Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Nedarim

Folio 55a

MISHNAH. HE WHO VOWS [TO ABSTAIN] FROM DAGAN [GRAIN] IS FORBIDDEN DRY EGYPTIAN BEANS: THIS IS R. MEIR'S VIEW, BUT THE SAGES SAY: ONLY THE FIVE PIECES ARE FORBIDDEN HIM.¹  R. MEIR SAID: IF HE VOWS [TO ABSTAIN] FROM TEBU'AH,²  HE IS FORBIDDEN ONLY THE FIVE SPECIES; BUT ONE WHO VOWS [ABSTINENCE] FROM DAGAN, IS FORBIDDEN ALL; YET HE IS PERMITTED THE FRUITS OF THE TREE AND VEGETABLES.

GEMARA. Shall we say that DAGAN implies anything that can he heaped up?³  To this R. Joseph objected: And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first-fruits of corn [dagan] wine and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.⁴  But should you say that DAGAN implies everything that can be heaped up, what is meant by, And as soon as the commandment came abroad they brought in abundance?⁵  — Abaye answered: It is to include the fruits of the tree and vegetables.

R. MEIR SAID: IF ONE VOWS [TO ABSTAIN] FROM TEBU'AH, etc. R. Johanan said: All agree that if one vows [to abstain] from tebu'ah, the five species only are forbidden to him. It was taught likewise: And both⁶  agree that if one vows [abstinence] from tebu'ah, only the five species are forbidden. But that is obvious? — Tonight argue, tebu'ah implies everything: therefore he teaches that it does not imply everything. R. Joseph objected: And as soon as the commandment came abroad, they brought in abundance etc.?⁷  — Raba answered: Tebu'ah is one thing: tebu'ath sadeh is another.⁸

The Son of Mar Samuel ordered that thirteen thousand zuz worth of 'allalta⁹  from Nehar Pania¹⁰  should be given to Raba. So Raba sent [an enquiry] to R. Joseph: what is meant by 'allalta? — R. Joseph replied, It is [taught in] a Baraitha: And all agree that if he vows [abstinence] from tebu'ah, the five species only are forbidden him. Said Abaye to him. How compare? Tebu'ah implies only the five species, [whereas] 'allalta implies everything. When this was repeated before Raba, he observed, I am in no doubt that 'allalta means everything. My problem is this: What of the rent of houses and the hire of ships? Shall We say, Since they depreciate, they are not included in 'allalta,' or perhaps since the depreciation is imperceptible they [too] are termed 'allalta?¹¹  The scholars narrated this to R. Joseph, 'Since he does not need us!' he exclaimed, 'why did he send to us?' And so R. Joseph was annoyed. When Raba learnt this, he went before him on the eve of the Day of Atonement, and found his attendant mixing him a cup of wine.¹²  'Let me prepare it for him,' said he. So he gave it to him, and he mixed the cup of wine. On drinking it he observed, 'This mixture is like that of Raba the son of R. Joseph b. Hama. 'It is indeed he,' was his reply. He then said to him, 'Do not take your seat¹³  until you have explained this verse to me. [Viz.,] What is meant by, 'And from the wilderness, Mattanah; and from Mattanah, Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel, Bamoth'?¹⁴  — He replied, When one makes himself as the wilderness, which is free to all,¹⁵  the Torah is presented to

in from the field', is wider in scope, and applies to everything brought in from the field, even fruit and vegetables. him as a gift [mattanah] as it is written, 'And from the wilderness, Mattanah'. And once he has it as a gift, God gives it to him as an inheritance [nahaliel],¹⁶  as it is written, 'And from Mattanah, Nahaliel;' And when God gives it him as an inheritance, he ascends to greatness' as it is written, 'And from Nahaliel, Bamoth [heights']. But if he exalts himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, casts him down, as it is written, 'And from Bamoth, the valley'.¹⁷  Moreover, he is made to sink¹⁸  into the earth, as it is written, Which is pressed down¹⁹  into the desolate soil. But should he repent, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise him again,

1. Viz., Wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spell.
2. Field produce.
3. Heb. midgan: this being the reason that R. Meir forbids dry Egyptian beans under the term DAGAN.
4. II Chron. XXXI, 5: The emphasis laid upon the abundance of their offering implies that they brought more tithes than required by Biblical law.
5. Since they were obliged to tithe DAGAN by Biblical law, and DAGAN includes all things that can be heaped up, what did they add to the Biblical ordinance? (Rashi). Asheri explains: since DAGAN includes all things that can be heaped up, what else be implied by the phrase 'and all the increase of the field'?
6. R. Meir and the Sages.
7. 'And all the increase of the field' (tebu'ath sadeh) is not confined there to the five species only (Rashi). Tosaf. remarks: And Abaye has already interpreted it as referring to vegetables and fruit.
8. I.e. tebu'ah does mean the five species only: but tehu'ath sadeh, lit., 'that which is brought
9. 'Allalta, connected with Heb. [H] (cf. Lam. I, 22: and do unto them, as thou has done unto me [H]) denotes that which is produced (in the fields), and is the Aramaic equivalent of tebu'ah.
10. [Harpania, a rich agricultural town in the Mesene district S. of Babylon situated on a hill and canal. Obermeyer (op. cit.) p. 198ff.]
11. 'Allalta, perhaps derived by popular etymology from [H] to enter, to come in (as revenue), applies to that which appreciates, not depreciates. viz., field produce, which from the time of sowing until it is ready for food appreciates in value. Once ready, it cannot depreciate as food, whereas a house, even when still fit for its purpose, continuously depreciates.
12. Wine was not drunk raw, but had to be diluted with water.
13. Lit., 'sit on your legs'. V. Nazir (Sonc. ed.) p. 87, n. 7.
14. Num. XXI, 19f.
15. I.e., is prepared truly to teach the Torah to all.
16. I.e., it becomes his safe possession.
17. From the heights he is hurled down into the valley.
18. Var. lec. pressed down — [H] — which has a more obvious connection with the verse adduced.
19. [H] E.V. 'which looketh', is here connected with [H] to strike (down).

