ties

So when Saul was desirous of leading his men to the enemy's camp before it was day, in order to plunder it, and when the soldiers were not unwilling to follow him, but indeed showed great readiness to do as he commanded them, the king called Ahitub the high priest, and enjoined him to know of God whether he would grant them the favor and permission to go against the enemy's camp, in order to destroy those that were in it. And when the priest said that God did not give any answer, Saul replied, "And not without some cause does God refuse to answer what we inquire of him, while yet a little while ago he declared to us all that we desired beforehand, and even prevented us in his answer. To be sure there is some sin against him that is concealed from us, which is the occasion of his silence. Now I swear by him himself, that though he that hath committed this sin should prove to be my own son Jonathan, I will slay him, and by that means will appease the anger of God against us, and that in the very same manner as if I were to punish a stranger, and one not at all related to me, for the same offense." So when the multitude cried out to him so to do, he presently set all the rest on one side, and he and his son stood on the other side, and he sought to discover the offender by lot. Now the lot appeared to fall upon Jonathan himself. So when he was asked by his father what sin he had been guilty of, and what he was conscious of in the course of his life that might be esteemed instances of guilt or profaneness, his answer was this, "O father, I have done nothing more than that yesterday, without knowing of the curse and oath thou hadst denounced, while I was in pursuit of the enemy, I tasted of a honey-comb." But Saul sware that he would slay him, and prefer the observation of his oath before all the ties of birth and of nature. And Jonathan was not dismayed at this threatening of death, but, offering himself to it generously and undauntedly, he said, "Nor do I desire you, father, to spare me: death will be to me very acceptable, when it proceeds from thy piety, and after a glorious victory; for it is the greatest consolation to me that I leave the Hebrews victorious over the Philistines." Hereupon all the people were very sorry, and greatly afflicted for Jonathan; and they sware that they would not overlook Jonathan, and see him die, who was the author of their victory. By which means they snatched him out of the danger he was in from his father's curse, while they made their prayers to God also for the young man, that he would remit his sin.

Felted materials [can be] prohibited because of kilayim, since they are combed. It is prohibited to attach a string of wool to linen material, since this resembles weaving. Rabbi Yose says: it is forbidden to use cords of purple [wool to tie round a loose linen garment], since before he ties it, he stitches it on. One may not tie a strip of woolen material with one of linen material for the purpose of girdling one’s loins, even if there is a leather strap between the two.

What is considered a “threshing floor” for tithes [i.e. when does produce become liable for tithes]? Cucumbers and gourds [are liable for tithes] once he removes their fuzz. And if he doesn’t remove it, once he makes a pile. Melons once he removes the fuzz with hot water. And if they he does not remove the fuzz, once he stores them in the muktzeh. Vegetables which are tied in bundles, from the time he ties them up in bundles. If he does not tie them up in bundles, until he fills the vessel with them. And if he does not fill the vessel, after he has gathered all that he wishes to gather. [Produce which is packed in] a basket [is liable for tithes] after he has covered it. If he is not going to cover it, until he fills the vessel with them. And if he does not fill the vessel, after he has gathered all that he wishes to gather. When does this apply? When one brings [the produce] to the market. But when he brings it to his own house, he may make a chance meal of it, until he reaches his house.

How does one set aside bikkurim? A man goes down into his field, he sees a fig that ripened, or a cluster of grapes that ripened, or a pomegranate that ripened, he ties a reed-rope around it and says: “Let these be bikkurim.” Rabbi Shimon says: even so, he must again designate them as bikkurim after they have been plucked from the soil.

MISHNAH: Only spun and woven cloth is forbidden because of kilaim since it is said (Deut. 22:11): “Do not wear šaʻaṭnez”, anything carded, spun, or woven. Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar said, he has turned aside and turned his Father in Heaven against him. Felt is forbidden because it is carded. A woolen border on a linen garment is forbidden because it goes around like the woven part. Rebbi Yose says, woven ropes are forbidden because he stitches them before he ties them. One should not bind a strip of wool on one of linen to gird his hips even if a leather belt is in between.

MISHNAH: One dirties saplings, ties them, clips them, builds them shelter, and waters them until the New Year. Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Ẓadoq says, one may water the leaves in the Sabbatical year but not the stem. One rubs unripe figs and pricks them until the New Year. One may not rub or prick unripe figs entering the Sabbatical year, or those of the Sabbatical year leaving it. Rebbi Jehudah says, at a place where people usually rub them, one may not rub them because that is agricultural work, but in a place where one does not usually rub, he may do so. Rebbi Simeon permits it for a tree since one may work a tree.

