Yoma — Daf 74a

ואליבא דרבי עקיבא דאמר אדם אוסר עצמו בכל שהוא

וכי תימא כיון דאית ליה היתר מן התורה קא חייל קרבן שבועה והתנן שבועת העדות אינה נוהגת אלא בראויין להעיד והוינן בה למעוטי מאי רב פפא אמר למעוטי מלך

רב אחא בר יעקב אמר למעוטי משחק בקוביא והא משחק בקוביא מדאורייתא מיחזי חזי ורבנן הוא דפסלוהו ולא קא חיילא עליה שבועה

שאני התם דאמר קרא (ויקרא ה, א) אם לא יגיד והאי לאו בר הגדה הוא כלל

וכל היכא דתני ענוש כרת לא תני אסור והתניא אע"פ שאמרו אסור בכולן לא אמרו ענוש כרת אלא על האוכל ושותה ועושה מלאכה בלבד הכי קאמר כשאמרו אסור לא אמרו אלא בכחצי שיעור אבל כשיעור ענוש כרת ואף על פי שענוש כרת אין ענוש כרת אלא אוכל ושותה ועושה מלאכה בלבד

ואב"א כי קתני אסור אשארא דתנו רבה ורב יוסף בשאר סיפרי דבי רב מניין ליוה"כ שאסור ברחיצה בסיכה ובנעילת הסנדל ובתשמיש המטה ת"ל (ויקרא טז, לא) שבתון שבות

גופא חצי שיעור רבי יוחנן אמר אסור מן התורה ריש לקיש אמר מותר מן התורה רבי יוחנן אמר אסור מן התורה כיון דחזי לאיצטרופי איסורא קא אכיל ריש לקיש אמר מותר מן התורה אכילה אמר רחמנא וליכא

איתיביה ר' יוחנן לריש לקיש אין לי אלא כל שישנו בעונש ישנו באזהרה כוי וחצי שיעור הואיל ואינו בעונש יכול אינו באזהרה ת"ל (ויקרא ז, כג) כל חלב מדרבנן וקרא אסמכתא בעלמא

הכי נמי מסתברא דאי סלקא דעתך דאורייתא כוי ספיקא הוא איצטריך קרא לאתויי ספיקא אי משום הא לא איריא קסברי

and in accord with R. Akiba, who said that a man may prohibit to himself anything in any quantity,1 however small.2 And if you would say that since it is permitted by the Torah, [the law relating to the] sacrifice for an oath is operative,3 surely we learned: An ‘oath of testimony’4 applies only to those qualified to bear witness;5 and we raised the point: what does that mean to exclude, whereupon R. Papa said: This excludes a king, and R. Aha b. Jacob said: This excludes a professional dice-gambler.6 Now a dice-player, as far as Biblical law is concerned, is qualified to bear witness and only the Rabbis declared him unfit, and yet an oath does not apply to him?7 There it is different, for Scripture said: If he do not utter it,8 and this man cannot make a [valid] utterance.9 Now would you say that wherever the punishment is extirpation the term ‘forbidden’ is not used?10 Surely it was taught: Although the term ‘forbidden’ was used in connection with all of them,11 the punishment of extirpation applies only to him who eats or drinks, or engages in labour? — This is what is said: When the term ‘forbidden’ is used, it is applied but to less than the legal minimum, but where the legal minimum has been transgressed the punishment involved is extirpation; and also extirpation is the penalty, that is the case only with him who eats or drinks or engages in labour. Or, if you like, say: When [the Mishnah] uses the term ‘forbidden’, it refers to the rest [of the transgressions],12 for Rabbah and R. Joseph taught in the other books of the School of Rab:13 Whence do we know that it is forbidden on the Day of Atonement to anoint oneself, to wash, to put on shoes, and to have marital intercourse? Therefore the text reads: [It] is a Sabbath of solemn rest [unto you].14 [To turn to] the main text: As for the matter of less than the legal minimum, R. Johanan said: It is forbidden by Biblical law, whilst Resh Lakish said: It is permitted by Biblical law. R.Johanan said, It is forbidden by Biblical law; since it could be joined [to form a minimum] it is forbidden food that he is eating. Resh Lakish said: It is permitted by Biblical law, for the Divine Law speaks of eating and this is not [eating].15 — R. Johanan raised the following objection against Resh Lakish: I know only that whatsoever involves punishment is subject to a prohibition; but in the case of the koy,16 and what is less than the legal minimum, since they do not involve punishment, I might say that they are not subject to a prohibition either, therefore the text reads: No fat.17 — This is only Rabbinical and the text [adduced] is but a mere support. And that is also logical. For if one should assume that the prohibition is Biblical, surely [the status of] the koy is doubtful and no Scriptural text is necessary to cover a doubtful18 case! — Were it only for this there would be no argument, they would hold whereas a man who forbids himself by oath any kind of permitted food, implies that he would not partake of any quantity, however small, thereof. he endeavour to explain the case of the man taking the oath as applying to one eating less than the legal minimum? For, since he is interdicted to eat by the law of Deut. XVII, 11: According to the law which they shall teach thee ... thou shalt do . . . thou shalt not turn aside... to the right hand or to the left, from eating food Rabbinically forbidden, his oath is inoperative, hence does not oblige him to offer a sacrifice for his transgression thereof. Torah, the oath re-forbidding the same to oneself would be considered inoperative and would free the swearer, in the case of transgression, from the obligation to offer up a sacrifice — and things permitted by the Torah, to which the oath could apply, so that if one swore not to eat less than the legal minimum which, because below the legal quantity, would be permitted by the law of the Torah and forbidden only by Rabbinic decree, the oath would operate, and in the case of transgression he would have to bring a sacrifice. because his profession renders him, hence his statements or pledges, untrustworthy. the technical term ‘gazal’, rob, is used: He (plucked — lit.,’robbed’) the spear out of his hand; v. also B.K. 79b. So that, if the oath does not apply to a gambler, although by Biblical law, he is not prevented from testifying, the proposed distinction is unjustified. gambler's words, since he is untrustworthy, are, legally speaking, no utterance at all. Deuteronomy as well. drinking, washing, anointing and having marital intercourse. Just as the term ‘solemn day of rest’ in connection with the Sabbath is, by the Sages, interpreted as including all manner of work, even not employed in connection with the building of the Sanctuary, so does that term here imply affliction by rest, as above. tallow of which is forbidden, or to beasts of chase, the tallow of which is permitted. situation.