פסחים 39 — Soncino English Talmud

¹MISHNAH. AND THESE ARE THE HERBS WITH WHICH A MAN DISCHARGES HIS OBLIGATION ON PASSOVER: WITH LETTUCE [HAZARETH]. WITH T A M K A, WITH H A R H A B I N A, WITH ENDIVES [‘ULSHIN] AND WITH MAROR. THE LAW IS COMPLIED WITH BY [EATING THEM] BOTH MOIST [FRESH] AND DRY, BUT NOT PRESERVED [IN VINEGAR], NOR STEWED NOR BOILED. AND THEY COMBINE TO THE SIZE OF AN OLIVE. AND YOU CAN DISCHARGE [YOUR OBLIGATION] WITH THEIR STALK[S]. AND WITH DEMAI, AND WITH FIRST TITHE THE TERUMAH OF WHICH HAS BEEN SEPARATED, AND WITH HEKDESH AND SECOND TITHE WHICH HAVE BEEN REDEEMED. GEMARA. H A Z E R E T H is hassa [lettuce]; ‘U L S H I N is hindebi [endives]. TAMKA: Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said: It is called temakta. H A R H A B I N A: R. Simeon b. Lakish said: [It is] the creeper of the palm tree. AND WITH MAROR: merirta. Bar Kappara taught: These are the herbs with which a man discharges his obligation on Passover: with endives, with tamka, with harhallin, with harhabinin, and with lettuce. R. Judah said: Also with wild [field] endives and with garden endives and with lettuce. ‘Garden endives and lettuce’: but that is taught in the first section? — This is what he says: Wild endives too are like garden endives and lettuce. R. Meir said: Also with ‘aswaws, and tura and mar yero'ar. Said R. Jose to him: ‘Aswaws and tura are one; and mar is yero'ar. The School of Samuel taught: These are the herbs with which a man discharges his obligation on Passover: With lettuce, with endives, with tamka, with harhabinin, with harginin, and with hardofannim. R. Judah said: Hazereth yolin [thistles] and willow lettuce too are like them. R. Judah said in R. Eliezer's name: ‘Arkablin too, but I went about to all his [sc. R. Eliezer's] disciples and sought a companion but did not find one, but when I came before R. Eleazar b. Jacob he agreed with my words. R Judah said: Whatever [plant which] contains an acrid [pungent] sap. R. Johanan b. Berokah said: Any [plant] the leaves of which look faded [bleached]. Others say: Every bitter herb contains an acrid sap and its leaves are faded. R. Johanan said: From the words of all of them we may learn [that every] bitter herb contains an acrid sap and its leaves are faded. R. Huna said: The halachah is as the ‘Others’. Rabina found R. Aha son of Raba going in search of merirta. Said he to him, What is [in] your mind: that it is more bitter? But we learned H A Z E R E T H; and the School of Samuel taught, Hazereth; while R. Oshaia said: The obligation is properly [fulfilled with] hazereth. And Raba said: What is hazereth? Hassa. What does hassa [symbolize]? That the Merciful One had pity [has] upon us. Further, R. Samuel b. Nahman said in R. Jonathan's name: Why were the Egyptians compared to maror? To teach you: just as this maror, the beginning of which is soft while its end is hard, so were the Egyptians: their beginning was soft [mild]. but their end was hard [cruel]! — Then I retract, he replied. R. Rehumi said to Abaye: How do you know that this ‘maror’ means a kind of herb; say that it is the gall of Kufia? — It is like unleavened bread: just as unleavened bread is a product of the earth,so "maror’ means a product of the earth.Then say it is hirduf? -It is like unleavened bread: just as unleavened bread is a species of plant, so ‘maror’ means a species of plant. Then say it is harzipu? — It must be like unleavened bread: just as unleavened bread is that which can be bought with second tithe money, so maror’ is that which can be bought with second tithe money. Rabbah son of R.Hanin said to Abaye: Say that maror means one [herb]? — Merorim [plural] is written. Then say that merorim means two? — It is like unleavened bread: just as unleavened bread [can be of] many species. so [can] maror [be of] many species. Rabbah son of R.Huna said in Rab's name: [Regarding] the herbs whereof the Sages ruled that a man can discharge his duty with them on Passover, they all may be sown in one garden bed. Is this to say that they are not [forbidden] on account of kil'ayim? Raba objected: [Lettuce] and willow lettuce, [garden] endives and wild endives, [garden] leeks and wild leeks, [garden] coriander and wild coriander, mustard and Egyptian mustard [and] the Egyptian gourd and the bitter gourd, — all these are not kil'ayim with one another. [Thus] only lettuce with willow lettuce, but not lettuce with endives? And should you answer, They are all taught together, surely Rab said: He teaches them in pairs? What did Rab mean by ‘they are sown’? They are sown according to their law. [You say], ‘According to their law’! but we [already) learned it:^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ^ᵃᵇ^ᵃᶜ^ᵃᵈ^ᵃᵉ^ᵃᶠ^ᵃᵍ^ᵃʰ

^ᵃnote:Bitter herbs are eaten on the first two (in Palestine one) nights of Passover, v. Ex. XII, 8.
