Hebrew Literature Part 5

3. "How do we bless at food?" "If there be three, one says, 'Let us bless,' etc.; if three and himself, he says, 'Bless ye,' etc.: if ten, he says, 'Let us bless our G.o.d,' etc.; if ten and himself, he says, 'Bless ye,' etc.; (so) if there be ten or ten myriads. If there be an hundred, he says, 'Let us bless the Lord our G.o.d,' etc.; if there be an hundred and himself, he says, 'Bless ye,' etc.: if there be a thousand, he says, 'Let us bless the Lord our G.o.d, the G.o.d of Israel;' if there be a thousand and himself, he says, 'Bless ye,' etc.: if there be a myriad, he says, 'Let us bless the Lord our G.o.d, the G.o.d of Israel, the G.o.d of Hosts, who sitteth between the Cherubim,' etc.; if there be a myriad and himself, he says, 'Bless ye,' etc. As he p.r.o.nounces the blessing, so they respond after him, 'Blessed be the Lord our G.o.d, the G.o.d of Israel, the G.o.d of Hosts, who sitteth between the Cherubim, for the food we have eaten.' " R. Jose the Galilean says they should bless according to the number of the a.s.sembly; for it is written, "Bless ye G.o.d in the congregations; (even) the Lord from the fountain of Israel."(31) Said R. Akivah, "What do we find in the synagogue? whether many or few the minister says, 'Bless ye the Lord,' "

etc. R. Ishmael says, "Bless ye the Lord, who is ever blessed."

4. When three have eaten together, they are not permitted to separate without blessing; nor four or five. But six may divide into two parties, and so may any number up to ten. But ten may not separate without blessing, nor any number less than twenty (who can divide into two parties).

5. If two companies have eaten in one house, and some of each company be able to see some of the other company, they may join in the blessing; but if not, each company blesses for itself. "They should not bless the wine till it has been mixed with water." The words of R. Eleazar. But the Sages say "they may bless it unmixed."

Chapter VIII

1. These are the controversies relating to meals between the schools of Shammai and Hillel. The school of Shammai say, "one must say the blessing of the day, and then bless the wine;" but the school of Hillel say, "one must say the blessing on the wine, and then bless the day."

2. The school of Shammai say, "men must pour water on the hands, and then mix the goblet;" but the school of Hillel say, "the goblet must be mixed, and then water poured on the hands."

3. The school of Shammai say, "one is to wipe his hands on the napkin, and lay it on the table;" but the school of Hillel say, "on the cushion."

4. The school of Shammai bless "the light, the food, the spices, and the distinction of the day;" but the school of Hillel bless "the light, the spices, the food, and the distinction of the day." The school of Shammai say, "who created the light of fire;" but the school of Hillel say, "Creator of the lights of fire."

6. Men must not bless light and spices of idolatrous Gentiles, nor light and spices of corpses, nor light and spices before an idol. They must not bless the light until they have enjoyed the light.

7. "If one have eaten, and forgotten, and not blessed?" The school of Shammai say, "he must return to his place and bless." But the school of Hillel say, "he may bless in the place where he recollects." "How long is one obliged to bless?" "Until the food in his stomach be digested."

8. "If wine came to the company, and there is but one goblet?" The school of Shammai say "that one must bless the wine and then bless the food." But the school of Hillel say "that one must bless the food and then bless the wine." Men must answer "Amen" when an Israelite blesses; but they must not answer "Amen" when a Samaritan blesses, until the whole(32) blessing be heard.

Chapter IX

1. He who sees a place where signs were wrought for Israel, says, "Blessed be He who wrought signs for our fathers in this place;" a place where idolatry has been rooted out,-says, "Blessed be He who hath rooted idolatry out of our land."

2. On comets, earthquakes, lightnings, thunder, and tempests, say, "Blessed be He whose strength and might fill the world." On mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, say, "Blessed be He who made the creation." R. Judah says, when a man sees the great sea he is to say, "Blessed be He who made the great sea,"-when he sees it at intervals. On rains, and on good news say, "Blessed be He who is good and beneficent."

On bad news say, "Blessed be the true Judge."

