Hebrew Literature Part 22

7. "He who had a house joined to an idol, and it fell down?" "It is forbidden to rebuild it." "What shall he do?" "He must first reduce the size of the house by four cubits, and then rebuild it." "If the house be in common between him and the idol?" "It is decided to leave the four cubits unoccupied, as its stones, wood, and dust cause defilement like a worm, 'Thou shalt utterly detest it.' "(456)

8. There are three sorts of buildings. The house originally built for idolatry is forbidden. "If the idolater whitewashed, and painted, and repaired it for the idol?" "He must take down his repairs." "If he brought in and afterward took out the idol?" "It is allowed."

9. There are three sorts of stones. The stone originally hewn for a pedestal to the idol is forbidden. "If the idolater whitewashed, and painted, and repaired it to honor an idol?" "He must take down his repairs." "If he placed his idol upon it, and afterward took it away?" "It is allowed."

10. There are three sorts of groves. The tree originally planted to honor an idol is forbidden. "If the idolater cut it, and hewed it, and made changes to honor an idol?" "He must take down his changes." "If he placed an idol beneath it and abused it?" "It is allowed."

11. "What is a grove?" "That in which there is an idol." R. Simon said, "everything that is worshipped, as it happened in Zidon at the tree where they worshipped, and they found beneath it a heap. Said R. Simon to them, 'examine this heap.' And they examined it and found in it an image. He said to them, 'as the object of service is the image, we shall allow the tree to you.' "

12. One must not sit in the shadow of an idolatrous grove, and though he sit, he is legally clean. And one must not pa.s.s underneath it; even if one pa.s.s he is defiled. "If it occupy the public thoroughfare and one pa.s.s beneath it?" "He is clean."

13. One may sow underneath it vegetables in winter, but not in summer. But lettuce(457) must not be sown either in summer or winter. R. Jose said, "not even vegetables in winter, since the leaves would fall upon them and serve them for dung."

14. "Has one taken wood from it?" "Its wood is forbidden for every use."

"Has one heated an oven with it?" "If the oven be new it must be broken down, and if old it must be cooled down." "Has one baked bread in it?"

"The use of the bread is forbidden." "Are the loaves mixed with other loaves, and these again with others?" "The use of all the loaves is forbidden." R. Eliezer said, "its value is to be cast into the Salt Sea."

The Sages replied to him, "there is no redemption for idolatry." "Has one made out of such a tree a weaver's shuttle?" "Its use is forbidden." "Has one woven a garment with it?" "The use of the garment is forbidden." "Is the garment mixed with other garments, and these again with others?" "The use of all the garments is forbidden." Rabbi Eleazar said, "its value is to be cast into the Salt Sea." The Sages replied to him, "there is no redemption for idolatry."

15. "How is the tree to be desecrated?" "Has the idolater broken off dry bark, or green boughs; has he taken from it a staff, or a twig, or even a leaf-it is desecrated." "Has he trimmed it for the sake of the tree?" "It is forbidden." "Has he trimmed it, but not for the sake of the tree?" "It is allowed."

Chapter IV

1. Rabbi Ishmael said, "three stones(458) beside each other at the side of the image of Mercury are forbidden, but two are allowed." But the Sages say, "when they are within his view they are forbidden, but when they are not within his view they are allowed."

2. "Has one found money on his head, a garment, or implements which are not offerings?" "They are allowed." Festoons of grapes, wreaths of ears of corn, and wines, and oils, and fine flour, and everything similar offered on his altar are forbidden.

3. A garden or a bath for idolatry is permitted for use when it is gratuitous. But neither is to be used if a present for the worship of the idol be expected. If it be in partnership with others that are not so employed, either can be used, whether it be with the expectation of a present or gratuitous. The idol of idolaters is at once forbidden, but the idol of Israel is not forbidden until it be served.

4. An idolater may desecrate his own idol, or the idol of his companion.

But Israel must not desecrate the idol of an idolater. In desecrating the idol he desecrates what appertains to it. "Has he desecrated what appertains to it?" "What appertains to it is allowed, but the idol itself is forbidden."

