Pt2 The ‘Eighteen Decrees’: A Foundational Rabbinic Story, and a Case Study in Formatting a Yerushalmi Sugya for Literary Structure (Yerushalmi Shabbat 1:4)

This is the second part of a three-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series can be found at Part 1.

Non-Jews’ bread (#6)

#6

R’ Yaakov bar Aḥa citing R’ Yonatan - the rule about non-Jewish bread belongs to “practices of obfuscation” (a softened / qualified rule)

פיתן.

רבי יעקב בר אחא, בשם רבי יונתן:

מהלכות שלעימעום היא.

Their bread.¹

R’ Yaakov bar Aḥa in the name of R’ Yonatan:

this is of the practices of obfuscation²

R’ Yosei - Questions what that “obfuscation” means: whether the original tendency was to forbid and then permit, or the reverse

אמר רבי יוסה:

קשייתה קומי רבי יעקב בר אחא.

מהו מהלכות שלעימעום?

• כך אנו אומרים: במקום שפת ישראל מצויה, בדין היה שתהא פת גוים אסורה, ועמעמו עליה והתירוה?

• או: במקום שאין פת ישראל מצויה, בדין היה שתהא פת גוים מותרת, ועימעמו עליה ואסרוה?

R’ Yosei said:

I asked before R’ Yaakov bar Aḥa:

What means “of the practices of obfuscation?

• Do we say: at a place where Jewish bread is available, it is logical that non-Jew bread should be forbidden, and they obfuscated about it and permitted it?

• Or: at a place where Jewish bread is not available, it would be logical that non-Jew bread should be permitted, and they obfuscated about it and forbade it?

R’ Mana - Rejects the idea of “obfuscation toward prohibition” and concludes that where Jewish bread is unavailable, non-Jewish bread was technically forbidden but was leniently allowed for basic sustenance

אמר רבי מנא:

ויש עימעום לאיסור?

ופת לאו תבשילי גוים הוא?

R’ Mana said:

is there any obfuscation for prohibition?

But is bread not like cooking of non-Jews?³

כך אנו אומרים:

במקום שאין תבשילי ישראל מצויין --

בדין היה שיהו תבשילי גוים מותרין.

Are we saying:

At a place where no Jewish cooking is available --

it would be logical that non-Jewish cooking should be permitted?

ועימעמו עליהן ואסרום.

אלא כיני:

במקום שאין פת ישראל מצויה --

בדין היה שתהא פת גוים אסורה.

ועימעמו עליה והתירוה

מפני חיי נפש.

But it must be the following:⁴

At a place where Jewish bread is not available --

it would be logical that non-Jew bread should be forbidden

and they obfuscated about it and permitted it

because of the necessities of life (חיי נפש).

Rabbis of Caesarea citing R’ Yaakov b. Aḥa - the lenient view applies only to bread from a professional baker, though in practice people did not rely on it

רבנן דקיסרין, בשם רבי יעקב בר אחא:

כדברי מי שהוא מתיר.

ובלבד מן הפלטר.

ולא עבדין כן.

The rabbis of Caesarea in the name of R’ Yaakov bar Aḥa:

Following the words of him who was permitting,

but only from the store⁵

but one does not do this.

Those present before R’ Ḥiyya the Elder citing R’ Shimon ben Yohai - Derives from “food you may buy … and water” that only items unchanged from their natural state are included in the lenient scriptural model (#7)

#7

אמרון קומי רבי חייה רובא:

תני רבי שמעון בן יוחי כן:

“אוכל תשברו מאתם בכסף ואכלתם

וגם מים תכרו מאתם וגו׳”

• מה מים

  • שלא נשתנו מברייתן

• אף כל דבר

  • שלא נשתנה מברייתו.

They said before the Elder R’ Ḥiyya:

R’ Shimon ben Yoḥai stated thus (Deuteronomy 2:6):

Food you shall buy from them [=Edomites] with money and eat,

and also water you may acquire, etc.

• As water

  • is not changed from its natural state,

• so anything

  • which was not changed from its natural state.

Baraita - certain processed non-Jewish foods such as beans, roasted grain, and hot water are nevertheless permitted

התיבון:

הרי

1. מוטלייה

2. ופנקריסים

3. וקובטיות

4. וקליות

5. וחמין

שלהן --

הרי אילו מותרין.

