Pesachim 42b (מב:) — the Talmud in English

Clean bread -

bread

of samida [

made of fine flour].

Fat meat -

it is meat

of a female goat that has not yet

opened [

that has not yet given birth].

Old wine -

it is wine

of the very oldest vintage.

Wine that has stood for three years.

All substances that are beneficial [

that are effective]

for

healing

this

illness,

are harmful

to

another

illness.

And

everything that

is harmful to this

illness

is beneficial to another

illness. For example, something that cures an eye ailment is harmful to a heart ailment, and the like.

Except [

for]

fresh ginger, long pepper, clean bread, fat meat, and old wine. For

all these

are beneficial [

effective]

for

the healing of

the entire body.

We learned in the Mishna:

Median beer.

And we explain: Ordinary beer in their days was made from dates. Whereas “Median beer” is beer

into which barley was put [

barley was added during the brewing process in order to impart flavor], and therefore it is hametz as a mixture.

And it is called Median beer because in Media they made beer in this manner.

We learned in the Mishna:

and Edomite vinegar.

And we explain: This is vinegar made from wine

into which barley was put;

barley was added to turn it into vinegar, and it caused it to ferment.

And it is called Edomite vinegar because wine that comes from the land of Edom is of superior quality, and it does not become vinegar except through barley.

And it is forbidden on Passover because of the taste of the fermented barley in it, in accordance with the law of a mixture of hametz.

Rav Naḥman said: At first, when

the Temple was standing,

they would bring

wine

for libations

to the altar

from

the wine of

Judea,

because it was superior wine.

And the wine of Judea would not become vinegar until they put barley into it.

And

the vinegar made from wine that had fermented through barley

was called

“vinegar”

without qualification.

But now,

this quality is no longer found in Judean wine; rather, it becomes vinegar on its own.

At the present time

Edomite wine does not become vinegar

because of its quality

until they put barley into it.

Therefore, today, wine that became vinegar through barley is not called simply “vinegar”; rather,

it is called Edomite vinegar.

Because now this characteristic exists only in Edomite wine.

The reason for the rise in the quality of Edomite wine corresponding to the decline in the quality of Judean wine is in order

to fulfill

the

what is stated: “Because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken, the gates of the peoples have turned toward me;

I shall be filled from her ruins.’”

Tyre said: I shall be filled from the destruction of Jerusalem! From here,

if this one is filled [

Jerusalem],

that one is destroyed [

Tyre].

And if this one is filled, that one is destroyed!

And Tyre belongs to the kingdom of Edom.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: From here

we learn that the rise of Edom depends on the decline of Judea’s power, as it is written:

“And one people shall be stronger than the other.”

When Esau prevails, Jacob is weakened, and likewise in the opposite direction. The kingdoms of both cannot exist simultaneously.

It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda said: In Judea, originally [

when the Temple was standing], anyone

who purchased vinegar from an am ha-aretz did not need to tithe

it.

Despite the fact that produce purchased from an am ha-aretz is rabbinically obligated in tithes, due to the decree of demai.

Because vinegar purchased from an am ha-aretz in Judea was not subject to the prohibition of demai,

because it was presumed

that it

came only from temed [

water in which grape skins and pits had been soaked]. And temed is exempt from tithes.

The vinegar was not made from the wine itself. For when the Temple stood, Judean wine was of superior quality and did not ferment.

But now, one who purchases vinegar from an am ha-aretz must tithe

it, because of the decree of demai. Because

it is presumed

that it

comes only from wine!

For now Judean wine is not of such high quality, and eventually it becomes vinegar. Vinegar made from wine is obligated in tithes.

And we raise an objection:

And

does

Rabbi Yehuda hold

that

temed is not subject to tithing?

But we learned: One who prepares temed [

soaks grape refuse in water],

and puts water

into a vessel

according to a measure

of a specific amount,

and

after straining it from the refuse

finds

that there is in the vessel water

equal to its measure [

equal to the measure of water he initially added], he is

exempt

from tithing! Since nothing was added to the water, although it has the taste and appearance of wine, only the mere sharpness of the fruit was mixed into it. And since it contains nothing from the substance of the grapes themselves, it is not subject to tithing.

But Rabbi Yehuda obligates

the temed, even when the measure of water in it remained as it was. Rabbi Yehuda follows the taste and appearance.

And this is difficult: How could Rabbi Yehuda say above that vinegar derived from temed is not subject to the prohibition of demai?

And we answer: Rabbi Yehuda did not exempt this vinegar when it is definite tevel. Rather,

this is what he said:

When one purchases it from an am ha-aretz, he need not tithe it, because

ammei ha-aretz were not suspected concerning

the tithing of

temed.

Since they do not consider it significant, we rely on them that they certainly tithed it.

Alternatively,

actually,

they were suspected

even concerning the tithing of something insignificant. And indeed Rabbi Yehuda exempted temed. Rather, there are two types of temed.

This

for which Rabbi Yehuda obligates it refers to

temed

made from

wine sediment [

the sediment of wine]. We assume that some of the substance of the sediment itself became mixed into the water. Since it contains actual grape substance, one must tithe it.

The reason nothing was added to the water is that a small amount of the water was absorbed into the sediment. To the same degree that the water diminished, sediment became mixed into it. Therefore, the measure remained the same.

