raba

But, says Raba, there are two occasions in the day called neshef; there is the neshef of the night followed by day, and the neshef of the day followed by night.

Raba (another version : Rab Hisda) said : Should a man see sufferings come upon him, let him scrutinise his actions ; as it is said, "Let us search and try our ways, and return unto the Lord" (Lam. iii. 40). If he has scrutinised his actions without discovering the cause, let him attribute them to neglect of Torah; as it is said, "Happy is the man whom Thou chastenest, and teachest out of Thy law" (Ps. xciv. 12).

Raba stated that Rab Sahorah said in the name of Rab Huna : Him in whom the Holy One, blessed be He, delighteth He crusheth with sufferings ; as it is said, "Yet it pleased the Lord to crush him by disease" (Is. liii. 10).

Raba said : The crush at the public discourses is due to them ; the knees grow fatigued because of them ; the wearing out of the clothes of the Rabbis is the consequence of their rubbing against them ; the feet are bruised by them.

Rab Aha b. Raba said to Rab Ashe : This is all very well with one case of the Tefillin ; what, however, of the other?

Raba said: The merit of studying [Torah] lies in the reasoning thereon.

Raba said to Rafram b. Pappa : Let the master tell us some of those excellent things which thou reportest in the name of Rab Hisda, relating to the Synagogue.

Raba said to his sons : When you cut meat, do not cut it upon your hand — some say, on account of danger, others, on account of spoiling the meal —

Raba answered : The purpose is to mention the characteristic of day at night and the characteristic of night in the day.

Raba said : Also for the study of Talmud it is necessary to recite a benediction.

Raba said : If [the neighbour] be a disciple of the wise, then it is necessary to grieve on his behalf [should he be in trouble].

Our Rabbis have taught : "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. vi. 4) — up to here Kawwanah is required. These are the words of R. Meir. Raba said : The Halakah is in accord with R. Meir.

R. Ila b. Rab Samuel b. Marta said in the name of Rab: [If one recited only the verse] "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" and was then overcome by sleep, he has fulfilled his obligation. Rab Nahman said to Daro his servant : With the first verse worry me [to keep awake], but do not so after that. Rab Joseph asked Rab Joseph b. Raba, "How used thy father to do ?" He replied, "With the first verse he took pains [to keep awake], but he did not so after that."

But it is not so ! For behold, Raba b. Rab Shaba visited Rabina on one of those days when the individual does not complete the Hallel, and Rabina did not interrupt [to greet him]!

It is different with Raba b. Shaba, since he was not highly esteemed by Rabina.

Rabina said to Raba : Has the master seen the Rabbinical scholar who has come from the West and said, "Who has no water wherewith to wash his hands should rub them with earth or pebbles or sawdust"?

Rab Josiah taught in the presence of Raba : "And thou shalt write them" (Deut. vi. 9) means that the whole [of the first two paragraphs of the Shema'] must be written [in the Tefillin], even the words of the commands.

Raba said to him : Should one ask thee whose teaching this is, it is R. Judah's; for he stated with reference to the woman suspected of adultery : One writes the curses but not the words of the command, because in this connection it is written, "And the priests shall write these curses in a scroll" (Num. v. 23), but here [in connection with Tefillin] it is written, "And thou shalt write them," i.e. even the words of the command.

Rab Obadiah taught in the presence of Raba : "And ye shall teach" (Deut. xi. 19), i.e. let thy teaching be perfect — let one make a brief pause between words which are liable to be jumbled together,

Raba added to this observation : For instance 'al lebabeka "upon thy heart" ; 'al lebabekem "upon your heart" ; bekol lebabeka "with all thy heart" ; bekol lebabekem "with all your heart" ; 'eseb besadeka "grass in thy field" ; wa'abadtem meherah "and ye will perish speedily" ; hakkanaph petil "the corner, a thread" ; etkem me'eres "you from the land."

