חולין 54:2 — Soncino English Talmud

He saw, however, that R. Mattena's case might be admitted [as a trefah] under the clause ‘This is the rule’, for it is well nigh similar to a case where the entire organ was gone, he therefore taught: ‘The following [defects] render cattle trefah’, emphasizing that only the following render cattle trefah, but the defect stated by R. Mattena does not render the animal trefah. R. Simeon b. Lakish who said that this Mishnah, namely, ‘AND THE FOLLOWING [DEFECTS] DO NOT RENDER CATTLE TREFAH’, was to be emphasized, on the other hand, argues thus: The Tanna stated various defects and finally added: ‘This is the rule’. He saw, however, that R. Mattena's case might not be admitted [as a trefah] under the clause ‘This is the rule’, for it is not quite the same as when an organ is pierced or severed or gone entirely, he therefore taught: THE FOLLOWING [DEFECTS] DO NOT RENDER CATTLE TREFAH, emphasizing that only the following do not render an animal trefah, but the defect stated by R. Mattena does. The text [stated above]: ‘R. Mattena ruled: If the top of the femur slipped out of its socket, the animal is trefah’. Raba, however, ruled that it was permitted; though if the ligaments were severed it is trefah. The law is: Even if the ligaments were severed it is permitted, unless they had decayed. TO WHAT EXTENT MAY IT BE DEFICIENT? etc. Ze'iri said: ‘You, who have never seen the size [of an Italian issar], may take instead as a standard the size of a Gordian denar, which is equal in size to the small peshita, current among the small coins of Pumbeditha’. R. Hana, the money-changer, said: ‘Once there stood before me Bar Nappaha who asked me for a Gordian denar with which to measure a defect. I wanted to rise before him but he would not allow me, saying. "Sit down, my son, sit down. Craftsmen are not allowed to rise before scholars whilst they are engaged in their work"’. But are they not? Surely we have learnt: All craftsmen must rise before them, enquire after their welfare and greet them, ‘Our brethren from such and such a place, ye are welcome’. — R. Johanan said: Before them they must rise but not before scholars. Thereupon R. Jose b. Abin remarked: Come and see, how precious is a precept when performed in its due season! for they [craftsmen] must rise before these but not before scholars! But whence do you gather this? Perhaps [they are shown respect] so as not to put a stumblingblock in their way for the future! R. Nahman said: An exact sela’ is regarded as more than a sela’; likewise an exact issar is regarded as more than an issar. This shows that R. Nahman is of the opinion that ‘up to’ is not inclusive. Raba raised an objection against R. Nahman. We have learnt: A string which hangs over from the texture of a bed, [that is of any length] up to five handbreadths, is clean. Presumably if it was exactly five handbreadths it would be regarded as less! — No. Exactly five would be regarded as more. Come and hear: If it was from five up to ten handbreadths in length, it is unclean. Presumably if it was exactly ten handbreadths long it would be regarded as less. — No. Exactly ten would be regarded as more. Come and hear: Small earthenware vessels, or the bottoms or sides [of broken earthenware vessels] that can stand without support.^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ

^ᵃnote:Which clause was added for the sole purpose of including other defects not specifically mentioned.
^ᵇnote:In which case the animal would be trefah.
^ᶜnote:Name of a gold denar coined by one of the Roman emperors by that name.
^ᵈnote:I.e., whilst working for others (Rashi). According to Tosaf., however, it may mean that even when they are engaged in their own work they need not stand up.
^ᵉnote:Sc. those Jews who came to Jerusalem bringing with them the offering of firstfruits to the Temple. V. Bik. III, 3.
^ᶠnote:For if they were not shown respect when they came, they might refrain from coming again in the future. But it is certainly not the case, as was suggested by R. Jose b. Abin, that their action is more commendable than the study of the Torah.
^ᵍnote:Wherever the Rabbis fixed the standard of measure, either a sela’, as in the case of a deficiency in the skull or a deficiency in the rumen, or an issar, as in our Mishnah, they intended to convey that where the measure was exactly the size of the standard fixed it was always to be regarded as more than the standard, with all the results consequent thereto.
^ʰnote:For when our Mishnah says: UP TO AN ITALIAN ISSAR, It means that up to that size is a deficiency permitted, but the deficiency of an exact issar, being regarded as more than an issar, would render the animal trefah.
^ⁱnote:V. Kelim XIX, 2. If the bed was rendered unclean, this piece of string which has not yet been cut away from the texture of the bed would not be unclean, for it is insignificant. If, however, it was more than five handbreadths in length it would be unclean, for it would then be of some use — indeed, with this length of string they used to tie up the Passover lambs and hang up the beds. If it was more than ten handbreadths in length it would be clean, for it is considered independent from the texture, and hence cut away from it, and it is established law that a string by itself cannot be rendered unclean.
^ʲnote:I.e., less than five handbreadths and it would be clean; thus proving that ‘up to’ is inclusive.
^ᵏnote:I.e., more than five handbreadths and it would be unclean; for ‘up to’ is exclusive.
^ˡnote:And unclean; v. p. 298, n. 6.