Bekhorot

kidney fat for the fat of ileum.1 Raba punished him by forbidding him to sell even nuts. Said R. Papa to Raba: What opinion does this represent? R. Judah's!2 If it is the opinion of R. Judah, then the prohibition should apply even to water and salt?3 — It may still represent the opinion of R. Simeon, and we punish him through the very object which caused the offence. Young children are generally attracted by nuts. He goes and misleads the children of butchers, attracting them by means of nuts. They bring him kidney fat4 and he sells it for the fat of ileum. MISHNAH. ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING THE SABBATICAL YEAR IS NOT SUSPECTED OF IGNORING [ALSO] THE TITHES.5 ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING TITHES IS NOT SUSPECTED OF IGNORING [ALSO] THE SABBATICAL YEAR. ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING BOTH IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING THE RULES OF LEVITICAL PURITY. AND IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO BE SUSPECTED OF IGNORING THE RULES OF LEVITICAL PURITY AND YET NOT SUSPECTED OF IGNORING THE TWO LAWS [CITED ABOVE]. THIS IS THE GENERAL RULE: ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING A RELIGIOUS LAW MUST NOT GIVE JUDGMENT ON IT OR TESTIFY CONCERNING IT. GEMARA. What is the reason? — Fruits of the sabbatical year are not required to be eaten within the walls [of Jerusalem],6 whereas tithes are required to be eaten within the walls and therefore the rule is more stringent with regard to them. ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING TITHES. What is the reason? — The tithe can be redeemed, whereas fruit of the sabbatical year is forbidden to him7 and cannot be redeemed;8 and therefore the rule is more stringent in regard to it. ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING BOTH LAWS. Since he is suspected of ignoring both laws of biblical enactment, how much more so is he suspected of ignoring a rabbinic enactment [like eating hullin levitically prepared]? AND IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED OF IGNORING THE RULES OF LEVITICAL PURITY. What is the reason? — Even though he is suspected of ignoring a rabbinic enactment,9 he is not suspected of ignoring a biblical enactment. The following was cited in contradiction: One who can be relied upon in respect of the rules of purity, is relied upon with respect to the sabbatical year and tithes. This allows the inference that one who is suspected of ignoring [the rules of levitical purity] is suspected [of ignoring the laws just cited]! — Said R. Elai: The Mishnah refers to a case where we saw him practise privately at home.10 R. Jannai son of R. Ishmael said: [The Baraitha refers to a case] where e.g., he was suspected of ignoring both the sabbatical year and levitical purity, and he came before the Rabbis and received a warning concerning both of them; and subsequently he was again suspected of ignoring one of them. We then hold that since he is suspected of ignoring the one, he is also suspected of ignoring the other. Rabbah b. Bar Hana reported in the name of R. Johanan: Those are the words11 of R. Akiba, whose opinion has been adopted without naming him; but the Sages say: One who is suspected of ignoring the laws of the sabbatical year is suspected of ignoring the laws of tithes. Who are the Sages [referred to]? — R. Judah, for in the place of R. Judah the sabbatical year was strictly observed by the people.12 For there was a certain party13 who called after his companion: proselyte son of a proselyte, and the latter retorted ‘May I merit [divine reward] as I have not eaten the fruits of the sabbatical year like you’.14 Some there are who say: Rabbah b. Bar Hana reported in the name of R. Johanan: Those are the words of R. Akiba whose opinion has been adopted without naming him; but the Sages say: One who is suspected of ignoring tithes is suspected of ignoring the law of the sabbatical year. And who are the Sages [referred to]? It is R. Meir who said: One who is suspected of ignoring one religious law is suspected of disregarding the whole Torah. R. Jonah and R. Jeremiah, the pupils of R. Ze'ira, or according to others, R. Jonah and R. Ze'ira, pupils of R. Johanan [reported differently]. One said: But the Sages said: One who is suspected of ignoring the sabbatical year laws invested with restrictions of the sabbatical year whereas the fruit of the sabbatical year itself always remains forbidden (R. Gershom). of disregarding them in public, albeit he ignores the rules of levitical purity. tithes, since the former was kept more strictly in R. Judah's locality. May a curse come to me if I partook of the fruits of the sabbatical year, as you have done.