Shabbat 156a (קנו.) — the Talmud in English

Rav Ḥisda said:

It is Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda’s.

And this is speaking of a case where he kneads in an unusual manner [as it explains it below]. Since he is liable only for kneading, once the kneading is performed in an unusual manner, there is no prohibition of kneading. But according to Rabbi, who holds that one is liable for the mere placing of the water, changing the manner of kneading is ineffective. For even without kneading at all, he is liable.

And this applies

only when it is permitted:

it

is specifically where

he changes the manner

and kneads in a manner unlike that in which he kneads during the week. Since he is not kneading in the usual manner, it is permitted.

We raised a difficulty concerning this:

How does he change the manner?

Rav Ḥisda said:

He kneads

little by little

[in small amounts].

And all agree

that everyone concedes

that one may stir

with a spoon

the shetita

[a mixture of flour, water, oil, and salt] in vinegar

on Shabbat.

Even Rabbi, who holds that one is liable for placing water alone, permits this, since he makes a change in the very act of placing the water, as explained below.

And

everyone concedes

that one may drink Egyptian zitum

on Shabbat. It is not prohibited because of the rabbinic decree against medicine, since it is a beverage even when it is not being used as medicine. And we learned in the Mishna: “All beverages a person drinks for medicinal purposes on Shabbat.”

And we challenge this: How can it be permitted to stir the shetita? Surely this is kneading,

and you said

that according to Rabbi

“one may not knead.”

And we answer:

It is not difficult. This

case, in which one may not knead, is

with

thick

dough.

And

this

case, in which one stirs the shetita, is

with

thin

dough.

There is no prohibition of kneading with a thin mixture.

And this is also the ruling according to Rabbi. But according to Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, it is permitted even with a thick mixture when done with a change .

And this applies

only when it is permitted:

it

is specifically where

he changes the manner,

and stirs in a manner unlike his usual practice.

We raised a difficulty concerning this:

How does he change the manner?

Rav Yosef said: During the week

his practice is that he

places the vinegar, and then places the shetita. But on Shabbat

he changes this, and

places the shetita, and then places the vinegar.

Levi, son of Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya, encountered

on Shabbat

the one who kneaded for the household of the Nasi

[his father’s cattle keeper, who prepared their food],

kneading

bran with water by means of a change,

and feeding

[it]

to his ox

[to his ox].

Levi struck

[rebuked]

him

Levi.

Rav Huna,

Levi’s

father

came,

and found him

rebuking the kneader.

He said to him: Behold, your mother’s father said in the name of Rav—

and who was he?

Levi’s maternal grandfather,

Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba,

was—

one may knead

the bran on Shabbat, but

one may not feed

the animal with it. And so we learned in our Mishna: “One may not stuff calves.”

And

a young calf

that

has not yet learned to eat on its own, and

does not pick up

food with its tongue,

may be force-fed

[stuffed]

it.

And this applies

when one kneads bran,

it

is specifically where

he changes the manner

of kneading.

How does he change the manner?

Rav Yemar bar Shelamya said in the name of Abaye:

He kneads it

warp and woof.

One time he moves the stick lengthwise, and one time crosswise.

We object:

But the bran does not mix

with the water

well

in this manner.

Rather,

Rav Yehuda said: He shakes it in a vessel.

It mixes on its own, without his kneading it with his hands. This is the change.

It was written in Ze’iri’s notebook: I asked

I asked

before Rabbi—

and who was he?

Ze’iri’s teacher,

Rabbi Ḥiyya—

and I asked him:

What is the ruling concerning kneading

on Shabbat?

And

Rabbi Ḥiyya

said

to me: It is prohibited .

And I asked him again:

What is the ruling concerning separating

on Shabbat food from a vessel placed before one animal and putting it before another animal?

And

he said

to me: It is permitted.

We do not say that this is handling an item not fit for use; rather, it is certainly fit for use, since an animal does not reject food taken from before another animal .

Rav Menashya said:

The amount

one

that people ordinarily give one animal during the week, they may give on Shabbat

before one

animal. And likewise

two

measures

before two

animals,

it is properly fitting

and they may give this amount even on Shabbat. But to give

three

measures

before two

animals is

prohibited.

Since even during the week people do not give such a large amount, this is unnecessary exertion, and it is prohibited on Shabbat. And certainly, giving two measures before one animal is prohibited.

Rav Yosef said:

It is permitted to increase the measure of food and place before the animal

a kav, and even two kavs.

