Pesachim 111a (קיא.) — the Talmud in English

Except for water.

Even if cold water was mixed with hot water, the mixture is not thereby considered a diluted beverage, since there is no difference between cold and hot water; both are considered one type, and therefore they do not combine with diluted wine.

And Rabbi Yohanan said: Even water

that has been diluted combines with diluted wine.

Rav Pappa said: We said this

that Rabbi Yohanan said that diluted water is considered diluted

only

when one diluted the water

hot water into

kholodnoi,

cold water,

or

cold water into hot water.

But

if one diluted

hot water into hot water,

or

cold water into cold water—

it is not

considered diluted, since in this case everyone agrees that it is considered one type.

Reish Lakish said: There are four things whose perpetrator has his blood on his head,

meaning that he punishes himself

and makes himself liable for his life,

as though liability for his blood is demanded of him after his death.

All of them are because of an evil spirit.

These are they:

a.

One who relieves himself,

attending to his needs

between a palm tree and a wall.

b.

One who passes between two palm trees.

c.

One who drinks borrowed water.

d.

One who passes over spilled water, even if his wife spilled it in his presence.

We explain all four matters:

a.

One who relieves himself between a palm tree and a wall: We said this only when there are not four cubits

between the palm tree and the wall. Since he did not leave room for a shed to pass through there, it harms him.

But if there are four cubits—

we have no concern.

And when there are not four cubits,

also,

we said this only when there is no other path,

since there is no other way for the shed to pass. In that case, because he enters its domain and prevents it from proceeding on its way, it harms him.

But

if

there is another path—

we have no concern.

b.

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

meaning that the public domain does not pass between the two palm trees.

But if a public domain divides them—

we have no concern!

The shed has no authority to harm him there, since the public uses this path and it cannot deprive them of it.

c.

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

meaning that the borrower was a minor.

But

if the borrower is

an adult—

we have no concern.

And even when it was borrowed by a minor, too, we said this only in a field, where water is not readily available,

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

But in a city, where water is readily available

—

we have no concern.

And even in a field, too, we said this only with regard to water. But borrowed wine or beer

—

is of no concern.

d.

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

meaning that he did not scatter earth over it,

and did not spit into it,

meaning that he did not spit into the water.

But if he interrupted it with earth

or

spat into it—

we have no concern.

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

meaning that the sun had not shone on the spilled water,

and sixty strides had not passed over it,

meaning that sixty broad paces had not previously been taken through it.

But if sunlight had passed over it

or

sixty strides had passed over it—

we have no concern.

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

and did not pass over the water while riding a donkey,

and was not wearing shoes,

meaning that he was barefoot.

But if he was riding a donkey

or

was wearing shoes—

we have no concern.

And these matters apply where there is no reason to suspect witchcraft. But where there is reason to suspect witchcraft, even though all these conditions are present—

we are concerned.

As in the case of a certain man who was riding a donkey and wearing shoes, and his shoes contracted,

meaning that his shoes shrank,

and his feet withered,

meaning that his feet dried up, despite the fact that he was riding a donkey and wearing shoes, because there were sorcerers there.

The Sages taught: Three must not pass between two people.

They must not pass between two people,

and one must not be placed between them,

meaning that one person must not pass between two of them.

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

And some say: Also a pig.

And some say: Also a snake.

And if one of them does pass between them,

meaning that one of them passed between two people—

what is his remedy?

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

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

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

He should recite the verse: “Lo is a man, El, that He should lie—and that He should speak and not fulfill.”

Those two men between whom

she passed

were crossed by a menstruating woman.

If it was the beginning of her menstruation—

she kills one of them!

That is, by passing between them, she causes this to happen.

If it was the end of her menstruation—

she causes strife between them.

What is his remedy?

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

Those two women who are sitting at a crossroads, one

of them sitting

on this side of the path and the other on the other side, with their faces directed toward each other

—

are certainly engaged in witchcraft,

meaning that they are practicing witchcraft.

What is his remedy,

for the man who encounters them?

If there is another path—

let him take it,

meaning that he should go by the other path.

And if there is no other path,

then,

if there is another person with him,

meaning that there are two men,

let them hold each other’s hands,

meaning that each should hold the other’s hand,

and pass

between the two sorceresses.

And if there is no other person—

let him say as follows: “Igrat, Azlat, Asiya, Belusiya,”

the names of demons. The demons with whom you are engaged

are slain,

they are already dead,

by arrows,

with arrows.

One who encounters a woman when she is ascending

as she comes

from immersion for a mitzva.

If he precedes her and has intercourse,

meaning that he has intercourse first—

it seizes him,

it enters him,

a spirit of wantonness.

If she precedes him and has intercourse,

meaning that she has intercourse first—

it seizes her, a spirit of wantonness.

What is the remedy?

Let him say as follows: “He pours contempt upon princes and leads them astray in a trackless waste.”

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

This refers to one who sleeps in the shade of a solitary palm tree,

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

And in the shade of the moon,

under walls that cast a shadow when the moon shines, since demons customarily travel at night, and when the moon shines they are afraid to walk in the illuminated area and walk in the shade instead.

And with regard to both of them, the verse intends the expression “valley of the shadow of death,” since their shade causes death.

And with regard to the shade of a solitary palm tree: We said this only when the shade of the other palm tree does not fall upon it,

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

But

if it is close enough that

the shade of the other falls upon it—

we have no concern,

since the shed then withdraws to the nearby palm tree.

And we raised a difficulty against this:

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

his blood is on his head.

What are the circumstances?

If we say that the shade

of the

other palm tree does not fall upon it—

even in a field, too,

his blood is on his head!

Rather, is it not to be inferred from this that in a courtyard, even though the shade of the other palm tree falls upon it,

he must not sleep beneath it, because once the space is confined and the shed has no way to turn to the right or left, it rests upon the palm tree and harms him.

Conclude from this!

And with regard to 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 in the east during the first hours of the night, 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 in the west during the first hours of the night and [later sets], casting a shadow in the east—

we have no concern.