Beitzah

from the joints of the fingers upwards.1 They Iaughed at it in the West:2 so long as he does it in an unusual manner [it is permitted to be done] even with the whole palm! But said R. Eleazar: He should winnow vigorously with one hand.3 MISHNAH. BETH SHAMMAI SAY: SPICES MAY BE POUNDED WITH A WOODEN PESTLE4 AND SALT IN A SMALL CRUSE OR WITH A WOODEN LADLE;5 BUT BETH HILLEL MAINTAIN: SPICES MAY BE POUNDED AFTER THEIR USUAL FASHION WITH A STONE PESTLE AND SALT WITH A WOODEN PESTLE.6 GEMARA. All agree at any rate that [the pounding of] salt must be done in an unusual manner; what is the reason? — R. Huna and R. Hisda [differ]. One says: [Because] all dishes require salt,7 but not all dishes require spices; and the other says: [Because] all spices lose their flavour,8 but salt does not lose its flavour. Wherein do they differ? — The difference between them is when he knew [on the eve of the Festival] what dish he will cook [on the morrow],9 or in the case of saffron.10 Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: Everything which is pounded may be pounded in the usual way, even salt.11 But Surely you have said that salt must be [pounded] in an unusual way! He rules as the following Tanna, for it was taught: R. Meir says: Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel do not differ over [commodities] which are pounded, [agreeing] that they may be pounded in the usual way, and salt with them;12 they differ only with respect to pounding it [salt] alone, when Beth Shammai say: Salt [may be pounded] in a small cruse and with a wooden ladle only for roasting13 but not for boiling, and Beth Hillel maintain: [It may be pounded] with everything. ‘With everything’! — Can you think so?14 — Say rather, for everything.15 R. Aha Bardela said to his son: ‘When you pound [salt], incline [the mortar] sideways and pound. R. Shesheth heard16 the sound of a mortar and pestle; [then] said he: This is not [coming] from my house. Perhaps it was done sideways?17 — He heard a shrill noise.18 Perhaps it was spices?19 — Spices produce a dull sound. Our Rabbis taught: One may not prepare pearl-barley20 nor pound anything in a mortar. [You state] two [contradictory rulings]?21 — This is what it means to say: ‘What is the reason that you may not prepare pearl-barley? Because you may not pound [anything] in a mortar. Then it should have [only] stated: ‘One may not pound [anything] in a mortar’! — If it stated [only], ‘One may not pound anything in a mortar’, I would say, that is only in a big mortar; but in the case of a small mortar [I would say], It is well; so it informs us [that this is not so]. But it was taught: One may not pound in a big mortar but one may pound in a small mortar! — Said Abaye: ‘When the teaching22 was taught, it too was taught of a large mortar.23 ordinary days. regard to the vessel with which, it is pounded. been prepared on the day it is required. explained by Rashal). support for his ruling. a small mortar, and the second statement refers to a big mortar. Only pearl-barley is forbidden to be pounded in a small mortar but other things may be.