kneading

Sabbatical figs may not be cut in the muktzeh, but he may cut them in an open place. Grapes may not be trodden in the wine-press, but they may be trodden in a kneading-trough. Olives may not be prepared in an olive-press or in a small olive-press, but he may crush them and bring them into a small olive-press in the field. Rabbi Shimon says: they may even be crushed in the [larger] olive-press, and then he brings them into the smaller press.

The primary labors are forty less one: sowing, plowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, selecting, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, shearing wool, bleaching, hackling, dyeing, spinning, weaving, the making of two loops, weaving two threads, dividing two threads, tying and untying, sewing two stitches, tearing in order to sew two stitches, capturing a deer, slaughtering, or flaying, or salting it, curing its hide, scraping it [of its hair], cutting it up, writing two letters, erasing in order to write two letters [over the erasure], building, tearing down, extinguishing, kindling, striking with a hammer, [and] carrying out from one domain to another, These are the forty primary labors less one.

All vessels which may be carried on Shabbat, their broken pieces may be carried with them, as long as they can perform something in the nature of work. [Thus]: the fragments of a kneading trough [can be used] to cover the mouth of a barrel, [and] the fragments of glass [can be used] to cover the mouth of a flask. Rabbi Judah says: as long as they can perform something in the nature of their own work; [Thus:] the fragments of a kneading trough, to pour into them a thick mixture; and [the fragments] of a glass, to pour into them oil.

All vessels which may be carried on Shabbat, their broken pieces may be carried with them, as long as they can perform something in the nature of work. [Thus]: the fragments of a kneading trough [can be used] to cover the mouth of a barrel, [and] the fragments of glass [can be used] to cover the mouth of a flask. Rabbi Judah says: as long as they can perform something in the nature of their own work; [Thus:] the fragments of a kneading trough, to pour into them a thick mixture; and [the fragments] of a glass, to pour into them oil.

[With regard to] the dough in the cracks of the kneading trough: if there is as much as an olive in one place, he must remove [it]; but if not, it is nullified through the smallness of its quantity. And it is likewise in the matter of uncleanness: if he objects to it, it makes a break; but if he desires its preservation, it is like the kneading-trough. [With regard to] “deaf” dough, if there is [a dough] similar to it which has become chametz, it is forbidden.

[With regard to] the dough in the cracks of the kneading trough: if there is as much as an olive in one place, he must remove [it]; but if not, it is nullified through the smallness of its quantity. And it is likewise in the matter of uncleanness: if he objects to it, it makes a break; but if he desires its preservation, it is like the kneading-trough. [With regard to] “deaf” dough, if there is [a dough] similar to it which has become chametz, it is forbidden.

All minhahs must be kneaded with lukewarm water and must be watched lest they become leavened. If one allowed the remainder to become leavened he has transgressed a negative commandment, for it is written, “No minhah which you shall bring to the Lord shall be made leavened” (Leviticus 2:11). One is liable for the kneading, and for rolling and for baking.

Both the two loaves and the showbread their kneading and their shaping were performed outside [the Temple Court], and their baking was inside. And they do not override the Shabbat. Rabbi Judah says: all of these were performed inside [the Temple Court]. Rabbi Shimon says: One should always accustom himself to say, “The two loaves and the showbread were valid whether made in the Temple Court or in Bet Pagi.”

The high priest’s griddle cakes: their kneading, their shaping, and their baking were performed within [the Temple Court], And they override the Shabbat. The grinding [of the grain for it] and the sifting did not override the Shabbat. Rabbi Akiva said a general rule: any work that can be done on the eve of Shabbat does not override Shabbat, but that which cannot be done on the eve of Shabbat does override Shabbat.

A bride's stool which lost the coverings for the seatboards: Bet Shammai rules that it still susceptible to uncleanness, And Bet Hillel rules that it is clean. Shammai rules: even the frame of the stool is susceptible to uncleanness. A stool which was fixed to a kneading-trough, Bet Shammai rules that it susceptible to uncleanness, And Bet Hillel rules that it is clean. Shammai rules: even one made out of it is susceptible to uncleanness.

All vessels have outer and inner sides and have a part by which they are held. Rabbi Tarfon says: this applies only to a large wooden [kneading] trough. Rabbi Akiva says: it applies to cups. Rabbi Meir says: it applies to unclean and clean hands. Rabbi Yose says: they said this only concerning clean hands.

[With regard to] a flagon that is full of pure liquid, the flagon is defiled with seven days' impurity but the liquid remains clean. But if one poured it out into another vessel, it becomes unclean. If a woman was kneading [in the upper story] at a trough, the woman and the trough become unclean with seven days impurity, but the dough remains clean But if one turned it out into another vessel, it becomes unclean. Bet Hillel changed their opinion and taught as Bet Shammai.

If one placed two stones close to one another and made them into a trough, and so also in the case of two kneading troughs, and so also in the case of a trough that was split, the water between them is not deemed to be prepared. If they were joined together with lime or gypsum and they can be moved together, the water between them is deemed to have been prepared.

