intestines

The following [defects] render cattle terefah: If the esophagus was pierced; If the windpipe severed; If the membrane of the brain was pierced; If the heart was pierced as far as its cavity thereof; If the spine was broken and the cord severed; If the liver was gone and none of it remained; If the lung was pierced, Or if part of it was missing. Rabbi Shimon says: only if it was pierced as far as the main bronchi; If the stomach, If the gall-bladder was pierced, If the intestines were pierced; If the innermost stomach was pierced, If the greater part of the outer stomach was pierced. Rabbi Judah says: in a large animal [if it was torn] to the extent of a handbreadth, and in a small animal the greater part. If the omasum (the third stomach of a ruminant) [was pierced]; Or if the second stomach was pierced on the outside; If the animal fell from the roof; If most of its ribs were fractured; Or if it was mauled by a wolf. Rabbi Judah says: small animals [are terefah] if mauled by a wolf, large cattle if mauled by a lion; small fowl if mauled by a hawk, large fowl if mauled by a falcon. This is the rule: if an animal with a similar defect could not continue to live, it is terefah.

The following [defects] render birds terefah: If the esophagus was pierced, If the windpipe was severed; If a weasel struck [the bird] on the head in such a place as would render it terefah. If the gizzard was pierced, If the intestines were pierced, If it fell into the fire and its innards were scorched: If they turned green, it is invalid, But if they remained red it is valid. If one trod upon it or knocked it against a wall or if an animal trampled upon it, and it still jerks its limbs, and it remained alive after this for twenty-four hours, and it was thereafter slaughtered, it is valid.

If a woman says: "I vow a pair of birds if I give birth to a male child," and she does give birth to a male child, then she must offer up two pairs one for her vow and one for her obligation. If [before she assigned them] she gave them to the priest, and the priest who ought to offer three birds above and one below does not do so, but offers two above and two below, and does not seek guidance, she must she bring another bird and offer that above. This is so if the birds were of the same kind. If they were of two kinds, then must she bring two others. If she had expressly defined her vow, then must she bring three other birds. This is so if the birds were of the same kind. If they were of two kinds, then must she bring four others. If she made a definite fixture at the time of her vow, then must she bring another five birds. This is so if the birds were of the same kind. If they were of two kinds, then must she bring six others. If she gave them to the priest and it is not known what she gave, and the priest performed the sacrifice, but it is not known how he performed it, then she must bring four other birds for her vow, and two for her obligation and one for her hatat. Ben Azzai says: [she must bring] two hatats. Rabbi Joshua said: This is what it meant when they said: "When [the beast] is alive it possesses one sound, but when it is dead its sound is sevenfold." In what way is its sound sevenfold? Its two horns [are made into] two trumpets, its two leg-bones into two flutes, its hide into a drum, its entrails for lyres and its large intestines for harp strings; and there are some who add that its wool is used for the blue [pomegranates.] Rabbi Shimon ben Akashiah says: ignorant old people, the older they become, the more their intellect gets befuddled, as it is said: "He removes the speech of men of trust and takes away the sense of the elders." But when it comes to aged scholars, it is not so. On the contrary, the older they get, the more their mind becomes composed, as it is said: "With aged men comes wisdom, and understanding in length of days."

When does one recite the benediction for šeḥiṭah? Rebbi Yoḥanan says, if he prepares to slaughter. Yose ben Nehorai says, after he slaughtered. Why? Maybe its slaughtering is producing a carcass. Now, should he not first check the signs? The ḥazaqah of intestines is that they are in order. It was stated: If it was slaughtered and the wolves took its innards, it is in order. Should one question whether they were pierced? Rebbi Abba in the name of the rabbis from there: Intestines have ḥazaqah that they are in order.

