Pt3 The Talmudic Sugya of Remedies (Gittin 69a-b)

This is the third and final part of a three-part series. Part 1 is here; Part 2 is here; the outline for the series can be found at Part 1.

Intestines

Remedy for Intestinal Pain (#7)

Remedy for Intestinal Pain (כאב מעי):

לכאב מעי –

As a remedy for pain of the intestines —

Ingredients: 300 long peppers.

Procedure: Consume 100 peppers daily with wine.

Anecdote: Ravin of Neresh used 150 Babylonian peppers to successfully treat Rav Ashi’s daughter.

ליתי תלת מאה פלפלי אריכתא,

וכל יומי נשתי מאה מינייהו בחמרא.

רבין דמן נרש עבד לה לברתיה דרב אשי מאה וחמשין מהני דידן,

ואתסיאת

let him bring 300 long peppers,

and every day let him drink 100 of them with wine.

It is told: Ravin of the city of Neresh prepared 150 of our, i.e., Babylonian, peppers for the daughter of Rav Ashi, who had this illness,

and she was healed.

Remedy for Roundworm (#8a)

Remedy for Roundworm (כירצא):

לכירצא –

As a remedy for roundworm —

Drink a quarter-log of wine steeped in laurel (עראה) leaves.

אנפקא דחמרא באטרפא דעראה

he should drink a quarter-log of wine steeped in laurel leaves.

Remedy for White Worm (#8b)

Remedy for White Worm (כירצא חיורא):

לכירצא חיורא –

As a remedy for white worm —

Ingredients: Cress (ביזרא גלגילא) tied (ניציירה) with woven cloth (שיסתג).

Procedure: Soak the cress in water and drink it.

Warning: Handle the cress seed (בינתא) carefully to prevent growth inside the body, which could puncture (מנקבא) the intestines.

ליתי ביזרא גלגילא

וניציירה בשיסתג,

וניתייריה במיא

ונשתיה;

ונזדהר מבינתא,

דאי לא –

מנקבא לה למעייניה

let him bring cress

and tie it with a piece of woven cloth.

And let him soak it in water

and drink it.

And let him be careful with the seed,

as if he is not careful enough —

there is a danger that it will grow inside him and puncture his intestines.

Remedies for Bowel Issues (#9)

• Diarrhea (למיסר - “To Bind the Bowels”):

  • Use chamomile (סיסין) when it is wet with water.

• Constipation (למישרא - “To Relax the Bowels”):

  • Use dry chamomile soaked in water.

• Mnemonic:

  • "Wet grass (איצא) dams (סכר) rivers" serves as a reminder that moist chamomile stops diarrhea.

• למיסר –

  • סיסין רטיבא במיא.

• למישרא –

  • יבישתא במיא.

וסימנך:

איצא רטיב[ת]א דסכר נהרא

• The remedy to bind the bowels, i.e., to cure diarrhea —

  • is to consume the chamomile [sisin] plant when it is wet with water.

• And the remedy to relax the bowels and relieve constipation —

  • is to drink dry chamomile soaked in water, which acts as a laxative.

And your mnemonic so as not to confuse these remedies is as follows:

Wet grass [itza] that is used to dam rivers,

and through this he will remember that moist chamomile is used to stop diarrhea.

Remedies for Illness of the Spleen (#10-13)

Remedies for Illness of the Spleen (טחלא):

לטחלא –

As a remedy for illness of the spleen —

Option 1

Bring 7 leeches, dry them in the shade, and drink 2-3 daily with wine.

ליתי שב ביני דמיא

ונייבשינהו בטולא,

וכל יומא —

נישתי תרתי ותלתא בחמרא

let him bring 7 leeches,

dry them in the shade,

and every day —

drink 2 or 3 of them with wine.

Option 2

Use the spleen of a female goat (ציפרתא) that has not given birth (לא איפתח).

Procedure:

1. Place the spleen in an oven,

2. stand across from it

3. recite:

   1. "Just as this spleen is dried,

   2. so shall the spleen of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, be dried."