Ulla said:

It is permitted to place before it even

a kor, and even two kors.

It was written in Levi’s notebook: I asked before Rabbi—

and who was he?

his teacher,

Rabbeinu HaKadosh—

and I asked him

about

what

people were kneading

in Babylonia

shetita.

And

Rabbi cried out—

and who was he? Rabbeinu HaKadosh—

because people were kneading shetita,

and he rebuked them for it.

But there was no one

who

would heed him,

and they did not accept his words.

And he had no power to prohibit

[he did not have the authority to prohibit entirely] the kneading of shetita,

because of

the fact that

Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda

permitted it. For he permitted kneading even a thick mixture by means of a change, and all the more so shetita, which is thin.

It was written in Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s notebook: This

one who

is born

on the first day

[Sunday],

will be a man, and no single trait will characterize him.

That is, he will be a complete person with regard to one trait, and will not possess even one other trait.

We raised a difficulty concerning this:

What does “and no single trait will characterize him” mean?

If you say

that he will be entirely evil and

not

possess even

one

trait

for the good

[any good trait], this cannot be said.

For

Rav Ashi said: I was born on the first day

[of the week], and certainly he possessed many good traits.

Rather, no,

it means that he will be entirely good and will not possess even

one

trait

for the evil

[a bad trait]. This too cannot be said.

For

Rav Ashi said: Dimi bar Kakuzta and I were born

[on the same day]

on the first day. I

became

a king

[the head of the academy],

while he

[bar Kakuzta]

became the leader of thieves.

For anyone born on the first day becomes a leader, just as this day is the beginning of the work of Creation. We learn from this that both righteous people and wicked people are born on that day.

Rather, this is what he said: One who is born on the first day,

either

if

[or]

all

his traits are

for the good

[good traits],

or all

his traits are

for the evil

[bad traits].

And what is the reason?

Because

they were created

on that day

light and darkness.

This is an allusion to the righteous and the wicked. Maharshal does not have this passage in his version of the text.

This one who

is born

on the second day

[Monday]

will be an irritable man.

What is the reason?

Because the waters were divided on it.

On the second day of Creation, God separated the upper waters from the lower waters. Likewise, a person born on that day will separate himself from the company of people.

This one who

is born

on the third day

[Tuesday]

will be wealthy

[rich]

and promiscuous

and will engage in promiscuity

he will be.

What is the reason?

Because on it

on that day

the vegetation

was created. And it is written concerning it: “Let the earth produce vegetation.” Vegetation reproduces and multiplies greatly, and is quick to grow. This corresponds both to wealth and to promiscuity.

Furthermore, “according to its kinds” is not written concerning the vegetation. Rather, it emerges in a mixture, with each plant drawing nourishment from the others.

This one who

is born

on the fourth day will be wise and radiant

[his face will shine; and the Arukh explained that he will possess a good memory].

What is the reason?

Because the luminaries were suspended on it

on that day. And it is written: “And Torah is light.”

This one who

is born

on the fifth day will be a man who performs acts of kindness.

What is the reason?

Because fish and birds were created on it.

They do not labor for their food. Rather, they are sustained through the kindness of the Holy One, blessed be He.

This one who

is born

on the eve of Shabbat

[Friday]

will be a persistent man.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:

What does

“persistent” mean?

He pursues

mitzvot.

For it is the practice of people on the eve of Shabbat to pursue the mitzvot of Shabbat.

This one who

is born

on Shabbat—

he will

ultimately

die on Shabbat, because

of the fact

that they profaned

[violated]

upon him

at his birth

the great day of Shabbat.

Rava bar Rav Sheila said: And

that person

will be called a great holy one.

He will be withdrawn and holy, as it is written concerning Shabbat: “And He sanctified it.”

Rabbi Ḥanina said to them

to the students who had seen all this in Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s notebook:

Go out

[leave] and

tell the son of Levi

[Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi]:

It is not the constellation of the day

on which he was born

that causes

a person’s future;

rather, it is the constellation of the hour

in which he was born that causes it.

For there are seven constellations in the firmament that serve one after another, each for one hour, and then repeat in a cycle. They are: the sun, Venus, Mercury, the moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. At the beginning of each hour, another constellation begins to serve.

And

this one who

is born

in

the hour of the constellation of

the sun will be a radiant man.

His face will shine as the sun illuminates the world.