They objected:

Are there not their

1. dry beans,

2. פנקריסין⁶

3. and קובטיות,⁷

4. roasted grain,

5. and hot water

Permitted?

Resolution of that objection - most of those foods can revert to their original state by soaking, which explains their permissibility

ניחא כולהן

שהן יכולין להשרות

ולהחזר כמו שהיו.

One understands all of these

because they can be soaked

and return to their former state.

R’ Yosei b. Avin citing Rav - Any food edible raw is not subject to the prohibition of non-Jewish cooking, and may also be used for eruv tavshilin

קליות מה?

אמר רבי יוסי בירבי בון, בשם רב:

כל אוכל שהוא נאכל חי כמות שהוא --

אין בו משום תבשילי גוים

ויוצאין בו משום עירובי תבשילין.

What about roasted grain?

R’ Yosei ben R’ Avin in the name of Rav said:

Any food which can be eaten alone raw --

is not in the category of non-Jew cooking

And one may use it for eruv tavshilin.

R’ Ḥiyya the Elder - Reinterprets the verse pragmatically: “buy with food”; feed or pay an influential person in order to win him over

מה מקיים רבי חייא רובא “אוכל תשברו מאתם”?

באוכל תשברו.

האכלתו שברתו.

• שאם היה קשה עליך --

  • כאוכל תשברו.

• ואם לאו --

  • הכרע עליו כסף.

How does R’ Ḥiyya explain food you shall buy from them?

You shall buy with food.

If you fed him you bought him.

• If he causes you trouble --

  • buy him with food

• or otherwise --

  • ply (הכרע) him with him money.

Anecdote re R’ Yonatan - sent honor-gifts to important visitors, so he could later mollify them in cases involving orphans or widows

אמרין:

כן הוה רבי יונתן עבד:

כד הוה חמי בר נש רב עליל לקרתיה --

הוה משלח ליה איקרין.

מיי אמר?

דאין הוה דיין דייתם או דיין דארמלה --

נישכח אפין מפייסיה עלוי.

They said:

that is what R’ Yonatan did:

When he saw that a superior came to his town --

he sent him an honor gift⁸

What did he say?

If a suit involving an orphan or a widow came --

he would have a way to mollify him.

Non-Jews’ cheese (#8)

#8

R’ Yirmiyah - the prohibition of non-Jewish milk is due to fear of admixture from non-kosher animals

גבינתן.

אמר רבי ירמיה:

חלב הגוי למה הוא אסור?

משום תערובת בהמה טמיאה.

Their cheese.⁹

R’ Yirmiyah said:

why is a non-Jew’s milk forbidden?¹⁰

Because of admixture from forbidden animals.

ותני כן:

עומד הוא ישראל בעדר והגוי חולב ומביא לו ואינו חושש.

It was stated so:

“There is nothing to worry if the Jew stands with the herd while the non-Jew milks and brings to him.”

R’ Abba citing Rav Yehuda; R’ Shimon citing R’ Yehoshua ben Levi - a different reason for forbidding non-Jewish milk: danger from uncovered liquids

רבי בא, בשם רב יהודה:

רבי סימון, בשם רבי יהושע בן לוי:

חלב הגוי למה הוא אסור?

משום גילוי.

R’ Abba in the name of Rav Yehuda,

R’ Shimon in the name of R’ Yehoshua ben Levi:

Why is a non-Jew’s milk forbidden?

Because of uncovering¹¹

R’ Shmuel b. Yitzḥak - why making cheese would not solve the problem: poison could remain trapped between the holes

ויעמיד?

אמר רבי שמואל בר רב יצחק:

מפני אירס הנתון בין הנקבים.

Let him make cheese!

R’ Samuel ben Rav Isaac said:

because of the poison (אירס) left between the holes.

Baratia - Three types of poison: one that floats, one that sinks, and one that spreads like a net on top

ותני כן:

שלשה אירסין הן:

1. אחד צף

2. ואחד שוקע

3. ואחד עשוי כשבכה ועומד מלמעלה.

It was stated so:

There are 3 kinds of poison:

1. one swims,

2. one sinks down,

3. and one is similar to a net on top.

Anecdote from the era of R’ Yirmiyah - used to illustrate the danger of “sinking poison”: early drinkers survived, later ones died

בימוי דרבי ירמיה, איתגליין גיגייתא דסדרה רובא.