ואי לא –

ליתי טחלא דציפרתא דלא איפתח,

ונטחייה בתנורא,

ונוקי להדיה,

ונימא:

• ״כי היכי דיביש האי טחלא,

• נייבש טחליה דפלוני בר פלוניתא״

And if he is not able to do this,

let him bring the spleen of a female goat that has not given birth,

and place it in the oven,

and stand across from it,

and let him say:

• Just as this spleen is dried,

• so shall the spleen of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, be dried.

Option 3

Place the goat spleen between the bricks of a new house and recite the same statement.

ואי לא –

ניטחייה ביני אורבי דביתא חדתא,

ונימא הכי

And if he is not able to do this,

let him place the goat spleen between the bricks of a new house,

and let him say this same statement.

Option 4

Find someone who died on Shabbat, take their hand, place it on the patient’s spleen, and recite: "Just as the hand of so-and-so was dried, so too, the spleen of so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, should be dried."

ואי לא,

ליבקי שכבא דשכיב בשבתא,

ונישקליה לידיה,

ונותבה אטחליה,

ונימא:

• ״כי היכי דיביש הא ידא,

• נייבש טחליה דפלוני בר פלוניתא״

And if not,

let him search for someone who died on Shabbat

and let him take the hand of the deceased,

and let him place it on his spleen

and say:

• Just as the hand of so-and-so was dried,

• so too, the spleen of so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, should be dried.

Option 5

Roast a fish in the house of a blacksmith (נפחא), eat it with the water in which red-hot metal is cooled, and drink the blacksmith’s water.

Evidence: A goat that drank blacksmith’s water had no spleen when slaughtered.

ואי לא –

ניתי ביניתא

וניטווייה בי נפחא,

וניכליה במיא דבי נפחא,

ונישתי ממיא דבי נפחא.

ההיא עיזא,

דהות שתיא מיא דבי נפחא,

אישתחיט –

ולא אישתכח לה טחלא

And if he is not able to do this,

let him take a fish

and roast it in the house of a blacksmith.

And let him eat it with the water from the blacksmith’s house in which the red-hot metal is cooled.

And let him drink water from the blacksmith’s house.

The Talmud brings corroborative evidence to this remedy: A certain goat

drank water from the blacksmith’s house,

and when it was slaughtered —

there was no spleen found inside it.

Option 6

Open a barrel of wine and drink a large amount.

Advice: Rav Aḥa son of Rava suggests to Rav Ashi eating bread in the morning (פת שחרית) for general health benefits.

ואי לא –

ליפתח חביתא דחמרא לשמיה.

אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי:

אי אית ליה חביתא דחמרא —

לא אתי לקמיה דמר.

אלא מרגל בפת שחרית,

דמעליא לכולי גופיה

And if he is not able to do this,

let him open a jug of wine for his sake,

i.e., let him drink a large amount of wine.

Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi:

If he has a jug of wine —

he will not come before my Master for a remedy, as the wine will already have healed him.

Rather, what should he do to maintain his health?

Let him become accustomed to eat bread in the morning,

because it benefits his entire body.

Remedies for Hemorrhoids (#14)

Remedies for Hemorrhoids (רושחתא)

לרושחתא –

As a remedy for hemorrhoids —

Option 1

Ingredients:

1. Acacia (אקיקא)

2. Aloe (אילווא)

3. Mercury (אספירכא)

4. silver dross (מרתכא)

5. fragrant herbs (חומרתא דפילון),

6. pigeon feces (שיאפא דחמימתא)

Procedure: Place the mixture in linen bags (summer - קייטא) or cotton bags (winter - סיתוא) and apply to the afflicted area.

ליתי

1. אקיקא,

2. ואילווא,

3. ואספירכא,

4. ומרתכא,

5. וחומרתא דפילון,

6. ושיאפא דחמימתא,

ונינקט

• בשחקי דכיתנא – בקייטא,

• ודעמר גופנא – בסיתוא

let him bring

1. acacia [akika],

2. and aloe [ilava],

3. and mercury,

4. and silver dross,

5. and a bundle [ḥumreta] of fragrant herbs [defilon],

6. and feces of pigeons [ḥamimta].

