Pt2 The Talmudic Sugya of Remedies (Gittin 69a-b)

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

Nose

Remedies for Nosebleed (69a, #4-7)

Remedies for Nosebleed (דמא דאתי מנחירא):

לדמא דאתי מנחירא –

As a remedy for a nosebleed —

Option 1

Have a priest named Levi write his name in reverse (למפרע).

ליתי גברא כהן דשמיה לוי,

וליכתוב ליה לוי למפרע

let the patient bring a man named “Levi” who is a priest,

and that man should write for the patient the name “Levi” backward.

Option 2

Have an ordinary man (איניש מעלמא) write: "I am Pappi Sheila bar Summakei" (פפי שילא בר סומקי)¹ in reverse.

ואי לא –

ליתי איניש מעלמא,

וניכתוב ליה:

״אנא פפי שילא בר סומקי״ –

למפרע

And if the patient is not able do this

let him bring an ordinary man,

and let that man write for the patient the following expression: “I am Pappi Sheila bar Summakei”

And that man should also write this backward.

Option 3

Write: "The taste of a bucket with silver water, the taste of a bucket with tainted (פגם) water."

ואי לא –

ניכתוב ליה הכי:

• טעם דלי במי כסף,

• טעם דלי במי פגם

And if he is not able to do this

let that man write for the patient like this:

• Taste from a bucket in silver water,

• taste from a bucket in tainted water.

Option 4

Burn the following and use the ash:

1. Root of fodder (אספסתא)

2. Rope (אשלא) from an old bed

3. Papyrus (קורטסא)²

4. Saffron (מוריקי)

5. Red palm (לוליבא)

Spin wool into two strings, soak (לטמיש) in vinegar and the ash (קיטמא) from previous step, and place in nostrils.

ואי לא –

ליתי

1. עיקרא דאספסתא,

2. ואשלא דפורייא עתיקא,

3. וקורטסא,

4. ומוריקי,

5. וסומקא דלוליבא;

ונקלינהו בהדי הדדי;

וליתי גבבא דעמרא,

וניגדול תרתי פתילתא,

ולטמיש בחלא,

וניגדבל בקיטמא הדין,

וניתיב בנחיריה

And if the patient is not able to do this

let him bring

1. the root of fodder [aspasta],

2. rope [ashla] from an old bed,

3. and paper [kurtesa],

4. and saffron,

5. and the red portion of a palm branch,

and let him burn them with each other.

And let the patient bring a fleece of wool

and spin it into two strings,

and let him soak [litmish] them in vinegar,

roll them in this ash of the burned materials,

and place them in his nostrils.

Option 5

Use clay (טינא) from under crossed feet (right hand to left foot and vice versa) over a stream (אמת המים) that flows westward and apply with wool strings soaked in the clay.

ואי לא –

ליחזי אמת המים דאזלא ממזרח כלפי מערב;

ונפסע

וניקום

• חד כרעא להאי גיסא,

• וחד כרעא להאי גיסא;

ונישקול טינא

• בידיה דימינא מתותי כרעא דשמאליה,

• ובידיה דשמאלא מתותי כרעא דימיניה;

וניגדול תרתי פתילתא דעמרא

וניטמיש בטינא,

וניתיב בנחיריה

And if the patient is not able to do this

let him look at a stream of water flowing from the east toward the west,

and let him spread his legs

and stand with

• one foot on this side

• and one foot on that side.

And let him take clay

• in his right hand from under his left foot,

• and with his left hand from under his right foot.

And let him spin two strings of wool,

soak them in the clay,

and place them in his nostrils.

Option 6

1. Sit under a gutter (מרזבא)

2. while water is poured from it,

3. accompanied by the formula:

   1. "Just as the water has ceased,

   2. let the blood of so-and-so (פלניא), son of so-and-so (פלניתא), cease."

ואי לא –

ליתיב תותי מרזבא,

ונייתו מיא,

ולישדו עליה,

ולימרו:

• ״כי היכי דפסקי הני מיא,

• ליפסוק דמיה דפלניא בר פלניתא״

And if the patient is not able to do this

let him sit under the gutter

and let them bring water

and pour it on him.

And let them say:

• Just as the water has ceased,

• let the blood of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, cease.

Mouth

Diagnosis of Blood from the Mouth (#8)

Diagnosis of Blood from the Mouth (דמא דאתי מפומא):

Test: Check with a straw of wheat.

