Eruvin 100b — the Talmud in English

Rather,

because he does not perform the prohibition

with his hands, through his refraining from giving the four gifts. For the prohibition of “you shall not diminish,” and likewise the nullification of the mitzva of the four gifts, occur on their own.

But here, since he performs the prohibition

with his hands through continuing to sit on the tree, for this is considered using the tree—

he should likewise descend.

And although the descent too is a prohibition performed with his hands, nevertheless it is preferable to transgress a prohibition once rather than to continue sitting on the tree, whereby he transgresses a prohibition of use every moment.

One [baraita] teaches: Both a moist tree and a dry tree

are forbidden to use.

And another [baraita] teaches: When are these words said

—that it is forbidden to use—

with

a tree

that is moist.

But with

a tree

that is dry, it is permitted.

For, since it is dry, it is not considered attached at all, and there is no reason to decree lest one detach a branch on Shabbat.

Rav Yehuda said: It is not difficult

to resolve the contradiction between the baraitot.

Here—

when its trunk is replaced,

when a new tree grows in place of the tree that is drying out, it is not considered a dry tree, and it is forbidden to use it.

Here—

when its trunk is not replaced,

when another tree has not come in its place, it is considered a dry tree, and it is permitted to use it.

And we raise a difficulty: Is it so that when

its trunk is replaced,

“dry”

do you call it?

But this is the nature of this tree, and not the result of drying out.

Rather,

explain it this way:

It is not difficult.

Here, during the hot season,

when it is apparent to everyone that it is a dry tree, because it does not produce leaves like other trees, and there is no concern of appearance, that they will err and think that it is a moist tree. Therefore, it is permitted to use it.

Here, during the rainy season,

when there is no difference between a moist tree and a dry one, as neither of them produces leaves. Therefore, it is forbidden to use even a dry tree, because of appearance, lest they think that it is moist.

And we raise a difficulty:

During the hot season, surely its fruits will fall!

For when he ascends and descends from the tree, he causes fruits that remained from the previous year to fall!?

Although the tree is dry and there is no prohibition of detaching with regard to it, nevertheless it is forbidden to detach, by rabbinic decree, lest one come to do so with a moist tree.

For only regarding the prohibition of use, which itself is a decree lest one detach, do we not decree concerning a dry tree because of a moist tree, since that would be a decree upon a decree. But the detaching itself must be forbidden even with a dry tree, as a decree because of detaching from a moist tree. Rashi.

And we answer: With what are we dealing here?

With a case where there are no fruits

on the tree.

And we raise a difficulty:

But he causes branches to fall,

for he causes the branches to fall when he ascends and descends?

And we answer:

With a tree whose branches have fallen off,

all of them.

And we raise a difficulty:

Is that so? But Rav happened to come to Aspatia

a place-name,

and he forbade [the use of] a tree whose branches had fallen off

to ascend upon it on Shabbat?

And we answer:

Rav

found an open field,

it was a place where there were no people learned in Torah, who did not know to be careful [like an open field without a watchman, where everything is exposed],

and he made a fence there

to forbid [the use of] a tree whose branches had fallen off, so that they would not come to be lenient with other trees; it was not a matter of the basic law.

Rami bar Abba said that Rav Asi said: It is forbidden for a person to walk upon grass on Shabbat.

Because it is stated: “And one who is hasty with his feet is a sinner,”

the verse teaches that there can be walking in which there is sin.

And in this walking too there is sin, for he detaches grass as he walks.

One [baraita] teaches: It is permitted to walk upon grass

on Shabbat.

And another [baraita] teaches: It is forbidden

to walk upon grass on Shabbat.

And

it is not difficult

to resolve the contradiction between the baraitot.

This one is referring to moist [grass]!

It is forbidden to walk upon moist grass, because he detaches it.

This one is referring to dry [grass]!

There is no prohibition of detaching with regard to dry grass, for it is considered as already detached.

And if you wish, say: Both [baraitot] are referring to moist [grass].

And it is not difficult:

Here, during the hot season,

there is seed in the stalks, and through his walking he causes the seeds to fall from the stalks; therefore, it is forbidden to walk upon them.

Here, during the rainy season,

there is no seed inside the stalks, and he does not cause them to fall; therefore, it is permitted to walk upon them.

And if you wish, say: Both [baraitot] are during the hot season, and it is not difficult:

This one is when he has put on his shoes,

when he is wearing shoes, it is permitted for him to walk upon grass.

This one is when he has not put on his shoes,

when he is barefoot, it is forbidden for him to walk, because the grass becomes wrapped between his toes and is detached.

And if you wish, say: Both [baraitot] are when he has put on his shoes.

And it is not difficult:

This one is when his shoes have hooks,

when there is a bend underneath the shoe, and the grass sticks there and is detached.

This one is when his shoes do not have hooks,

and there is no concern that [the grass] will be detached.

And if you wish, say: Both [baraitot] are when his shoes have hooks.

And it is not difficult:

This one is when there is sherakha,

when the grass is long and is easily detached; therefore, it is forbidden to walk upon it.

This one is when there is no sherakha,

when it is not long and is not detached as a result of walking upon it.

And we conclude:

And nowadays, when we hold in accordance with Rabbi Shimon,

that an unintentional act is permitted—

all of them are permitted

to walk upon grass in every manner, since he does not intend to detach it.

And Rami bar Hama said that Rav Asi said: It is forbidden for a person to force

his

wife regarding the mitzva,

for intercourse.

As it is stated: “And one who is hasty with his feet—

is a sinner,” [“feet” is an expression for intercourse, as it is written concerning Sisera: “Between her legs he bowed, he fell, he lay”].

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Whoever forces his wife regarding the mitzva—

he will have children who are unfit.