When does one recite the benediction for šeḥiṭah? Rebbi Yoḥanan says, if he prepares to slaughter. Yose ben Nehorai says, after he slaughtered. Why? Maybe its slaughtering is producing a carcass. Now, should he not first check the signs? The ḥazaqah of intestines is that they are in order. It was stated: If it was slaughtered and the wolves took its innards, it is in order. Should one question whether they were pierced? Rebbi Abba in the name of the rabbis from there: Intestines have ḥazaqah that they are in order.

So is the Mishnah: Fava beans and string beans. Rebbi Jonah said, why is it called שעוּעית? Because if makes the heart happy and the intestines going.

Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rab Naḥman bar Jacob: He who goes to do his needs and cannot relieve himself should walk around and he will be able to relieve himself. Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Mar Uqba: Ḥafrita root is good for the intestines.

It was stated: “If somebody saw a bird pecking at a fig or a rat nibbling at a watermelon, it is forbidden [to eat from them] for I say, they might have eaten from the place of a pecking hole.” Rebbi Abba said, that means that a snake spits out repeatedly. Rebbi Jonah said, who considers for us commandments for peckings? But for torn [animals], Rebbi Abba said in the name of the rabbis from there, “if it was slaughtered and the wolves took its innards, it is in order because intestines are presumed to be in order.” Should one not question whether they were pierced? Intestines are presumed to be in order. But here, you say so? It is worse if there is danger to life; for peckings they went all the way with Rabban Gamliel.

It was stated: “If somebody saw a bird pecking at a fig or a rat nibbling at a watermelon, it is forbidden [to eat from them] for I say, they might have eaten from the place of a pecking hole.” Rebbi Abba said, that means that a snake spits out repeatedly. Rebbi Jonah said, who considers for us commandments for peckings? But for torn [animals], Rebbi Abba said in the name of the rabbis from there, “if it was slaughtered and the wolves took its innards, it is in order because intestines are presumed to be in order.” Should one not question whether they were pierced? Intestines are presumed to be in order. But here, you say so? It is worse if there is danger to life; for peckings they went all the way with Rabban Gamliel.

There, they were apprehensive to have the great fast for two days. Rav Ḥisda said to them, why do you bring yourselves into that great uncertainty. One may trust that the Court is never lazy. The father of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac was apprehensive for himself and fasted two days; his intestines split and he died.

Rebbi Eleazar said, one follows what one hears from a disembodied voice. What is the reason? Your ears will hear something from behind you saying, this is the way you should follow etc. Rebbi Eleazar went to relieve himself. There came a Roman official and removed him (from behind him) and sat down. He said, here nobody removed anybody ever but me. It is impossible that I should leave from here until I know what happened to him. There was a snake there which started coming out and gave him as long as he was there that his intestines descended. He recited about him, I shall give a man in your stead, etc., [I shall give an Edomite in your stead.]

One recites spells for the eye, and for intestines, and for snakes, and for scorpions, and one puts things on the eye on the Sabbath. It happened that Rebbi Aqiba had an eye attack and they put vessels over his eye on the Sabbath.

MISHNAH: The following items about the Pesaḥ push aside the Sabbath: Its slaughter, and the pouring of its blood, and emptying its intestines, and the burning of its fat. But its roasting and washing of its intestines do not push aside. Carrying it, or bringing it from outside the Sabbath domain, or cutting its wart, do not push aside; Rebbi Eliezer says, they push aside.

MISHNAH: The following items about the Pesaḥ push aside the Sabbath: Its slaughter, and the pouring of its blood, and emptying its intestines, and the burning of its fat. But its roasting and washing of its intestines do not push aside. Carrying it, or bringing it from outside the Sabbath domain, or cutting its wart, do not push aside; Rebbi Eliezer says, they push aside.

“Emptying its intestines”. Rebbi Joḥanan said, all the Eternal’s works are for Himself; that it should not look as if he took the parts from a disgusting sacrifice. Rebbi Ismael stated, its skinning pushes the Sabbath aside. It was stated: Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa says, on the Sabbath one was skinning the breast. What is Rebbi Ismael’s reason? That it should not look as if he took the parts from a disgusting sacrifice. What does Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa do with this? Because he turns it around, it is not as if he was taking the parts from a disgusting sacrifice. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Rebbi Ismael and Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa said the same. As Rebbi Ismael said, choice pushes aside but choicest does not push aside, so Rebbi Ismael the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa said choice pushes aside but choicest does not push aside. If you are saying, this is choice, can he not tear it open and remove the parts? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, it only follows Rebbi Simeon.

