Hebrew Literature. Various

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ year is not released from payment.”

      2. The butcher who slaughtered a heifer (at the end of the Sabbatical year), and divided her head (for sale on the first of the two feast days of the new year), remains a debtor; but if he did so in an intercalary month,84 he is released (Deut. xv. 1). But if it be not an intercalary month, he is not released. He who forced, or enticed, or uttered a slander, and every act of the tribunal, have no release. “He who lent on security, or delivered his bills to the tribunal?” “There is no release for him.”

      3. The Defence85 (for the poor) has no release. This is one of the things which the old Hillel ruled. When he saw that [pg 073] the people refrained from mutual loans, and transgressed what is written in the law, “Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,”86 etc., Hillel ruled the Defence.

      4. This is the substance of the Defence, “I hand over to you judges such and such men in such a place, that every debt which belongs to me I may collect, whenever I please.” And the judges or witnesses sealed it below.

      5. The Defence written before the Sabbatical year is valid, but afterward it is disallowed. Bills written before the Sabbatical year are disallowed, but afterward they are valid. He who borrows from five persons must write a Defence for each of them. If five persons borrow from one, he writes but one Defence for all of them.

      6. Men must not write a Defence save only on ground. “If he have none?” “The lender may present him with however little from his own field.” “If he had a field in pledge in a city?” “He may write on it the Defence.” Rabbi Huzpith said, “a man may write it on the property of his wife; and for orphans on the property of their guardians.”

      7. “Beehives?” R. Eliezer said, “they are as ground, and men may write on them a Defence, and they contract no legal uncleanness in their proper place, but he who takes honey out of them on the Sabbath is liable (for a sin-offering). The Sages, however, say they are not as ground, and men must not write on them a Defence, and they do contract legal defilement in their place, and he who takes honey out of them on the Sabbath is free.”

      8. “He who paid his debt on the Sabbatical year?” “The lender must say to him, ‘I release thee.’ ” “When he said it to him?” “Even so, he may receive it from him, as is said, and this is the manner of the release.”87 It is like the slayer who was banished to the city of refuge, and the men of the city wished to honor him. He must say to them, “I am a murderer.” They say to him, “Even so.” He may receive the honor from them, as is said, “and this is the case of the slayer.”88

      9. “He who pays a debt in the Sabbatical year?” “The spirit of the Sages reposes on him.”89 “He who borrowed [pg 074] from a proselyte, when his children90 became proselytes with him?” “He need not repay his children.” “But if he repay them?” “The spirit of the Sages reposes on him.” All movables become property by acquisition; but everyone who keeps his word,

      THE SPIRIT

      OF THE SAGES

      REPOSES

      ON

      HIM.

      Note.—At the Feast of Tabernacles in the Sabbatical year, the following portions of Scripture were appointed to be read: Deut. i. 1–6; vi. 4–8; xi. 13–22; xiv. 22; xv. 23; xvii. 14; xxvi. 12–19; xxvii.; xxviii. These portions were read by the king or high priest from a wooden platform erected in the Temple. The king or the high priest usually read them sitting. King Agrippa, however, read them standing, and when he came to the words “Thou mayst not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother” (Deut. xvii. 15), “tears dropped from his eyes.” The people then cried out to encourage him, “Thou art our brother—thou art our brother.” (Sotah, vii. 8).

      [pg 075]

On The Sabbath

       Table of Contents

       Removals—Work to be Avoided—Discussion Between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel as to What Constitutes Work—Work Allowed—Lighting—Eve of the Sabbath—Cooking and Hot Water—Retention of Heat—Burdens—Ornaments—Principal and Secondary Work.

Chapter I

       Table of Contents

      1. Removals91 on the Sabbath are two. Of these removals four are inside a place. And there are two other removals, of which four are outside a place. “How?” “A beggar stands without, and the master of the house within. The beggar reached his hand within, and gave something into the hand of the master of the house, or took something from it and brought it out?” “The beggar is guilty,92 and the master of the house is free.” “The master of the house reached his hand outside and gave something into the hand of the beggar, or took something from it and brought it in?” “The master of the house is guilty, but the beggar is free.” “The beggar reached his hand within, and the master of the house took something from it, or gave something into it, and the beggar brought it out?” “Both are free.” “The master of the house reached his hand without, and the beggar took something from it, or gave something into it, and the master brought it in?” “Both are free.”

      2. A man must not sit before the barber near to evening prayer,93 until he has prayed. He must not enter a bath, nor a tannery, nor eat, nor judge. “But if they began?” “They need not cease.” They may cease to read the “Hear,”94 etc., but they must not cease to pray.

      3. A tailor must not go out with his needle near dusk,95 lest he forget and go (afterward). Nor a scribe go out with his [pg 076] pen. Nor may one search his garments. Nor shall one read at the light of the lamp. In truth they said, “the teacher may overlook when children are reading, but he himself shall not read.” Similar to him, one with an issue shall not eat with her who has an issue, because of the custom of transgression.

      4. And these following are from the decisions which they mentioned of the upper chamber of Hananiah, the son of Hezekiah, the son of Gorion, when the Sages went up to visit him. The school of Shammai was counted, and was more numerous than the school of Hillel. And eighteen matters were determined on that day.

      5. The school of Shammai said, “they must not soak ink, nor paints, nor vetches, unless they be sufficiently soaked while it is yet day.” But the school of Hillel allows it.

      6. The school of Shammai said, “they must not put bundles of flax inside the oven, except it be sufficiently steamed while it is yet day, nor wool into the boiler except it imbibe sufficient dye in the eye of day.” But the school of Hillel allow it. The school of Shammai said, “they must not spread nets for beasts, nor birds, nor fishes, except they be netted while it is yet day.” But the school of Hillel allows it.

      7. The school of Shammai said, “they must not sell to a stranger, and they must not lade his ass with him, and they must not load on him, except they have sufficient time to reach a near place before the Sabbath.” But the school of Hillel allows it.

      8. The school of Shammai said, “they must not give skins to a tanner, nor articles to a strange laundress; except they can be sufficiently done while it is yet day.” But all of them the school of Hillel allow “with the sun.”

      9. Said Rabbi Simon, the son of Gamaliel, “the СКАЧАТЬ