If a kneading trough was sloping downwards and there was dough in the higher part and dripping moisture in the lower part, then three pieces that jointly make up the bulk of an egg cannot be combined together, but two are combined. Rabbi Yose says: the two also cannot be combined unless they compress liquid between them. If the liquid was level, even though the piece was the size of a mustard seed they are combined together. Rabbi Dosa says: crumbled food cannot be combined together.

The daughters of Sepphoris went up, kept the Sabbath in the Temple, but nobody got up for their fig trees before them. The daughters of Lod were kneading their bread dough, went up, prayed, and descended before it became sour.

HALAKHAH: A woman asked Rebbi Mana: Since I want to make iṭry in my kneading-trough, may I take from it so that it should be free from ḥallah? He said to her, why not? He went to ask his father. He said to him, it is forbidden; maybe she would change her mind to use it as bread dough.

Rabban Gamliel the son of Rebbi wanted to institute demay in Syria but Rebbi Hoshaiah did not let him do it. He said to him, then Cohanim would have to worry about their ḥallah! The argument of Rebbi Hoshaiah seems inverted. There, he says the fear of sacred things is on him and he will not give to the Cohen anything that is not in order, and here he says so? Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya said, I am saying that he gave him that of the fire. Rebbi Mana said to him, Rebbi Hoshaiah only stated: then Cohanim would have to worry about their ḥallah! “ He who buys from a baker and from a woman who bakes to sell on the market has to separate ḥallah of demay; from a private person and if he is a guest he does not have to separate ḥallah of demay.” Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Ḥananiah the colleague of the rabbis, if he is a guest for his dough. Rebbi Jonah said, only if they saw him kneading at another’s place. It is a standing assumption that from a private person in Syria one does not have to separate ḥallah of demay; but if he knows that most of what is in his storage is his own produce, he has to separate ḥallah of demay. Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya asked, does this not disagree with Rebbi Hoshaiah? Rebbi Mana said, here in the Land, there outside the Land.

“Who rubs it clean.” What kind of erasure was in the tabernacle? Zeˋir bar Ḥinena in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: They were rubbing the hide on a pillar. One who rubbed hide clear on a pillar is liable. For what is he liable? Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Jehudah ben Levi, Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Jehudah ben Levi, because of rubbing clean. That is, if it is new. But if it be old, it is the disagreement between Rebbi Eliezer and the Sages. Since they disagreed: “One who sweeps, who sprinkles, who makes cheese, who makes butter, who milks, and who takes down honeycombs, is liable for a purification sacrifice. But the Sages say, it is because of Sabbath rest.” Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, they do not disagree. He who sweeps, who sprinkles, is liable because of threshing. He who makes cheese, who makes butter, is liable because of kneading. He who milks, and who takes down honeycombs, is liable because of harvesting. He who squeezes budding olives is liable because of harvesting. Who needs this? Rebbi Eliezer.

MISHNAH: Rabban Gamliel says, three women knead dough simultaneously and bake in one oven one after the other, but the Sages say, three women are occupied with dough; one is kneading, one is forming, and one is baking. Rebbi Aqiba says, neither all women nor all wood nor all ovens are equal. This is the principle, she shall beat it and wet it with cold water.

It was stated: If one finished kneading, one finished forming, and one finished baking. The first one waits for heating, the second for her colleague’s heating and baking, and the third for two heatings and one baking. If she made one of the first loaves last, for two heatings and two bakings.

“Rabban Gamliel says, three women knead dough simultaneously and bake in one oven one after the other, but the Sages say, three women are occupied with dough; one is kneading, one is forming, and one is baking.” Rebbi Hoshaia stated: And another one comes and kneads in their stead. There are Tannaim who state: Three qab wheat or four qab barley. There are Tannaim who state: Four qab wheat or three qab barley. He who said, three qab wheat, if they have fat, or four qab barley, if they have no fat. He who said, four qab wheat, if they are soft, or three qab barley, if they are hard.

Doëg was a man great in Torah. Israel came and asked David, does the showbread supersede the Sabbath? He told them, its arrangement supersedes the Sabbath, but neither its kneading nor its forming supersedes the Sabbath. Doëg was there and said, who is the one who comes to instruct in my presence? They told him, it is David ben Jesse. He went immediately and counseled Saul, the king of Israel, to kill the priests of Nob, the city of priests. This is what is written: The king said to the runners who stood by him, surround and kill the priests of the Eternal for they also are involved with David, etc., up to they did not inform me. Who were they? Rebbi Samuel bat Rav Isaac said, they were Abner and Amasa. They told him, you have us indebted to you only for this belt and this כלינירין. Here they are torn for you. The king’s servants did not want to kill the priests of the Eternal. The king said to Doyeg. Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi said, it is written to Doyeg. They told him, you are caught like a fish; you committed a great sin. Turn you and smite the priests of the Eternal. Doëg the Edomite turned and smote the priests, etc. But did not Rebbi Ḥiyya state, “one does not appoint two High Priests together”? But this teaches that all of them were qualified for the High Priesthood. How was he removed? Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: One said, fire came from the Holiest of Holies and burned around him. But the other said, competent students came to him, they were learning but he was forgetting, to confirm what is written: The property swallowed by him he throws up; God removes it from his belly.