And let him take it

• in linen bags

  • in the summer,

• or cotton bags

  • in the winter,

and place them on the afflicted area.

Option 2

Drink diluted (מרקא) beer.

ואי לא –

לישתי שיכרא מרקא

And if he is not able to do that,

let him drink diluted beer.

Remedy for Rheumatism (#15)

Remedy for Rheumatism (שיגרונא):

Use brine from small fish.

Procedure: Roll (ניגנדריה) a vessel full of the brine 60 times on each thigh (מטחתיה).

לשיגרונא –

ליתי פתיא דמוניני,

וניגנדריה

• שיתין זימני אהא מטחתיה,

• ושיתין זימני אהא מטחתיה

For rheumatism [shigrona] —

let him bring a vessel full of brine from small fish [moninei]

and roll it

• 60 times on this thigh

• and 60 times on that thigh.

Remedies for a Bladder Stone (#16-18)

Remedies for a Bladder Stone (צמירתא):

לצמירתא –

As a remedy for a bladder stone [litzmireta] —

Option 1

Ingredients:

1. Three drops (ניטופייתא) of tar (כופרא) oil,

2. three drops of leek juice (איצרא)

3. three drops of clean (נקידא) wine

Procedure: Apply the mixture:

• For a man: On the penis (אמה)

• For a woman: On the vagina (אותו מקום - literally: “that place”)

ניתי

1. תלת ניטופייתא מישחא דכופרא,

2. ותלת ניטופייתא איצרא דכרתי,

3. ותלת ניטופייתא דחמרא נקידא,

ולישדי ליה

• לאיש –

  • באמה,

• ולאשה –

  • באותו מקום

let him bring

1. 3 drops of tar oil, which is oil that emerges from burning wood,

2. 3 drops from the squeezing [itzra] of leeks,

3. 3 three drops of clean wine,

and place this mixture,

• for a man

  • on the penis,

• and for a woman

  • on that place, i.e., her genital area.

Option 2

Use the handle (אונא - literally: “ear”) of a wine sac:

Suspend it

• For a man: On the penis.

• For a woman: On the breasts (דדין)

ואי לא –

ליתי אונא דזיקא,

ולתלי ליה

• לאיש —

  • באמה,

• ולאשה —

  • בדדין

And if he is not able to do this,

let him bring the ear, i.e., handle, of a wine sac

and suspend it,

• for a man

  • from his penis,

• and for a woman

  • from her breasts.

Option 3

Use a crimson string spun by a suspected woman (דומה) who is the daughter of a suspected woman:

Suspend it

• For a man: On the penis.

• For a woman: On the breasts

ואי לא –

ליתי חוטא דזהוריתא

דשדתיה דומה בת דומה,

וליתלי ליה

• לאיש —

  • באמה

• ולאשה —

  • בדדין

And if he is not able to do this,

let him bring a crimson string

spun by a woman suspected of prostitution who is also the daughter of a suspected woman,

and let him suspend it,

• for a man

  • from his penis

• and for a woman

  • from her breasts.

Option 4

Suspend a male and female louse (כינה):

• For a man: On the penis.

• For a woman: On the vagina

Additional Step: Urinate on a dry branch (סיסנא) by the door pivot and examine the bladder stone (חומרתא) that emerges.

Use: Grind the bladder stone to treat fever-related illnesses (צימרי).

ואי לא –

ליתי כינה דזכר ונקבה,

וליתלי ליה

• לאיש —

  • באמה

• ולאשה —

  • באותו מקום;

וכי משתין —

נשתין אסיסנא יבישתא בצינורא דדשא,

ונעיין בחומרתא דנפקא מיניה,

דמעליא לכולהו צימרי

And if not,

let him bring a louse from a male and a louse from a female,

and suspend it,

• for a man

  • from his penis,

• and for a woman

  • on that place, i.e., her genital area.

And when he urinates —

let him urinate on a dry branch [sisna] by the door pivot.

