Beitzah

in hot weather and bathes even in water used for soaking [dirty linen]. This is well in summer;1 what will you say of winter? R. Nahman b. Isaac replied: A man sometimes returns [home] from the field besmeared with mud and filth and bathes even in winter. This is well on a Sabbath;2 but on the Day of Atonement3 what is there to be said? — Said Raba: Is there then any[thing] which on a Sabbath is permitted4 and on the Day of Atonement is forbidden?5 But since it [bathing] is permitted on the Sabbath,it is also permitted on the Day of Atonement. Does then Raba accept the argument of ‘Since’?6 Surely we have learnt: He who has toothache must not rinse them with vinegar7 [On the Sabbath],8 but he may dip [his food] in vinegar in his usual manner, and if it becomes better, it becomes better.9 And we pointed out a contradiction: He must not rinse and expectorate10 but he may rinse and swallow? And Abaye answered: When we learnt our Mishnah,11 we learnt it also [as referring to] rinsing and expectorating. Raba however answered: You may even say [the Mishnah refers to] rinsing and swallowing, and [still] there is no contradiction: in the one case [it means] before the dipping [of the food into the vinegar]12 and in the other case [it means] after the dipping [of the food in the vinegar]. Now if it is so13 let us say, Since it is permitted before the meal, it is also permitted after the meal! — Raba retracted from that [statement].14 How do you know that he retracted from that [statement]; perhaps he changed his mind with respect to the present one?15 — You cannot suppose this, for it was taught: Everyone who is required to take a ritual bath16 may bathe in the usual way, both on the [fast of the] Ninth of Ab and on the Day of Atonement.7 BUT THEY BOTH AGREE THAT [ON A FESTIVAL] YOU MAY EFFECT SURFACE CONTACT FOR [UNCLEAN] WATER IN A STONE VESSEL etc. What does BUT ONE MAY NOT IMMERSE [IT] mean? — Said Samuel: One may not on a Festival immerse the [unclean] vessel on account of its water in order to cleanse it! 17 Who is the author of our Mishnah? It is neither Rabbi nor the Sages! For it was taught: One may not immerse the [unclean] vessel on account of its water in order to cleanse it, nor may one effect surface contact or [unclean] water in a stone vessel in order to cleanse it; this is the opinion of Rabbi. But the Sages say: One may immerse the vessel on account of its water in order to cleanse it, and one may effect surface contact for [unclean] water in a stone vessel in order to cleanse it.18 Who now is [the author of our Mishnah]? If Rabbi, [the ruling on] surface contact is a difficulty;19 if the Sages, [the ruling on] immersion20 is a difficulty? — If you like I can say [the author of the Mishnah is] Rabbi; alternatively, it is the Sages. If you like I can say it is Rabbi; the first clause of the Baraitha21 concerns Festivals and the concluding clause22 concerns the Sabbath, whereas the whole of our Mishnah23 deals with Festivals. Sabbath, as in the present instance. 28a. d'oeuvre. 111a. that through the surface contact the vessel is automatically immersed.