“But its roasting, and washing of its intestines, do not push aside.” We have stated, “When it got dark, they left and roasted their Pesaḥ”, and you are saying so? For hanging into the oven.

MISHNAH: The second lottery: Who slaughters, who pours, who removes the ashes from the interior altar, who cleans the candelabrum, and who brings the parts to the ramp: head and leg, the two front legs, spine and leg, breast and fat, two side pieces, and the intestines, and the fine flour, and the pan-baked breads, and the wine. Thirteen Cohanim won here. Ben Azzai said before Rebbi Aqiba in the name of Rebbi Joshua, it was brought in the way of its walking.

MISHNAH: The daily sacrifice is brought by nine persons, by ten, by eleven, by twelve, neither less nor more. How is this? Itself by nine, and on Tabernacles in the hand of one a vial of water, these are ten. In the evening by eleven; itself by nine and in the hands of two, two wooden logs. On the Sabbath by eleven, itself by nine, two, in their hands two cups of incense of the shew-bread;.. On the Sabbath of Tabernacles, in the hand of one a vial of water. A he-goat is brought by eleven, the meat by five, the intestines, and the fine flour, and the wine, each by two. A bull is brought by twenty-four, head and leg, the head by one and the leg by two; spine and leg, the spine by two and the leg by two; breast and fat, the breast by one and the fat by three; the two front legs by two; the two side pieces by two; the intestines, and the fine flour, and the wine by three each. When has this been said? For a public offering. But for a private offering, if one wants to sacrifice, he sacrifices. Skinning and cutting into pieces is the same for these and for those.

MISHNAH: The daily sacrifice is brought by nine persons, by ten, by eleven, by twelve, neither less nor more. How is this? Itself by nine, and on Tabernacles in the hand of one a vial of water, these are ten. In the evening by eleven; itself by nine and in the hands of two, two wooden logs. On the Sabbath by eleven, itself by nine, two, in their hands two cups of incense of the shew-bread;.. On the Sabbath of Tabernacles, in the hand of one a vial of water. A he-goat is brought by eleven, the meat by five, the intestines, and the fine flour, and the wine, each by two. A bull is brought by twenty-four, head and leg, the head by one and the leg by two; spine and leg, the spine by two and the leg by two; breast and fat, the breast by one and the fat by three; the two front legs by two; the two side pieces by two; the intestines, and the fine flour, and the wine by three each. When has this been said? For a public offering. But for a private offering, if one wants to sacrifice, he sacrifices. Skinning and cutting into pieces is the same for these and for those.

The sons of Aaron shall arrange. I could think, a hundred; the verse says, the Cohen shall arrange. [If the Cohen shall arrange,] I could think that a single Cohen should arrange all the limbs; the verse says, they shall arrange. How is this? One Cohen arranges two limbs. How many limbs are there? Ten, and one for the intestines. It turns out that the lamb comes up by six (priests}, the words of Rebbi Ismael. Rebbi Aqiba says, they shall arrange, two; the sons of Aaron, two; the priests, two. This teaches that the lamb comes up by six {priests}. [The priest, to include the bald-headed, the words of Rebbi Jehudah.]

“Ben Aḥiyyah for indigestion.” Since the Cohanim were walking barefoot on the floor, and were eating meat, and drinking water, they got indigestion. He knew which wine was good for the intestines and which was noxious for intestines.

“Ben Aḥiyyah for indigestion.” Since the Cohanim were walking barefoot on the floor, and were eating meat, and drinking water, they got indigestion. He knew which wine was good for the intestines and which was noxious for intestines.