He will eat from his own and drink from his own,

and will not need others, like the sun, which shines only during the hours appointed for it and does not encroach upon the domain of the night.

And his secrets will be revealed

[all his secrets will be exposed], like the sun, which is visible to all. Therefore,

if he is a thief, he will not succeed

in concealing his act of theft.

This one who

is born

in

the hour of

the constellation of Venus will be wealthy, and will be promiscuous.

What is the reason?

Because

there was born

in him

under the constellation of Venus

a fire

[of passion]. Therefore, the desire for sexual relations burns within him like an oven.

This one who

is born

in

the hour of the constellation of

Mercury will be radiant and wise. Because

Mercury

is the sun’s scribe.

For Mercury is the planet closest to the sun, and revolves around it in only eighty-eight days.

Therefore, he is considered as though he were the scribe of the sun’s mazel, recording its course and its seasons, since it is always present with him.

This one who

was born

at

the time of the mazel

of the moon, let the man be

one who suffers misfortune

[one who suffers troubles]. Like the moon, which continually wanes.

And let him be

a builder and a destroyer, a destroyer and a builder [he will build and demolish, and demolish and build again]. Like the moon, which waxes and wanes, and this cycle repeats.

[he will build and demolish, and demolish and build again]. Like the moon, which grows and diminishes, repeatedly.

And let him be

one who eats

from what is

not his and drinks what is not his,

but from that of others. Like the moon, which encroaches upon the domain of the sun in order to rule even during the day.

And his secrets will be concealed.

He will succeed in concealing his secrets, like the moon, which does not shine so brightly. Therefore,

if he is a thief, he will succeed

in this, because his deeds will not be revealed.

This one who

was born

at

the time of the mazel

of Saturn, let the man’s thoughts be nullified.

Because “Saturn” governs the beginning of the day of Shabbat, and it is appointed over the destruction and cessation of everything, as work is forbidden on Shabbat [Maharsha].

And some say: all

thoughts

that

others

think concerning him

will be

nullified.

This one who

was born

at

the time of the mazel

of Jupiter, let the man be righteous.

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said:

And “righteous” means

righteous in mitzvot.

That is, in the mitzva of charity to the poor.

This one who

was born

at

the time of the mazel

of Mars, let the man be one who sheds blood [

one who spills blood].

Rav Ashi said:

What does “one who sheds blood” mean? —

Either [

or]

a bloodletter,

one who lets blood;

or a thief,

one who kills people;

or a slaughterer [

one who slaughters];

or a circumciser.

For it was decreed upon him only that he shed blood. The choice is his whether to use this power for mitzvot or for a prohibition [Maharsha].

Rabba said: I was born under the mazel of Mars [

I was born]. Am I then one who sheds blood?

He

said

to him, Abיי:

No. For

you too punish and kill

people who transgress your words.

It was stated: Rabbi Hanina says: the mazel makes one wise; the mazel makes one wealthy.

For a person’s wisdom and wealth are determined according to the mazel under which he was born.

And there is mazel

even

for Israel.

And prayer and charity do not alter the mazel.

Rabbi Yohanan said: There is no mazel for Israel.

Through prayer and merits, Israel’s mazel is changed for the better.

And Rabbi Yohanan follows his own reasoning. For Rabbi Yohanan said: From where is it derived that there is no mazel for Israel? —

As it is stated: “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens, for the nations are terrified by them.”

From here

they,

the nations,

are terrified [

they fear] by the constellations of the heavens. But

not

are they terrified by them,

Israel.

And Rav also held: There is no mazel for Israel.

For Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: From where is it derived that there is no mazel for Israel? —

As it is stated

concerning Abraham:

“And He took him outside,

and said, ‘Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them’; and He said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’”

What does “and He took him outside” mean? [For according to its plain meaning, that He took him outside, this is difficult. For it occurred in a vision, and why was it necessary to take him outside? He could have shown it to him even inside his tent. Maharsha.]

For Abraham said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, the member of my household [

Eliezer]

will inherit me?

He said to him: No.

“But the one who will emerge from your innards”

will inherit you.

Abraham

said

before Him:

Master of the Universe,

I have looked into my astrology [

the wisdom of the constellations]

and

I saw that according to my mazel

I am not destined to father a son.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Leave your astrology.

Because

there is no mazel for Israel. [

For “Abram” has no son, but “Abraham” has a son. “Sarai” will not give birth, but “Sarah” will give birth. Rashi, Genesis 15:1.]