שתון קדמאי, ולא מייתון.

אחראי, ומייתון.

In the days of R’ Yirmiyah, the jugs (גיגייתא) of the Great Assembly (סדרה רובא) were uncovered.

The first ones drank and did not die.

The later ones died.

אני אומר:

אירס שוקע הוה.

I say:

it was sinking poison.

פועלייא הוו בטורא.

איתגליית קולתה דמיא.

שתון קדמאי, ולא מייתון.

אחראי ומייתון.

Workers were in the field.

The water pitcher was uncovered.

The first ones drank, and did not die.

The later ones died.

אני אומר:

אירס שוקע הוה.

I say:

it was sinking poison.

Rule on uncovered liquids - Oil, vinegar, brine, fish sauce, and honey are not subject to the danger of uncovered liquids - a list of 5 items (#9)

#9

1. השמן

2. והחומץ

3. הציר

4. והמורייס

5. והדבש --

אין בהן משום גילוי.

“Uncovering is not a danger for

1. oil

2. and vinegar,

3. brine,

4. and muries,

5. and honey,

R’ Shimon - Takes a stricter view on the danger of uncovered substances; the rabbis agree with him when pecking (by an animal) is observed

ורבי שמעון אוסר.

מודין חכמים לרבי שמעון כשראו אותו נוקר.

but R’ Shimon forbids.

The rabbis agree with R’ Shimon when it was seen pecking.”

Baraita - Even after several people already ate from a pecked watermelon or drank from uncovered wine, it remains forbidden for later users because poison may have sunk lower

ותני כן:

אבטיח שניקר, ואכלו ממנו עשרה בני אדם

וכן יין שנתגלה, ושתו ממנו עשרה בני אדם --

אסור לוכל ולשתות אחריהן.

It was stated thus:

“If a watermelon was pecked, and 10 people ate from it

or wine was uncovered, and 10 people drank from it,

it is forbidden to eat or drink after them;

אני אומר:

אירס שוקע היה.

I say:

there was sinking poison.”

1. On this prohibition in general, see Wikipedia, “Pas Yisroel“, and Hebrew Wikipedia, “פת עכו”ם“.

And see the Mishnah (Avodah Zarah 2:6 = Avodah Zarah 35b#9):

ואלו דברים של גוים אסורין

ואין איסורן איסור הנאה:

1. חלב שחלבו גוי, ואין ישראל רואהו,

2. והפת והשמן שלהן.

This Mishnah lists items belonging to non-Jews which it is prohibited to consume, but from which it is permitted to derive benefit.

And these are items that belong to non-Jews and are prohibited,

but their prohibition is not that of an item from which deriving benefit is prohibited:

1. Milk that was milked by a non-Jew, and a Jew did not see him performing this action,

2. and their bread and oil.

2. עימעום.

On this word, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “עִימְעוּם”:

(עִמְעֵם)

obscuring or suppressing the law, irregular measure passed in an emergency.

• Jerusalem Talmud Sheviit 8:4:2; Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah 2:8:4, and elsewhere - מהלכות של עימעום - “one of the regulations passed in an emergency (contrary to the real law)”

• Ibid. - ויש עימעום לאיסור - “dare you pass a prohibitory measure (contrary to law)?!”

• Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat 1:4:6

(also עִימּוּם).

3. תבשילי גוים.

On this prohibition in general, see Wikipedia, “Bishul Yisrael“, and Hebrew Wikipedia, “בישולי גויים“.

4. כיני.

On this standard formulaic word in the Yerushalmi, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “כֵּן”:

כֵּינִי = כין הי it is so; (interrogative) is it so, indeed?!

• Jerusalem Talmud Peah 2:4:4 - וכיני אלא כיני - “is that so?! (No,) but it is thus.”

• Ibid. 3, 17c top - כ׳ (insert מתניתא);

• ibid. 2, beginning: 16d - כיני מתניתא (not ב׳) - “so is the Mishnah to be read”

• Yerushalmi Bava Metzia 3, beginning: 9a - וְאִין כיני - “but if this be so;”

• and frequently.

5. פלטר - from Greek.

See Jastrow, entry “פַּלְטֵר II”:

(πωλητήρ [pōlētḗr, see politís - “seller, vendor“], πωλητήριον [politrión])

shop-keeper, especially seller of bakers’ ware; shop, especially bakery-shop.