“Onias the digger of ditches.” He was digging ditches and caves and knew which rock cools the water and which rock was dry and how far its dryness extended. Rebbi Aḥa said, but (he) [his son] died of thirst. Rebbi Ḥanina said, anybody who says that the All-Merciful is indulgent, his intestines shall dissolve themselves; for He is forbearing and then collects His due. Rebbi Aḥa said, it is written, His surroundings are very hairy. He is exact with them like a hair’s width. Rebbi Yose said, not because of this reason, but because what is written, He is awesome on His surroundings, His fear on those near Him is greater than those far away.

MISHNAH: There were thirteen tables in the Temple. Eight marble ones in the slaughterhouse on which one was soaking the intestines. Two West of the ramp, one of marble and one of silver. On the marble one they put the limbs, on the silver one the vessels of service. And two in the vestibule inside, near the entrance to the Temple Hall, one of marble and one of gold. On the marble one they put the shew-bread when it was brought in, and on the golden one when it was brought out, for one increases in holiness and does not decrease. And a golden one inside on which the shew-bread was permanently.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Abba in the name of the rabbis there: If he slaughtered it and wolves ate its intestines it is qualified, for the presumption of intestines is qualification. Should one not worry that maybe they were punctured? The presumption of intestines is that they are qualified. It was stated: But one may bring it on its hide. What does he do? He leaves one limb on it and brings it together with it.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Abba in the name of the rabbis there: If he slaughtered it and wolves ate its intestines it is qualified, for the presumption of intestines is qualification. Should one not worry that maybe they were punctured? The presumption of intestines is that they are qualified. It was stated: But one may bring it on its hide. What does he do? He leaves one limb on it and brings it together with it.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Abba in the name of the rabbis there: If he slaughtered it and wolves ate its intestines it is qualified, for the presumption of intestines is qualification. Should one not worry that maybe they were punctured? The presumption of intestines is that they are qualified. It was stated: But one may bring it on its hide. What does he do? He leaves one limb on it and brings it together with it.

Rebbi Ḥanina said, anybody who says that the All-Merciful is indulgent, his intestines shall dissolve themselves; for He is forbearing and then collects His due. Rebbi Aḥa said, it is written, His surroundings are very hairy. He is exact with them like a hair’s width. Rebbi Yose said, not because of this reason, but because what is written, He is awesome on His surroundings, His fear on those near Him is greater than those far away.

It is written, and tear your hearts instead of your garments and return to the Eternal, your God, for He is compassionate and merciful. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, if you tear up your hearts in repentance you will not have to tear your garments about your sons or daughters, only about the Eternal, your God. Why? For He is compassionate and merciful, slow in anger, full of love, and sorrow about evil. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: It is not written here “slow in one anger” but “slow in anger”. He is slow in anger with the just ones, and slow in anger with the evil ones. Rebbi Aḥa, Rebbi Tanḥum ben Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It is not written here “slow in one anger” but “slow in anger”. He is slow in anger before he starts to collect. Once He starts to collect he is slow to complete His collection. Rebbi Ḥanina said, anybody who says that the All-Merciful is indulgent, his intestines shall dissolve themselves; for He is forbearing and then collects His due. Rebbi Levi said, what means “forbearing”? He is far from being angry. {A parable of} a king who had two violent legions. Said the king, if they dwell with me at the capital, if the people of the capital would anger me they would get up and decimate them. Therefore I shall send them to a faraway place. Then if the people of the capital would anger me, until I shall send for them the people of the capital will pacify me and I will accept their excuses. [So the Holy One, praise to Him, said, anger and rage are angels of destruction. Therefore I shall send them to a faraway place. Therefore if Israel would anger me, until I shall send for them and bring them, Israel will repent and I shall accept their repentance.] That is what is written, they come from a far country, from the ends of heaven, etc. Rebbi Isaac said, not only that but He locked them up. That is what is written, the Eternal opened His storehouse and removed the vessels of his wrath. By the time He opened and He took pains, His mercies take over. It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: For the Eternal left His place, He went from mode to mode. He left the mode of judgement and came to the mode of mercy for Israel.

