משנה: בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁלָּהֶן שְׁנִייָה שֶׁהֵן עוֹשׂוֹת לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הַפֶּרְסָאוֹת שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁלָּהֶן מוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁהֵן עוֹשׂוֹת לִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ לֹא אָֽמְרוּ אֶלָּא בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ. MISHNAH: The Sabbatical of white figs1Cf. Demay Chapter 1, Note 5. is the second year2The second year of the new Sabbatical cycle. Maimonides (Ševi‘it4:16) notes that it is possible that the fruits are edible and subject to the laws of tithes already at the end of the first year of the cycle. The trees mentioned here carry both ripened fruit and flowers at the same time. since they produce after three years. Rebbi Jehudah says, the Sabbatical of Persian figs is the year after the Sabbatical since they need two years to produce. One said to him, they mentioned only white figs.
הלכה: בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ כו׳. מַהוּ בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ פֵּיטֵירִיָּה. מַה בְּכָל־שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה הֵן עוֹשׂוֹת אוֹ אַחַת לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. בְּכָל־שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה הֵן עוֹשׂוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין פֵּירוֹתֵיהֶן מְגַמְּרִין אֶלָּא לְאַחַר שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. כֵּיצַד הוּא יוֹדֵעַ. רִבִּי יוֹנָה אָמַר מִשֶּׁיְּקַשֵּׁר עָלָיו חוּט. תַּנֵּי שְׁמוּאֵל תּוֹחֵב בָּהֶן קִיסְמִין. HALAKHAH: “White figs”, etc. What are white figs? Stonies3Greek adj. πετραῖος, α, ον, Latin petraeus, a, um, “stony, of stone”.. Do they bear every year or only once in three years? They bear every year but their fruits ripen only after three years. How does one know? Rebbi Jonah said, from when he binds a string around them4Presumably a different kind of string every year.. Samuel stated, one sticks a splint into them.
תַּנֵּי רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אִילָן שֶׁחָנַט קוֹדֶם חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט מִתְעַשֵּׂר לְשֶׁעָבַר. לְאַחַר חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט מִתְעַשֵּׂר לָבֹא. תַּנֵּי אָמַר רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה בְּמַה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּאִילָן שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה שְׁתֵּי גְרָנוֹת בַּשָּׁנָה. אֲבָל בְּאִילָן שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה גוֹרֶן אֶחָד בַּשָּׁנָה כְּגוֹן זֵתִים וּתְמָרִים וְחָרוּבִין אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָֽנְטוּ קוֹדֶם לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה הֲרֵי הֶן כִּלְעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן נָהֲגוּ בְחָרוּבִין כְּרִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה. מוֹתִיב רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְהָא תַנִּינָן בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ שְׁבִיעִית שֶׁלָּהֶן שְׁנִייָה שֶׁהֵן עוֹשׂוֹת לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים. עַל דַּעְתָּךְ מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בַשְּׁבִיעִית יְהוּ שְׁבִיעִית וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל מִינֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר כַּהָנָא וְתַמְיָה אֲנָא אֵיךְ הֲוָה מוֹתִיב רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל מִינֵיהּ. וִיתִיבִינֵיהּ אֲנָא אָמַר חָרוּבִין וְאַתְּ אָמַר בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ. אֲנָא אָמַר מִנְהָג וְאַתְּ אָמַר הֲלָכָה. אָמַר אֲנָא רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְאַתְּ אָמַר רַבָּנִין. אֶלָּא הִיא חָרוּבִין הִיא בְּנוֹת שׁוּחַ. הִיא מִנְהָג הִיא הֲלָכָה. הִיא רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה הִיא רַבָּנִין. It was stated5In the Babylonian sources (Ros̊ Haššanah 15b, Tosephta Ševi‘it 4:20), the statement is anonymous, representing the opinion of the majority of Sages.: “Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, a tree that buds before the fifteenth of Ševaṭ6New Year’s Day for trees (Mishnah Ros̊ Haššanah 1:1), cf. Chapter 2, Note 52. is tithed for the past [year]; after the fifteenth of Ševaṭ it is tithed for the coming [year].” It was stated: “Rebbi Neḥemiah said, when has this been said? For a tree producing two threshing floors7Fruits of trees are not threshed; “threshing floor” means here “harvest of all the fruits of a tree at one time”, to exclude figs and similar fruits that ripen and are harvested over a long period of time. The Babylonian sources use בריכה “brood (of pigeons)” for the same meaning. a year. But trees making only one threshing floor per year, such as olive trees, date palms and carob trees, even if they budded before this day, belong to the future.” Rebbi Joḥanan said, people use to follow Rebbi Neḥemiah for carobs. Rebbi Simeon objected before Rebbi Joḥanan: Did we not state that “the Sabbatical of white figs is the second year since they produce after three years”? According to