Horayot 13b (יג:) — the Talmud in English

Rav Pappa said: Even the handle of a hoe,

the wooden handle of a hoe,

they bite,

they gnaw it!

The Sages taught: Five things cause one to forget one’s learning:

a.

One who eats

food that remains

from what a mouse eats,

and from what a cat eats.

b.

And one who eats the heart of an animal.

c.

And one who is accustomed to

eating

olives 5 .

d.

And one who drinks water left over from bathing

6 . e. And one who washes his feet one atop the other

7 . And some say: Even one who places his garments [

garments]

beneath his head

when he lies down to rest .

Five things restore one's Talmudic learning

[that are beneficial to it]:

A. One who eats

bread baked over

charcoal

[embers],

and all the more so

one who eats

the charcoal itself!

[According to the version of Masoret HaShas: one who eats wheat bread, and needless to say, the wheat itself].

B.

One who eats a rolled egg

[soft, partially cooked]

without salt.

C.

And one who is accustomed to olive oil.

D.

And one who is accustomed to wine and spices.

E.

And one who drinks the water of the remnants of dough

that remained from kneading.

And some say: Even one who dips his finger in salt and eats!

And regarding that which we learned,

one who is accustomed to olive oil

restores one's Talmudic learning,

it supports the statement of Rabbi Yoḥanan.

For Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Just as

eating

an olive causes learning

that had been arranged in a person's mouth over

seventy years to be forgotten, so olive oil restores learning

that had already been forgotten from him over

seventy years!

And regarding that which we learned, that

one who is accustomed to wine and spices

restores his Talmudic learning,

it supports the statement of Rava.

For Rava said: Wine and fragrances—

make one clever!

Wine and spices lead to mental acuity. [And the Meiri explained that this benefits memory].

And regarding that which we learned,

and one who dips his finger in salt

is beneficial for Talmudic learning,

Reish Lakish said—

and

when dipping

one

finger only!

Not everyone agrees with this statement of Reish Lakish. Rather, it is

subject to a dispute between tannaim:

Rabbi Yehuda says:

specifically dipping

one

finger is beneficial for restoring one's Talmudic learning,

but not two!

Rabbi Yosei says: Two, but not three. And your mnemonic is:

to know that their dispute concerns two and three fingers, and not three and four—

the ring finger!

For if a person raises his four fingers [excluding the thumb] and bends his ring finger [the one next to the little finger], three upright fingers will remain before him, divided into one finger and two fingers.

That is, when the ring finger is bent and the other fingers are upright, the fingers are divided on the two sides of the bent ring finger: on one side there is one finger [the little finger], and on the other side there are two fingers [the middle finger and the finger called “the index

finger”]. This division into one and two will serve him as a mnemonic: Rabbi Yehuda says one and not two, and consequently Rabbi Yosei, who disagrees with him, maintains two and not three. He should not be uncertain and say: Perhaps Rabbi Yehuda said two and not three, while Rabbi Yosei said three and not four.

We further learned:

Ten things make learning difficult,

for one who does them will find it difficult to hear, as understanding will be burdensome for him .

A.

One who passes beneath a camel's halter, and all the more so

one who passes

beneath the camel itself.

B.

And one who passes between two camels.

C.

And one who passes between two women.

D.

And a woman who passes between two men 13 .

E.

And one who passes beneath

[meaning, one who walks along and smells]

the foul odor of an animal carcass 14 .

F.

And one who passes beneath a bridge under which water has not flowed for forty days.

G.

And one who eats bread that has not been

fully

baked. 15 .

H.

And one who eats meat

from the spoon with which the pot is stirred, which is called

zuhama—

listron,

because it is used to move the filth to the sides [the side is called “seter”].

I.

And one who drinks from a water channel that passes through a cemetery 16 .

J.

And one who gazes at the face of the dead 17 .

And some say: Even one who reads the writing on a grave 18 .

Since laws of precedence in rescue, redemption, and honor were mentioned here, the Gemara brings additional details of laws concerning honor.

The Sages taught: When the nasi enters

the beit midrash -

Everyone stands, and they do not sit until the nasi says to them, “Sit”!

When the head of the court enters—

they form one row on this side and one row on that side,

only those seated at the ends of the benches on the two sides of the passageway remain standing before him,

until he sits in his place 20 .

When a sage enters -

one stands and one sits.

Only when the sage passes close to someone who is sitting is the person sitting obligated to stand before him; and as soon as he has passed by him, he may sit down. Consequently, all those sitting along his path stand and sit one after another.

The sons of sages and Torah scholars

do not require one to stand before them. But

when the public needs them,

they

step over the heads of the people,

entering during the sage’s lesson and walking and stepping to their places, even though they must pass between the students sitting on the ground, making it appear as though they have stepped on the heads of those sitting.

And if

he went out for a necessary purpose

to attend to his needs, he has the right to return even though he steps over the heads of the people; therefore

he may enter and sit in his place.

The sons of Torah scholars whose father is appointed as the communal leader

23, when they have the understanding to listen,

they

enter and sit before their father, with their backs facing the people.

But

when they do not have the understanding to listen,

they

enter and sit before their father, with their faces facing the people. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Tzadok says: They likewise make them, even at a banquet,

the sons of sages whose father is appointed as the communal leader, into

appendages,

seating them near the elders out of honor for their father!

The Master said: “He went out for a necessary purpose,”

to attend to his needs;

he enters and sits in his place.

Rav Pappa said: They said

that he is permitted to return to his place despite stepping over the heads

only

when he needed to go out

for the minors,

because he was compelled to do so.

But

when he needed to go out

for the adults -

he does not

enter and sit in his place, because

he should have examined himself beforehand.

Since he did not examine himself before the lesson, he is negligent in this regard and has no right to return and step over the heads of the people.

For Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: A person should always accustom himself to rise early and go late

to the lavatory, so that he will not need to relieve himself during the day, because one who relieves himself during the day must move away from the road so that others will not see him. Therefore, it is preferable to relieve oneself early in the morning and in the evening,

so that he will not

need

to move away.

But nowadays, when the world is weakened, even

if he went out

for the adults as well,

he enters and sits in his place.

The Master said:

“Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Tzadok says: They likewise make them at a banquet,”

the sons of Torah scholars whose father is appointed as the communal leader,

appendages

for the elders.

Rava said:

Only

during their father’s lifetime and in their father’s presence

do they accord them this honor.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This Mishna was taught in the days of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel,

the Mishna that we learned above: “When the Nasi enters, when the head of the court enters,” and so on.

These were the positions of authority at the time when the distinctions in honor mentioned above were instituted:

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel -

Nasi. Rabbi Meir -

sage. Rabbi Natan -

head of the court.

Initially, this is how they conducted themselves:

When Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel was there -

everyone would stand before him.

Likewise,

when Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan would enter -

everyone would stand before them!

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said,

who was the Nasi: Why,

should there not be a distinction between my status and theirs?

Therefore

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel instituted

the order of honors detailed in

this teaching.

That day,

when Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel instituted this order,

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan were not there.

The next day, when they came, they saw

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan

that the entire public did not stand

before them

as was customary.

They said -

“What is this!?”

They were told -

“This is what Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel instituted!” Rabbi Meir said to Rabbi Natan: “I am a sage, and you are the head of the court;

let us

institute something for him as he did for us,”

let us do to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel what he did to us!

Rav Natan said to him:

“What shall we do to him?”

Rabbi Meir said to him:

“Let us say to him,”

let us say to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel:

“Expound,”

teach us

in

the tractate

Uktzin!

I know

that he does not have it,

that it is not well arranged in his knowledge.

And since he has not completed

the tractate Uktzin and will be unable to answer our request,

let us say to him

the verse:

“Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can make all His praise heard?” -

“Who is worthy to declare the mighty acts of the Lord? One who can make all His praise heard!”

That is, only one who knows the entire Talmud may boast, not one who does not know tractate Uktzin. With this claim,

let us remove him

from the Nasi-ship of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel,

and I will be the head of the court

in your place,

and you

will be

Nasi

in place of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.”

Rabbi Yaakov ben Karshi heard them

planning this scheme of Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan.

He said: “Perhaps, Heaven forbid,”

if they do this to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, asking him to expound Uktzin and he does not know it,

the matter will come to disgrace,

and Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel will be humiliated.

Rabbi Yaakov went

and

sat behind Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel’s upper chamber,

the chamber in which Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel was staying, and recited Mishnaayot from tractate Uktzin aloud. This is what he did:

he explained,

Rabbi Yaakov explained the Mishnayot, and afterward

he recited

them,

and taught,

repeating and studying them again, and once more

recited and taught.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel heard this and

said: “What

is

this that is happening outside!?”

What is taking place outside, with Rabbi Yaakov sitting and studying tractate Uktzin so that I will hear?

Perhaps, Heaven forbid, there is something in the house of study

being plotted against me.

He applied his mind

to this, and

studied

tractate Uktzin thoroughly.

The next day, they said to him

—Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan said to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel:

“Let the Master come and teach us Uktzin!”

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel opened

and

said

his lesson on tractate Uktzin.

After he had concluded,

his words,

he said to them

—to Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan:

“Had I not mastered it, you would have humiliated me!”

You asked me about something that would have embarrassed me had I not studied it!

He ordered,

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel ordered,

and had them expelled,

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan

from the beit-midrash. They would write

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan

questions on a note and throw them there,

into the beit-midrash.

Those questions

that were answered,

which Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would resolve,

were answered.

However, those questions

that were not answered

by him,

they wrote

their answers

and threw them

inside.

Rabbi Yose said

to the Torah scholars who were inside the beit-midrash:

“The Torah is outside, and we are inside!?”

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said to them: “Let us bring them in”

to the beit-midrash!

“However, let us penalize them

with this:

that we will not cite a teaching in their names!”

And from then on,

they attributed the

teachings of

Rabbi Meir

in the name of

“Others,”

saying,

“and Rabbi Natan’s teachings in the name of ‘Some say’!”

They showed them

from Heaven, to Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan,

in their dreams: “Go and appease Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel!”

Rabbi Natan went

and appeased Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.

Rabbi Meir did not go,

because

he said: “Dreams are words of no consequence; they neither raise nor lower!”

When Rabbi Natan went

to appease Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel,

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said to him:

“What made you think that you could become nasi in my place?

Granted, the kamra benefited you,

the golden sash that was a symbol of importance,

of your father,

which had belonged to your father,

to become av beit din.

But who

also appointed you

to be

the nasi? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi taught Rabban Shimon, his son,

statements that Rabbi Meir had said, but did not state them in Rabbi Meir’s name, since he had been penalized that his teachings should not be cited in his name; rather, he taught them using the expression

“Others say.”

And this is how he taught him what we learned in tractate Bekhorot: One who began counting his flock in order to tithe it with the animal tithe, and passed the animals under the rod, but erred and called the one that passed ninth “tenth,” and called the one that passed tenth “ninth,” and then erred again and called the one that passed eleventh “tenth”—all of them are consecrated. Their respective laws are as follows: The ninth is eaten with its blemish, the tenth is the animal-tithe offering, and the eleventh is sacrificed as a shelamim offering and effects temura. These are the words of Rabbi Meir.

Rabbi Yehuda said to him: The eleventh, which he called “tenth,” is as though he had said of it that it was the substitution of the tenth. If so, it should be difficult: Why does it effect temura? Does an act of temura effect another temura?