^ᵇnote:A kind of cheveril (Jast.).
^ᶜnote:A kind of creeper.
^ᵈnote:Lit., ‘bitter’ (herb). A plant, prob. Cichorium ltybus. Succory (Jast.).
^ᵉnote:Shelukin means boiled to a pulp; mebushalin, boiled in the usual manner.
^ᶠnote:That is the minimum quantity which must be eaten; and it can be made up of all these.
^ᵍnote:v. p. 161, n. I.
^ʰnote:Rashi: marrubium, hoarhound (Jast.).
^ⁱnote:The Aramaic for maror.
^ʲnote:A prickly plant, thistles.
^ᵏnote:Pl. of harhabina.
^ˡnote:What does R. Judah add?
^ᵐnote:Names of bitter herbs. v. next note.
^ⁿnote:Jast. ferule. Rashal reads: Aswaws and tura are one, and it is bitter (mar), and that is (what is called) mar yero'ar.
^ᵒnote:Jast.: garden ivy.
^ᵖnote:Wall ivy.
^ᵠnote:Jast.: prickly creepers on palm trees, palm ivy.
^ʳnote:To support me, that he too had heard it from R. Eliezer.
^ˢnote:I.e., all the herbs mentioned by the foregoing teachers possess these two features.
^ᵗnote:In Ex. I, 14 where the Hebrew for embittered is from the same root as maror.
^ᵘnote:The top is soft, while the stalk hardens like wood.
^ᵛnote:At first they dealt mildly with the Israelites, but subsequently treated them with great cruelty. All this was adduced by Rabina, to show that merirta was not preferable.
^ʷnote:Prescribed in Ex. XII, 8. Merorim, pl. of maror, is the actual word used there.
^ˣnote:Name of a fish, supposed to be identical with colias.
^ʸnote:To which it is placed in juxtaposition, ibid.
^ᶻnote:Jast.: a shrub or tree with bitter and stinging leaves, supposed to be rhododaphne, oleander.
^ᵃᵃnote:Name of a bitter herb, not generally eaten.
^ᵃᵇnote:This excludes harzipu, for only what is generally eaten can be bought; v. Deut. XIV, 26: all the things enumerated there are normal victuals.
^ᵃᶜnote:Viz., the most bitter of all.
^ᵃᵈnote:V. Mishnah Supra 35a.
^ᵃᵉnote:V.Glos.
^ᵃᶠnote:Kil. I, 2.
^ᵃᵍnote:I.e., these are heterogeneous.
^ᵃʰnote:I.e., on the contrary, care must be taken not to sow them together, and when they are in one garden-bed the proper space must be left between the separate species.

²A garden-bed which is six handbreadths square, may be sown with five species of seeds, four on the four sides of the bed and one in the middle! — You might say that this applies only to seeds [cereals]. but not to vegetables; therefore he informs us [otherwise]. Shall we [then] say that vegetables are stronger than seeds? But surely we learned: All Species of seeds may not be sown in one garden-bed [together]. [yet] all species of vegetables [herbs] may be sown in one seed-bed? You might say, This maror is a species of seed [cereal]; hence he informs us [that it is not so]. [You say]. ‘Seeds’! — Can you think so! But surely we learned, HERBS; and Bar Kappara [also] taught. ‘Herbs’; and the School of Samuel [also] taught ‘Herbs’? - He needs [to state it about] lettuce: I might argue. since it is destined to harden, we must allow it more space. [For] did not R. Jose b. R. Hanina say: If the cabbage stalk hardens, more room is given to it [up to] a beth roba’? This proves that since it is destined to harden, we allow it more space: so here too we should give it more space. Hence he informs us [otherwise]. THE LAW IS COMPLIED WITH BY [EATING THEM] BOTH MOIST [FRESH] OR DRY etc. R. Hisda said: They learned this only of the stalk; but in the case of the leaves, only moist [fresh] ones, but not dry ones. But since a later clause states, WITH THEIR STALK, it follows that the first clause [refers to] leaves? [That clause] indeed gives an explanation: when does he [the Tanna] teach, BOTH MOIST AND DRY? In reference to the stalk. An objection is raised: One can discharge [the obligation] with them and their stalks, both moist and dry: this is R. Meir's view. But the Sages maintain: One can discharge [the obligation] with moist [fresh] ones, but one cannot discharge [the obligation] with dry ones. And they agree that one can discharge [the obligation] with them [when] withered, but not [when] preserved. stewed or boiled. This is the general principle of the matter: Whatever has the taste of maror, one can discharge the obligation with it; but whatever does not possess the taste of maror, one cannot discharge the obligation with it! — Explain it [as referring] to the stalk. Our Rabbis taught: One cannot discharge [the obligation] with them [when] withered. In