Shabbat

the serpent came upon Eve he injected a lust into her:  [as for] the Israelites who stood at Mount Sinai, their lustfulness departed; the idolaters, who did not stand at Mount Sinai, their lustfulness did not depart.  R. Aha son of Raba asked R. Ashi. What about proselytes? Though they were not present, their guiding stars  were present, as it is written, [Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath], but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day.  Now he differs from R. Abba b. Kahana, for R. Abba b. Kahana said: Until three generations the lustful [strain] did not disappear from our Patriarchs: Abraham begat Ishmael, Isaac begat Esau, [but] Jacob begat the twelve tribes in whom there was no taint whatsoever. MISHNAH. ONE MAY BREAK OPEN A CASK IN ORDER TO EAT RAISINS THEREOF, PROVIDED THAT HE DOES NOT DESIGN MAKING A UTENSIL;  AND ONE MAY NOT PERFORATE THE BUNG OF A CASK:  THIS IS R. JUDAH'S RULING; BUT THE SAGES PERMIT IT. AND ONE MUST NOT PIERCE IT AT THE SIDE THEREOF,  WHILE IF IT IS PERFORATED  ONE MUST NOT PLACE WAX UPON IT, BECAUSE HE CRUSHES IT.  R. JUDAH SAID: [SUCH] AN INCIDENT CAME BEFORE R. JOHANAN B. ZAKKAI IN ARAB  AND HE SAID, I FEAR ON HIS ACCOUNT [THAT HE MAY BE LIABLE] TO A SIN-OFFERING. GEMARA. R. Oshaia said: They learnt this only of pressed [raisins]; but not when they are loose [apart].  'But not if they are loose [apart]'? An objection is raised: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: One may bring a cask of wine, strike off its head with a sword, and place it before guests on the Sabbath, and he need have no fear!  — That is [according to] the Rabbis: our Mishnah is [according to] R. Nehemiah.  Now, what compels R. Oshaia to establish our Mishnah as agreeing with R. Nehemiah, so that it refers to pressed [raisins]; let him explain it as referring to loose [raisins] and [in agreement with] the Rabbis? — Said Raba, Our Mishnah presents a difficulty to him: why particularly teach 'RAISINS: let him [the Tanna] teach 'fruit?' Hence it follows thence that the reference is to pressed [raisins]. One [Baraitha] taught: One may untie, unravel, or cut through the wicker wrappers of raisins and dates.  Another was taught: One may untie, but not unravel or cut. There is no difficulty: one agrees with the Rabbis; the other with R. Nehemiah. For it was taught, R. Nehemiah said: Even a spoon, even a robe, and even a knife may be handled only when required for their [usual] function. R. Shesheth was asked: What about piercing a cask with a spit  on the Sabbath? does he intend [making] an opening, so it is forbidden, or perhaps his intention is to be generous  and it is permitted? — He intends [making] an opening, replied he, and it is forbidden. An objection is raised: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: One may bring a cask of wine and strike off its head with a sword? — There his intention is certainly to be generous: but here, if he really means to be generous — let him open it. ONE MAY NOT PERFORATE THE BUNG, etc. R. Huna said: The controversy is [in respect of a hole] at the top;  but all agree that it is forbidden at the side,  and thus he teaches, ONE MUST NOT PIERCE IT AT THE SIDE THEREOF. But R. Hisda maintained: The controversy is in [respect of a hole] at the side, but all agree that it is permitted on the top, and as to what he teaches, ONE MUST NOT PIERCE IT AT THE SIDE THEREOF, there it refers to the cask itself. Our Rabbis taught: One may not pierce a new hole  on the Sabbath, but if one comes to add,  he may add; but some say, One may not add. But they all agree that one may pierce an old hole  at the very outset. Now as to the first Tanna, wherein does it differ from [boring] a new hole, which may not [be done]? [Presumably] because an opening is [thereby] effected! Then in adding too an opening is improved (effected]?  — Said Rabbah: By the words of the Torah  every opening which is not made for putting in and taking out is not an opening, and it was the Rabbis who forbade it  on account of [the ventilation of] a hen-coop, which is made to permit the fresh air to enter and the fumes to pass out.  Hence 'if one comes to add, he may add': [for] in a hen-coop one will certainly not come to add,