1. If the blood sticks (סריך), it comes from the lungs (ריאה) and is treatable (תקנתא).

2. If the blood does not stick, it comes from the liver (כבדא) and is untreatable.

לדמא דאתי מפומא –

בדקינן ליה בגילא דחיטתא,

• אי סריך –

  • מריאה קאתי,

  • ואית ליה תקנתא,

• ואי לא –

  • מכבדא קאתי,

  • ולית ליה תקנתא.

[…]

As a remedy for blood that comes from the mouth—

we check the patient with a straw of wheat.

• If the blood sticks to the straw —

  • then it comes from his lungs

  • and it has a remedy.

• But if the blood does not stick to the straw —

  • it means that the blood comes from the liver

  • and it has no remedy.

[…]

Remedy for Lung-Origin Blood (#10)

Ingredients:

1. Seven fistfuls (כוני) of sliced (פירמא) beets (דסילקא)

2. Seven fistfuls of sliced leek

3. Five fistfuls of perida grass (פרידא)

4. Three fistfuls of lentils (טלפחי)

5. A fistful of cumin (כמונא)

6. A fistful of ropes (תבלי / חבלי)

7. Intestines of a firstborn animal (כנתא פטירתא, matching the amount of ropes).

Preparation: Cook all ingredients together.

Application: Consume the mixture and drink strong (חריפא), winter (טבת) beer (שיכרא) afterward.

אמר מר:

אי מריאה קאתי —

אית ליה תקנתא.

מאי תקנתיה?

ליתי

1. שבעה כוני מפירמא דסילקא,

2. ושבעה כוני פירמא דכרתי,

3. וחמשה כוני פרידא,

4. ותלתא כוני דטלפחי,

5. וכונא דכמונא,

6. וכונא (דחבלי) [דתבלי];

7. וכנגדן – כנתא פטירתא;

וליבשיל

וליכול,

ולישתי אבתריה שיכרא חריפא דטבת

The Master said:

If the blood comes from the lungs —

then it has a remedy.

The Talmud asks: What is its remedy?

The Talmud answers: Let him bring

1. 7 fistfuls of sliced beets,

2. and 7 fistfuls of sliced leek,

3. and 5 fistfuls of perida grass,

4. and 3 fistfuls of lentils,

5. and a fistful of cumin,

6. and a fistful of ropes,

7. and a corresponding amount of the intestines of a firstborn animal.

And let him cook all of it together

and let him eat everything

and afterward let him drink good, strong beer.

Remedy for Tooth Pain (#11)

Remedy for Tooth Pain (ככא):

1. Ingredients: A single-clove (יחידאה) garlic (תומא), oil, and salt.

2. Preparation: Grind the garlic with oil (מישחא) and salt.

3. Application:

   1. Place the mixture on the thumbnail (טופרא דאליונא) of the painful side.

   2. Surround with a rim (גדנפא) of dough (לישא) to prevent contact with flesh (בישריה), to avoid leprosy (חיורא).

לככא –

אמר רבה בר רב הונא:

ליתי תומא יחידאה

ונימרסיה במישחא ומילחא,

ונתביה אטופרא דאליונא דההוא גיסא דכייב ליה,

ונהדר ליה גדנפא דלישא.

וניזדהר לבישריה —

דקשי לחיורא

With regard to the remedy for pain in one’s teeth [lekhakha] —

Rabba bar Rav Huna said:

Let him bring an individual garlic that grew as a single clove

and grind it with oil and salt.

And let him place it on the thumbnail of the side that hurts him,

and let him surround it with a rim [gedanpa] of dough.

And he should take care that it does not touch his flesh —

because it is harmful and can cause boils.

Remedies for Gum Pain (#12-13)

Stabilizing the Illness

To Stabilize (לאוקומי) the Illness:

Use the Spanish chamomile (חומתי) plant, specifically its root (עיקרא).

Hold it in the mouth.

לחינכי –

אמר רבי יוחנן:

• חומתי –

  • כי ממרו,

• ועיקרא דחומתי –

  • עדיף מממרו,

ונינקוט בפומיה.

הני לאוקומי

With regard to the remedy for gums —

R’ Yoḥanan said:

• The Spanish chamomile [ḥomti] plant

  • is like the mamru plant,

• and the root of the Spanish chamomile

  • is preferable to mamru,

and let him take it in his mouth.

This is meant to stabilize the illness so that it does not intensify.

