Pesachim

hence ‘there shall not be found’ is necessary. But on the view that it is as money. what is the purpose of ‘there shall not be found’?1 — It is necessary: you might argue, since if in existence it is returned as it is,2 it does not stand in his possession.3 Hence he informs us [otherwise]. Raba was asked: Is cattle liable to arnona4 subject to the law of firstlings or not?5 Wherever one can put him off with money.6 we do not ask, for he is [certainly] liable.7 our problem arises where he cannot put him off with money: what then? He replied: It is not subject [thereto]. But surely it was taught: It [the animal] is subject [thereto]?-There it is a case where he can put him off with money. others state, Raba said: Cattle liable to arnona is not subject to the law of firstlings. even when he can put him off with money.8 A dough [made of flour] liable to arnona9 is subject to hallah.10 What is the reason? [The facts about] cattle are generally known;11 [the facts about a dough] are not generally known.12 Our Rabbis taught: If a Gentile enters an Israelite's court-yard with [leavened] dough in his hand,13 he [the Israelite] is not obliged to remove it14 if he deposits it with him, he is obliged to remove it;15 if he assigns a room to him [for the dough], he is not obliged to remove it, because it is said, ‘[Leaven] shall not be found’. What does he [the Tanna] mean?16 — Said R. Papa: He refers to the first clause, and says thus: If he deposits it with him, he is obliged to remove it, because it is said, ‘[Leaven] shall not be found’. R. Ashi said: After all it refers to the second clause, and he says thus: If he assigned a room to him he is not obliged to remove it, because it is said, ‘[Leaven] shall not be found in your houses,’ and this is not his [house], for when the Gentile carries in [the leaven], he carries it into his own house. Shall we say that renting confers a title?17 But surely we learned: Even in the place where they [the Sages] permitted renting [to a heathen], they did not permit [renting] for a dwelling-house, because he [the heathen] introduces [his] idols therein.18 Now if you should think that renting confers a title, when he introduces [the idols] he introduces [them] into his own house? — Here it is different, because the Divine Law expresses it in the form of ‘there shall not be found’, [implying] that which is found in your hand [is forbidden], which excludes this [case], since it is not found in your hand. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: If one finds leaven in his house during the Festival, he overturns a vessel upon it.19 Raba said: If dough partly owned by a non-Jew; nevertheless this dough is subject to hallah, as explained in the text. it is of hekdesh,20 this is unnecessary. What is the reason? He does indeed hold aloof from it.21 Rab Judah also said in Rab's name: Leaven belonging to a Gentile,22 he [the Israelite] must set up a partition of ten handbreadths around it as a distinguishing mark;23 but if it belongs to hekdesh this is unnecessary. What is the reason? People hold aloof from it. Rab Judah also said in Rab's name: He who sets sail, and he who sets out in a [caravan] company, before thirty days [prior to Passover], is not bound to remove [the leaven]; if within thirty days, he is bound to remove [it]. Abaye observed: When you say, if within thirty days he is bound to remove it, we said this only where his intention is to return [during Passover]; but if it is not his intention to return, he is not bound to remove [it]. Said Raba to him: But if his intention is to return, even [if he sets out] on New Year too?24 Rather, said Raba: When you say. if before thirty days he is not bound to remove it, we said this only where it is not his intention to return; but if his intention is to return, even [if he sets out] on New Year too. Now Raba is consistent with his view. For Raba said: If one turns his house into a granary25 before thirty days [prior to the Passover], he is not bound to remove [the leaven];26 if within thirty days, he is bound to remove it;27 and even before thirty days too, we said this only when it is not his intention to clear it [the store of provisions] away; but if his intention is to clear it away, even before thirty days too he is bound to remove it. What business have these thirty days?28 — As it was taught: Questions are asked and lectures are given on the laws of Passover for thirty days before Passover. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Two weeks. What is the reason of the first Tanna? text. of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave-offering throughout your generations. Here too ‘your’ excludes law. from leaven being forbidden during Passover. He therefore covers it over with a vessel and burns it in the evening on the termination of the Festival. of a vessel upon it does not suffice here lest he might remove it in the course of the seven days. outset.