3. He who has built a new house, or bought new furniture, says, "Blessed be He who has kept us alive," etc. One must bless for evil the source of good; and for good the source of evil. "He who supplicates for what is past?" "Such prayer is vain." "How?" His wife is pregnant, and he says, "G.o.d grant that my wife may bring forth a male child." Such prayer is vain. Or if one on the road hear the voice of lamentation in the city, and say, "G.o.d grant that it may not be my son, my house," etc., such prayer is vain.

4. Whoever enters a fortified town must say two prayers, one at his entrance, and one at his departure. Ben Azai says, "four, two at his entrance, and two at his departure; he returns thanks for the past, and supplicates for the future."

5. Man is bound to bless G.o.d for evil, as he is bound to bless Him for good. For it is said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."(33) "With all thy heart" means, with both thy inclinations, the evil as well as the good.

"With all thy soul" means, even should He deprive thee of life; and "with all thy might" means with all thy wealth. Another opinion is, that "with all thy might" means whatever measure He metes out unto thee, do thou thank Him with thy entire might. No man is to be irreverent opposite the eastern gate of the Temple, for it is opposite the Holy of Holies. No man is to go on the mountain of the house with his staff, shoes, or purse, nor with dust on his feet, nor is he to make it a short cut, nor is he to spit at all. All the seals of the blessings in the sanctuary used to say, "from eternity." But since the Epicureans perversely taught there is but one world, it was directed that man should say, "from eternity to eternity."

It was also directed that every man should greet his friend in THE NAME, as it is said, "And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord (be) with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee."(34) And it is also said, "The Lord _is_ with thee, thou mighty man of valor."(35) And it is said, "Despise not thy mother when she is old."(36) And it is also said, "(It is) time for (thee), Lord, to work, for they have made void thy law."(37) R. Nathan says, "They have made void thy law because (it is) time for (thee), Lord, to work."

On The Sabbatical Year

Ploughing-Gardening-Dunging-Removing Stones-Sowing-Cutting Down Trees-Fruits-Buying and Selling-Territory Included in the Sabbatical Year-Produce Governed by Its Laws-Debts and Payments.

Chapter I

1. "How long do men plough in a field with trees on the eve of the Sabbatical year?"(38) The school of Shammai say, "so long as it is useful for the fruit;" but the school of Hillel say, "till Pentecost," and the words of the one are near to the words of the other.

2. "What is a field with trees?" "Three trees to every fifty cubits square, if they be fit to produce a heap of figs worth sixty Italian minas;(39) on their account men can legally plough the earth for the whole fifty cubits square around them. Less than for these they may not legally plough, save the extent of the gatherer of fruit with his basket outward."

3. "Whether they be fruitless or fruitful?" "Men may regard them as though they were fig-trees." "If they be fit to produce a heap of figs worth sixty Italian minas?" "On their account they may legally plough the whole fifty cubits square around them. Less than for these they may not plough, save what is absolutely needful."

4. "One tree produced a heap of figs, and two trees did not produce it; or two trees produced it, and one did not produce it?" "Men may not plough save what is absolutely needful for them, till they be from three to nine in number." "If they be ten?" "On their account men may legally plough around them the whole fifty cubits square; and also from ten trees and upward, whether they produce or do not produce it." As is said, "in earing-time and in harvest thou shalt rest."(40) There is no need to say earing-time and harvest in the Sabbatical year, but earing-time on the eve of the Sabbatical year, when it is just entering on the Sabbatical year; and harvest of the Sabbatical year, which is proceeding toward the close of the Sabbatical year. Rabbi Ishmael said, "as the earing-time (mentioned Exod. x.x.xiv. 21) is voluntary, so the harvest is voluntary, except the harvest of the (omer) sheaf."(41)

5. "If the three trees belong to three owners?" "They are reckoned as one, and on their account they may legally plough the whole fifty cubits square around them." "And how much s.p.a.ce must be between them?" Rabban Simon, the son of Gamaliel, said, "that a bullock with his ploughing instruments may pa.s.s."

