Bekhorot

MISHNAH. IF ONE HAS LARGE1 BREASTS LIKE THOSE OF A WOMAN, ONE WHOSE BELLY IS SWOLLEN, ONE WHOSE NAVEL PROJECTS, [OWING TO ILLNESS], ONE WHO IS SUBJECT TO EPILEPTIC SPELLS EVEN AT INFREQUENT INTERVALS,2 ONE WHO IS SUBJECT TO ASTHMATIC SPELLS,3 A ME'USHBAN AND A BA'AL GEBER [ALL THESE ARE UNFIT FOR THE PRIESTHOOD]. GEMARA. R. Abba b. R. Hiyya b. Abba reported in the name of R. Johanan: It is permitted to urinate in public,4 whereas it is not permitted to drink water in public.5 So indeed it has been taught: It is permitted to urinate in public, whereas it is not permitted to drink water in public. And it once happened that someone wanted to urinate and forewent it, and it was found that his belly was swollen. Samuel needed to urinate on a Sabbath preceding a Festival.6 He spread his cloak [as a screen between his audience and himself]. He came before his father [and reported this to him]. He [the latter] then said to him: ‘I will give you four hundred zuz to retract this ruling,7 for you were able to spread a cloak,8 but one who is not able to do so, shall he delay and expose himself to the danger?’ Mar son of R. Ashi was walking on the junction of a landing bridge when he needed [to ease himself]. They said to him. ‘Your mother-in-law comes’. He replied to then,: ‘Even in her ear’.9 But may I not assume10 that the swelling of his belly arose from swallowing a leech?11 — [We are dealing here in a case] when he discharged urine [laxly].12 Our Rabbis taught: Two channels are in the membrum of a human being, one of which discharges urine and the other semen, and the distance between them is no more than the peel of garlic. If then a person needs to ease himself, and one channel interferes with the other, he is found to be impotent. Said Resh Lakish: What is the interpretation of the Scriptural text: There shall not be male and female barren among you or among your cattle?13 [It is as follows]: When will there not be a male barren among you? If you put yourself on a level with an animal.14 Said R. Joshua b. Levi: The words ‘There shall not be male barren’ mean that your house shall not be deprived of scholars. The words ‘Or female barren’ mean that your prayers shall not be fruitless before the Lord.15 And when will this be the case? If you place yourself on a level with an animal.16 Said R. Papa: One must not urinate in an earthen tub17 nor in a hard spot.18 For Rab said: The drains of Babylon carry water to En Etam. Said Abaye: A woman must not stand actually before a child and urinate.19 [If she urinates] sideways, however,20 there is no objection. We have learnt [in a Baraitha]: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says, A suppressed discharge produces dropsy. To force back the urine in the urinary duct produces jaundices. R. Kattina reported in the name of Resh Lakish: If blood is allowed to increase,21 skin disease will develop. If semen is allowed to increase,22 leprosy develops. If excrement is allowed to increase, dropsy increases. If one allows the urine to increase [through neglect], jaundice develops. ONE WHO IS SUBJECT TO ASTHMATIC SPELLS. What is this?23 — Nala.24 A Tanna taught: The spirit of ben nefalim25 comes upon him. A ME'USHBAN AND A BA'AL GEBER. A Tanna taught: ME'USHBAN is in the stones and BA'AL GEBER is in the membrum. It has been taught: Me'ushban is the kayyan, and arbatha is the ba'al kik. Kayyan means stones [which are abnormally large] and arbatha means the membrum [which is abnormally large]. And of what size? Rab Judah indicated this as up to the knee. It has been taught: R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: The membrum which reaches up to the knee makes the priest unfit, but if it is above the knee, he is fit. Some there are who say: If the membrum reaches up to the knee the priest is fit, whereas if it comes below the knee he is unfit [for the priesthood]. MISHNAH. IF HE HAS NO STONES AT ALL OR ONLY ONE STONE, THIS IS THE BIBLICAL MEROAH ASHEK.26 R. ISHMAEL SAYS: IF HE HAS HIS TESTICLES CRUSHED.27 R. AKIBA SAYS: IF HE HAS WIND IN HIS TESTICLES. R. HANINA B. ANTIGONUS SAYS: [MEROAH ASHEK MEANS]: IF HE HAS A BLACK COMPLEXION.28 GEMARA. R. Ishmael [who differs from the opinion of the first Tanna in the Mishnah] found this opinion difficult to accept, [for if so], ‘it ought to read: Hasar ashek.29 Therefore he teaches: IF HE HAS HIS TESTICLES CRUSHED. R. Akiba also [who in turn differs from R. Ishmael] found this opinion difficult to accept, [for if so], it ought to read: Memarah ashek.30 He therefore teaches: IF ONE HAS WIND IN HIS TESTICLES. R. Hanina also [who differs from the opinion of R. Akiba] found this opinion difficult to accept, [for if so], it ought to read: ruah ashek.31 He therefore teaches: IF HE HAS A BLACK COMPLEXION. For he maintains: We may take away one letter from one word of the text and add to another and thus interpret [the Law].32 But then is this not [according to R. Hanina] the case of one who is like an Ethiopian?33 — R. Hanina b. Antigonus does not teach the case of one abnormally dark-complexioned.34 MISHNAH. IF ONE KNOCKS HIS ANKLES [AGAINST EACH OTHER, IN WALKING]35 OR RUBS HIS LEGS [AGAINST EACH OTHER]36 believed to be responsible for this ailment. appertaining to the forthcoming Festival; v. Meg. 4a. who do not own one? regarding himself as an insignificant creature (Tosaf.). fountain in which the high priest used to bathe himself on the Day of Atonement, v. Shab. 245b and Yoma 31a. into the river. the difference of opinion is only with reference to the precise interpretation of the words meroah ashek. i.e., deficient in testicles. difficult to explain grammatically. jur, ought to be used. former, thus making laj utrn viz., black-complexioned.