Chullin

— R. Johanan said: He1 had it as a tradition deriving from Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.2 R. DOSA B. HARKINAS SAYS . . . [WHATEVER THEIR FLEECES WEIGH]. What is meant by ‘WHATEVER’? — Rab said, [At least] a maneh and a half,3 provided each supplies [no less than] a fifth4 [of this quantity]. Samuel said, [At least] sixty [sela's], and he gives thereof one sela’ to the priest. Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Johanan, [At least] six [sela's], and he gives five to the priest and retains one for himself. Ulla said in the name of R. Eleazar: Our Mishnah expressly says: WHATEVER.5 We have learnt: AND HOW MUCH SHOULD ONE GIVE HIM? THE WEIGHT OF FIVE SELA'S IN JUDAH, WHICH IS EQUAL. TO TEN SELA'S IN GALILEE. Now this is in order according to the views of Rab and R. Johanan,6 but it surely presents a difficulty, does it not, to Samuel and R. ‘Eleazar?7 — Then, as you would have it, it also presents a difficulty to Rab? For did not Rab and Samuel both rule that the proper measure for the first of the fleece is one sixtieth part?8 But the fact is as has already been taught in connection with this [Mishnah] that Rab and Samuel both said; it9 speaks of the case of an Israelite who has many fleeces and who wishes to distribute them10 among a number of priests, and we tell him that he must not give less than the weight of five sela's to each. [To turn to] the main text. ‘Rab and Samuel both ruled: The proper measure for the first of the fleece is one sixtieth part, for terumah one sixtieth part, and for the "corner" one sixtieth part’. ‘For terumah one sixtieth part’. But we have learnt: The proper measure for terumah, if a man is liberal, is one fortieth part?11 — According to the law of the Torah the measure is one sixtieth part,12 but by Rabbinic enactment it is one fortieth part. But has not Samuel stated that one grain of wheat frees the stack?13 — The law of the Torah is as Samuel stated it;14 but the Rabbinic enactment is that in respect of that which is subject [to terumah] by the Torah15 the measure is one fortieth part, and in respect of that which is subject [to terumah] only by the Rabbis16 the measure is one sixtieth part. ‘For the "corner" one sixtieth part’. But we have learnt:17 These are the things which have no fixed measure: the corner [of the field], the firstfruits, and the appearance-offering!18 — By law of the Torah there is no fixed measure, but by Rabbinic enactment it is fixed as one sixtieth part. Then what does he teach us? We have learnt it: The corner should not be less than one sixtieth part, even though they have said that no fixed measure is prescribed for the corner!19 — That gives the rule for the Land [of Israel], here [Rab and Samuel] give the rule for outside the Land [of Israel]. When Isi b. Hini went up [to Palestine], R. Johanan found him teaching his son [our Mishnah and using the term] rehelim.20 He [R. Johanan] said to him, ‘Use the term reheloth’.21 The other retorted, ‘But it is written: Two hundred rehelim’.22 He replied: ‘The Torah uses its own language and the Sages their own’.23 He [R. Johanan] then enquired, ‘Who is the head of the Academy24 in Babylon’? ‘Abba Arika’,25 he replied. ‘And you simply call him Abba Arika’!26 said [R. Johanan]. ‘I remember when I was sitting before Rabbi, seventeen rows behind Rab, seeing sparks of fire leaping from the mouth of Rabbi into the mouth of Rab and from the mouth of Rab into the mouth of Rabbi, and I could not understand what they were saying; and you simply call him Abba Arika!’ Then the other asked, ‘What is the minimum quantity subject to the law of the first of the fleece’? — ‘Sixty [sela's]’, he replied. ‘But’, said the other, ‘we have learnt: WHATEVER [THEIR FLEECES WEIGH]!’ ‘Then what difference is there between me and you’?27 he retorted. When R. Dimi came [from Palestine] he reported: With regard to the first of the fleece, Rab said: Sixty;28 R. Johanan said in the name of R. Jannai: Six.29 Thereupon Abaye said to R. Dimi: One opinion is quite in order, but the other presents to us a difficulty. There is indeed no contradiction between the one opinion of R. Johanan and the other, for one is his own opinions the other that of his master;30 but surely there is a contradiction between this opinion of Rab and the other, for Rab has said: At least a maneh and a half!31 — There is also no contradiction between this opinion of Rab and the other, for by ‘a maneh’ he meant [a maneh] of forty sela's, so that [a maneh and a half] is equal to law of the first of the fleece. This quantity equals thirty-seven and a half sela's (one maneh twenty-five sela's). six sela's! Rab also agrees with the ruling of the Mishnah that five sela's’ weight must be given to the priest, but he merely establishes the minimum quantity of wool that is subject to this law. suggested, according to Rab, that out of a total of thirty.seven and a half sela's five shall be given to the priest, almost one-seventh! given to the priest, for this is fixed at one sixtieth in accordance with the ruling of Rab and Samuel. adopt as the general standard the measure given in the case of a mean person. ephah (i.e., half a se'ah) from an homer of wheat (i.e., thirty se'ah). That is one sixtieth part. prescribe any specific amount. Deut. XVI, 16: They shall not appear before the Lord empty) are not limited in their value; but see Hag. 20. im. which the same words are found in the Bible. Cf. the plural of okugw icrew iunvw etc. supreme authority over the synagogues. V. Sot., (Sonc. ed.) p. 202, n. 5.] Arika as a title of honour; v. Jast. s.v., and Weiss Dor, III, 247. WHATEVER’ assumed a minimum of sixty sela's so that the priest would receive at least one sela’. given to the priest must be one sixtieth part of the whole. b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Johanan: At least six sela's’, but subsequently we read that R. Johanan told Isi b. Hini that there must be at least sixty sela's in order to be subject to the law of the first of the fleece. The report of R. Dimi however clears up this contradiction, for it is manifest that the former statement was not the personal view of R. Johanan but that of his teacher R. Jannai, and R. Dimi expressly reported it so. fleece, whereas according to R. Dimi Rab ruled that there must be a minimum of sixty sela's. According to the second interpretation (v. p. 790, n. 9) the contradiction between Rab is this: Rab is reported by R. Dimi to have ruled that the measure for the first of the fleece is one sixtieth part, whereas previously Rab ruled that out of thirty-seven and a half sela's, the minimum quantity that is subject to the law of the first of the fleece, one sela’, which is the very least that would constitute ‘giving's must be given to the priest.