Rebbi Simeon ben Yaqim asked before Rebbi Joḥanan: If he planted the lower part as fence but the upper part for food, or the lower part for food but the upper part as fence? He said to him, one is like the other, whether the upper part for food but the lower part as fence, or the lower part for food but the upper part as fence. How does one know? He brings a string and ties it as a sign: So far as fence, the excess for food.

Rebbi Ḥalaphta ben Shaul stated: Fibers about which he thought the day before he is permitted to move. Rebbi Yose ben Shaul stated: A group of beams about which he thought the day before he is permitted to move. Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Jacob bar Idi, Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. My father was a worker in raw hides. He told us, make a knot of the heads of shearings and you will be permitted to move them tomorrow. Ḥizqiah said, even if one made a tie. Rav said, palm branches which one cut to lie on them do not need to be tied, for tents they have to be tied. Rav Abba bar Ḥana said, both for lying down and for tents it needs tying. Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, the tying of Rav for tents is not the same as the tying of Rav Abba bar Ḥana for vessels. The tying of Rav for tents, only if he ties down all thorns. The tying of Rav Abba bar Ḥana for vessels, if only the appellation of “vessel” applies. If you would say, only if he ties down all thorns, there would be no greater production than this.

Rebbi Ḥalaphta ben Shaul stated: Fibers about which he thought the day before he is permitted to move. Rebbi Yose ben Shaul stated: A group of beams about which he thought the day before he is permitted to move. Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Jacob bar Idi, Rebbi Ḥanina in the name of Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose. My father was a worker in raw hides. He told us, make a knot of the heads of shearings and you will be permitted to move them tomorrow. Ḥizqiah said, even if one made a tie. Rav said, palm branches which one cut to lie on them do not need to be tied, for tents they have to be tied. Rav Abba bar Ḥana said, both for lying down and for tents it needs tying. Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, the tying of Rav for tents is not the same as the tying of Rav Abba bar Ḥana for vessels. The tying of Rav for tents, only if he ties down all thorns. The tying of Rav Abba bar Ḥana for vessels, if only the appellation of “vessel” applies. If you would say, only if he ties down all thorns, there would be no greater production than this.

Rebbi Zeˋira asked: If one tied one hair to another, is it one? One to two are they two? To three are they three? Rav Jehudah said, One who goes to immerse herself after her period ties her hair as a pony tail. To act on it and trust me.

MISHNAH: She ties down with a stone, or a walnut, or a coin on condition that she not start tying down on the Sabbath.

MISHNAH: There are 39 categories of work. He who ploughs, who sows, who harvests, who binds into sheaves, who threshes, and who winnows, who selects, who grinds, and who sifts, who makes dough, and who bakes. He who shears wool, who bleaches it, who cards it, who dyes it, who spins it, who prepares the loom, who ties two threads as warp, who weaves two rows, who hits two threads, who ties, and who unties. Also who sews two stitches, who tears in order to sew two stitches. He who catches a deer, who slaughters it, who skins it, who salts it, who rubs it clean, who tans it, who cuts it, who writes two letters, and who erases in order to write two letters. He who builds, and who tears down, who extinguishes fire, and who lights fire, and who hits with a hammer, and who transports from one domain to another; these are the 39 categories of work.

MISHNAH: There are 39 categories of work. He who ploughs, who sows, who harvests, who binds into sheaves, who threshes, and who winnows, who selects, who grinds, and who sifts, who makes dough, and who bakes. He who shears wool, who bleaches it, who cards it, who dyes it, who spins it, who prepares the loom, who ties two threads as warp, who weaves two rows, who hits two threads, who ties, and who unties. Also who sews two stitches, who tears in order to sew two stitches. He who catches a deer, who slaughters it, who skins it, who salts it, who rubs it clean, who tans it, who cuts it, who writes two letters, and who erases in order to write two letters. He who builds, and who tears down, who extinguishes fire, and who lights fire, and who hits with a hammer, and who transports from one domain to another; these are the 39 categories of work.

