Yoma

‘if thou shalt afflict’ by denying conjugal duty, ‘if thou shalt take’ refers to rivals. But say [perhaps]: Both [afflictions due] to rival women? — Does Scripture say: ‘If thou shalt take’,1 it reads: ‘And if thou shalt take’. But perhaps both refer to affliction through rivals; one through rivalries among them, the other through rivalries of new wives, so that [‘if thou shalt afflict’] would be the same as ‘if thou shalt take’.2 Does Scripture say: ‘If thou wilt take and afflict’? It reads: If thou shalt afflict and thou shalt take.3 R. Papa said to Abaye: But intercourse in itself is described as affliction, for it is written: And he lay with her and afflicted her?4 He answered: He afflicted her through other [forms of] intercourse. Our Rabbis taught: It is forbidden to wash part of the body [on the Day of Atonement], as [it is forbidden to wash] the whole body. But if one was soiled with mud or excrement, he may wash in his usual way without any fear.5 It is forbidden to anoint part of the body [as it is forbidden to anoint] the whole body. If, however, one was sick or had scabs on his head, he may anoint himself in his usual way without any fear. The School of R. Menasseh taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: A woman may wash one of her hands in water to give bread to an infant without any fear. It was reported about the older Shammai6 that he would not [hand food] to be eaten even with one hand, whereupon the Rabbis decreed that he must do so with both hands.7 Why that? Abaye said: Because of Shibta.8 Our Rabbis taught: One who goes to visit his father or his teacher, or his superior,9 may walk through water up to his neck without any fear. They asked: How about a master who visits his disciple? — Come and hear: For R. Isaac b. Bar Hana said: I saw Ze'iri who went to R. Ashi, his disciple. R. Ashi said: That was R. Hiyya b. Ashi, who went to Ze'iri, his master. Raba permitted the people of ‘Ibar Jemina10 to walk through water for the purpose of guarding [fruits] the crop.11 Abaye said to Raba: I know a teaching that supports you [your decision]: Those who guard the crop may walk up to the neck through water without any fear. R. Joseph permitted the people of Be Tarbu12 to walk through the water in order to go to the lecture [of the Day of Atonement] but he did not permit them to return [in the same fashion]. Abaye said to him: If so, you will put a stumbling-block in their way for the future.13 Some say: He permitted them to go and to return [through water], whereupon Abaye said: Quite right [to permit them] to do so on the way to the lecture, but why the permission on their return? — Lest you put a stumbling-block in their way for the future. Rab Judah and R. Samuel son of R. Judah were standing at the bank of Nehar Papa,14 at the ford of Hazdad, and Rami b. Papa was standing on the other bank. He shouted across: How about going over to you to inquire about a decision of the Law? Rab Judah answered; Rab and Samuel both agree: One may come over, provided one take not one's hand out of the bosom of his shirt.15 Some say: It was R. Samuel, son of Rab Judah who said: We were taught, He may come over, provided he take not his hand out of the bosom of his shirt. R. Joseph demurred: But, even on a weekday is such action permitted?16 Does not Scripture say: He measured a thousand cubits and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles;17 hence we infer that it is permitted to pass through water up to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were up to the knees;18 hence we learn that it is permitted to pass through waters up to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the loins;18 hence we know that it is permissible to pass through water up to the loins. Henceforth: Afterward he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I would not pass through.19 Abaye said: It is different with a river whose waters run rapidly.20 One might have assumed that it is permissible to swim across such a river, therefore the text reads: For the waters were risen, waters to swim in.19 What does ‘sahu’ mean? — ‘Swim’, for a swimmer is called ‘sayaha’. One might have assumed that it is permissible to pass through such [river] in a small Liburnian boat, therefore the text reads: Wherein, shall go no galley with oars.21 One might have assumed that one may cross it in a big Liburnian ship, therefore Scripture says: Neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.20 How does that follow from the text? — As R. Joseph interprets it: No fisher's boat goes thereon, no big boat traverses it.22 R. Judah b. Pazzi said: Even the Angel of Death has no permission to cross it, for here it is said: ‘Wherein shall go no galley with oars [shayit].’23 and there it reads: From going [shut] to and fro in the earth.23 R. Phinehas in the name of R. Huna of Sepphoris said: The spring that issues from the Holy of Holies in its beginning resembles the antennae of locusts; as it reaches the entrance to the Sanctuary it becomes as the thread of the warp; as it reaches the Ulam,24 it becomes as the thread of the woof; as it reaches the entrance to the [Temple] court, it becomes as large as the mouth of a small flask, that is meant by what we learned: R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: [Hence] go forth the waters the larger wrong. himself, when two interpretations of ritual obligations were involved. But the Rabbis decided that their permission to wash one's hand was a matter of safeguarding the child's health, and Shammai's unwillingness to accept their rule was unjustified. To emphasize that they imposed upon him the obligation to wash both his hands before handing food to his infant. owes obeisance either by Biblical or Rabbinic law or by the exigencies of political situation. which could not be reached except across some canal, v. Obermeyer p. 181.] permitted them to return home by wading through water in order to guard their produce, v. loc. cit.]. wait until the end of the Day of Atonement for their return home. inferred from Ezekiel apply also to shut in Job. Hence, just as there it is forbidden, by inference, to cross the river, so may the Angel of Death, as another shayit not do so either.