Pesachim 111a — the Talmud in English

Except for the water.

For even if he mixed cold water with hot water, they are not thereby considered a diluted beverage, since there is no difference between cold water and hot water, and both are considered one species; therefore they do not join with the diluted wine.

And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even water

that has been diluted joins with diluted wine.

Rav Pappa said: We said this only,

that Rabbi Yoḥanan did not say that diluted water is considered diluted

but

when he diluted water

hot water into

into

cold water,

or

cold water into hot water.

But

if he diluted

hot water into hot water,

or

cold water into cold water—

it is not

considered diluted, since in this case everyone considers it one species.

Reish Lakish said: Four things—for one who does them, his blood is upon his head,

for he brings punishment upon himself

and becomes liable for his life,

the liability for his blood is demanded of him after his death.

And all of them are because of an evil spirit.

These are they:

1.

One who relieves himself,

attending to his needs

between a palm tree and a wall.

2.

And one who passes between two palm trees.

3.

And one who drinks borrowed water.

4.

And one who passes over spilled water. And even if his wife spilled it before him.

And we explain all four matters:

1.

One who relieves himself between a palm tree and a wall: We said this only when he does not have four cubits

between the palm tree and the wall, since he did not leave room for the shida to pass there, and it harms him.

But if he has four cubits—

we have no concern.

And when he does not have four cubits

also,

we said this only when there is no other path,

that there is no other way by which the shida can go. For then, since he enters its domain and prevents it from going on its way, it harms him.

But

if

there is another path—

we have no concern.

2.

And one who passes between two palm trees: We said this only when the public domain does not divide them,

that the public domain does not interrupt between the two palm trees.

But if the public domain divides them—

we have no concern!

For the shida has no authority to harm there, since the public uses this path; it cannot deprive them of it.

3.

One who drinks borrowed water: We said this only when a minor borrowed it,

that the one who borrowed it was a minor.

But

if the one who borrowed it is

an adult—

we have no concern.

And even when a minor borrowed it as well, we said this only in a field, where water is not common,

and therefore the shida risks itself specifically to drink this water, and harms the person who drinks from it.

But in a city, where water is common

—

we have no concern.

And even in a field as well, we said this only of water. But borrowed wine and beer

—

we have no concern.

4.

And one who passes over spilled water: We said this only when he did not separate it with earth,

that he did not scatter earth over it,

and did not spit into it

—he did not spit into it.

But if he separated it with earth

or

spat into it—

we have no concern.

And we said this only when the sun had not passed over it,

that the sun had not shone upon the spilled water,

and sixty steps had not passed over it

—sixty large paces had not previously passed through it [according to Rashi below, 113a, s.v. “Do not leap”].

But if the sun had passed over it

or

sixty steps had passed over it—

we have no concern.

And we said this only when he was not riding a donkey

—that he did not pass over the water while riding a donkey—

and did not wear shoes

—that he was not wearing footwear.

But if he was riding a donkey

or

wearing shoes—

we have no concern.

And these words apply where there is no concern about sorcery. But where there is concern about sorcery, even though all these conditions are present—

we are concerned.

As with that man who was riding a donkey and wearing shoes, and his shoes shrank,

his shoes contracted,

and his legs dried up,

his legs dried out, despite the fact that he was riding a donkey and wearing shoes; since there were sorcerers there, this happened.

The Sages taught: Three do not pass between others.

They should not pass between two people,

and others should not pass between them,

one person should not pass between two of them.

And these are they: the dog, the palm tree, and the woman.

And some say: Also the pig.

And some say: Also the snake.

And if they do pass between others,

if one of them passes between two people—

what is his remedy?

Rav Pappa said: Let him begin with “El” and conclude with “El.”

Let him recite a verse from Balaam’s blessings that begins and ends with “El”: “El brings them out from Egypt—now it shall be said to Jacob and Israel, What has El wrought?”

Alternatively: Let him begin with “Lo” and conclude with “Lo.”

Let him recite the verse: “Lo is a man that he should lie—and speak and not fulfill.”

These two men between whom

there passed

a menstruating woman.

If it is the beginning of her menstruation—

she kills one of them!

That is, she causes this by passing between them.

If it is the end of her menstruation—

she causes quarrel between them.

What is his remedy?

Let him begin with “El” and conclude with “El.”

These two women who sit at a crossroads, one

of whom sits

on this side of the road, and the other on the other side, and they direct their faces toward one another

with their faces directed one toward the other—

are certainly engaged in sorcery,

they are engaged in sorcery.

What is his remedy

for the man who happens upon them?

If there is another path—

let him go on it,

let him go on the other path.

And if there is no other path,

then,

if there is another person with him,

if there are two men,

let them hold one another’s hands,

let one hold the other’s hand,

and let them pass

and pass between the two sorceresses.

And if there is no other person—

let him say this: “Igeret, Azlet, Asia, Belusia,”

[names of demons]. The demons with which you are engaged

are killed,

they are already dead,

by arrows,

by arrows [from the wording of the verse in Ezekiel 26:9, “And with the stroke of his arrows he shall break down your towers”].

One who encounters a woman at the time when she is ascending

when she is coming

from immersion for a mitzva.

If he precedes her and has intercourse,

if he has intercourse first—

it seizes him,

it enters him,

a spirit of lewdness.

If she preceded him and had intercourse

if she has intercourse first—

a spirit of lewdness seizes her.

What is her remedy?

Let her say this: “He pours contempt upon nobles and causes them to wander in a trackless void.”

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written, “Even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for You are with me”—

this is one who sleeps in the shade of a lone palm tree,

since the shida is found there and harms him. But when there is another palm tree, it withdraws to the second palm tree.

And in the shade of the moon,

under walls that cast a shadow when the moon shines, since demons customarily walk at night, and when the moon shines they are afraid to walk in a place of light and walk in a place of shade.

And concerning both of them the verse intended that they are a “valley of the shadow of death,” for their shade causes death.

And concerning the shade of a lone palm tree: We said this only when the shade of its fellow does not fall upon it,

that the other palm tree is distant from it, so that its shade does not reach it.

But

if it is close, so that

the shade of its fellow falls upon it—

we have no concern,

since then it withdraws to the nearby palm tree.

And we raised an objection concerning this:

But regarding that which was taught in a beraita: One who sleeps in the shade of a lone palm tree in a courtyard, and one who sleeps in the shade of the moon—

his blood is upon his head.

What are the circumstances?

If we say that the shade

of

its fellow does not fall upon it—

even in a field as well

his blood is upon his head!

Rather, is it not so that we may learn from it: In a courtyard, even though the shade of its fellow falls upon it,

he should not sleep beneath it, because since the place is narrow and the shida has no way to incline right or left, it rests upon the palm tree and harms him.

Learn from it!

And concerning the shade of the moon: We said this only on the western side.

When the shade is on the western side, that is, after the middle of the month, when the moon is found during the first hours of the night on the eastern side, and then the shade falls toward the western side of the wall.

But in the east,

when the shade is in the east, that is, at the beginning of the month, when the moon is during the first hours of the night on the western side [and afterward sets] and casts a shadow in the east—

we have no concern.