“He who weaves two rows, who hits two threads, who ties, and who unties.” What tying was in the Tabernacle? They were tying down the ropes. But was this not temporarily? Rebbi Yose says, because they were camping and travelling by the Word, was it like temporarily? Rebbi Yose [ben Rebbi Abun] said, since the Holy One, praise to Him, has promised them that he will bring them into the Land, it is as if it were (temporary) [permanent]. Rebbi Phineas said, they learned it from the gobelin sewers. If [a thread] broke, he was tying it. If it broke again, it was impossible to make many knots but he would untie the first one. Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, an expert tailor merges the two heads. And where was this said? As Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Ḥanina said, they learned it from the weavers of the gobelins. What is the reason? The length of one gobelin, that it should be an entity. If [a thread] broke, he was tying it. When he came to the weave, he untied it and brought it in. Rebbi Tanḥuma in the name of (Rav) [Rebbi] Ḥuna: Even on its warp there was neither knot nor connection.

MISHNAH: From where that one who loses semen on the third day is impure? For it is said, be prepared for three days, do not touch a woman. From where that one washes a baby on the third day if it falls on a Sabbath? For it is said, it was on the third day when they hurt. From where that one ties a crimson band to the head of the scapegoat? For it is said, if your sins were like scarlet they will be snow white, etc.

MISHNAH: One who intends to carry on his front but it turns out that he carried on his back is not liable. On his back and he carried on his front he is liable. In truth a woman who ties to her sinar whether in front or back is liable since it is apt to move. Rebbi Jehudah says, the same holds for messengers.

MISHNAH: One does not use midwifery for animals on a holiday but one helps. One helps a woman in childbirth on the Sabbath, and calls a midwife for her from place to place, and desecrates the Sabbath for her, and ties the umbilical cord; Rebbi Yose says, also one cuts it. All that is necessary for circumcision one does on the Sabbath.

“And ties the umbilical cord.” As in the following: The slave girl of Bar Qappara expected to give birth on a Sabbath. She came and asked her master, who told her to go and ask the midwife. She said, there is no midwife. He said, go and follow your usage; she said, there is no usage. He said, go and cut it. This is like Rebbi Yose.

MISHNAH: One does all that is needed for a corpse, one anoints, and rinses, on condition that none of his limbs be moved. One takes away the pillow under him and lays him on sand so he can wait. One ties the jaw, not to lift it but lest it descend. Similarly, if a beam broke one supports it by a bench or the long logs of a bed-frame, not to lift it but lest it descend. One does not close the eyelids of a corpse on the Sabbath, nor on a weekday at the moment of death. Anybody who closes the eyes at the moment of death is spilling blood.

MISHNAH: One dissolves vows on the Sabbath and one may ask about vows if it is a need for the Sabbath. One plugs the skylight and measures a rag and a miqweh. It happened in the days of Rebbi Ṣadoq’s father and in the days of Abba Shaul ben Botnit, that they plugged the skylight with a jar and tied a dish to bast to know whether a barrel had a hand-breadth width opening or not. From their words we infer that one plugs, and measures, and ties on the Sabbath.

MISHNAH: One replaces a wound dressing in the Temple but not in the countryside; a new one is forbidden here and there. One ties strings in the Temple but not in the countryside; a new one is forbidden here and there. One cuts a wart in the Temple but not in the countryside; using an implement is forbidden here and there.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “One ties strings in the Temple but not in the countryside.” Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, this is Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar’s, as Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar stated, if a broken violin string is tied it does not give a sound, but he strings from above and makes a loop below. It was stated: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar said, Cohanim, Levites, Israel, and musical instruments obstruct the sacrifice.

MISHNAH: One ties the lulav only with its own kind, the words of Rebbi Jehudah. Rebbi Meïr says, even with a string. Rebbi Meïr said, it happened that the people of Jerusalem did tie their lulavim with golden jewels. They told him, under these they tied it with its own kind. Where did they move? At thank the Eternal beginning and end, and also at please, Eternal, please save, following the words of the House of Hillel. The House of Shammai say, also at please, Eternal, please give success. Rebbi Aqiba said, I was watching Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Joshua, when all the people were shaking their lulavim but they moved them only at please, Eternal, please save. If somebody returns from a trip where he had no lulav, when he enters his house he can take it at his table. If he did not take it in the morning he may take it in the afternoon since the entire day is qualified for the lulav.

MISHNAH: How were they lighting the beacons? One brings long logs of cedar, and reed, and oil wood, and linen tow, and ties them with rope. He climbs to the top of the mountain, kindles the fire, moves forward and backward, up and down, until he sees his colleague on the second mountain doing the same, and so on top of the third mountain. Where did one light beacons? From the Mount of Olives to Sartaba, and from Sartaba to Grippina, and from Grippina to Hauran, and from Hauran to Bet Biltin. From Bet Biltin they did not move but he moves up and down until he sees the Diaspora like one fire place.

