Hebrew Literature. Various

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      2. “Whoever brings out cord sufficient to make an ear for a tub, bulrush sufficient to hang the sieve and the riddle?” Rabbi Judah said, “sufficient to take from it the measure of a child's shoe; paper sufficient to write on it the signature of the taxgatherers; erased paper sufficient to wrap round a small bottle of balm—is guilty” (of death).

      3. Leather sufficient for an amulet; parchment polished on both sides, sufficient to write a sign for a door-post; vellum sufficient to write on it a small portion, which is in phylacteries, that is, “Hear, O Israel;” ink sufficient to write two letters; kohl123 sufficient to paint one eye.

      4. Bird-lime sufficient to put on the top of a perch; pitch or sulphur to fill a hole; wax sufficient to fill the mouth of a small hole; brick-clay sufficient to make a mouth of a crucible bellows for goldsmiths—Rabbi Judah says, “sufficient to make a crucible stand;” bran sufficient to put on the mouth of a crucible blow-pipe for goldsmiths; ointment sufficient to anoint the little finger of girls—Rabbi Judah says, “sufficient to make the hair grow;” Rabbi Nehemiah says, “to freshen the temple.”

      [pg 085]

      5. Red earth “as the seal of merchants”—the words of R. Akiba; but the Sages say, “as the seal of letters;” dung and fine sand, “sufficient to manure a cabbage stalk,”—the words of Rabbi Akiba; but the Sages say, “sufficient to manure a leek;” coarse sand sufficient to put on a full lime-hod; a reed sufficient to make a pen. “But if it be thick or split?” “sufficient to boil with it a hen's egg easy (to be cooked) among eggs, mixed with oil and put in a pan.”

      6. A bone sufficient to make a spoon—Rabbi Judah said, “sufficient to make the ward of a key;” glass sufficient to scrape the top of a shuttle; a lump of earth or a stone sufficient to fling at a bird; Rabbi Eliezer said, “sufficient to fling at a beast.”

      7. “A potsherd?” “Sufficient to put between two beans,”—the words of Rabbi Judah; Rabbi Meier says, “sufficient to take away fire with it;” Rabbi José says, “sufficient to receive in it the fourth of a log.” Said Rabbi Meier, “Although there is no visible proof of the matter, there is an indication of the matter, as is said, ‘there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth.’ ”124 Rabbi José said to him, “thence is the visible proof, ‘or to take water out of the pit.’ ”125

      [pg 086]