Meilah

Let R. Simeon b. Yohai go for he is experienced in miracles.1 And who should accompany him? — R. Eleazar son of R. Jose. Said R. Jose to them: And were my father Halafta still alive, would you have said to him to give his son for slaughter?2 Answered R. Simeon: Were Yohai my father still alive, would you have said to him to give his son for slaughter? Said R. Jose to them: I shall accompany him, for I fear R. Simeon may punish him.3 He [R. Simeon] undertook thereupon not to inflict any punishment on him. Notwithstanding this, he did punish him, for when they were proceeding on the way the following question was raised in their presence: Wherefrom do we know that the blood of a reptile is unclean? R. Eleazar son of R. Jose curved his mouth4 and said: It is written: And these are they that are unclean.5 Said R. Simeon to him: From the undertone of thy utterance6 one can see that thou art a scholar, yet the son7 shall not return to the father.8 Then Ben Temalion9 came to meet them. [He said]: Is it your wish that I accompany you? Thereupon R. Simeon wept and said: The handmaid of my ancestor's house was found worthy of meeting an angel10 thrice, and I not even to meet him once. However, let the miracle be performed, no matter how. Thereupon he11 advanced and entered into the Emperor's daughter. When [R. Simeon] arrived there,12 he called out: ‘Ben Temalion leave her, Ben Temalion leave her’,and as he proclaimed this he left her. He13 said to them: Request whatever you desire. They were led into the treasure house to take whatever they chose. They found that bill,14 took it and tore it to pieces. It was with reference to this visit that R. Eleazar son of R. Jose related:15 ‘I saw it16 in the city of Rome and there were on it several drops of blood’. MISHNAH. PIGGUL AND NOTHAR17 CANNOT COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY ARE OF TWO DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS. REPTILE AND NEBELAH18 AS WELL AS NEBELAH AND THE FLESH OF A CORPSE CANNOT COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO EFFECT UNCLEANNESS, NOT EVEN IN RESPECT OF THE MORE LENIENT OF THE TWO [GRADES] OF DEFILEMENT.19 GEMARA. Said R. Judah in the name of Samuel: This20 has been taught only with reference to the uncleanness of the hands,21 which is only a Rabbinical enactment, but with regard to [the liability attached to] eating they can combine with one another. For we have learnt:22 R. Eliezer said: It says, it shall not be eaten for it is holy;23 with this the Writ comes to impose a negative command upon whatever among holy things has become disqualified.24 MISHNAH. FOOD CONTAMINATED THROUGH CONTACT WITH A PRIMARY DEFllement25 CAN COMBINE WITH THAT CONTAMINATED BY A SECONDARY DEFILEMENT TO EFFECT UNCLEANNESS ACCORDING TO THE LOWER DEGREE OF DEFllement OF THE TWO.26 ALL KINDS OF [UNCLEAN] FOOD CAN COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE UP THE QUAN TITY OF HALF A PERAS27 IN ORDER TO RENDER THE BODY UNFIT28 [OR TO MAKE UP THE FOOD] FOR TWO MEALS TO FORM AN ‘ERUB29 OR TO’ MAKE UP AN EGG'S BULK TO CONTAMINATE FOOD, OR TO MAKE UP A DRY FIG'S BULK IN RESPECT OF THE PROHIBITION TO CARRY FORTH ON THE SABBATH30 AND A DATE'S BULK WITH REGARD TO THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.31 ALL KINDS OF DRINKS CAN COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE UP THE FOURTH [OF A LOG] IN ORDER TO RENDER THE BODY UNFIT OR TO MAKE UP A MOUTHFUL WITH REGARD TO THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. GEMARA. It has been taught: R. Simeon said, What is the reason?32 Because things unclean in the second degree can become unclean in the first degree.33 But can indeed a thing unclean in the second degree become unclean in the first degree? Surely this is an impossibility?34 — Said Raba: This is what is meant: What caused the object to be rendered unclean in the second degree? Surely it was something unclean in the first degree!35 R. Ashi said: Things unclean in the first degree and those unclean in the second degree in relation to uncleanness of the third degree are considered as belonging to one category. 36 [ conversation, but R. Simeon misunderstood this as cowardice, viz., that he feared to run the risk of being executed by the Romans, and therefore replied with displeasure that he, too, is risking his life. cure her. contact with a corpse lasts seven days, with nebelah or a reptile only one day. The standard size for nebelah and a corpse is an olive, that of a reptile is a lentil. Any two of these cannot combine even to the larger of the respective standard sizes, and even to effect the uncleanness of the lesser duration of the two. the fact that the plural is used, referring as it seems not only to nothar but also to piggul. with the other. contracted the uncleanness. In the case of a combination the contaminated object is a degree lower than the lowest of the components. unless he has immersed before; v. Mik. X, 7. to walk on the Sabbath another two thousand cubits from that place. V. ‘Er. 82b. versa, cf. Shab. 76b. The same applies to a mouthful of any drink.