Rab Mari, the son of Samuel's daughter, asked Raba : Our Mishnah states : Workmen may read [the Shema'] on the top of a tree or on the top of scaffolding ; hence it is to be inferred that it does not require Kawwanah. I quote in refutation: Who reads the Shema' must direct his heart; as it is said, "Hear, O Israel" (Deut. vi. 4) and elsewhere, "Attend and hear, O Israel " (ibid, xxvii. 9) ; as here "attention" is required so also there !

[Raba] remained silent ; so he asked him : Hast thou heard anything on this point ? He replied : Thus said Rab Sheshet: [Kawwanah is demanded of workmen] only if they stop their work to read it.

Raba used to add at the conclusion of his prayer : O my God, before I was formed I was nothing worth, and now that I have been formed I am but as though I had not been formed. Dust am I in my life ; how much more so in my death. Behold I am before Thee like a vessel filled with shame and confusion. O may it be Thy will, O Lord my God, that I may sin no more; and as to the sins I have committed, purge them away in Thine abounding compassion though not by means of affliction and sore diseases. That is the confession of Rab Hamnuna Zuta on the Day of Atonement.

It was a favourite saying of Raba : The goal of wisdom is repentance and good works; so that a man shall not read [Torah] and study [Mishnah] and then contradict his father or mother or teacher or anybody greater than he in knowledge and number [of years]; as it is said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all that do thereafter" (Ps. cxi. 10). "All that learn" is not said here, but "all that do thereafter," i.e. they that practise Torah for its own sake, but not they that practise Torah not for its own sake. As for him who does not fulfil the Torah for its own sake, it were better had he never been created.

It is in accord with the opinion of Raba, who said : According to the teaching of the Torah, "a tent" — i.e. anything which contains a hollow space at least a handbreadth in extent — forms a partition against uncleanness, but if it does not contain a hollow space at least a handbreadth in extent it does not form such a partition;

But, said Raba, [the correct reason why they have to "sanctify" the Sabbath is because] the Scriptures declare, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exod. xx. 8) and "Observe the Sabbath to keep it holy" (Deut. v. 12) — everyone who has to "observe" must likewise "remember"; and since women must "observe," so must they "remember."

Rabina asked Raba : Is the recital of the Grace after meals by women an ordinance from the Torah or the Rabbis ? What is the point at issue ? It is whether they have the power of exempting others. It is quite right if thou sayest it is from the Torah ; then one who is enjoined by the Torah [to keep the observance] comes and exempts one [whose observance is likewise commanded] by the Torah. But if thou sayest it is from the Rabbis, then it is not a compulsory observance, and one who is not under the obligation [to keep the observance] cannot exempt others. How is it then ?

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.

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.

Raba said : The Halakah is — Both the healthy man and the delicate person when it is voluntary require forty Saot ; the healthy man when it is involuntary requires nine Kabs; but the delicate person when it is involuntary is exempt therefrom altogether.

Rab Pappa and Rab Huna b. R. Joshua and Raba b. Samuel dined together. Rab Pappa said to them, "Permit me to say Grace, because nine Kabs have been poured over me." Raba b. R. Samuel said to them, "We have learnt: 'Of what does this speak? [If he wishes to study Torah] for himself [nine Kabs are sufficient] ; but [if he wishes to teach it] to others, forty Saot are necessary.' So permit me to say Grace, because forty Saot have been poured over me" [by means of immersion]. Rab Huna said to them, "Permit me to say Grace, since I have had need neither of the one nor the other."

Rab Pappa and Rab Huna b. R. Joshua and Raba b. Samuel dined together. Rab Pappa said to them, "Permit me to say Grace, because nine Kabs have been poured over me." Raba b. R. Samuel said to them, "We have learnt: 'Of what does this speak? [If he wishes to study Torah] for himself [nine Kabs are sufficient] ; but [if he wishes to teach it] to others, forty Saot are necessary.' So permit me to say Grace, because forty Saot have been poured over me" [by means of immersion]. Rab Huna said to them, "Permit me to say Grace, since I have had need neither of the one nor the other."