MISHNAH: Then he starts writing the scroll. From where does he start writing? (Num. 5:19) “If no man has lain with you, …” (v. 20) “but if you deviated from under your husband,” etc. He does not write (v. 21) “the Cohen has to administer the oath of curse to the woman,” but he writes “may the Eternal make you a curse and a swear-word among your people when the Eternal will make your hips diminish and your belly inflate.” (v. 22) “This curse-water would come into your intestines to inflate belly and diminish hips.” He does not write (v. 22) “the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.” Rebbi Yose says, he does not interrupt. Rebbi Jehudah said he does not write anything but (Num. 5:21): “May the Eternal make you a curse and a swear-word among your people when the Eternal makes your hips diminish and your belly swell.” (v. 22) “This curse-water would come into your intestines …” He does not write (v. 22) “the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.”

MISHNAH: Then he starts writing the scroll. From where does he start writing? (Num. 5:19) “If no man has lain with you, …” (v. 20) “but if you deviated from under your husband,” etc. He does not write (v. 21) “the Cohen has to administer the oath of curse to the woman,” but he writes “may the Eternal make you a curse and a swear-word among your people when the Eternal will make your hips diminish and your belly inflate.” (v. 22) “This curse-water would come into your intestines to inflate belly and diminish hips.” He does not write (v. 22) “the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.” Rebbi Yose says, he does not interrupt. Rebbi Jehudah said he does not write anything but (Num. 5:21): “May the Eternal make you a curse and a swear-word among your people when the Eternal makes your hips diminish and your belly swell.” (v. 22) “This curse-water would come into your intestines …” He does not write (v. 22) “the woman shall say, Amen, Amen.”

Rebbi Jacob bar Idi, Rebbi Ḥiyya, in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: It turns out that the minority opinion here is the majority opinion there and vice-versa. As it was stated: “One who makes a vow to abstain from meat is forbidden all kinds of meat, is forbidden head, feet, neck, heart, and liver. But he is permitted fish meat and grasshoppers. In this vein, Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, intestines are not meat and those who eat them are not humans.”

MISHNAH: One opens about festive days and Sabbaths. In earlier times, they said that these days are permitted but the rest forbidden, until Rebbi Aqiba came and taught that a vow which was partially voided is totally voided. How is this? ‘A qônām that I shall not benefit any one of you,’ if one was permitted, all are permitted. ‘That I shall not benefit this one and this one and this one,’ if the first one becomes permitted, all are permitted; if the last one becomes permitted, he is permitted and the others are prohibited. ‘That I shall not benefit, a qorbān for this one, a qorbān for that one’; each single one needs a separate opening. ‘A qônām that I shall not taste wine, for wine is bad for the intestines.’ If they told him, but old [wine] is good for the intestines, old [wine] was permitted; not only old wine is permitted but all wines. ‘A qônām that I shall not taste onion, for onion is bad for the heart.’ If they told him, but the rural kind is good for the heart, rural [onion] was permitted; not only rural is permitted but all onions. It happened that Rebbi Meїr permitted all onions to him.

MISHNAH: One opens about festive days and Sabbaths. In earlier times, they said that these days are permitted but the rest forbidden, until Rebbi Aqiba came and taught that a vow which was partially voided is totally voided. How is this? ‘A qônām that I shall not benefit any one of you,’ if one was permitted, all are permitted. ‘That I shall not benefit this one and this one and this one,’ if the first one becomes permitted, all are permitted; if the last one becomes permitted, he is permitted and the others are prohibited. ‘That I shall not benefit, a qorbān for this one, a qorbān for that one’; each single one needs a separate opening. ‘A qônām that I shall not taste wine, for wine is bad for the intestines.’ If they told him, but old [wine] is good for the intestines, old [wine] was permitted; not only old wine is permitted but all wines. ‘A qônām that I shall not taste onion, for onion is bad for the heart.’ If they told him, but the rural kind is good for the heart, rural [onion] was permitted; not only rural is permitted but all onions. It happened that Rebbi Meїr permitted all onions to him.

