Pesachim 113a — the Talmud in English

And we answer:

They say: These ![](pamud.bmp "

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are gazyata.

These are the demons who walk along the paths of the vineyards [for he decreed against them only that they should not pass through the settled area],

for the horses break loose,

and their horses flee into the city,

and they come and bring them to them,

the demons come to return the horses from there, and only then do they reach the settled area.

Rav said to Rav Asi: Do not dwell in a city

in which

the neighing of a horse is not heard,

in which the sound of a horse’s neighing is not heard,

and in which no dog barks.

That is, it has neither horses nor dogs, which guard the city, since by means of the horse he runs after the thieves to seize them.

And do not dwell in a city whose head of the city is a physician,

for the head of the city is a physician [another explanation: a Torah scholar], because one is occupied with his healing and the other with his learning, and they do not attend to the needs of the public.

And do not marry two [women],

do not marry two wives, lest they conspire against you for evil.

If you married two, marry three!

Marry an additional, third wife, so that she will reveal to you if the two conspire against you for evil.

Rav said to Rav Kahana: Turn over carcasses, and do not turn over words!

It is preferable that you engage in carcasses than that you engage extensively in words that lead to obscene speech.

Strip carcasses in the marketplace

engage in stripping the hides from dead animals

and take a wage,

and earn from this

and do not say: I am a priest! And I am a great man! And this matter is repugnant to me

and it is not honorable for me.

When you go up to the roof,

when you set out on the road, even to a nearby place,

your provisions should be with you,

take your provisions with you.

A hundred pumpkins in the city for one zuz,

even when provisions are cheap, when a hundred pumpkins cost only one zuz in the city, nevertheless

let them be beneath your wings,

let the provisions be with you.

Rav said to Hiyya his son: Do not drink medicine.

Do not become accustomed to drinking drugs, even as a remedy [if another treatment is possible], because you may become addicted to them and lose your money.

And do not take great strides.

Do not take a broad step, because it diminishes the light of the eyes.

And do not uproot a tooth.

Do not uproot a diseased tooth, whose end is to be healed.

And do not provoke a snake.

Do not provoke a snake.

And do not provoke an Aramean.

Do not provoke a gentile, as explained below.

The Sages taught: There are three whom one should not provoke.

And these are they: a young gentile, a young snake, and a young student.

What is the reason?

Because

their kingdom stands behind their ears.

Their power stands behind their ears. That is, they are destined to grow, and their dread will grow, and they will take revenge on you.

Rav said to Aivu his son: I labored with you over the teaching,

I exerted myself to teach you Gemara,

but the matter did not succeed,

and I did not succeed.

Come, I will teach you,

come, I will teach you

worldly matters: While the sand is still on your feet,

while the sand is on your feet when you have come from the road,

sell what you have brought,

sell what you have brought, so that you can return and buy immediately, and sell again.

Everything that you sell, and then regret it,

everything that you sold and which subsequently became more expensive, you may regret that you hurried to sell it.

Except wine,

wine,

which you sell and do not regret.

For perhaps, had you not sold it, it would have spoiled.

Open your purse,

first open your purse and receive the money, and only afterward

open your sacks

and give the grain to the buyers.

A measure from the earth,

it is preferable to go to a nearby place and earn a little,

rather than a kor from overseas,

to earn much in an overseas country.

Dates in your vessel,

if you have dates in the vessel designated for this,

run to the house of the brewer,

run to the house of the brewer to make beer from them, for otherwise you will eat them and lose [because they would earn much from beer, as follows].

And how much?

From what quantity of dates and upward is this said?

Rava said: Up to three seah.

Rav Pappa said: Had I not made beer,

if I had not engaged in making beer,

I would not have become wealthy,

I would not have become wealthy!

Some say: Rav Hisda said: Had I not made beer, I would not have become wealthy.

What is sudna,

why is beer called sudna?

Rav Hisda said: “A fine secret”,

it is good advice, for one becomes wealthy through it,

and acts of lovingkindness,

since he can give the beer as a gift to the poor, and perform charity and kindness [because he does not invest much in the principal, and the profit from making beer is great. Rashbam].

Rav Pappa said: Every

“agav”,

every matter for which a document must be written, such as a loan,

requires collection!

It still requires that it be collected, and there is trouble involved in the matter.

Every credit sale: perhaps it will come, perhaps it will not come.

It is uncertain whether the money will be paid or not.

And what is certain,

even what will come into your hand at the time when they pay,

is bad money,

since they pay little by little, in installments.

Rabbi Yohanan said three things in the name of the people of Jerusalem:

A.

When you go out to war, do not go out first; rather, go out last, so that

if you flee,

you will enter first.

B.

Make your Shabbat like a weekday, and do not become dependent on others.

C.

And make an effort with one whom fortune favors,

to trade and enter into a partnership with him.

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said three things in the name of the people of Jerusalem:

A.

Do not increase on rooftops

[the reading of Maharsha is with a gimel]. Do not frequently perform your acts publicly, in an exposed place,

because of an incident that occurred,

the incident of David and Bathsheba, who bathed on the roof.

B.

Your daughter has reached maturity? Free your slave and give him to her!

That is, he should hurry to marry her off, even to his slave.

C.

And be careful with your wife because of her first son-in-law.

What is the reason?

Rav Hisda said: Because of illicit relations,

lest she commit adultery with him.

Rav Kahana said: Because of money,

for she will squander your money on him.

And the Gemara says:

Both of them are present,

both reasons are valid.

Rabbi Yohanan said: Three are among those who inherit the World to Come

are they.

These are they:

A.

One who dwells in the Land of Israel.

B.

One who raises his sons for Torah study.

C.

One who makes Havdala over wine at the conclusion of Shabbat.

And the Gemara explains:

What is it?

What exertion is there in making Havdala over wine?

For he leaves over from Kiddusha for Havdala.

When he has only a little wine, he reserves what remains of his Kiddush wine for Havdala, and does not drink it during his meal.

Rabbi Yohanan said: Three whom the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaims every day

for praise:

A.

Concerning a bachelor who dwells in a large city and does not sin.

B.

And concerning a poor man who returns a lost object to its owner.

C.

And concerning a wealthy man who tithes his produce in private,

and does not reduce the tithes, despite the fact that it is a substantial loss for him.

Rav Safra was a bachelor who dwelt in a large city.