If a man was reciting the Tefillah and found excrement where he was standing, Rabbah said : Even if he himself was responsible for it, his Tefillah is valid. Raba retorted : But lo [it is written], "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination" (Prov. xxi. 27)! Therefore, said Raba, since he is responsible [for the excrement], although he has uttered the prayer, his Tefillah is an abomination.

If a man was reciting the Tefillah and found excrement where he was standing, Rabbah said : Even if he himself was responsible for it, his Tefillah is valid. Raba retorted : But lo [it is written], "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination" (Prov. xxi. 27)! Therefore, said Raba, since he is responsible [for the excrement], although he has uttered the prayer, his Tefillah is an abomination.

R. Samuel b. Nahmani also said in the name of R. Jonathan : What means that which is written, "Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God" (Eccles. iv. 17)? Guard thyself so that thou sinnest not; but if thou sinnest, bring an offering into My presence. "And be ready to hearken " (Eccles. iv. 1 7) — Raba said : Be ready to hearken to the words of the Sages ; for if they sin, they bring an offering and repent. "It is better than when fools give sacrifices" (ibid.) — be not like the fools who sin and bring an offering without repenting.

The question was raised : May a man, wearing his Tefillin, enter a regular privy for the purpose of urinating? Rabina permitted it; Rab Adda b. Mattena prohibited it. The question was put to Raba, and he replied : It is forbidden, because we are afraid that he may relieve himself otherwise while wearing them. Another version is : [We are afraid] that he may break wind while wearing them.

I will retain them." Raba said: At the time that we were following Rab Nahman, if he carried a book of Aggadta, he handed it to us before entering a privy; if he carried Tefillin, he did not hand them to us. He said, "Since the Rabbis permit it, I will retain them."

Raba said in the name of Rab Sheshet : The Halakah is not in accord with the above Baraita because it emanates from Bet Shammai; for if it emanated from Bet Hillel, since one is allowed to enter a regular privy [holding the Tefillin], how much more so a chance one!

Quite so; [therefore the quoted statement must refer to] the Tefillin, and the refutation of Raba in the name of Rab Sheshet remains unanswered.

Raba said : Although it is stated that the refutation of Samuel remained unanswered, nevertheless the Halakah is in accord with his view. What is the reason?

Rab Hamnuna b. Rab Joseph said : On one occasion I was standing before Raba, and he said to me, "Go, bring me my Tefillin"; and I found them between the mattress and the bolster, where he did not lay his head ; and I knew that it was the day of bathing and he had done this for the purpose of teaching us the Halakah for practice.

Rab Kahana asked Rab Ashe : Raba said above, "Although the refutation of Samuel's view remained unanswered, the Halakah is in accord with him" ; how is it here? He replied : Wilt thou weave all these things in one web? Nay, where it is said, it is said ; and where it is not said, it is not said.

It has been reported : If there be filth upon his body, or his hand is placed within a privy, Rab Huna said : It is permitted to read the Shema' ; Rab Hisda said : It is forbidden to read it. Raba asked : What is Rab Huna's reason ? Because it is written, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord" (Ps. el. 6).

Raba said : The Halakah is not in agreement with this teaching in all these cases, but according to the following teaching : A man should not read the Shema' opposite the excrement of human beings, nor opposite that of pigs or dogs when he has placed skins therein.

It has been reported : If manure is being carried past a person, Abbai said : It is permitted to read the Shema' ; Raba said : It is prohibited to read it.

And Raba? He can tell thee : In this latter circumstance the criterion is a fixed place ; for it is written, "He shall dwell alone ; without the camp shall his dwelling be" (Lev. xiii. 46). But here the All-merciful declared, "Therefore shall the camp be holy" (Deut. xxiii. 15), and behold that is not so.

How, then, is it with reference to this matter ? It has been reported: When the excrement is like earthenware, Amemar said : It is forbidden ; Mar Zotra said : It is permitted. Raba said : The Halakah is — when the excrement is like earthenware it is forbidden ; and similarly with urine, so long as the ground is sufficiently wet to moisten.