Opening Wounds for Pus Removal

To open (לבשולי) Wounds for Pus Removal:

Ingredients:

1. Coarse (דריש נפייא) bran (פארי)

2. Lentils (טלפחי) with dirt

3. Fenugreek (שובלילתא)

4. Hop plant (כשותא) flower (חומרתא)

Preparation: Mix into a portion the size of a nut and place in the mouth.

לבשולי –

לייתי

1. פארי דריש נפייא,

2. וטלפחי בעפרייהו,

3. ושובלילתא,

4. וחומרתא דכשותא,

ונינקוט כאמגוזא בפומיה.

To boil them —

meaning to cause the wounds to open so that the pus can be removed from them,

let him bring

1. the coarsest bran found at the upper portion of the sifter,

2. and lentils in their dirt,

3. and fenugreek [shuvlilta],

4. and the flower of the hop plant.

And let him take an amount about the size of a nut in his mouth.

Opening the Blister

To open (איפתוחי) the blister:

Have someone blow white cress into the patient’s mouth using a straw (גילא) of wheat.

לאיפתוחי –

לינפח ליה חבריה תחלי חיורתא בגילא דחיטתא

In order to open the blisters to remove the pus —

let his friend blow white cress into his mouth with a straw of wheat.

Healing the Blister

To heal (אסוקי) the blister:

Mix dirt from the shade of an outhouse (בית הכסא) with honey and consume.

לאסוקי –

ליתי עפרא מטולא דבית הכסא,

וניגבול בדובשא

וניכול,

דמעלי ליה

And if he wishes to heal the blisters —

let him bring dirt found in the shade of the bathroom

and knead it with honey

and eat it,

as this is effective for curing the blisters.

Lungs

Remedies for Bronchial Infection (#14)

Remedies for Bronchial Infection (ברסם):

לברסם –

For a bronchial infection [levarsam] —

Option 1

Ingredients:

1. Nut-sized amount of ammonia water

2. Nut-sized amount of sweet galbanum

3. A large spoonful of white honey

4. A quarter-log of clear wine.

Preparation:

Boil all ingredients together until the ammonia is cooked.

ליתי

1. כי פיסתקא דנישדור,

2. וכי אמגוזא דחלבניתא דובשניתא,

3. מלי תרוודא דובשא חיורא,

4. ומלי נטלא בת מחוזא חמרא נקידא;

ונישלוקינהו בהדי הדדי;

וכי בשיל נשדור –

בשיל ליה כוליה

let him bring

1. a nut-sized amount of ammonia [nishdor] water

2. and a nut-sized amount of sweet galbanum,

3. and a large spoonful of white honey,

4. a vessel from Meḥoza, i.e., one that holds a quarter-log of liquid, full of clear [nekida] wine,

and let him boil them together.

And once the ammonia is cooked —

everything will have cooked.

Option 2

Ingredients:

1. A quarter-log of milk from a white goat

2. Three stalks of cabbage

3. A marjoram (מרמהין) sprig (גווזא)

Preparation: Drip the milk on the cabbage and stir with the marjoram sprig. Boil until the sprig is cooked.

ואי לא –

ליתי רביעתא דחלבא דעיזא חיוורתי

וניטייפיה אתלת קלחי כרבא,

וניבחשיה בגווזא דמרמהין;

וכי בשיל גווזא דמרמהין –

בשיל ליה כוליה.

And if he is not able to do this

let him bring a quarter-log of milk from a white goat,

and let him drip it on 3 stalks of cabbage

and stir it with a sprig from a marjoram bush.

And when the sprig of marjoram is boiled —

all of it will be boiled.

Option 3

Ingredients: Feces (נפקא) of a white dog and balm (נטפא).

Warning: Avoid consuming the feces as it causes limb separation (מפריק).

ואי לא –

ליתי נפקא דכלבא חיורא,

וניגבול בנטפא.

וכמה דאפשר –

נפקא לא ניכול,

דמפריק

And if he is not able to do that,

let him take the feces of a white dog

and let him mix it with balm.

And as much as possible —

let him not eat the feces

because it causes the separation of the limbs.

Stinging Pain

Remedy for Stinging Pain (69b, #2a)

Remedy for Stinging Pain (גירא - literally: “an arrow”)

לגירא –

With regard to a remedy for a stinging pain [gira] —

Option 1

Tool: A stone called the "arrow of Lilith."