6. "If there be ten saplings dispersed in the fifty cubits square?" "On their account men may plough the whole fifty cubits square around them till new year's day." "If they be placed in a row, or rounded like a crown?" "Men may not plough save what is absolutely needful for them."

7. The saplings and the gourds are reckoned alike in the fifty cubits square. Rabban Simon, the son of Gamaliel, said, "for every ten cuc.u.mbers in the fifty cubits square, men may plough the fifty cubits square around them till new year's day."

8. "How long are they called saplings?" Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Azariah, said,(42) "till they can be used." R. Joshua said, "till the age of seven years." R. Akiba said, "a sapling, as commonly named." "A tree decays and sprouts afresh; when less than a handbreadth, it is a sapling; when more than a handbreadth, it is a tree." The words of Rabbi Simon.

Chapter II

1. "How long may men plough in a white(43) field on the eve of the Sabbatical year?" "Till the productiveness ceases; so long as men usually plough to plant cuc.u.mbers and gourds." Said R. Simon, "thou hast put the law in every man's hand. But men may plough in a grain field till the Pa.s.sover, and in a field of trees till Pentecost."

2. Men may dung and dig among cuc.u.mbers and gourds till new year's day, and they may also do so in a parched-up field. They may prune them, remove their leaves, cover them with earth, and fumigate them, till new year's day. R. Simon said, "one may even remove the leaf from the bunch of grapes in the Sabbatical year."

3. Men may remove stones till new year's day. They may gather the ears, they may break off branches, they may cut off the withered part till new year's day. R. Joshua said, "as they may break off branches and cut off the withered part of the fifth year, so also they may do it in the sixth year." Rabbi Simon said, "every time I am permitted to work among the trees, I am permitted to cut off the withered part."

4. Men may smear the saplings, and bind them, and cut them down, and make sheds for them, and water them, till new year's day. R. Eleazar, the son of Zadok, said, "one may even water the top of the branch in the Sabbatical year, but not the root."

5. Men may anoint unripe fruits, and puncture(44) them, till new year's day. Unripe fruit of the eve of the Sabbatical year which is just entering on the Sabbatical year, and unripe fruit of the Sabbatical year which is proceeding to the close of the Sabbatical year, they may neither anoint nor puncture. Rabbi Jehudah said, "the place where it is customary to anoint them, they may not anoint them, because that is work. The place where it is not customary to anoint them, they may anoint them." R. Simon "permitted it in trees because it is allowable in the usual culture of the trees."

6. Men may not plant trees, make layers, or engraft them, on the eve of the Sabbatical year, less than thirty days before new year's day. And if one plant them, or make layers, or engraft them, they must be rooted out.

Rabbi Judah said, "every graft which does not cohere in three days has no more cohesion." Rabbi Jose and R. Simon said "in two weeks."

7. Rice, and millet, and poppy, and simsim,(45) which have taken root before new year's day, must be t.i.thed for the past year, and are allowed for use in the Sabbatical year; otherwise they are forbidden in the Sabbatical year, and must pay t.i.thes for the following year.

8. R. Simon of Shezur said, "Egyptian beans which are sown at first for seed are reckoned like them." R. Simon said, "the large lentils are reckoned like them." R. Eliezer said, "the large lentils which put forth pods before new year's day are also reckoned like them."

9. "Onions, not for seed, and Egyptian beans, from which water is withheld thirty days before new year's day, must pay t.i.thes for the past year, and they are allowed for use in the Sabbatical year. Otherwise they are forbidden in the Sabbatical year, and must be t.i.thed for the coming year, and so also (the produce) of a rain-field(46) from which the water of irrigation is withheld on two occasions." The words of R. Maier. But the Sages say "three."

10. "The gourds which stand over for seed?" "If they dry up before new year's day and are unfit for human food, it is lawful to let them remain on the Sabbatical year. Otherwise it is forbidden to let them stand over on the Sabbatical year. Their buds are forbidden in the Sabbatical year.

But they may be sprinkled with white dust."(47) The words of R. Simon.

Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Jacob, "forbade them." Men may irrigate rice in the Sabbatical year. Rabbi Simon said, "but they must not cut its leaves."