HALAKHAH: “He who sells the head of a large animal,” etc. Rebbi Isaac asked: If he sold half of the head, did he sell half of the legs? If he sold half of the windpipe, did he sell half of the liver? [If he sold half of the liver,] did he sell half of the windpipe? Let us hear from the following: “If he sold him the entire foot, the entire head, the entire intestines, he gives to the Cohen and does not deduct from the price. If he bought by weight, he gives to the Cohen and deducts from the price.”

MISHNAH: The order of burning: One makes him sink into manure up to his knees, puts a stiff cloth into soft ones and winds them around his throat. One person draws in his direction, the other draws in his direction until he opens his mouth. Then one lights a wick and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Jehudah says, in that case, if he would die in their hands they would not have fulfilled the duty of burning; one opens his mouth forcefully with tongs, lights a wire and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Eleazar ben Ṣadoq said, it happened that a Cohen’s daughter whored; they surrounded her with firewood and burned her. They told him, because the court at that time was incompetent.

MISHNAH: The order of burning: One makes him sink into manure up to his knees, puts a stiff cloth into soft ones and winds them around his throat. One person draws in his direction, the other draws in his direction until he opens his mouth. Then one lights a wick and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Jehudah says, in that case, if he would die in their hands they would not have fulfilled the duty of burning; one opens his mouth forcefully with tongs, lights a wire and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Eleazar ben Ṣadoq said, it happened that a Cohen’s daughter whored; they surrounded her with firewood and burned her. They told him, because the court at that time was incompetent.

Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: The Mishnah speaks of a ba `aṣ wire. What is a ba `aṣ wire? The rabbis of Caesarea say, a mixture of lead and tin. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, this follows him who said, “one lights a wire and throws it into his mouth.” But for him, who says, “it enters his innards and chars his intestines,” the Mishnah speaks of a wick of Naphtha.

Ulla the leatherworker stated before Rebbi Dosa, an impure fish has live births, a pure fish lays eggs. He started again and stated, fish intestines and fish innards are eaten only upon certification by an expert. He told him, change your statement! This one state or that one. Rebbi Ze`ira said to him, do not change your statement. They are finished only upon being laid. Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah, if one tells you, I salted them, he may be believed Nathan bar Abba said before Samuel, I know how to distinguish between fetuses of impure fish and fetuses of pure fish. The fetuses of impure fish are spherical, the fetuses of pure fish are elongated. He showed him a salpe; he asked him, what is its status? He answered, impure. He told him, not only am I aggravated that you said impure of what is pure but at the end you will say pure of what is impure.

It was stated: One buys fish intestines and fish innards only upon certification by an expert. One buys dark blue wool only upon certification by an expert. One buys Bithynian cheese only upon certification by an expert. One buys wine in Syria only upon certification by an expert. One buys meat without a mark only upon certification by an expert. But all one may eat at a person’s who is not an expert without worry.

“What is the placenta they mentioned? Anything looking like a thread of woof and its head is blown up like a lupine. Rabban Gamliel says, anything looking like chicken intestines and its head is blown up like a crop and it is hollow like a trumpet. No placenta is shorter than a hand-breadth.”

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.

“Neither is there any rock [tzur] like our God.” There is no artist [tzayyar] like our God. A person draws a figure on a wall, but is unable to endow it with breath and spirit, inward parts and intestines. But the Holy One, blessed be He, fashions a form within a form and endows it with breath and spirit, inward parts and intestines.

“Neither is there any rock [tzur] like our God.” There is no artist [tzayyar] like our God. A person draws a figure on a wall, but is unable to endow it with breath and spirit, inward parts and intestines. But the Holy One, blessed be He, fashions a form within a form and endows it with breath and spirit, inward parts and intestines.