Rebbi Ze`ira, Rav Ḥananel in the name of Rav: Its sewing is practice of Moses from Sinai. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: the knots of Tefillin are practice of Moses from Sinai. A Tefillin strip of Rebbi Jeremiah broke; he asked Rebbi Abba bar Mamal who said to him, and you stall tie them, even simple tying. Rebbi Ze`ira’s wall of the strip broke. He asked Rav Huna and Rav Qatina, and they permitted him. It broke a second time and they permitted him, not from what they had learned. Rebbi Abba the son of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: The practice is that he who sews must leave space on top and bottom so it should not tear. They hit him on the skull, if it is practice why “should not tear”? And if “should not tear” why practice? It is practice of Moses from Sinai that one write on leather, and write with ink, and rule with a ruler, and ties with hair, and patches with a patch, and glues with glue, and sews with sinews. As he sews, he has to sew this stitch. One needs to leave between line and line the width of a line, between word and word the width of a letter, between letter and letter something, between column and column a thumb-width. If he made the end of the column equal to its beginning he disqualified it. One must leave on the top of the scroll {a margin of} two finger-breadths and at the bottom three. Rebbi says, in the Torah at the top three and at the bottom a hand-breadth. Between book and book one has to leave four lines empty, in the Twelve Prophets three. One has to end in the middle of a column and start in its middle; but for a Prophet he ends at the bottom and starts at the top; but for the Twelve Prophets it is forbidden. One makes no sheet less than three columns and none more than eight. That you are saying, at the start. But at the end even a little; and for parchment the Sages did not give any size.

“Books, they may not buy ribands.” Even from Prophets and Hagiographs one may [not] buy ribands for Torah or Ḥumashim. One ties a Torah with ribands of Torah, Ḥumashim with ribands of Ḥumashim, [Prophets with ribands of Prophets]; Torah and Ḥumashim with ribands of Prophets and Hagiographs, but not Prophets and Hagiographs with ribands of Torah and Ḥumashim. One may put a Torah on top of a Torah, Ḥumashim on top of Ḥumashim, Torah and Ḥumashim on top of Prophets and Hagiographs but not Prophets and Hagiographs on top of Torah and Ḥumashim. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: The Tanna fled from Torah and Ḥumashim.

“The action for sancta is different from that for heave in that for sancta one unties the strings and wipes the holes and then ties whereas for heave one may tie and then immerse.” Eaters of heave are vigilant and they hollow it but eaters of sancta are not vigilant and do not hollow.

So is the Mishnah: “If he ties lower than the knee, it is valid, above the knee it is invalid.” It is written: “Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it.” It was stated about this: The hand up to the wrist, the foot up to the calf; and here you say so? There is a difference, since it is written “from above his foot”. In that case, even higher than the knee should be valid! There is a difference, since it is written “from above his foot”, and not from higher than above his foot. Cahana objected: Is it not written, “and the afterbirth which comes out from between her feet;” does it come out from between her feet? It looks as if it was between her feet; as we have stated there: “The water pit was between the Temple hall and the alter drawn towards the South.” Was it put between the hall and the altar? Only it looked as if between hall and altar.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Mishnah applies if one witness is missing, but only if there are three or more. Two or three at the beginning is invalid, one below the three is valid. Rebbi Mana asked: That is, if they are continuous. If they are with interruptions? As one says, they are considered like testimony at a distance, they only serve to certify the testimony. And so it is here. If there were nine, can he untie two and have two sign? Or are two witnesses on a knotted document nothing? If there were five, it is obvious that he unties one and has it signed. It turns out that his untying permits it following Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel, for Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel says, the essential part is what validates, even if he ties and signs after that. That is, if he ties all knots and after that the first three [witnesses] did sign. But if he tied the first three and had them signed, even if he makes many ties and lets many sign it is valid. Practice is that a knotted document is first knotted and then signed. If he made the first knots and had them signed right away, it is obvious that the first two did not sign the knotted document.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Mishnah applies if one witness is missing, but only if there are three or more. Two or three at the beginning is invalid, one below the three is valid. Rebbi Mana asked: That is, if they are continuous. If they are with interruptions? As one says, they are considered like testimony at a distance, they only serve to certify the testimony. And so it is here. If there were nine, can he untie two and have two sign? Or are two witnesses on a knotted document nothing? If there were five, it is obvious that he unties one and has it signed. It turns out that his untying permits it following Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel, for Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel says, the essential part is what validates, even if he ties and signs after that. That is, if he ties all knots and after that the first three [witnesses] did sign. But if he tied the first three and had them signed, even if he makes many ties and lets many sign it is valid. Practice is that a knotted document is first knotted and then signed. If he made the first knots and had them signed right away, it is obvious that the first two did not sign the knotted document.

Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Mishnah applies if one witness is missing, but only if there are three or more. Two or three at the beginning is invalid, one below the three is valid. Rebbi Mana asked: That is, if they are continuous. If they are with interruptions? As one says, they are considered like testimony at a distance, they only serve to certify the testimony. And so it is here. If there were nine, can he untie two and have two sign? Or are two witnesses on a knotted document nothing? If there were five, it is obvious that he unties one and has it signed. It turns out that his untying permits it following Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel, for Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Gamliel says, the essential part is what validates, even if he ties and signs after that. That is, if he ties all knots and after that the first three [witnesses] did sign. But if he tied the first three and had them signed, even if he makes many ties and lets many sign it is valid. Practice is that a knotted document is first knotted and then signed. If he made the first knots and had them signed right away, it is obvious that the first two did not sign the knotted document.

Somebody tears up another’s documents without the latter’s agreement. Rebbi Ḥanania and Rebbi Mana, one said, he is liable; the other said, he is not liable. The one who said he is liable, as a fine. The one who said he is not liable: he is like one who obstructs the depositions of witnesses. A widow who grabs documents is like a person who ties up the mouths of witnesses.

III. (1) Weightier rules hold in hallowed things than in a heave-offering; for we may cleanse vessels in the midst of vessels for a heave-offering but not for hallowed things. The outsides and the inside and the place for laying hold are reckoned as distinct in the heave-offering but not in the hallowed things. He that takes up that which has been made unclean by pressure may offer the heave-offering but not the hallowed things. The garments of those that eat the heave-offering are unclean through pressure with regard to hallowed things. The manner of the heave-offering is not as the manner of the hallowed things. For in the case of hallowed things one loosens a knot and wipes and cleanses and afterwards ties up again, but in the case of a heave-offering he ties up and afterwards cleanses.

III. (1) Weightier rules hold in hallowed things than in a heave-offering; for we may cleanse vessels in the midst of vessels for a heave-offering but not for hallowed things. The outsides and the inside and the place for laying hold are reckoned as distinct in the heave-offering but not in the hallowed things. He that takes up that which has been made unclean by pressure may offer the heave-offering but not the hallowed things. The garments of those that eat the heave-offering are unclean through pressure with regard to hallowed things. The manner of the heave-offering is not as the manner of the hallowed things. For in the case of hallowed things one loosens a knot and wipes and cleanses and afterwards ties up again, but in the case of a heave-offering he ties up and afterwards cleanses.

In hallowed things. What is the reason of the prohibition? R. Ela said, Because the weight of the vessel interposes. But seeing that in a later case it is on account of the interposition, the first case cannot be on account of an interposition. For we are taught in the later case, And the manner of the heave-offering is not as the manner of the hallowed things. For in the case of hallowed things one looses a knot and wipes and cleanses and afterwards ties up again, but in the case of a heave-offering he ties up and afterwards cleanses. Nay, but both the earlier and later cases are because of interposition, and it was necessary that they should be separately mentioned, for if he had taught us the first only, I should say, This is the reason for the prohibition with reference to the hallowed things, viz., because of the vessel's weight, which actually exists. But in the latter case, where the vessel's weight is not an element, I should say, In regard to hallowed things also there is in this case no disqualifying interposition. And if he had taught us the latter only, I should say, This is the reason for the prohibition with reference to hallowed things, because

In hallowed things. What is the reason of the prohibition? R. Ela said, Because the weight of the vessel interposes. But seeing that in a later case it is on account of the interposition, the first case cannot be on account of an interposition. For we are taught in the later case, And the manner of the heave-offering is not as the manner of the hallowed things. For in the case of hallowed things one looses a knot and wipes and cleanses and afterwards ties up again, but in the case of a heave-offering he ties up and afterwards cleanses. Nay, but both the earlier and later cases are because of interposition, and it was necessary that they should be separately mentioned, for if he had taught us the first only, I should say, This is the reason for the prohibition with reference to the hallowed things, viz., because of the vessel's weight, which actually exists. But in the latter case, where the vessel's weight is not an element, I should say, In regard to hallowed things also there is in this case no disqualifying interposition. And if he had taught us the latter only, I should say, This is the reason for the prohibition with reference to hallowed things, because