the name of R. Eleazar b. R. Zadok it was said: One can discharge [the obligation] with them [when] withered. Rami b. Hama asked: How about a man discharging his obligation with second tithe maror in Jerusalem? On R. Akiba's view, there is no question: seeing that he discharges his obligation [there with] in the case of unleavened bread, [the tithing of] which is [enjoined] by Scripture. need you ask about maror, which is [only] Rabbinical. The question arises on the view of R. Jose the Galilean. What then? Is it only with unleavened bread, which is [tithed] by Scriptural law, that he cannot discharge his obligation, but with maror, which is [tithed] by Rabbinical law [only], he discharges his obligation; or perhaps whatever [measure] the Rabbis enacted, they enacted it similar to a Scriptural law? Said Raba: It is logical [that] unleavened bread and maror [are assimilated]. MISHNAH. ONE MAY NOT SOAK BRAN FOR FOWLS, BUT ONE MAY SCALD IT. A WOMAN MAY NOT SOAK BRAN TO TAKE WITH HER TO THE BATHS, BUT SHE MAY RUB IT ON HER SKIN. AND A MAN MAY NOT CHEW WHEAT AND PLACE IT ON HIS WOUND, BECAUSE IT TURNS LEAVEN. G E M A R A. Our Rabbis taught: These are the things which cannot come to fermentation: That which is baked, boiled, and that which is scalded, having been scalded in boiling water. ‘That which is boiled’? But while it is being boiled it turns leaven! — Said R. Papa: He means: baked [mazzah] which was [then] boiled. It was taught. R. Jose b. R. Judah said: Flour into which there fell a dripping [of water]. even all day, does not come to fermentation. Said R. Papa: Provided that it acted drop after drop. The School of R. Shila said: Wattika is permitted. But it was taught: Wattika is forbidden? — There is no difficulty: here it is such as is prepared with oil and salt; there it is prepared with water and salt. Mar Zutra said: A man must not line a pot with flour of roast grain, lest it had not been properly baked and it comes to leaven. R. Joseph said: A man must not scald^ᵃⁱ^ᵃʲ^ᵃᵏ^ᵃˡ^ᵃᵐ^ᵃⁿ^ᵃᵒ^ᵃᵖ^ᵃᵠ^ᵃʳ^ᵃˢ^ᵃᵗ^ᵃᵘ^ᵃᵛ^ᵃʷ^ᵃˣ^ᵃʸ^ᵃᶻ^ᵇᵃ^ᵇᵇ^ᵇᶜ^ᵇᵈ^ᵇᵉ^ᵇᶠ^ᵇᵍ^ᵇʰ^ᵇⁱ^ᵇʲ^ᵇᵏ

^ᵃⁱnote:V. Shab. 84b (Sonc. ed.) note a.l. Then what does Rab add?
^ᵃʲnote:Because they draw their sustenance more vigorously, hence from a wider area.
^ᵃᵏnote:Rab.
^ᵃˡnote:In drawing from the ground.
^ᵃᵐnote:Cereal seeds must not be sown within this area, and the statement that five species of seeds may be sown in a plot six handbreadths square applies to vegetables (herbs) only.
^ᵃⁿnote:I.e., the species enumerated supra in our Mishnah and Gemara.
^ᵃᵒnote:This answer abandons the previous answer. Seeds (cereals) in fact require more space, for their drawing power is greater, and Rab informs us that maror belongs to the species of herbs, not seeds, and therefore the more lenient law applies to them.
^ᵃᵖnote:All these authorities describe maror as herbs; how then could it be assumed that maror belongs to the class of cereals?
^ᵃᵠnote:The last reply to the question, ‘What does Rab add’, being untenable, another answer is offered.
^ᵃʳnote:Its stalk becomes hard and thick.
^ᵃˢnote:A piece of ground of the capacity of one roba’ (quarter of a kab) of seed.
^ᵃᵗnote:Rab.
^ᵃᵘnote:This is not the same as dry.
^ᵃᵛnote:Here too R. Meir seems to state that both the herbs themselves (i.e.. the leaves) and the stalks may be fresh or dry. And the Mishnah too evidently agrees with R. Meir, since the Rabbis maintain that dried herbs cannot be eaten.
^ᵃʷnote:The statement permitting its use dried.
^ᵃˣnote:v. supra 36a.
^ᵃʸnote:By scriptural law vegetables need not be tithed at all; hence Biblically speaking this maror is not second tithe.
^ᵃᶻnote:So that maror is the same as unleavened bread.
^ᵇᵃnote:v. supra p. 182, n. 6.
^ᵇᵇnote:Lit., ‘in her hand’.
^ᵇᶜnote:A bran paste was used as a depilatory or cosmetic.
^ᵇᵈnote:Once unleavened bread is baked it can never turn leaven.
^ᵇᵉnote:The incessant dripping prevents fermentation.
^ᵇᶠnote:Without an appreciable interval between them.
^ᵇᵍnote:Name of a certain pastry or tart made of flour.
^ᵇʰnote:Oil does not cause fermentation.
^ᵇⁱnote:Then it is forbidden.
^ᵇʲnote:Lit., ‘boiled’.
^ᵇᵏnote:Though roast grain is baked, and therefore can never become leaven, yet we fear that it may not have been fully baked, and when the dish is put into the pot with the water this flour will ferment.