Ketubot

until [the completion of the] twenty-four months;  so R. Meir. R. Judah however, permits [remarriage] after eighteen months.  Said R. Nathan  b. Joseph: Those  surely, are the very words of Beth Shammai and these  are the very words of Beth Hillel; for Beth Shammai ruled: Twentyfour months,  while Beth Hillel ruled: Eighteen months!  R. Simeon b. Gamaliel replied, I will explain:  According to the view  [that a child must be breast fed for] twenty-four months  [a nursing mother] is permitted to marry again after twenty-one months,  and according to the view  [that it is to be breast fed for] eighteen months  she may marry again after fifteen months;  because a [nursing mother's] milk deteriorates only three months after [her conception]. 'Ulla stated: The halachah is in agreement with the ruling of R. Judah;  and Mar 'Ukba stated: R. Hanina permitted me to marry [a nursing woman] fifteen months after [the birth of her child]. Abaye's metayer once came to Abaye and asked him: Is it permissible to betroth [a nursing woman] fifteen months after [her child's birth]? — The other answered him: In the first place  [whenever there is disagreement] between R. Meir and R. Judah the halachah is in agreement with the view of R. Judah;  and, furthermore, [in a dispute between] Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel the halachah is in agreement with the view of Beth Hillel;  and while 'Ulla said, 'The halachah is in agreement with R. Judah',  Mar 'Ukba stated, 'R. Hanina permitted me to marry [a nursing woman] fifteen months after [the birth of her child]', how much more then [is there no need for you to wait the longer period] since you only intend betrothal. When he  came to R. Joseph  the latter told him, 'Both Rab and Samuel ruled that [a nursing woman] must wait twenty-four months exclusive of the day on which her child was born and exclusive of the day on which she is betrothed'.  Thereupon he  ran  three parasangs  after him, (some say, one parasang along sand mounds), but failed to overtake him. Said Abaye: The statement made by the Rabbis that 'Even [a question about the permissibility of eating] an egg  with kutha  a man shall not  decide  in a district [which is under the jurisdiction] of his Master' was not due [to the view that this might] appear as an act of irreverence  but to the reason that [a disciple] would have no success in dealing with the matter. For I have in fact learned the tradition of Rab and Samuel and yet I did not get the opportunity of applying it. Our Rabbis taught: [If a nursing mother] gave her child to a wet nurse or weaned him, or if he died, she is permitted to marry again forthwith.  R. Papa and R. Huna son of R. Joshua intended to give a practical decision in accordance with this Baraitha, but an aged woman said to them, 'I have been in such a position  and R. Nahman forbade me [to marry again].  Surely, this could not have been so;  for has not R. Nahman in fact permitted [such remarriage]  in the Exilarch's family?  — The family of the Exilarch was different [from ordinary people] because no nurse would break her agreement  with them. Said R. Papi to them:  Could you not have inferred it  from the following? It has been taught: [A married woman] who was always anxious  to spend her time  at her paternal home,  or who has some angry quarrel at her husband's home,  or whose husband was in prison,  or had gone to a country beyond the sea,  or was old or infirm,  or if she herself was barren, old,  incapable of procreation or a minor,  or if she miscarried after the death of her husband, or was in any other way incapacitated for propagation, must  wait three months.  These are the words of R. Meir. R. Jose,  however, permits betrothal or marriage forthwith.  And [in connection with this] R. Nahman stated in the name of Samuel: The halachah is in agreement with R. Meir in respect of his restrictive measures!  — 'This', they  answered him, 'did not occur to us'. The law is [that if the child] died [remarriage by his mother] is permitted [forthwith], but if she has weaned him [her remarriage] is  forbidden. Mar son of R. Ashi ruled: Even if the child died [the remarriage of the mother] is forbidden, it being possible that she has killed it so as to be in a position  to marry. It once actually happened that a mother strangled her child. This incident, however, is no proof.  That woman  was an imbecile, for it is not likely that [sane] women would strangle their children. Our Rabbis taught: If a woman was given a child to suckle  she must not suckle together with it either her own child or the child of any friend of hers. If she agreed to a small allowance for board she must nevertheless eat much.  Whilst in charge of the child  she must not eat things which are injurious for the milk. Now that you said [that she must] not [suckle] 'her own child' was there any need [to state] 'nor the child of any friend of hers'? — It might have been assumed that only her own child [must not be suckled] because owing to her affection for it she might supply it with more [than the other child] but that the child of a friend of hers [may well be suckled] because if she had no surplus [of milk] she would not have given any at all. Hence we were taught [that even the child of a friend must not be suckled]. 'If she agreed to a small allowance for board she must nevertheless eat much'. Wherefrom? — R. Shesheth replied: From her own. 'Whilst in charge of the child she must not eat things which are injurious'. What are these? — R. Kahana replied: For instance, cuscuta,  lichen, small fishes and earth.  Abaye said: Even pumpkins and quinces. R. Papa said: Even a palm's heart  and unripe dates.  R. Ashi said: Even kamak  and fish-hash. Some of these cause the flow of the milk to stop while others cause the milk to become turbid. A woman who couples in a mill will have epileptic children. One who couples on the ground will have children with long necks. [A woman] who treads  on the blood  of an ass will have scabby  children. One who eats  mustard will have intemperate children.  One who eats  cress will have blear-eyed children. One who eats  fish brine  will have children with blinking eyes.  One who eats  clay  will have ugly children. One who drinks  intoxicating liquor will have ungainly  children. One who eats  meat and drinks wine will have children