And

this

from which Rabbi Yehuda exempts it refers to

temed

made from

grape pits [

grape seeds]. Water in which grape pits were soaked eventually ferments and becomes vinegar. The pits themselves do not become mixed into the water; they merely impart their taste and appearance. Since they are not the substance of fruit, they are exempt from tithing.

Originally, vinegar was presumed to derive from temed made from grape pits, which is exempt from tithing. It did not derive from temed made from wine sediment, because that temed is as fine as wine itself, and it too does not become vinegar.

Tosafot.

We learned in the Mishna:

And Egyptian zitom, etc.!

And we inquire:

What

is “Egyptian zitom”?

Rav Yosef taught:

It is a beverage made from

three

measures of

barley [

barley],

three

measures of

saffron [

saffron], and

three

measures of

salt [

salt].

Rav Pappa removes [

removes the]

barley

from the ingredients of the zitom,

and inserts [

and puts in its place]

wheat.

And

so that you will not confuse these opinions,

your mnemonic shall be

“sisnei” [

a particular vessel]. Just as it contains two successive letters samekh, so too in our case. Rav Yosef’s name contains a samekh, and he is the one who says that zitom contains an ingredient whose name is represented by samekh, namely barley [since the letter sin is interchanged with samekh].

Rav Yosef continues to explain how zitom is prepared:

They soak them [

they soak the barley, saffron, and salt],

and roast them [

they burn them],

and grind them. And they drink them from Passover until Shavuot [

from Passover until Shavuot].

And it is a remedy both for diarrhea and for constipation. One

who is constipated [

blocked in his bowels], the zitom

loosens him [

gives him diarrhea].

And

one

who has diarrhea [

who suffers from diarrhea], the zitom

constipates him [

stops it].

And

for a sick person and a pregnant woman,

the zitom is

dangerous.

Because it causes them excessive diarrhea.

We learned in the Mishna:

And the bran water of dyers, etc.

And we explain:

Here they interpreted it [

its interpretation is]

water of bran with which they dye red leather [

water of bran used to dye red leather]. The bran of grain ferments in the water. Although it is unfit for human consumption, it is nevertheless forbidden on Passover, according to the law of hametz nuksha.

We learned in the Mishna:

And the starch of cooks.

And we explain: It is

bread

of

grain that has not reached one-third of its growth [

that has not reached one-third of its growth].

For

the cook

places it over the mouth of

the

pot,

so that it will

draw

into itself

the scum

of the cooking. And it is tangible hametz, but it is hametz nuksha. That is, hametz unfit for human consumption. Its status is that of a mixture of hametz: it is forbidden under “it shall not be seen,” and there is a prohibition against eating it, but not karet.

We learned in the Mishna:

And the glue of scribes, etc.!

And we explain:

Here they interpreted it as leatherworkers’ glue [

glue of leatherworkers], with which they attach torn leather or join two layers of leather one atop the other. They put rye flour into it, which is one of the species of grain and can ferment. This too is hametz nuksha.

Rav Shimi of Meḥoza said: “

Glue” — it is

this

that is

the depilatory paste of the daughters of the wealthy, which they leave for the daughters of the poor.

For wealthy women customarily make a paste from fine flour and spread it on their flesh in order to remove the hair [“tippulin” derives from a term meaning attachment and adhesion].

And as for the phrase “the glue of scribes”: “scribes” means teachers of young children, who were poor. Although poor women did not make this paste from fine flour but from lime, they nevertheless used the glue of wealthy women, who left some of it for them.

And we raise an objection:

Is that so? But Rabbi Ḥiyya taught:

All the types of hametz mentioned in our Mishna,

four

of them are

types of the general populace.

These are: Babylonian kutah, Median beer, Edomite vinegar, and Egyptian zitom. All four are made for the needs of the entire population, and not only for craftsmen.

And three

of them are

types used in crafts.

These are: the bran water of dyers, the starch of cooks, and the glue of scribes. All three are made for the use of craftsmen בלבד.

And if you say

that the glue of scribes is

the depilatory paste of wealthy women,

it has no connection to a type used in crafts.

And how many

three

types used in crafts are there?

And we answer:

Rather, what

is its meaning? If you say that its interpretation is

leatherworkers’ glue,

this too is difficult.

Why did he call this

leatherworkers’ glue

“the glue of scribes”?

After all,

“the glue of leatherworkers”

should have been

what he said.

Rav Oshaya said: Actually,

its interpretation is

“leatherworkers’ glue.”

And as for what is difficult for you,

why did he call it

“the glue of scribes,”

it is not difficult. Because

the

scribes

also glue their papers with it.

For they made paper from grasses joined by this glue, which the leatherworkers used.

We learned in the Mishna:

Rabbi Eliezer says: Even the cosmetics of

women

are forbidden on Passover.

And we inquire: Does

the phrase “women’s cosmetics” enter your mind

as something forbidden? They are merely eye paint and rouge with which women adorn themselves, and perfumes that they hang around their necks for fragrance. They contain no hametz whatsoever.

And we answer:

Rather, say: Even the depilatory paste of

women

women

is forbidden. Because it contains fine flour, and it ferments.