It has been reported : If his heel sees his nakedness, it is permitted [to read the Shema']. If the heel touches, Abbai says : It is forbidden [to read] ; Raba says : It is permitted. So Rab Zebid taught this subject. Rab Hinnana b. Rab Ika, however, taught it thus : If the heel touches, all agree that it is forbidden [to read] ; but if the heel sees [the nakedness], Abbai says : It is forbidden ; Raba says : It is permitted, because the Torah was not given to the ministering angels. The Halakah is : If the heel touches, it is forbidden ; if it sees, it is permitted.

It has been reported : If his heel sees his nakedness, it is permitted [to read the Shema']. If the heel touches, Abbai says : It is forbidden [to read] ; Raba says : It is permitted. So Rab Zebid taught this subject. Rab Hinnana b. Rab Ika, however, taught it thus : If the heel touches, all agree that it is forbidden [to read] ; but if the heel sees [the nakedness], Abbai says : It is forbidden ; Raba says : It is permitted, because the Torah was not given to the ministering angels. The Halakah is : If the heel touches, it is forbidden ; if it sees, it is permitted.

Raba said : If there be excrement in a transparent vessel, it is permitted to read the Shema' thereby ; if nakedness be in a transparent vessel, it is forbidden to read the Shema' thereby. "If there be excrement in a transparent vessel, it is permitted to read the Shema' thereby" ; because with excrement the criterion is whether it is covered : and behold it is covered. "If nakedness be in a transparent vessel, it is forbidden to read the Shema' thereby" ; because the All-merciful declared, "That He see no unseemly thing in thee" (Deut. xxiii. 15), and behold it is visible.

Abbai said : Should the excrement be but a minute quantity, one can nullify it [by covering it] with spittle. Raba said : It must be with thick spittle. Raba said : If excrement be in a hole, he may place his sandal over it and read the Shema'. Mar b. Rabina asked : How is it if excrement adheres to his sandal ? The question remained unanswered.

Abbai said : Should the excrement be but a minute quantity, one can nullify it [by covering it] with spittle. Raba said : It must be with thick spittle. Raba said : If excrement be in a hole, he may place his sandal over it and read the Shema'. Mar b. Rabina asked : How is it if excrement adheres to his sandal ? The question remained unanswered.

Raba said : The Halakah is that less than three is regarded as solid [with the ground], and ten constitute a separate stratum ; but it is about the height from three to ten that Rab Joseph questioned Rab Huna, and he was unable to explain it. Rab said : The Halakah is in accord with R. Simeon b. Eleazar; and so declared Bali in the name of Rab Jacob, the son of Samuel's daughter : The Halakah is in accord with R. Simeon b. Eleazar. But Raba maintained the Halakah was not in accord with him.

Raba said : The Halakah is that less than three is regarded as solid [with the ground], and ten constitute a separate stratum ; but it is about the height from three to ten that Rab Joseph questioned Rab Huna, and he was unable to explain it. Rab said : The Halakah is in accord with R. Simeon b. Eleazar; and so declared Bali in the name of Rab Jacob, the son of Samuel's daughter : The Halakah is in accord with R. Simeon b. Eleazar. But Raba maintained the Halakah was not in accord with him.

Abbai said : This teaching applies only to a receptacle which is not used expressly for that purpose ; but if it is used for that purpose, even ten receptacles are only to be considered as one. Raba said : A cloth

To what distance must he remove himself from it and excrement [if he wishes to read the Shema'] ? Four cubits. Raba said in the name of Rab Sahorah in the name of Rab Huna : This teaching applies only to [excrement which is behind him ; but if it is in front of him, he must remove himself as far as the eye can see it. Similarly is it with the Tefillah.

Raba said : The privies of the Persians, although they may contain excrement, are to be regarded as closed in.

