Chullin

washing the head [of an animal in the water]. It fell out of his hand, so he went and fetched a basket, threw it [into the water] and brought up two heads. Said Rab, ‘Is this what usually happens?’1 And he forbade him both [heads]. Thereupon R. Kahana and R. Assi said to Rab, ‘Are only forbidden [heads] found here and not permitted ones?’2 He replied. ‘The forbidden ones are more frequently found’. But what if it was only inferred?3 — It was a jetty frequented mostly by gentiles. Indeed you may be certain of this from his reply: ‘The forbidden ones are more frequently found [here]’.4 According to this how could Rab eat meat?5 — You may say [that he ate meat] soon [after the slaughtering], so that he did not lose sight of it; or only if it was wrapped up and sealed, or if it bore some distinguishing mark. Thus Rabbah son of R. Huna used to cut up [the meat] in the shape of a triangle. Rab was once going to his son-in-law R. Hanan when he saw a ferry-boat coming towards him. Said he to himself: When the ferry-boat comes to meet one it is a good omen.6 As he came to the door he looked through the crack of the door and he saw the meat of an animal hanging up. He then knocked at the door and everybody came out to meet him, even the butchers too. Rab however did not take his eyes off [the meat] and said to them: ‘If that is how [you look after things], then you are giving my daughter's children forbidden meat to eat’. And Rab did not eat of that meat. But why? If because of meat that had disappeared from sight, but here he did not lose sight of it; and if because of the omen,7 but Rab himself has said: An omen which is not after the form pronounced by Eliezer,8 Abraham's servant, or by Jonathan9 the son of Saul, is not considered a divination!10 — [The reason is that] it was a meal of free choice11 and Rab would not partake of a meal of free choice. Rab used to regard a ferry-boat as a sign. Samuel a [passage in a] book,12 and R. Johanan [a verse quoted] by a child. During the lifetime of Rab, R. Johanan used to address him thus in his letters: Greetings to our Master in Babylon! After Rab's death R. Johanan used to address Samuel thus: Greetings to our colleague in Babylon! Said Samuel to himself, ‘Is there nothing in which I am his master’? He thereupon sent [to R. Johanan] the calculations for the intercalation of months for sixty years. Said [R. Johanan], ‘He only knows mere calculations’. So he [Samuel] wrote out and sent [R. Johanan] thirteen camel loads13 of questions concerning doubtful cases of trefah. Said [R. Johanan], ‘It is clear that I have a Master in Babylon; I must go and see him’. So he said to a child, ‘Tell me the [last] verse you have learnt’. He answered: ‘Now Samuel was dead’.14 Said [R. Johanan], ‘This means that Samuel has died’. But it was not the case; Samuel was not dead then, and [this happened] only that R. Johanan should not trouble himself.15 It was taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar says: Although a house or a child or a marriage must not be used for divination, they may be taken as a sign.16 R. Eleazar added: Provided it was established so on three occasions,17 for it is written: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away; upon me all these things come.18 R. Huna enquired of Rab: What if [pieces of meat were] strung together?19 — He replied: Don't be a fool; if strung together it is certainly a distinguishing sign. Others report this as follows:20 R. Huna said in the name of Rab, If pieces of meat were strung together this is regarded as a distinguishing sign. R. Nahman21 of Nehardea once came to R. Kahana at Pum Nahara22 on the eve of the day of Atonement when they saw ravens dropping [from their beaks] pieces of liver and kidneys. Said [R. Kahana] to the other, pick them up and eat them, for to-day that which is permitted is more common.23 R. Hiyya b. Abin once lost the large intestine of an animal amongst a stack of barrels [and subsequently found it] and he came to enquire about it of R. Huna. ‘Have you a distinguishing mark on it’? asked [R. Huna]. ‘No’, he replied. ‘Would you be able to recognize it [by general impression]? ‘Yes’, he replied. ‘Then you may go and take it.’ R. Hanina Hoza'ah24 once lost a side of meat [and subsequently found it]. He came to R. Nahman who said to him, ‘Have you a distinguishing mark on it?’ He replied: ‘No’. ‘Would you be able to recognize it?’ He replied: ‘Yes’. ‘Then you may go and take it’. R. Nathan b. Abaye once lost a ball of blue wool.25 He came before R. Hisda who said to him, ‘Have you a distinguishing mark on it?’ He replied: ‘No’. ‘Would you be able to recognize it’? He replied: ‘Yes’. ‘Then you may use it’. Raba said: At first I thought that [identification by] a distinguishing mark was more reliable than [identification by] general impression,26 since we must return a lost article [to anyone who mentions] a distinguishing mark on it, both heads might have been permitted, even though they had been out of sight for some time. Thus Rab's principle cannot be definitely inferred from this incident. dependent upon the happening of a certain event, and this is prohibited. But to interpret a certain event as an omen either for good or evil, is not prohibited. child was of a happy nature, — each was regarded as a good omen for a successful venture. child or his marriage, proves to be successful, he may regard it as suspicious and as a prognostic of success, and may view cheerfully all future undertakings of a similar nature. If, on the other hand, it proves to be unsuccessful, he should in the future view similar undertakings with apprehension. To place implicit faith and absolute reliance upon the outcome of the first undertaking is forbidden by the Torah as augury and divination (v. Lev. XIX, 26). One may, nevertheless, regard it as an indication of the future. any meat found, or carried away by ravens, would in all probability be meat that was ritually slaughtered. had to be taken to guard against imitations and spurious kinds.