you, those ripened in the Sabbatical year should be Sabbatical! He accepted that8In the opinion of the Babli, if R. Joḥanan did not find an answer to the objection it does not imply that he accepted its inference as practice to be followed, in disagreement with the Yerushalmi.. Rebbi Abun bar Cahana9In the Babli, R. Abba Cohen; in other places of the Yerushalmi, R. Abba bar Cohen. said, I wonder how Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish could bring this objection before Rebbi Joḥanan and he accepted it. Could he not object: I am speaking about carobs and you about white figs, I am speaking about custom and you about practice10Practice is the generally accepted ruling of the rabbis; custom is what the people do, without explicit rabbinic endorsement., I am speaking about Rebbi Neḥemiah and you about the rabbis11Of the anonymous Mishnah which, according to R. Joḥanan, should always guide practice.! It follows that the rules are equal for carobs and white figs, custom and practice, Rebbi Neḥemiah and the rabbis12Hence, the Babylonian text which omits the mention of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel is justified; the statement is generally accepted and R. Neḥemiah explains it but does not disagree..
תַּמָּן אָֽמְרִין אִילָן שֶׁחָנַט קוֹדֶם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁלְּעוֹלָם מִתְעַשֵּׂר לְשֶׁעָבַר לְאַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁלְּעוֹלָם מִתְעַשֵּׂר לָבֹא. הָתִיב רִבִּי יוּדָן בַּר פְּלָיָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹנָה הֲרֵי חֲרוּבִין הֲרֵי הֵן חוֹנְטִין קוֹדֶם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְהֵן מִתְעַשְּׂרִין לָבֹא. וְלָא שְׁמִיעַ דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חִינְנָא בַּר פַּפָּא חָרוּבִין שִׁילְשׁוּלָן הוּא חֲנָטָן. There13In Babylonia. This opinion is not mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud., they say: A tree which buds before the New Year’s Day of the World14The First of Tishre, usually called simply “New Year’s Day”. is tithed for the past; after the New Year’s Day of the World it is tithed for the future. Rebbi Yudan bar Pedaiah objected before Rebbi Jonah: But carob trees form buds before New Year’s Day and are tithed for the future! He had not heard what Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappos said, for carob trees the forming of clusters15The clustering of carob pods is visible. is [counted as] their forming buds.
אָמַר רִבִּי יַסָּא הֵבִיא שְׁלִישׁ קוֹדֶם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל עוֹלָם מִתְעַשֵּׂר לְשֶׁעָבַר לְאַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל עוֹלָם מִתְעַשֵּׂר לָבֹא. הָתִיב רִבִּי זְעִירָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יַסָּא פְּעָמִים שֶׁהַשָּׁנִים מַאֲפִילוֹת וּתְמָרִים מַטִּילוֹת שְׂאוֹר לְאַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְהֵן מִתְעַשְּׂרוֹת לְשֶׁעָבַר. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא לֹא מִן דַּעְתֵּיהּ הֲוָה רִבִּי יַסָּא אָמַר הָדָא מִילְתָא אֶלָּא מִן הָדָא דְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בֶּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַבָּא הֵבִיא שְׁלִישׁ קוֹדֶם לַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט מִתְעַשֵּׂר לְשֶׁעָבַר. לְאַחַר חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט מִתְעַשֵּׂר לָבֹא. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא וְיֵאוּת הֲרֵי אֶתְרוֹג עֲקָרָתָהּ חֲנָטוֹ לֹא עֲקָרָתָהּ שְׁנָתוֹ וְכָאן עֲקָרָתָהּ שְׁנָתוֹ לֹא עֲקָרָתָהּ חֲנָטוֹ. Rebbi Assi said, if it was one-third ripe before the New Year’s Day of the World it is tithed for the past, after the New Year’s Day of the World it is tithed for the future. Rebbi Zeїra objected before Rebbi Assi: Some years are late16That means, New Year’s Day is early in the solar year. and dates start to have sap after the New Year’s Day of the World but they are tithed for the past! Rebbi Zeїra said, Rebbi Assi did not say this on his own but following Rebbi Joḥanan, Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish17Since R. Joḥanan, following the objection of R. Simeon ben Laqish, decided that practice had to follow R. Neḥemiah and tithing for trees with only one harvest did not depend on the Fifteenth of Ševaṭ. Hence, it must depend on the First of Tishre, following the teachers from “there”.. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Samuel bar Abba: “If it was one-third ripe before the Fifteenth of Ševaṭ it is tithed for the past, after the Fifteenth of Ševaṭ for the future18This is identical with the opinion of the Sages there, except that the New Year of trees substitutes for the New Year of the World..” Rebbi Zeїra said, that is correct; for an etrog, did one not eliminate its budding but not its year19Mishnah Bikkurim 2:4 states the opinion of Rabban Gamliel (which is practice to be followed) that an etrog(citrus medica) is not like a tree fruit in that it is tithed in the year it is harvested, not the year it is formed. Hence, all other tree fruits have to be tithed in the year of their formation.; but here did one eliminate its year but not its budding?
רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר חִייָא בָּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעִירָא מַעַתָּה שְׁלִישׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן לְשֶׁעָבַר וּשְׁלִישׁ הַשֵּׁינִי לָבֹא. אָמַר לֵיהּ שְׁלִישׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן קָשֶׁה לָבוֹא מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא בָּא מִיַּד הוּא גָדֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא בְּאָרִיס אוּמָּן יְלִף לָהּ רִבִּי זְעִירָא. שְׁמוּאָל אָמַר שִׁיתִּין יוֹמִין שִׁיתָה עָלֵיי שִׁיתָא יוֹמִין שִׁיתִין עָלֵיי. תַּנֵּי רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מֵהוֹצָאַת עָלִין וְעַד הַפַּגִּין חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם מִן הַפַּגִּין וְעַד הַשִּׁיתִין הַנּוֹבְלוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם מִן הַשִּׁיתִין הַנּוֹבְלוֹת וְעַד הַתְּאֵנִים חֲמִשִּׁים. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר כּוֹלְהֶן אַרְבָּעִים אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. לָקַט תְּאֵינָה וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתִי חָֽנְטָה אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָה מוֹנֶה מֵאָה יוֹמִין לְמַפְרֵיעַ אִם חָל לְתוֹכָן חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט וְהוּא יוֹדֵעַ אֵימָתִי חָֽנְטָה. Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya asked before Rebbi Zeїra: Does this mean, the first third for the past, the second third for the future20Should one-third of the tithes be counted for the past year and two thirds for the coming one? The question would arise if a farmer tithes all his yield from one source, not each batch singly. The answer is that growth of the first third of the time between flowering and ripening of the fruit does not count since the volume produced is negligible.? He said to him, the first third is slow in coming; afterwards it grows rapidly. Rebbi Abba said, Rebbi Zeїra learned that from a competent sharecropper. Samuel said, sixty days for six leaves, six days for sixty leaves. It was stated21Tosephta 4:20.: “Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, from the appearance of leaves to the bud fifty days, from the bud to the wind-fall22שיתין areשחיתין , “waste figs” which cannot ripen and fall off before they get heavy. fifty days, from wind-fall to figs fifty days. Rebbi says, all of them by forty days.” If somebody harvested figs and does not know when their buds were formed, Rebbi Jonah said he counts a hundred days backwards; if the Fifteenth of Ševaṭ falls in this period he knows when they budded.
אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ וַהֲרֵי עִמָּךְ בְּטִיבֵּרִיָּא וְהֵן עוֹשׂוֹת לְשָׁנָה אַחַת. אָמַר לָהֶן וַהֲרֵי עִמָּכֶם בְּצִיפּוֹרִין וְהֵן עוֹשׂוֹת לִשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. They23This refers to the dispute in the Mishnah between R. Jehudah and the Sages regarding Persian figs. said to him, but they are with you in Tiberias and they produce in one year. He said to them, but there they are with you in Sepphoris24Sepphoris is on a cool mountain top, Tiberias in a hot depression below sea level. and they need two years!