It is in accord with him who declared that the evening-Tefillah is voluntary; for Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: As for the evemng-Tefillah, Rabban Gamaliel declares it to be obligatory, but R. Joshua declares it to be voluntary. Abbai said : The Halakah is in agreement with him who declares it to be obligatory ; but Raba said : The Halakah is in agreement with him who declares it to be voluntary.

'Ulla said : [He must bow] until he sees a ring [of flesh formed] opposite his heart. R. Hannina said : If he lowered his head, more than that is unnecessary. Raba said : That is so, if it gives him pain [to bow low] and he appears like one making obeisance.

Abbai said : Johanan is the same person as Januaeus. Raba said : They are different persons ; and Jannaeus was originally wicked, but Johanan originally righteous. That is quite right according to Abbai ; but it is in contradiction with Raba's view.

Raba can reply that even with one who was originally righteous there is the possibility of his apostatizing. If so, why did they not discharge [Samuel the Small]?

Raba (another version : R. Joshua b. Levi) said : The Halakah is in agreement with Rabbi.

Raba said : Like that of Rab Hosha'ya who stated : A man should act cunningly with his produce, and store it together with the chaff, so that his cattle may eat of it and it become exempt from the tithe.

"And Moses besought [wayyehal] the Lord his God" (ibid. v. 11). R. Eleazar said : This teaches that Moses stood in prayer before the Holy One, blessed be He, until he wore Him out [hehelehu]. Raba said : [Moses besought Him] until He annulled His vow for him ; for it is written here wayyehal "and he besought," and elsewhere it is written, "he shall not break [yahel] his word" (Num. 30:3) ; and a teacher has said : [He who makes a vow] cannot break it himself, but others can break it on his behalf.

Raba said in the name of Rab Isaac: It teaches that he called into play [hal] the attribute of mercy upon them.

"But in very deed, as I live" (ibid. v. 21) — Raba said in the name of Rab Isaac : This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Moses, thou hast made Me to survive [in the estimation of the peoples] with thy word."

Raba never proclaimed a fast on a cloudy day, because it is said, "Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through" (Lam. iii. 44).

Raba said : We quote against this teaching : If one erred and omitted the reference to rain in the benediction of "the Revival of the Dead" or the request [for rain] in the benediction of "the Years," we make him repeat it ; but [if he omitted] the "Division" in "Thou favourest man with knowledge" we do not make him repeat it, because he is able to say it over the cup of wine !

Rabina asked Raba : What is the Halakah [if one pronounced the "Division" in the Tefillah, must he say it over the cup of wine] ? He replied : It is like the Sanctification ; although one sanctifies [the Sabbath] in the Tefillah, he must do so over the cup of wine; so also with the Habdalah, although he said it in the Tefillah, he must do so over the cup of wine.

Rab Hiyya b. Rab Huna said : I saw Abbai and Raba just recline on their side.

Raba bent the knee at the beginning and end of the "Thanksgiving," The Rabbis asked him, "Why has the master acted so?" He replied, "I saw Rab Nahman bend the knee, and I saw Rab Sheshet do it.

Let him go to a Sage ! What can he do for him, seeing that he has done what is forbidden ? But, said Raba : [The meaning is,] let him from the first go to a Sage who will teach him the benedictions, so that he should not come to commit sacrilege.

Raba said to the Rabbis : I beg of you not to appear before me during the days of Nisan and Tishri, so that you may not be concerned about your maintenance the whole year.

hence conclude that oil does nourish ! But wine satisfies and oil does not. Does wine satisfy? Lo, Raba used to drink wine the whole of the day preceding Passover to whet his appetite in order to eat the unleavened bread with greater zest ! A large quantity whets the appetite, but a little satisfies [hunger].

Rab Nahman b. Isaac asked Raba : How is it if a man did fix his meal on its account? He replied : When Elijah comes, let him say whether such can be fixed for a meal ; at present, at least, such a thought does not exist amongst men.