6. On this word, see Jastrow (modernized) that it’s possibly either caper-fruit or apricots:

אַפַּנְקְרִיסִין

(transposition of קַפְרִיסִין, with נ inserted) caper-fruit.

• Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat 3:1:11 top א׳ Arukh (ed. פ׳).

• Ibid. I, 3c bottom of page פנקריסים (read … ין);

• Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah 2:8:5 פ׳. [In parallel places קַפְרִיסִין q. see]

פַּנְקְרִיסִין

(πάγχρυσος [pán-chrysos]) [all-gold,] name of a fruit, prob. apricots.

• Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 1:8:8 top יפה מפ׳ וכ׳ … better were the late fruits … than the apricots etc.; ibid. IX, 24b bottom of page; (Jerusalem Talmud Peah 7:3:9 bottom of page מפרסקין).

• Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat 3:1:11 וטעמן יפה כפ׳ and their taste was as delicious as that of apricots; Jerusalem Talmud Terumot 2:1:20 bottom of page (correct accordingly).

• Yerushalmi Avodah Zarah II, 41d פ׳ … שלהן apricots pressed by non-Jews (probably to be read, as Bavli Avodah Zarah 38b; Tosefta Avodah Zarah 4 (Tosefta Avodah Zarah 5:11 קַפְרִיסִין).

Compare Bavli, Avodah Zarah 38b#7:

תנו רבנן:

1. הקפריסין,

2. והקפלוטות,

3. והמטליא,

4. והחמין,

5. והקליות שלהן —

מותרין

§ The Talmud continues to discuss the halakhic status of various foods with regard to the prohibition against eating the cooking of non-Jews.

A baraita states:

1. Caper buds [kafrisin],

2. and leeks [kaflotot],

3. and matalya,

4. and hot water,

5. and roasted grains that belong to non-Jews and were cooked by them —

are permitted.

ביצה צלויה —

אסורה

An egg roasted by a non-Jew —

is prohibited.

7. On this word, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “קוּבְטָאוֹת”:

(קבט, see קָבוּט) pressed or pickled substances, sauces etc.

• Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah 2:8:5 ק׳ … שלהן sauces (or pickles) prepared by gentiles;

• Tosefta Avodah Zarah 4 (Tosefta Avodah Zarah 5:11 קַפְטָאוֹת ed. Zuckermandel (Variant קפאטיות, missing in oth. eds.);

• Bavli Avodah Zarah 38b קפלוטות (?).

• Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 3:2:5 ק׳ בירתייות וכ׳ sauces from Birtha must be removed before Passover (on account of an admixture of leavened matter); compare פְּלוּלִינַיָּא.

8. איקרין.

On this word, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “אִיקָר”:

(= Hebrew:יְקָר, see אִי־) honor, glory.

• Aramaic Targum to Proverbs 11:16; and frequently.

• Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 1:1:27 איקרִי וכ׳ my honor counts for nothing before the honor of my Maker.

• Ibid. 2, 4b מה את פליג ליה איקר (not אתפליג) what honor do you pay it (by passing by)?;

• Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 2:5:4

• Jerusalem Talmud Peah 8:8:13 - פרנסה דאיקר an honorable livelihood.

• Jerusalem Talmud Chagigah 1:8:6 - איגרא דאיקר, see אִיגְּרָא.

Plural: אִיקְרִין presents, greetings.

• Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah 2:8:7 (some ed. איקלין).

9. On this prohibition in general, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “חלב נוכרי”, section “גבינת נוכרי“.

10. On this prohibition in general, see Wikipedia, “Chalav Yisrael“. And see the Mishnah in tractate Avodah Zarah cited in an earlier footnote.

11. גילוי.

On this concept in general, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “משקים שנתגלו“. And see my intro to “Pt1 Uncovered Liquids and Ritual Boundaries: Gentile Wine and the Risk of Snake Venom (Avodah Zarah 30a-31b)“. In general, note that there are a number of parallels between passages in the Yerushalmi here, and in that Bavli sugya there.

The rabbinic sources - especially the Bavli - indicate that the danger of uncovered food and liquid is due to snake poison. However, from a modern scientific perspective, it's likely that the anecdotes of people dying from ingesting such edibles was in fact due to harmful bacteria, which is especially common in stale (ie non-fresh) and unsealed liquid and food.