5. "How is it to be desecrated?" "He cuts off the lobe of its ear, the tip of its nose, the end of its finger-he deforms even though he does not diminish it-it is desecrated." "He spits before it, he drags it, and throws dirt upon it?" "It is not desecrated." "Has he sold it or pledged it?" Rabbi says, "it is desecrated." But the Sages say, "it is not desecrated."

6. The idol, the service of which is abandoned in the time of peace, is allowed. "But if its service be abandoned in time of war?" "It is forbidden."(459) The royal pedestals(460) are forbidden, because they are erected at the time when kings are travelling.

7. The elders were asked in Rome, "If G.o.d has no pleasure in idolatry, why does He not destroy it?" They replied to the Romans, "If the idolaters were serving a thing which was not necessary to the world, He would destroy it, but they serve the sun-disk, and the moon, and the stars, and the signs of the zodiac. Shall he destroy his world on account of the fools?" They replied to them, "If so He can destroy the object which is not wanted for the world, and leave that which the world wants." They replied to them, "even we should be strengthening the hands of the worshippers of such objects; they would say, there is a proof that they are G.o.ds, because they are not destroyed."

8. One may buy a wine-press pressed by an idolater, even though he take _grapes_ with his hand and lay them on the heap of grapes, as it is not made the wine of idolatrous libation till it runs into the vat. "Has it run into the vat?" "That which is in the vat is forbidden, but the remainder is allowed." One may tread with an idolater in the wine-press, but one must not gather grapes with him. One must not tread or gather grapes with an Israelite who works in a state of defilement. But one may carry with him empty barrels to the press and bring them away with him from the press. One must not knead nor prepare with the baker who works in (a state of) legal defilement, but one may carry the bread with him to the dealer in bread.

9. "If an idolater be found standing by the side of a wine vat, and if he have any loan upon it?" "It is forbidden." "If he have no loan on it?" "It is allowed." "Has he fallen into the vat and come out again, or measured it with a cane; has he driven away a hornet with a cane; or has he given a slap to the fermentation on the top of the barrel?" All these things once happened, and the (Sages) decided, "Let it be sold." But R. Simon "allowed it." He took the barrel and flung it in a rage into the vat. This once happened, and the Sages allowed it.

10. "Has one made the wine of an idolater without legal defilement, and left it in his possession in a house open to public concourse-in a city in which there are idolaters and Israelites?" "It is allowed." "In a city in which all are idolaters?" "It is forbidden till he leave a watchman, and it is not needful that the watchman sit and watch. Even though he goes in and out it is allowed." R. Simon, the son of Eleazar, said, "all possession of wine by idolaters is alike." "Has one made the wine of a heathen without legal defilement, and left it in his possession, and the idolater afterward wrote to him, I have received from you the money for the wine?" "It is allowed." "But if the Israelite wish to withdraw it, and the idolater do not permit him, till he shall give him his money for it?"

This once happened in Bethshan, and the Sages "forbade it."

Chapter V

1. "Has an idolater hired an Israelite to make with him wine of idolatrous libation?" "His wages are forbidden." "But if he hired him to do with him another work, even though he say to him, 'carry for me a barrel of wine of libation from place to place?' " "His wages are allowed." "Has one hired an a.s.s to bring on him wine of idolatrous libation?" "The hire is not allowed." "Has one hired out the a.s.s for riding, even though the idolater put his wine flask upon him?" "The hire is allowed."

2. Wine of idolatrous libation which fell on grapes must be cleansed away, and they are allowed. But if the grapes be crushed, they are forbidden.

"Has the idolatrous wine fallen on figs or on dates?" "If it convey to them a taste, they are forbidden." It happened once with Baithus, son of Zonan, that he brought dried figs in a boat, and a barrel of wine of idolatrous libation was broken, and it fell upon them, and he consulted the Sages and they allowed them. This is the rule: In every use where the taste is conveyed, it is forbidden. But where in its use no taste is conveyed, it is allowed. It is like vinegar which has fallen on peas.