Raba said to Rab Nahman : Thou shouldest not differ from Rab Judah, because R. Johanan and Samuel agree with him ; for Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel, and similarly said R. Isaac in the name of R. Johanan : We pronounce over olive-oil the benediction "... Who createst the fruit of the tree" — hence infer that although it has undergone change, it still remains essentially the same; and like-wise here [with wheaten-flour] although it has undergone change, it still remains essentially the same.

Raba replied : When do we declare a thing to be the protection of the fruit ? When it is so either plucked or attached [to the tree] ; but here [the bud is only a protection] when attached, but not when plucked.

But, said Raba : When do we declare that a thing constitutes the protection of the fruit ? When it is there at the time the fruit has ripened ; but the caper-bud is not there at the time the fruit has ripened.

But, said Raba: When do we say a thing is the protection of the fruit? When, if the protection is removed, the fruit perishes ;

Over pepper, Rab Sheshet said: [The benediction is] "...By Whose word all things exist" ; Raba said : None at all [is required]. Raba is consistent with his opinion [expressed elsewhere] ; for he has said : If one chews pepper-corns on the Day of Atonement he is free [from guilt]; if he chews ginger on the Day of Atonement he is likewise free.

Over pepper, Rab Sheshet said: [The benediction is] "...By Whose word all things exist" ; Raba said : None at all [is required]. Raba is consistent with his opinion [expressed elsewhere] ; for he has said : If one chews pepper-corns on the Day of Atonement he is free [from guilt]; if he chews ginger on the Day of Atonement he is likewise free.

The Rabbis said to Maremar : He who chews ginger on the Day of Atonement is free [from guilt]. But lo, Raba declared : The preserved ginger which comes from India is permitted, and we pronounce the benediction "...Who createst the fruit of the ground" over it! There is no contradiction; the latter referring to moist [ginger], the other to dried.

Raba said : Over the Rihata of the field labourers which contains a large admixture of flour, the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of food." Why? Because the flour is the principal ingredient. [Over the Rihata] of townspeople which does not contain so much flour, the benediction is "...By Whose word all things exist." Why? Because honey is the principal ingredient. Raba afterwards said : Over both kinds the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of foods"; because Rab and Samuel both declare : Over any food which contains one of the five species, the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of foods."

Raba said : Over the Rihata of the field labourers which contains a large admixture of flour, the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of food." Why? Because the flour is the principal ingredient. [Over the Rihata] of townspeople which does not contain so much flour, the benediction is "...By Whose word all things exist." Why? Because honey is the principal ingredient. Raba afterwards said : Over both kinds the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of foods"; because Rab and Samuel both declare : Over any food which contains one of the five species, the benediction is "...Who createst various kinds of foods."

How is it then in this matter? Rab Sheshet said : Over Habis, although it does not contain pieces of bread the size of an olive, he blesses "...Who bringest forth bread from the earth." Raba said : This is only so if it has the semblance of bread.

One of the Rabbis asked Raba : How is it with Trimma ? Raba was not sure what he had asked him. Rabina was sitting in the presence of Raba and said [to the questioner] : Dost thou mean a brew of sesame seeds, or of saffron, or of grape-kernels ?

One of the Rabbis asked Raba : How is it with Trimma ? Raba was not sure what he had asked him. Rabina was sitting in the presence of Raba and said [to the questioner] : Dost thou mean a brew of sesame seeds, or of saffron, or of grape-kernels ?

One of the Rabbis asked Raba : How is it with Trimma ? Raba was not sure what he had asked him. Rabina was sitting in the presence of Raba and said [to the questioner] : Dost thou mean a brew of sesame seeds, or of saffron, or of grape-kernels ?

In the meantime Raba recalled it and he said to him : Thou must surely mean a brew of ground dates ; and thou remindest me of something that R. Assi said, viz. : It is permissible to make Trimma from dates brought as an offering, but one must not make strong drink of them. And the Halakah is : Over dates made into Trimma we say the benediction "...Who createst the fruit of the tree." On what ground ? Because [the dates are considered] as remaining in their original condition [as fruit].