Procedure:

1. Turn the stone upside down,

2. pour water on it

3. drink the water.

ליתי גירא דליליתא,

וניפכיה,

ונשדי מיא עלויה

ונשתי

let him bring a stone called an arrow of Lilith,

and let him turn it upside down.

And let him pour water on it

and drink it.

Option 2

Use water from which a dog drank at night.

Caution: Ensure the water was not left uncovered (גילויא; as it might contain snake venom).

ואי לא –

ליתי ממיא דאישתי מינייהו כלבא בליליא;

וניזדהר מגילויא

And if he is not able to do that,

let him bring water from which a dog drank at night,

and let him be careful about leaving the water uncovered at night,

in case a snake drank from it and left its venom in the water.

Uncovered Water

Remedy for Drinking Uncovered Water (#2b)

Remedy for Drinking Uncovered Water (גילויא):

Drink a quarter-log (אנפקא) of undiluted (חייא) wine.

לגילויא –

אנפקא דחמרא חייא.

A remedy for drinking uncovered water —

is to drink a quarter-log [anpaka] of undiluted wine.

Pus-Filled Wounds

Remedy for Pus-Filled Wounds (#3)

Remedy for Pus-Filled Wounds (מורסא):

Drink a quarter-log of wine steeped in red (תולאנא) ice plant (אהלא).

למורסא –

אנפקא דחמרא, באהלא תולאנא

As a remedy for a pus-filled wound —

one should drink a quarter-log of wine steeped in red ice plant.

Heart

Remedy for Heart Heaviness (#4)

Remedy for Heart heaviness (יוקרא דליבא - Note: Miscommunication led Ravina to clarify at the end of the section that this remedy is for heaviness, not palpitations.):

לפירחא דליבא –

As a remedy for palpitations of the heart,

i.e., if his heart is beating too fast,

Ingredients: Three barley loaves soaked in kamka (כמכא - a milk and bread-crumb mixture) less than 40 days old.

Procedure: Eat the loaves and drink diluted wine afterward.

ליתי תלת ברושייאתא דשערי,

ונשטרינהו בכמכא דלא עבר עילויה ארבעין יומין,

וניכול;

ונשתי אבתרייהו חמרא מרקא.

אמר ליה רב אחא מדיפתי לרבינא:

וכל שכן דפרח ליביה!

אמר ליה:

אנא –

ליוקרא דליבא אמרי;

let him bring three loaves of barley,

and soak them in kamka from which 40 days have not yet passed since being made.

And let him eat the loaves

and drink diluted wine after consuming them.

Rav Aḥa of Difti said to Ravina:

All the more so his heart will palpitate from these foods.

Ravina said to him:

You misheard what I had said;

I said this —

as a remedy for heaviness of the heart.

Remedy for Heart Palpitations (#5)

Remedy for Heart Palpitations (פירחא דליבא):

Ingredients: Three wheat loaves (ברושייאתא) soaked in honey.

Procedure: Eat the loaves and drink undiluted wine afterward.

לפירחא דליבא –

ליתי תלת ברושייאתא דחיטי,

ונישטרינהו בדובשא

וניכול,

ונישתי אבתרייהו חמרא חייא

As a remedy for palpitations of the heart —

let him bring 3 loaves of wheat,

soak them in honey,

and eat them.

And let him drink undiluted wine after them.

Remedy for Heart Pain (#6)

Remedy for Heart Pain (צרחא דליבא):

Ingredients:

1. Three egg-bulks of mint (נינייא)

2. One egg-bulk of cumin (כמונא)

3. One egg-bulk of sesame seeds (שומשמי)

Procedure: Consume all the ingredients.

לצרחא דליבא –

ליתי

1. תלת ביעי נינייא,

2. וביעתא דכמונא,

3. וביעתא דשומשמי,

וליכול

As a remedy for heart pain —

let him bring

1. 3 egg-bulks of mint,

2. and an egg-bulk of cumin,

3. and an egg-bulk of sesame seeds,

and let him eat them together.

1. Re the name “Pappi Sheila bar Summakei" (פפי שילא בר סומקי):

• “bar Summakei” means “ of the red things”. Sumaka means “red” in Aramaic. Which is apropos for a nose bleed.

• “Pappi” may be an honorific, meaning “Father”

• On the name Sheila (שילא), compare, for example, Rav Shela and Rabbah bar Shela.

2. From Greek khártēs. Doublet of כרטיס.