Pesachim 50b (נ:) — the Talmud in English

3.

And

even though he comes from a place where labor is performed, and was never obligated by this custom, nevertheless,

a person should not deviate

from the custom of the place where he is presently located,

because of dispute.

Similarly,

the same practice applies to the law of removing seventh-year produce.

It is forbidden to retain seventh-year produce in the house after the produce of that species has been exhausted from the field. Rather, one must remove it from the house and declare it ownerless.

As it is written: “And for your animal and for the beast that is in your land, all its produce shall be to eat.” And we derive: As long as the beast eats from the field, feed the animal in the house. But if it has been exhausted for the beast in the field, it has likewise been exhausted for your animal in the house.

The time when produce is exhausted from the field varies from place to place. Consequently, the produce of each place has its own particular time for removal.

Therefore,

one who transports seventh-year produce from a place where

it has already

been exhausted

from the field [and has already become subject to removal],

to a place where

it has not yet

been exhausted.

Or

one who transports produce

from a place where

it has not yet

been exhausted

from the field

to a place where

it has already

been exhausted.

In every case he

is obligated to remove it,

because the stringencies of the place from which it came are imposed upon him, as are the stringencies of the place to which he transported it.

If the produce was exhausted from the field in the place from which it came, then according to the fundamental law it has already become subject to removal.

And even if it was not exhausted there, but was exhausted only in the place where the produce is now located, he must remove it, so as not to deviate from the custom of this place, because of dispute.

Rabbi Yehuda says: Go out and bring some for yourself as well!

This will be explained in the Gemara.

Gemara:

We learned in the Mishna: In a place where they were accustomed not to perform labor on the eves of Pesach until midday, they may not do so.

Since it teaches “until midday,” this implies that after midday on the eve of Pesach it is forbidden by law to perform labor, and is not dependent on custom.

We ask:

Why specifically

did the tanna choose to teach us this law

with regard to the eves of Pesach

in particular?

But

even

on

the eves of Shabbat and the eves of Festivals, as well,

one may not perform labor on them.

For it was taught in a beraita: One who performs labor on the eves of Shabbat and the eves of Festivals from the afternoon offering onward will never see a sign of blessing!?

And we answer:

There,

with regard to the eves of Shabbat and Festivals,

it is only from the afternoon offering onward that it is forbidden

to perform labor—that is, from the time of the minor afternoon offering, which is nine and a half hours into the day.

But

here,

with regard to the eves of Pesach, labor is forbidden

from midday

onward, that is, from six hours into the day.

Alternatively,

there,

with regard to the eves of Shabbat and Festivals, performing labor is not an absolute prohibition; rather,

it is merely that he does not see a sign of blessing.

But

if he performed labor then,

we do not excommunicate him [we do not place him under a ban for this].

we do not place him under a ban for this].

But

here, with regard to the eves of Pesach, its prohibition is a matter of law. And if he performed labor then,

on the days before Pesach, the prohibition is a matter of law. And if he did work then,

we also excommunicate him.

The text itself: One who performs labor on the eves of Shabbat and the eves of Festivals from the afternoon offering onward.

And

one who performs labor

at the conclusion of Shabbat, at the conclusion of a Festival, and at the conclusion of Yom Kippur.

And

one who performs labor

wherever there is

“a trace [a hint]

of

of transgression,” including a communal fast

during a communal fast declared because of the withholding of rain.

In all these cases,

he will never see a sign of blessing.

The Sages taught: There is

a craftsman who is

diligent

in his work

and profits

from it.

And there is

one who is

diligent and loses

as a result of his diligence.

There is

one who is

idle [unoccupied]

from work,

and profits

from this.

And there is

one who is

idle and loses

because of his idleness.

Diligent and profits—

this is a person

who works

throughout

the entire week [all week],

the entire week]

but does not work on Friday [on the eve of Shabbat].

the day before Shabbat].

Diligent and loses—

this is a person

who works

throughout

the entire week, and also works

on

Friday.

Because of his excessive diligence he loses, and he never sees a sign of blessing.

There is one who is idle and profits—

this is one

who does not work

throughout

the entire week, and

even

does not work on Friday.

Although he does not work on the eve of Shabbat merely because of laziness, and not because of a mitzva [for he does not work during the week either], nevertheless, he receives reward for it.

As we will say shortly: “A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot even when not for their own sake, for from acting not for their own sake one comes to act for their own sake.”

And there is one who is idle and loses—

this is one

who does not work

throughout

the entire week, but works on Friday,

which is a time that causes loss.

Rava said: Those women of Mehoza,

the women who lived in the city called Mehoza [Rava’s city], who did not work on the eve of Shabbat,

although

this

not working on Friday is because of pampering [indulgence],

pampering]

it is

not because of the mitzva involved.

The proof is

that they do not work on any day either

of the week.

Even so,

they receive reward for it. And

we call them idle and profiting.

Rava raises a contradiction

between verses:

It is written

“For Your kindness is great up to the heavens.”

This implies: only up to the heavens, and no farther.

And it is written

“For Your kindness is greater than the heavens.”

This implies that it extends even beyond the heavens.

How can this be?

Rather,

here it is referring to those who perform

a mitzva

for its own sake,

whose reward is greater even than the heavens.

And here it is referring to those who perform

a mitzva

not for its own sake,

whose reward extends only up to the heavens, and no farther.

Nevertheless, they receive reward, since ultimately they performed a mitzva,

as in the statement of Rav Yehuda in the name of Rav.

For Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvot, even though

he performs them

not

for their own sake.

For from

engaging in them

not for their own sake,

he

comes

to perform them

for their own sake.

The Sages taught: One who awaits

being supported by

his wife’s earnings, and

one who expects to profit from

millstones—

will never see a sign of blessing!

And the Gemara proceeds to explain this.

His wife’s earnings

means that he does not see a sign of blessing from

a balance scale [scales], because when she takes a balance in her hand and goes through the marketplace hiring it out to all who need it, her earnings are small. Thus his wife is disgraced for the sake of a small wage.

because when she takes a scale in her hand and walks through the marketplace to rent it to everyone who needs it, her earnings are small. Thus his wife disgraces herself for a small wage.

And when it says that one who deals in

millstones does not see a sign of blessing, this means

that he deals in them

for rental [leasing]. If he purchases millstones in order to rent them out, his effort is great and his earnings are small. But one who purchases millstones in order to resell them is like any other merchant or trader.

for payment]. If he buys millstones in order to rent them out, his effort is great and his earnings are small. But if he buys millstones in order to resell them, this is like any other trade and commerce.

But

a woman who

works and sells [sells]

her handiwork—

the verses praise her.

As it is written

in the description of the woman of valor:

“She makes linens and sells them.”

The Sages taught: One who profits from

the manufacture of

reeds [thin sticks used to make fences and partitions]

thin sticks used to make fences and partitions]

and jugs will never see a sign of blessing.

And we inquire concerning this:

What is the reason?

And we answer:

Since their bulk is great [their volume is large],

their volume is large],

the evil eye affects them [the evil eye].

the evil eye].

The Sages taught: Street merchants,

who sell their merchandise in the marketplace, and upon whom the eye gazes.

And raisers of small livestock [whom everyone cries out against].

because everyone protests against them],

And those who cut down fine trees [whom everyone wonders at and denounces].

because everyone is astonished by them and speaks against them],

And

people who, when dividing property with others,

always place

their

eyes on the better portion

and insist on taking it for themselves,

each of them

will never see a sign of blessing!

What is the reason?

Because

people are astonished

[

by them,

and denounce them. As a result, the evil eye affects them.

The Sages taught: Four coins never have a sign of blessing.

And these are they:

1.

The wages of scribes [scribes].

teachers].

2.

The wages of interpreters,

who stand before the Sage on Shabbat and convey his sermon to the public.

3.

And the money of orphans.

That is, one who takes orphans’ money to conduct business with it, in order to divide the profits with them equally.

4.

And money that comes from overseas.

That is, a person who continually sends his ships to conduct business in dangerous places.

And we inquire concerning this:

Granted, the wages of interpreters

have no blessing

because the interpreter appears

to be

as

one who takes

payment

for work

on Shabbat.

And likewise, the money of

orphans, as well,

the reason is that orphans

are not capable of waiving their rights.

If he withholds any part of their share in the profits, it is theft in his possession.

And likewise,

money that comes from overseas

has no sign of blessing,

because a miracle does not occur every day.

Since he continually places his property at risk, he will ultimately suffer a loss.

But the wages of scribes—

what is the reason

that they have no sign of blessing?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:

The reason is that

the members of the Great Assembly observed twenty-four fasts concerning the scribes of Torah scrolls, phylacteries, and mezuzot,

so that

they would not become wealthy.

For had

they

become wealthy,

they would abandon their work

and would not write.

The Sages taught: The scribes of Torah scrolls, phylacteries, and mezuzot—

they, and their merchants [the merchants who sell them],

those who sell them],

and the merchants of their merchants [those who purchase them from the merchants and sell them to others],

those who buy them from the merchants and sell them to others],

and

likewise

all those engaged in sacred work—

including sellers of tekhelet

for ritual fringes—

do not see

in their wealth

a sign of blessing ever.

This is so that they will not become wealthy and abandon their work.

But if

they

engage

in this

for its own sake,

so that the mitzva will be available to all who require it,

they do see

a sign of blessing! Since they engage in the mitzva for its own sake, there is no concern that they will abandon it because of their wealth.

The people of Beit She’an

were

accustomed not to travel from Tyre to Sidon on Friday [on the eve of Shabbat]. Although Friday was market day in Sidon, they imposed this stringency upon themselves so as not to neglect the preparation of Shabbat needs.

the day before Shabbat]. Although Friday was market day in Sidon, they imposed this stringency upon themselves so as not to neglect preparing the needs of Shabbat.

Their sons came [their children]

their children]

before Rabbi Yohanan and said to him: Our fathers

adopted [our ancestors] this stringency, because

they were able

to refrain from going to the marketplace, since they were wealthy.

But

we, who are unable

to forgo the Friday marketplace in Sidon—

what

is the status of this custom of our ancestors? Are we obligated to maintain it or not?

He said to them, Rabbi Yohanan: It is forbidden for you to deviate from a custom, because

your ancestors already accepted

it

upon themselves.

As it is stated: “Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother.”

The people of Huzai were accustomed, for

they

would separate hallah from rice [rice].

rice].

They came and told Rav Yosef

this matter.

He said to them: Let a non-koen eat it in their presence!

That is, let a non-koen [one forbidden to eat hallah] eat before them the hallah that they separated from the rice. For it has no status of hallah whatsoever, since the obligation of hallah applies only to the five species of grain, and rice is not a species of grain.

Abaye challenged him

from what was taught in a beraita:

Things that are permitted, but others adopted a prohibition regarding them—