For over bread one says : "... Who bringest forth bread from the earth." Our Rabbis have taught : What does he say ? "...Who bringest forth [hammosi'] bread from the earth." R. Nehemiah stated : It is "...Who brought forth [mosi'] bread from the earth." Raba said : Nobody disagrees about mosi that it has the meaning "brought forth" ; as it is said, "God Who brought them forth [mosiam] out of Egypt" (Num. xxiii. 22). In what do they differ? In the word hammosi'. The Rabbis hold that hammosi' means "Who brought forth," for it is written "Who brought thee forth [hammosi'] water out of the rock of flint" (Deut. viii. 15) ; and R. Nehemiah holds it means "Who bringeth forth," as it is said, "Who bringeth you out [hammosi'] from under the burden of the Egyptians" (Exod. vi. 7).

Raba retorted : Why is stale bread different, that no [benediction should be pronounced before partaking thereof] ? Is it because when the benediction is concluded, it is concluded over a divided loaf ? But in the case of [fresh] bread also, when the benediction is concluded, it is likewise concluded over a divided loaf !

But, declared Raba : One says the benediction and afterwards breaks [the bread].

The people of Nehardea acted according to R. Hiyya, but the Rabbis acted according to Raba. Rabina said : My mother told me, "Thy father acted according to R. Hiyya, for R. Hiyya maintained that the benediction must conclude with [the breaking of] the bread ; but the Rabbis acted according to Raba." The Halakah is in agreement with Raba who maintained that one should say the benediction and afterwards break the bread.

The people of Nehardea acted according to R. Hiyya, but the Rabbis acted according to Raba. Rabina said : My mother told me, "Thy father acted according to R. Hiyya, for R. Hiyya maintained that the benediction must conclude with [the breaking of] the bread ; but the Rabbis acted according to Raba." The Halakah is in agreement with Raba who maintained that one should say the benediction and afterwards break the bread.

The people of Nehardea acted according to R. Hiyya, but the Rabbis acted according to Raba. Rabina said : My mother told me, "Thy father acted according to R. Hiyya, for R. Hiyya maintained that the benediction must conclude with [the breaking of] the bread ; but the Rabbis acted according to Raba." The Halakah is in agreement with Raba who maintained that one should say the benediction and afterwards break the bread.

Raba b. Samuel said in the name of R. Hiyya : The one who is about to break bread is not permitted to do so until they place salt or relish before each person. Raba b. Samuel visited the house of the Exilarch. They set bread before him and he broke it forthwith. They said to him, "Has the master retracted his teaching?" He replied, "This bread requires no condiment."

Raba b. Samuel said in the name of R. Hiyya : The one who is about to break bread is not permitted to do so until they place salt or relish before each person. Raba b. Samuel visited the house of the Exilarch. They set bread before him and he broke it forthwith. They said to him, "Has the master retracted his teaching?" He replied, "This bread requires no condiment."

Raba b. Samuel also said in the name of R. Hiyya : Urine is only completely evacuated in a sitting posture. Rab Kahana said : Where there is loose earth, this is so even when standing; and should there be no loose earth, let him stand on an elevated place and urinate on to a declivity.

Raba b. Samuel also Said in the name of R. Hiyya : After every food eat salt, and after every beverage drink water, and thou wilt not come to harm. There is a teaching to the same effect : After every food eat salt, and after every beverage drink water, and thou wilt not come to harm. There is another teaching : Who has partaken of any food without eating salt or drunk any beverage without drinking water will be troubled during the day with a bad odour in his mouth and at night with croup.

Raba and R. Zera went on a visit to the house of the Exilarch. After the tray had been taken away from before them, there was sent to them from the Exilarch's house a gift [of fruit]. Raba ate it, but R. Zera did not. The latter said to him, "Does not the master hold that if the table has been cleared, it is forbidden to eat?" He replied, "We depend upon the Exilarch's tray."