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מנחות 41
Soncino English Talmud · Berean Standard Bible
and in which a grown-up person would walk out for a moment, is subject to zizith; but if a child cannot cover with it his head and most of his body, even though a grown-up person might walk out in it for a moment, it is exempt. And so it is, too, in regard to diverse kinds. Now we pondered over this: What does the ruling ‘And so it is, too, in regard to diverse kinds’ signify? Can it mean: And so it is, too, in regard to the applicability of the prohibition of diverse kinds? Surely we have learnt: Diverse kinds may not be worn even for a moment! R. Nahman b. Isaac, however, explained, It means, And so it is, too, in regard to the insertion of fringes in a linen garment! — We must say that ‘a garment exempt from fringes’ means, a garment already provided with fringes in which one inserted [another set of fringes]. But has not R. Zera taught this once? — One was stated as an inference from the other. Our Rabbis taught: A garment that was folded over is subject to zizith, but R. Simeon declares it to be exempt. They are agreed, however, that if it was folded over and sewn down, it is subject to the law. Is not this obvious? — It is necessary to be stated where it was only fastened down with pins. Rabbah son of R. Huna once visited the house of Raba b. R. Nahman and saw that the latter was wearing a garment that was folded over, the fringes being inserted in the folded corners. It happened to become unfolded and the fringes were found to be above [in the middle of the garment], whereupon Rabbah said to him, ‘Surely this is not the corner prescribed by the All-Merciful in the Torah!’ He at once cast off this garment and put on another. Thereupon Rabbah said to him, ‘Do you think that [the law of zizith] is an obligation incumbent upon the person? It is an obligation attaching to the garment; go, therefore, and insert the fringes in it [in the proper manner]’. Shall we say that the following supports his view? [For it was taught]: The pious men of old used to insert the fringes as soon as three fingerbreadths of the garment had been woven? — It is different with those pious men for they imposed upon themselves additional obligations. His view is at variance with the angel's view. For an angel once found R. Kattina wearing a linen wrap, and he exclaimed, ‘Kattina, Kattina, a wrap in summer and a cloak in winter, and what is to happen to the law of zizith?’ ‘And do you punish’, asked R. Kattina, ‘a person [who omits to perform] a positive precept?’ ‘In a time of wrath’, replied the angel, ‘we do’. Now if you hold that the law of zizith is an obligation incumbent upon the person then that is why one would incur guilt for not wearing a garment with fringes; but if you hold that it is an obligation attaching to the garment, then why [is any guilt incurred] seeing that these garments are exempt? What then do you hold? That it is an obligation incumbent upon the person? I grant you that the All — Merciful would punish one who wears [without fringes] a garment that is subject to fringes, but would the All-Merciful punish one who wears [without fringes] a garment that is not subject to it? — This is what [the angel] implied, ‘You find every excuse to free yourself from the law of zizith’. R. Tobi b. Kisna said in the name of Samuel, The garments put away in a chest are subject to zizith. Samuel, however, admits that where an old man made it for his shroud it is exempt, for the Divine Law says, Wherewith thou coverest thyself, and this is not intended for an ordinary covering. Nevertheless, when the time comes for its use we should insert fringes in it, on account of the injunction, Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker. Rehabah said in the name of Rab Judah, If a garment was torn more than three [fingerbreadths’ distance from the corner], it may be sewn up, but if [torn] within three [fingerbreadths’ distance from the corner], it may not be sewn up. It has been taught [in a Baraitha] to the same effect, viz., If a garment was torn more than three [fingerbreadths’ distance from the corner], it may be sewn up, but if [torn] within three [fingerbreadths’ distance from the corner], R. Meir says, It may not be sewn up; but the Sages say, It may be sewn up. And they are agreed that one may not fetch a piece of cloth, even a cubit square, which has fringes to it from another garment and tack it on to this garment. And they are also agreed that the fringes may be taken out of another garment and put into this garment,
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provided they are not cut. You may well infer from this, may you not, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [for insertion] into another garment? — Perhaps [it is permitted] only when the first garment was worn out. Our Rabbis taught: In a garment that is entirely blue [threads of] any colour fulfil [the precept of zizith], except imitation blue. An objection was raised: Only threads of the same colour as the garment fulfil the precept; but in a garment that is entirely blue one should insert blue threads and threads of some other colour, except threads of imitation blue; if, however, these were inserted, it is, nevertheless, valid! — R. Nahman b. Isaac said, This is no difficulty, for in the one case the garment had fringes, each consisting of four threads, and in the other it had fringes each consisting of eight threads. You may well infer from this, may you not, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [for insertion] into another garment? — Perhaps it had been done [in contravention of the law]. It was stated: Rab said, One may not detach [the fringes] from one garment [and insert them] into another; but Samuel said, One may do so. Rab said, One may not kindle one light from another light; but Samuel said, One may do so. Rab said, The halachah is not in accordance with R. Simeon's view concerning the dragging [of an object on the Sabbath]; but Samuel said, It is. Abaye said, In every case my Master [Rabbah] followed Rab's ruling, save in the above three cases in which he followed Samuel's ruling, namely, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [and insert them] into another, that one may kindle one light from another light, and that the halachah is in accordance with R. Simeon's view concerning the dragging [of an object on the Sabbath], for it was taught: R. Simeon says, A man may drag a bed, a chair or a bench on the Sabbath, provided he has no intention of making a groove. Rab Judah used to send [his garment with the fringes] to the fuller. R. Hanina used to roll up the fringes into a ball. Rabina used to sew them up. Our Rabbis taught: How many threads must one insert? Beth Shammai say, Four; but Beth Hillel say. Three. And how far must they hang down? Beth Shammai say, Four [fingerbreadths]; but Beth Hillel say, Three. And as for the three [fingerbreadths] stated by Beth Hillel each must measure one fourth part of the handbreadth of an ordinary person. R. Papa said, The handbreadth of the Torah is equal to four times the width of the thumb, or six times the width of the little finger, or five times the width of the middle finger. R. Huna said, Four [threads] must be [inserted in the garment] within [the distance of] four [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for four [fingerbreadths]. Rab Judah said, Three [threads] must be inserted within three [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for three [fingerbreadths]. R. Papa said, The law is: Four [threads] must be inserted within three [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for four [fingerbreadths]. Do we then hold that the fringes have a prescribed length, but I can point out a contradiction. It was taught: Zizith: the word zizith means nothing else than something which hangs over; moreover zizith signifies any length whatsoever. And [this was established] long ago when the elders of Beth Shammai and of Beth Hillel went up into the upper chamber of Johanan b. Bathyra and decided that there was no prescribed length for the zizith; and so, too, that there was no prescribed length for the lulab. Now this means, does it not, that there is no prescribed length at all for it? — No,
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