It is taught in a Baraita: Said R. Eleazar b. Peraṭa: Ever since the Temple was destroyed rain is diminishing in the world; there are years with abundant rain and years with but little rain; there are years in which the rain comes in its proper season and years in which it comes out of season. A year with seasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the first day of the week; the result then is that the dough is properly baked and palatable. A year with unseasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the eve of the Sabbath; the result is that the dough is not well baked and not palatable. In a year with abundant rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision for the whole year at once; the waste in the mill in grinding a kor is the same as in grinding a ḳab; likewise the waste in the trough in kneading the dough of a kor is the same as in kneading the dough of a ḳab. In a year with but little rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision little by little. The waste in grinding a ḳab is the same as in grinding a kor, and the waste in kneading a ḳab is the same as in kneading a kor.

It is taught in a Baraita: Said R. Eleazar b. Peraṭa: Ever since the Temple was destroyed rain is diminishing in the world; there are years with abundant rain and years with but little rain; there are years in which the rain comes in its proper season and years in which it comes out of season. A year with seasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the first day of the week; the result then is that the dough is properly baked and palatable. A year with unseasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the eve of the Sabbath; the result is that the dough is not well baked and not palatable. In a year with abundant rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision for the whole year at once; the waste in the mill in grinding a kor is the same as in grinding a ḳab; likewise the waste in the trough in kneading the dough of a kor is the same as in kneading the dough of a ḳab. In a year with but little rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision little by little. The waste in grinding a ḳab is the same as in grinding a kor, and the waste in kneading a ḳab is the same as in kneading a kor.

It is taught in a Baraita: Said R. Eleazar b. Peraṭa: Ever since the Temple was destroyed rain is diminishing in the world; there are years with abundant rain and years with but little rain; there are years in which the rain comes in its proper season and years in which it comes out of season. A year with seasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the first day of the week; the result then is that the dough is properly baked and palatable. A year with unseasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the eve of the Sabbath; the result is that the dough is not well baked and not palatable. In a year with abundant rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision for the whole year at once; the waste in the mill in grinding a kor is the same as in grinding a ḳab; likewise the waste in the trough in kneading the dough of a kor is the same as in kneading the dough of a ḳab. In a year with but little rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision little by little. The waste in grinding a ḳab is the same as in grinding a kor, and the waste in kneading a ḳab is the same as in kneading a kor.

It is taught in a Baraita: Said R. Eleazar b. Peraṭa: Ever since the Temple was destroyed rain is diminishing in the world; there are years with abundant rain and years with but little rain; there are years in which the rain comes in its proper season and years in which it comes out of season. A year with seasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the first day of the week; the result then is that the dough is properly baked and palatable. A year with unseasonable rains may be compared to the treatment of a slave by his master who gives him his weekly fare on the eve of the Sabbath; the result is that the dough is not well baked and not palatable. In a year with abundant rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision for the whole year at once; the waste in the mill in grinding a kor is the same as in grinding a ḳab; likewise the waste in the trough in kneading the dough of a kor is the same as in kneading the dough of a ḳab. In a year with but little rain the situation is like that of a slave to whom his master gives his provision little by little. The waste in grinding a ḳab is the same as in grinding a kor, and the waste in kneading a ḳab is the same as in kneading a kor.

because she was ashamed (to have it known that she had nothing to bake for the Sabbath). She had, however, a certain neighbor who said: "I surely know that she has nothing (to bake), let me go and see what causes that smoke." She went in and found the stove full of bread and a kneading-trough full of dough. She therefore exclaimed: "Hear! Hear! Bring a shovel, for your bread is getting charred!" It is taught in a Baraita that R. Ḥanina's wife actually went for a shovel, because she was used to miracles (and therefore did not assume that the woman was mocking her).

it was for himself that we declared them clean, but should we declare clean the vessel whose purity is a matter which relates both to thee and to him (Kelim, x. 1)? There is a Baraitha, viz., R. Joshua said, I am ashamed of your words, ye house of Shammai. Is it possible that if a woman be kneading in a trough, and the woman become for any reason unclean, the woman and the trough are unclean for seven days, but the dough is clean? Or suppose that a bowl is full of drinkables. If for any reason the bowl becomes unclean for seven days, yet are the drinkables clean? A certain disciple, one of the disciples of the house of Shammai, joined himself to him and said to him, Shall I tell thee the reason of the house of Shammai? He said to him, Tell me. He said to him, Does an unclean vessel bar, or does it not bar? He said to him, It does not bar. Are the vessels of a common person unclean or clean? He said to him, Unclean. But if thou sayest to him, It is unclean, will he care for thee at all? And not only so, but if thou sayest to him, It is unclean, he will say to thee, Mine is clean, but thine is unclean; and this is the reason of the house of Shammai. Immediately R. Joshua went and threw himself down at the graves of the house of Shammai, and said, I humble myself before you, O bones of the house of Shammai, and when your mysteries are so wonderful, how much more are your explicit teachings? They say that all his days his teeth were black by reason of his fasts.