3. "An idolater who was carrying with an Israelite pitchers of wine from place to place?" "If it be certain that the idolater is watched, it is allowed." "If the Israelite let him know that he is departing-if there be time to bore, to close, and to seal the pitcher?" R. Simon, son of Gamaliel, said, "it is not allowed if there be time to open, to cork, and to seal it again." "And an Israelite put his wine into a carriage, or into a boat, and he has gone a near cut-he entered the city and washed?" "It is allowed." "But if he let the idolater know that he is departing, if there be time to bore, and cork, and seal it again?" R. Simon, son of Gamaliel, said, "it is not allowed if there be time to open the barrel and cork and seal it again." "If he leave the idolater in the wine-shop, even though he go in and out?" "It is allowed." "But if he let the idolater know that he departs, if there be time to bore, and cork, and seal it again?" R. Simon ben Gamaliel said, "it is not allowed if there be time to open, and to cork, and to seal it again." "Did he dine with the idolater at table, and he left a flask on the table, and a flask on the sideboard, and he left them and went out?" "That one which is on the table is forbidden, but that one on the sideboard is allowed." "But if he said to him, 'you may mix and drink wine, even that one on the sideboard is forbidden?' "(461) "Open barrels are forbidden, also sealed ones, when there is time to open, and cork, and seal them up again."

4. If foreign banditti have entered into a city in time of peace, open barrels are forbidden-closed ones are allowed. If the banditti have entered in time of war, both are equally allowed, because there is no time for idolatrous libation.

5. When an idolater has sent to workmen of Israel a barrel of wine of idolatrous libation for wages, it is allowed to say, "give us its value."

"But if it has come into their possession?" "It is forbidden."

6. "Has one sold wine to an idolater?" "If he agreed for the price before it is measured, its payment is allowed." "Has he measured it before he agreed for the price?" "Its payment is forbidden."

7. "Has one taken a funnel and measured wine into the bottle of an idolater, and he then turned round and measured wine into the bottle of an Israelite?" "If the funnel retain a drop of the wine of the idolater, the wine is forbidden." "Has one poured the wine from vessel to vessel?" "That vessel from which he poured it is allowed, and that one into which he poured it is forbidden."

8. Wine of idolatrous libation is forbidden, and even a little of it renders forbidden-wine in wine, and water in water-how much soever they be, and wine in water, and water in wine, in giving a taste. This is the rule: If both be of one sort, however little; if they be of different sorts, in giving a taste.

9. These things are forbidden, and even a little of them renders other things forbidden. Wine of idolatrous libation, and idols, and skins of beasts with the hearts torn out, and an ox that was stoned,(462) and a heifer that is beheaded,(463) and the birds from the leprosy, and the hair of the Nazarite,(464) and the first-born of the a.s.s, and flesh in milk, and the scapegoat, and the profane animals(465) which were slaughtered in the Temple court. These are forbidden to be mixed with other things; and if so mixed, even a little of them renders other things forbidden.

10. "Wine of idolatrous libation which has fallen into a vat?" "All its use is forbidden." R. Simon ben Gamaliel said, "it may all be sold to heathens, excepting the value of the wine of idolatrous libation which is in it."

11. "A stone-press which an idolater has prepared with pitch?" "It must be cleansed, and it is clean." "And if of wood?" Rabbi said, "it should be cleansed"; and the Sages said, "one must peel off the pitch; but if it be made of earthenware, even though one peel off the pitch, it is forbidden."

12. "If one buy culinary utensils from an idolater?" "That which it is usual to dip (in water), one must dip; to scour, one must scour; to whiten in the fire, one must whiten in fire. The spit and the fork, one must whiten in the fire;(466) and the knife must be rubbed down, and it is clean."

The Fathers

The Oral Law-Its Transmission-Names of the "Receivers"-Maxims-Apothegms-Wisdom of the Wise.

Chapter I

1. Moses received the Oral Law from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua delivered it to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the men of the great synagogue.(467) They said three things, "be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence for the law."

2. Simon the Just was one of the last of the men of the great synagogue.

He used to say that the world stood on three things-"on the law, the service, and the acts of the pious."

3. Antigonus of Soco received (the law) from Simon the Just. He used to say, "be not as servants, who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve their master without the view of receiving a reward; and let the fear of heaven be upon you."

4. Jose, son of Joezer of Zeredah, and Jose, son of Jochanan of Jerusalem, received (the oral law) from him. Jose, son of Joezer of Zeredah, said, "let thy house be a house of a.s.sembly for the wise, and dust thyself with the dust of their feet, and drink their words in thirstiness."