Shabbat 85b — the Talmud in English

And we answer:

It is a decree lest he fill the corners.

And we raise an objection: What does it matter to us if he fills the place of the corners? For the seeds of the two garden beds do not actually become intermingled; rather, there is a distinction that they belong to two separate garden beds, since the borders empty of seeds surround each garden bed separately.

And since the garden beds are recognizable as separate, if so

the proximity

of a seed found in the corner of one garden bed to its fellow in the other garden bed

only

like the entering of

a “head of a row",

of a field

of vegetables

into another field in which there are seeds of a different species, which are not forbidden on account of kilayim. [A “head of a row” is the shape of the edge of a field, which appears as a pointed projection, and if it projects into another field, it is recognizable that it is not of the field into which it enters].

Did we not learn: If a head of a row of vegetables enters into another field —

it is permitted, because the head of the row is seen

and it is recognizable that it is

the end of a field

of another field.

And we answer:

There is no

significance of

a “head of a row” in a garden bed

that enters into another garden bed. For garden beds that enter into one another, because of their smallness it is not recognizable that there is here the entry of a head of a row of one garden bed into the other; rather, they appear intermingled.

And Shmuel said:

It is permitted to sow

a garden bed between the garden beds —

we learned.

And we raise an objection:

But they become intermingled

the garden beds

with one another,

for there is nothing between them except the width of the borders, which is only two handbreadths?

And we answer:

When one row is inclined

that is in this garden bed

to this side, and a row

that is in the second garden bed

to this side.

That is, the rows in the garden beds are made perpendicular to one another, and they are recognizable, because he does not fill the place of the corners.

Ulla said, they asked in the West: If he dug up

and sowed

one furrow across all of it

of the garden bed, from side to side through its middle, including the seed in the middle —

what is the law?

Does the designation “garden bed” become nullified with regard to this garden bed because of that furrow [and the practical consequence is regarding the head of a row]?

Rav Sheshet said: The intermingling came

of the furrow

and nullified

the entire

row,

and it does not have the law of a garden bed.

Rav Asi said: Its intermingling

of one furrow

does not nullify the row.

Ravina raised an objection to Rav Ashi:

One who plants

in a large field

two rows of cucumbers, two rows of pumpkins, and two rows of Egyptian beans —

it is permitted

despite the fact that there is no difference in the measure of their nourishment. Since two rows appear as a field in its own right, and there is a distinction of separation between the fields.

But one who plants

one row of cucumbers, one row of pumpkins, and one row of Egyptian beans —

it is forbidden!

Since they become intermingled without the difference between the rows being recognizable.

And it is proven that one row [one furrow] is considered intermingling, and why does it not nullify the row in a garden bed?

And we answer:

Here it is different,

in the case of cucumbers and pumpkins —

for there are tendrils,

long branches that become intermingled, and the difference between the rows is not recognizable.

Rav Kahana said that Rabbi Yohanan said: One who wishes to fill his entire garden

with many types of

vegetables —

makes

his entire garden

a garden bed,

a square garden bed, in every square garden bed

six by six

handbreadths.

And he makes a circle in it,

he sows in every garden bed in the form of a circle whose diameter is

five

handbreadths.

And since the center of the garden bed is sown in a circular form, which is a form recognizable in its own right, from now on he can sow other seeds around the circle, since they are recognizable as separate from the circle,

and he fills its corners —

whatever he wishes.

And we raise an objection: Granted that in the garden bed itself he can sow other seeds around the circle, but since he fills his entire garden with such garden beds, how is he permitted to sow different species in separate garden beds?

But there are

different seeds that are kilayim growing in the spaces

between and among them

between the garden beds without a separate distinction!?

And we answer:

They said in the academy of Rabbi Yannai: It is when he lays waste,

for indeed he does not sow around the circles, and it follows that there is no intermingling of species

in the spaces between.

Rav Ashi said: If they were sown

in one garden bed around the circle in the form of

two —

he sows them

in the other garden bed

mixed.

And if they were sown in one garden bed

mixed —

he sows them

in the second garden bed

two.

And in this manner the difference between them is recognizable.

Ravina raised an objection to Rav Ashi:

The measure of

“the work of vegetables”

that one must leave free space for its work around it, to distance its fellow from it so that vegetables should not become intermingled

with other vegetables —

a garden bed of

six

by six

handbreadths,

and in it are five seeds.