Rav Ika bar Hinnana said: What is the verse?

From where did we learn this?

For it is written at the beginning of the verse, “And one who is hasty with his feet is a sinner”—

“Even without knowledge, a soul is not good.”

The children born without the woman’s knowledge are not good, for her husband was hasty with his feet.

It was likewise taught in a baraita: “Even without knowledge, a soul is not good.”

This

is one who forces his wife regarding the mitzva.

“And one who is hasty with his feet is a sinner”—

this is one who has intercourse and repeats it

in his intercourse, causing his wife strain.

And we raise a difficulty:

Is that so? But Rava said: One who wishes to make all his children male—

should have intercourse and repeat it,

because as a result of the first intercourse the woman becomes aroused, and during the second intercourse she releases seed first, and then she gives birth to a male.

But in the baraita it was stated that one who has intercourse and repeats it in his intercourse is a sinner?

It is not difficult:

Here, with the woman’s knowledge,

when she agrees; it is desirable to have intercourse and repeat it.

Here, without the woman’s knowledge,

he is called a sinner.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Any woman who requests

of

her husband regarding the mitzva,

for intercourse,

will have children such as there were none even in the generation of Moses!

For whereas concerning the generation of Moses it is written, “Provide for yourselves men who are wise, understanding, and known among your tribes.” And it is written, “And I took the heads of your tribes, men who were wise and known,” whereas “understanding,”

those who understand one thing from another,

I did not find

Moses did not find.

But concerning Leah it is written, “And Leah went out to meet him, and she said: To me you shall come, for I have surely hired you,”

for she requested Jacob regarding the mitzva.

And it is written, “And of the sons of Issachar, those who know understanding of the times, to know what Israel should do. Their heads were two hundred

and all their brethren were at their command.”

Thus, from Leah emerged [Issachar was born from that intercourse] children who “know understanding,” that is, those who are understanding.

And we raise a difficulty:

Is that so?

But Rav Yitzhak bar Avdimi said: Eve was cursed with ten curses.

For it is written: “To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply”—

these are two drops of blood.

1.

One, menstrual blood.

2.

And one, the blood of virginity.

3.

“Your pain”—

this is the pain of raising children.

4.

“And your pregnancy”—

this is the pain of pregnancy,

for pregnant women become ill.

5.

“In pain you shall bear children”—

according to its plain meaning,

that is, the pain of childbirth.

6.

“And toward your husband shall be your desire”—

this teaches that a woman desires her husband

for intercourse

when he sets out on a journey.

7.

“And he shall rule over you”—

this teaches that a woman requests in her heart, while a man requests with his mouth,

for he rules by expressing with his mouth the desire of his heart, whereas the woman is embarrassed to express it with her mouth.

And

this is a good quality in women!

That she does not request with her mouth.

But Rabbi Yoḥanan said that it is praise for a woman to request of her husband regarding the mitzva?

And we answer:

When we say

that it is praise for a woman, it is

that she hints to him,

that she displays signs of affection before him in order to entice him regarding the mitzva. Like Leah, who said to Jacob to turn into her tent, and did not request it from him with her mouth.

And we consider the matter: These—

these

seven

curses

are

in total.

But above we said that Eve was cursed with ten curses?

And we answer:

When Rav Dimi came, he said

[there are] three additional curses—

1.

Wrapped like a mourner,

for she is embarrassed to go out into the street with her hair uncovered.

2.

And excluded from every person,

as will be explained below.

3.

And confined in a prison house,

for she does not leave her home, since “all the honor of the king’s daughter is within.”

And we consider the matter:

What is “excluded from every person”?

If you say it is because seclusion is forbidden to her

with men—

He too,

for a man also

has seclusion forbidden to him

with women; and what curse is this for women? And we answer:

Rather, because she is forbidden to two,

for she cannot marry two men, whereas a man marries many women.

In a teaching, it was taught

[that there are] three other curses—

1.

She grows hair like a demon,

like a demon.

2.

And she sits and urinates like an animal,

for she crouches when she urinates, like a mule.

3.

And she becomes a cushion for her husband

during intercourse, when he is above.

But the other [sage],

Rav Dimi, who does not count these, because he holds:

These

three—

are praise for her!

The fact that she sits and urinates is modesty for her, and there is no difficulty in the matter for her.

And likewise, the fact that she becomes a cushion for her husband does not involve so much exertion for her.

On the contrary, his exertion is greater than hers.

For Rabbi Ḥiyya said: What is the meaning of that which is written

in the Book of Job,

“From the beasts of the earth He teaches us, and from the birds of the heavens He makes us wise”?

This is its meaning:

“He teaches us

—He teaches us—

from the beasts”

[for the Holy One, blessed is He, gave them wisdom in order to instruct us through their conduct]—

this is the mule, which crouches and urinates.

And from this we learn modesty.

“And from the birds of the heavens He makes us wise”—

this is the rooster, which conciliates,

for it goes and spreads its wings as a sign of conciliation,

and afterward has intercourse.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Had the Torah not been given, we would have learned:

Modesty from a cat,

which does not relieve itself in the presence of a person and covers its excrement.

And robbery from an ant,

for each one stores its food for itself and does not rob from its fellow.

And forbidden sexual relations from a dove,

which mates only with its partner.

We learned in a beraita:

Proper conduct from a rooster—

that it conciliates and afterward has intercourse.

And what

is it,

with which does it conciliate her?

Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: This is what he says to her: I will buy you a cloak,

I will buy you a long garment,

that will reach your feet,

that reaches you to the ground.

After this,

after he has had intercourse, he shakes and bends his head toward her, and

says to her: May the crest of that rooster be cut off,

may my crest be cut off,

if he has it and I do not buy it for you,

if I have the means with which to buy the garment and do not buy it for you.