buys flax from another he he did not take possession until he moved it from place to place; but if it still was standing on the ground and he plucked anything, he took possession. If somebody sold wine or oil to another and it rose or fell in price, if it was before the measure was filled it is for the seller, after the measure was filled for the buyer. If a broker was involved and the amphora broke, it broke for the broker. He is obligated to let it drip three drops. If he tilted and emptied it, [the remainder] is for the seller. The grocer does not have to let it drip three drops. Rebbi Jehudah says, Friday evenings close to sundown he is not liable.

MISHNAH: If somebody sells grain to another and it did not sprout, or even flax seed, he is not responsible for it. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, for garden seeds which are not edible he is responsible. If somebody sells produce to another he has to accept a quarter [qab] of chaff per se’ah; for figs he has to accept ten worm-bitten ones per hundred; with a wine cellar he has to accept ten sour ones per hundred; with vessels in the Sharon he has to accept ten pitassaot per hundred. If somebody sells wine to another and it turned into vinegar, he is not responsible for it. But if it was known that his wine turns into vinegar, it is a buy in error. If he told him, I am selling you spice wine, it has to keep until Pentecost. “Old” is from the year before, “aged” from three years.

HALAKHAH: “If somebody sells grain to another,” etc. It was stated: “If somebody sells grain to another and it did not sprout, even flax seed, he is not responsible for it. But if he made it conditional from the start as seeds, he is liable. What does he pay him? The value of the seeds. Some say, he gives him his expenses.”

A person sent to his preliminarily wedded wife 24 gourds filled with various kinds of agricultural produce between Passover and Pentecost. It was only a problem for the rabbis: from where did he bring flax and olive seeds?

Rab Giddel said in the name of Rab : Over jasmine the benediction is "...Who createst fragrant woods." Rab Hananel said in the name of Rab: Over sea-rush the benediction is "...Who createst fragrant woods." Mar Zotra said : What is the Scriptural authority? "She had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax" (Josh. ii. 6).

Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan: ‘If one covered a Sukkah with flax-stalks that had been soaked and baked, it is invalid; with flax stalks in their natural state it is valid; with flax-stalks in an intermediate stage of preparation, I do not know [whether it is valid or not]’.

Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan: ‘If one covered a Sukkah with flax-stalks that had been soaked and baked, it is invalid; with flax stalks in their natural state it is valid; with flax-stalks in an intermediate stage of preparation, I do not know [whether it is valid or not]’.

Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan: ‘If one covered a Sukkah with flax-stalks that had been soaked and baked, it is invalid; with flax stalks in their natural state it is valid; with flax-stalks in an intermediate stage of preparation, I do not know [whether it is valid or not]’.

R. Joshua, son of R. 'Idi, happened to come to R. 'Ashi, where meat of a three-year-old calf was prepared in his honor. They asked him to eat, but he replied, I am keeping a fast. They said to him: Can you not postpone it and make it up another time? Do you not agree with the statement which R. Judah transmitted in the name of Rab, namely, that one may postpone his fast and make it up at another time? "It is a fast on account of a bad dream," he replied, and Raba b. Maḥseya said in the name of R. Ḥama b. Gurya, who reported it in the name of Rab: Fasting is good for a bad dream even as fire is for consuming flax. R. Ḥisda said: But the fast must take place on the same day, to which R. Joseph added: Even if that day is the Sabbath.

R. Eleazar was asked, how long must a rainfall last without our being allowed to pray for its cessation? "Until," he replied, "a man can sit on the Ḳeren 'Ofel and have his foot dabble in the water." Did not another Baraita teach "hand" (instead of feet)? Said 'Abbayi, by saying "foot" the situation is so conceived that the man could also wash his hands while sitting there. Said Rabbah b. Bar Ḥanah: I saw that place, and [while I was standing on it], an Arab riding on a camel and holding a spear in his hand passed beneath me, and he looked to me as small as a flax worm.

Is that so? Did not Rav see a man planting flax on Purim, and curse him, so that the flax did not grow? There he [the man] was doing it on the day which he ought to have kept.

Is that so? Did not Rav see a man planting flax on Purim, and curse him, so that the flax did not grow? There he [the man] was doing it on the day which he ought to have kept.

Hama b. Guria said in the name of Rav: The Megillah is called “book” and it is also called “letter.” It is called “book” to show that if it is stitched with threads of flax, it is invalid; and it is called “letter” to show that if it is stitched with three threads of sinew, it is valid. R. Nahman said: This is only on condition that they are evenly spaced.

A [Torah] scroll that was tied with flax is subject to a dispute between Rebbi Yehudah and Rebbi Meir one says, it is valid. And one says, it is invalid.

Rav says, I saw the Tefillin of my uncle [Rebbi Chia], that they were tied with flax, but the law is not in accordance with him.