Bekhorot

springs higher than the Euphrates? — Said R. Mesharshea: These are the upper parts [the sources]1 of the Euphrates. But is it not written: And as to the fourth river it is the Euphrates?2 — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac, (others say: R. Aha b. Jacob): [It means thus]: It is the Euphrates [mentioned] first.3 It has been taught: Its name4 is Yubal [river] because Scripture says: For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth the roots by the river [Yubal].5 And why is it called Perath? Because its waters are fruitful [fructifying] and increase.6 [But the Sages say its name is Perath. The Master said: Because its waters are fruitful and increase].7 This supports Samuel. For Samuel said: The river grows from the waters coming down its banks.8 In this he differs from Rab. For R. Ammi reported in the name of Rab: The rise of the Euphrates is a weighty witness [indication] that it has rained in Palestine. The father of Samuel made a mikweh9 for his daughters in the days of Nisan and had mats laid for them10 in the days of Tishri. ‘He made a mikweh in the days of Nisan’ because he agreed with Rab. For R. Ammi reported in the name of Rab: The rise of the Euphrates is a weighty witness [indication] that it has rained in Palestine. We fear therefore lest the dripping water11 will be more than the flowing water and thus the greater part will consist of rain water.12 ‘And had mats laid for them in the days of Tishri’. And there is a discrepancy between two opinions held by him.13 For Samuel said: Waters do not ritually cleanse in a running condition,14 except the river Euphrates15 in the days of Tishri. MISHNAH. AN ANIMAL BOUGHT OR GIVEN AS A PRESENT IS EXEMPT FROM THE LAW OF CATTLE TITHE. GEMARA. Whence is this proved? — Said R. Kahana: Because Scripture says: The first-born of thy sons thou shalt give unto Me. Likewise thou shalt do with thine oxen and with thy sheep; 16 explanation is based on the superfluous ‘it is’. Garden of Eden. rivers draw from it, if ordinary rivers are fruitful, this is due to the waters of Euphrates being fruitful and increasing (Tosaf.). allow them to bathe in the rivers in case the rain water dropping from the clouds and the melting snows were greater than the flowing waters. opinion (Tosaf.) is: that the mats were put up on the shore as a screen, for in the days of Tishri the rivers were low, and for fear of being seen, they might hurry the bathing and not do it properly. expressed by him in the following observation. Var. lec.: There is a discrepancy between one opinion of Samuel and another. waters. Consequently, we see that he holds that rivers grow from rain water, unlike the opinion expressed above. Another explanation is (Rashi): Samuel's father specially made a mikweh for his daughters because it was the end of the winter and after the great rains but not in the middle of winter, whereas here Samuel says that we always require a mikweh except when bathing in the Euphrates in the days of Tishri. For further notes v. Ned., Sonc. ed., p. 129.