It was taught: He who vows [to abstain] from dagan is also forbidden dry Egyptian beans; yet moist ones are permitted. He is also permitted rice, grist, groats and pearl-barley. He who vows [to abstain] from the fruits of that year, is forbidden all the fruit of that year, but is permitted goats, lambs, milk, eggs, and fledglings [of that year].²  But if he vows, 'The growths of this year [be forbidden] to me,' all these are forbidden. He who vows [abstinence] from the fruits of the earth is forbidden all the fruits of the earth, yet is permitted mushrooms and truffles; but if he vows, 'that which grows from the earth [be forbidden] to me,' all these are forbidden him. But this contradicts the following: For that which does not grow from the earth, one must recite the benediction, 'by whose word all things exist.'³  And it was taught: For salt, brine mushrooms, and truffles, 'by whose word all things exist' is said!⁴  — Abaye answered, They do indeed grow out of the earth, but draw their sustenance from the air,⁵  and not from the earth. But he [the Tanna] states: For that which does not grow out of the earth?⁶  — Read: For that which does not draw its sustenance from the earth.⁷

MISHNAH. HE WHO VOWS [NOT TO BENEFIT] FROM GARMENTS IS PERMITTED SACK-CLOTH,⁸  CURTAIN,⁹  AND BLANKET WRAPPING. IF HE SAYS, 'KONAM, IF WOOL COMES UPON ME,' HE MAY COVER HIMSELF WITH WOOL FLEECES;¹⁰  [KONAM] IF FLAX COMES UPON ME', HE MAY COVER HIMSELF WITH FLAX BUNDLES.¹¹  R. JUDAH SAID: IT ALL DEPENDS UPON THE PERSON WHO VOWS, [THUS:] IF HE IS LADEN [WITH WOOL OR FLAX] AND PERSPIRES AND HIS ODOUR IS OPPRESSIVE, AND HE VOWS 'KONAM' IF WOOL OR FLAX COME UPON ME,' HE MAY WEAR THEM, BUT NOT THROW THEM [AS A BUNDLE] OVER HIS BACK.¹²

GEMARA. It was taught: He who vows [not to benefit] from garments is permitted sack-cloth, curtain, and blanket wrapping. But he is forbidden a belt,¹³  fascia,¹⁴  scortea, a leather spread, shoes,¹⁵  knee breeches breeches and a hat. What is a scortea? — Rabbah b. But Huna said: a leather coat.

It was taught: One may go out [on the Sabbath] wearing a thick sack-cloth, a coarse blanket, a curtain, and a blanket wrap, to keep off the rain;¹⁶  but not with a box, basket¹⁷  or matting for the sane purpose. Shepherds may go out with sacks;¹⁸  not only shepherds, but all men, but that the Sages spoke of what is usual.

R. JUDAH SAID, IT ALL DEPENDS UPON THE PERSON WHO VOWED, etc. It was taught: How did R. Judah say, it all depends upon the person who vows? If he is wearing wool, and he is irritated and he vows 'Konam, if wool comes upon me,' he is forbidden to wear, but permitted to carry it; if he is laden with flax and perspires and vows, 'Konam, if flax comes upon me, he may wear but must not carry it.

1. Isa. XL, 4.
2. Though metaphorically they too might be regarded as the fruits of the year, the vow must be understood literally.
3. This deals with the blessings to be recited before partaking of food or drink.
4. The combination of these two statements proves that mushrooms and truffles are not earth-grown, and thus contradicts the ruling that a vow to abstain from what grows from the earth includes them.
5. Therefore they are included in the vow, 'growths of the earth'; yet since their sustenance is drawn chiefly from the air, they are not regarded as earth grown in respect of a benediction.
6. Whilst according to Abaye they do.
7. This is hardly an emendation, but rather an interpretation; cf. p. 3, n. 2.
8. [Of goats-hair, v. Kel. XXVII, 1.]
9. Some kind of rough, ready garment, which was not a garment proper.
10. Because the vow implies garments which can he worn.
11. [H] flax — stalks after they are soaked, beaten and baked (Jast.).
12. For in the circumstances it is evident that his vow referred to it as a load, not as a garment.
13. The [H] was a hollow belt used as a pouch.
14. A band or sash; Lat. fascia.
15. The word is the plural of [G], impilia (pair of) felt shoes (Jast.).
16. These, though not actually garments, are nevertheless counted as such, and hence permissible on the Sabbath.
17. Placed over the head to ward off the rains.
18. In the first clause, 'sack-cloth' would seem to refer to a rough garment; in the second, 'sacks' is probably to be understood literally', put over one's head to ward off the rain.