Chullin

R. Ashi said: It can only refer to the fat thereof.1 For it was taught: The fat thereof is permitted, but Israel being a holy people have treated it as forbidden.2 Rabina said: It can only be explained according to the statement of Rab Judah in the name of Samuel. For Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: It3 consists of two nerves, the inner, next the bone is forbidden and one is liable4 on account of it; the outer next to the flesh is forbidden but one is not liable on account of it. 5 Come and hear: If a person ate an olive's bulk [of the sciatic nerve] of this [thigh] and another olive's bulk [of the sciatic nerve] of the other [thigh],6 he has incurred eighty stripes. R. Judah says: He has only incurred forty stripes. Now if you say that he was certain about it, then it is well;7 but if you say that he was in doubt about it, then the warning [with regard to each] was dubious, and we have heard that according to R. Judah a dubious warning is no warning. For it was taught: If he8 struck one and then struck the other, or if he cursed one and then cursed the other, or if he struck them both simultaneously, or if he cursed them both simultaneously, he is liable [to the death penalty]. R. Judah says: If simultaneously he is liable; if one after the other, he is not liable!9 — This Tanna [who expressed the view of R. Judah] is in agreement with that other Tanna who declares, also in the name of R. Judah, that a dubious warning is a warning. For it was taught: And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; [and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire].10 Scripture here came and provided a positive precept as a remedy for the [disregarded] prohibition to indicate that the prohibition is not punishable by stripes: so R. Judah.11 R. Jacob says: This is not the reason for it, but because it is a prohibition which involves no action [in the contravention thereof], and any prohibition which involves no action [in the contravention thereof] is not punishable by stripes. Come and hear! If a person ate two [sciatic] nerves from two thighs of two animals, he has incurred eighty stripes. R. Judah says: He has only incurred forty stripes. Now since it says: ‘From two thighs of two animals’ it is obvious that the prohibited one of each is intended;12 and the case was necessary to be stated in order to set forth R. Judah's view;13 it follows therefore that he was certain about it.14 This stands proved. But if he [R. Judah] was certain about it why does he incur forty stripes and no more? Surely he should incur eighty! — We must suppose here that [in one alone] there was not as much as an olive's bulk. As it has been taught: If a person ate it and [the whole of] it was not as much as an olive's bulk, he is nevertheless liable [to stripes]. R. Judah says, [He is not liable] unless there is as much as an olive's bulk of it. And what is the reason?15 — Raba said: The verse says: The thigh,16 this implies the right thigh. And the Rabbis? — [They would say,] That [verse indicates that the prohibited nerve] is the one that is spread over the whole of the thigh, [namely, the inner one] but not the outer one.17 R. Joshua b. Levi said. [The reason18 is this,] The verse says. As he wrestled with him,19 [which suggests] as when a person locks another [in his arms] and his [right] hand reaches the hollow of that other's right thigh.20 R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: He appeared to him21 as a heathen, and the Master has said: If an Israelite is joined by a heathen on the way he should let him walk on his right.22 R. Samuel b. Aha said in the name of Raba b. Ulla in the presence of R. Papa: He appeared to him as one of the wise, and the Master has said: Whosoever walks at the right hand of his teacher is uncultured.23 And the Rabbis? [They say,] He [the angel] came from behind and dislocated both [thighs]. And how do these Rabbis interpret the verse: ‘As he wrestled with him’? — They interpret it as in the other statement of R. Joshua b. Levi. For R. Joshua b. Levi said, [This verse] teaches that they threw up the dust of their feet to the Throne of Glory, for it is written here, ‘As he wrestled [behe'abko] with him’ and it is written there. And, the clouds are the dust [‘abak] of his feet. 24 R. Joshua b. Levi also said: Why is it [the sciatic nerve] called gid ha-nasheh?25 Because it slipped away [nashah] from its place and rose up; for so it is said: Their strength hath slipped away, they are become as women.26 R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: What is the meaning of the verse: The Lord sent a word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel?27 ‘The Lord sent a word unto Jacob’, that is the [injury to his] sciatic nerve; ‘and it hath lighted upon Israel’, for the prohibition thereof has spread throughout Israel. R. Jose b. R. Hanina also said: What is the meaning of the verse: And slaughter the animals and prepare the meat?28 ‘And slaughter the animals’, that is, uncover for them the place that has been slaughtered;29 ‘and prepare the meat’, that is, remove the sciatic nerve in their presence: this is in accordance with the view that the sciatic nerve was prohibited to the sons of Noah. And Jacob was left alone.30 Said R. Eleazar: He remained behind for the sake of some small jars.31 Hence [it is learnt] that to the righteous their money is dearer than their body; and why is this? Because they do not stretch out their hands to robbery. 32 And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.33 Said R. Isaac: Hence [it is learnt] that a scholar should not go out alone at night.34 R. Abba b. Kahana said, [You can derive it] from the verse, be burnt as nothar. permitted. of the left thigh of the same animal (v. supra 82b). a certain prohibition. p. 461. is not liable. render the warning futile by replying, ‘I have yet time to eat’ — is a proper warning, for the only reason here why the punishment of stripes is not inflicted is that the remedial measure provided by the Torah weakens the force of the prohibition. animal. no more. V. infra. all. against a sudden attack from the heathen. So did Jacob act too; and the angel injured that thigh of Jacob which was nearest to him, i.e., the right thigh. thigh, the side nearest to the angel.