And let him examine the bladder stone that comes out of him with the urine,

as it is effective as a remedy for any illness accompanied by a fever [tzimra] if he grinds it and uses it.

Remedy for External Fever (#19)

Remedy for External Fever (צימרא ברא):

לצימרא ברא –

As a remedy for an external fever —

Ingredients:

1. Three se’a (גריבי) of date pits (סופלי)

2. Three se’a of eder tree (אדרא) leaves (אטרף)

Procedure:

1. Cook the date pits and eder leaves separately.

2. Place the cooked materials in two basins (משיכלי)

3. sit alternately over each basin

4. until steam (הבלא) rises

5. Rinse (לסחי) with water from both basins.

6. When drinking:

   1. Drink only from the basin with eder water.

   2. Avoid drinking from the date water as it causes infertility (מיעקרי)

ליתי

1. תלתא גריבי סופלי,

2. ותלתא גריבי אטרף אדרא,

ונישלוקינהו כל חד לחודיה;

וליתיב בינייהו;

ולתבינהו בתרתי משיכלי,

וניתי פתורא,

וננח עילויה,

וניקום

• מעילוי האי, ולותיב עילוי האי,

• ומעילוי האי, ולותיב עילוי האי,

עד דניסק ביה הבלא;

ולסחי מינייהו,

וכי שתי –

ממיא דאדרא לישתי,

ממיא דסופלי לא לישתי

משום דמיעקרי

let him bring

1. 3 se’a of date pits [suflei],

2. and 3 se’a [gerivei] of leaves of an eder tree.

Let him cook each one individually

and sit between them.

And let him place them in two basins,

and bring a table

and place it over him.

And let him stand up

• from over this basin and sit over this basin,

• and then from over this basin and sit over this basin,

until the heat rises on him and he becomes very hot.

And let him wash from the water of both basins,

and when he drinks —

let him drink from the basin containing the eder water.

But do not let him drink from the basin containing the date water,

because it causes infertility.

Remedy for Internal Fever (#20)

Remedy for Internal Fever (צימרא גוונא):

לצימרא גוונא –

As a remedy for an internal fever —

Ingredients:

1. Seven handfuls of beet leaves from seven furrows.

2. Eder leaves or grapes grown on a trellised vine.

Procedure:

1. Cook the beet leaves with their dirt and eat them.

2. Drink either:

   1. Eder leaves mixed with beer, or

   2. Water soaked with trellised grapes.

ליתי שבעה בוני דסילקא משב משארי,

ונישלוקינהו בעפרייהו,

וניכול,

ונישתי אטרף אדרא בשיכרא,

או ענבי תאלא במים

let him bring 7 handfuls of beet leaves from 7 furrows.

And let him cook them with their dirt

and eat them.

And let him drink from eder leaves mixed with beer

or grapes grown by trellising the vine on a palm tree soaked in water.

Remedy for Lichen Planus (70a, #2)

Remedy for Lichen Planus (חזזיתא):

לחזזיתא –

As a remedy for lichen planus [ḥazazita] on one’s skin —

Ingredients:

Seven large wheat kernels (ארזנייתא)

Procedure:

1. Roast the wheat kernels over a fire on the blade of a new hoe (מרא)

2. Extract the oil from the roasted wheat

3. rub it into the affected skin.

Anecdote:

Rav Shimi bar Ashi used this remedy on a non-Jew with leprosy (דבר אחר - literally: “another thing”), and the individual was healed.

ליתי שב חיטי ארזנייתא,

וניקלינהו אמרא חדתא,

ונפיק משחא מינייהו,

ונישוף.

רב שימי בר אשי עבד ליה לההוא גוי לדבר אחר,

ואיתסי

let him bring 7 large wheat kernels [arzanayata]

and let him roast them over a fire on the blade of a new hoe.

And let him extract oil from the wheat

and rub it into his skin.

It is told: Rav Shimi bar Ashi used this remedy for a certain non-Jew who had something else, i.e., tzara’at,

and he was healed.

Appendix - Table Summarizing