משנה: שָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת לַשְּׁבִיעִית כָּל־שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ עוֹלֵי בָּבֶל מִן גְּזִיב וְעַד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא נֶאֱכָל וְלֹא נֶעֱבָד. כָּל־שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ עוֹלֵי מִצְרַיִם מִגְּזִיב וְעַד הַנָּהָר וְעַד אַמָּנוֹס נֶאֱכָל אֲבָל לֹא נֶעֱבָד. מִן הַנָּהָר וּמֶאַמָּנָה וְלִפְנִים נֶאֱכָל נֶעֱבָד. MISHNAH: There are three territories regarding the Sabbatical. Every place held by the immigrants from Babylonia from Akhzib1A tell between Nahariah and the Tyrian Ladder. inside the Land of Israel cannot be eaten from2There are three essentially different interpretations of this expression. It is stated in the Torah (Lev. 25:6): “The Sabbatical yield shall be food for you.” Therefore, it is a positive obligation to eat Sabbatical fruits; they may not be used for industrial purposes or intentionally wasted (Mishnah 8:2). In the opinion of R. Isaac ibn Ghiat produce grown by a Jew in violation of the Sabbatical is forbidden for all Jews. In the opinion of R. Simson, the Mishnah refers to the time when no produce is left on the fields for the wild animals; then no Sabbatical produce harvested earlier may be kept or eaten. This is a biblical commandment based on Lev. 25:7 and explained in Mishnah 9:2.
In the opinion of Maimonides in his Code (Šemiṭṭah weYovel 4:26), in the later versions of his Mishnah Commentary (see the edition of R. Y. Qafeḥ), and explained at length in a responsum (ed. Blau #128, Peër Hador#15) the Mishnah refers to the rabbinic prohibition to buy in the Holy Land during the Sabbatical any produce that has to be sown and tended since we are concerned that a ready market for this produce will tempt people to work their fields. Only wild growing vegetables and fruits of trees may be bought. Clearly, any produce collected by one’s family from abandoned fields may be eaten (and stored as long as there are fruits left for the wild animals on the field.) The commentary follows the interpretation of Maimonides. or worked. Every place held by the immigrants from Egypt between Akhzib and Euphrates and Amanus3The Southernmost chain of the Taurus mountains between Turkey and Syria. Jewish tradition (the Yerushalmi Targumim, Babli Giṭṭin 8a) identifies Mount Hor (Num. 34:7) with Taurus Amanus. The Euphrates as border of the Holy Land is mentioned in Deut. 1:7. Amanus and Euphrates are the borders of promise, not the actual borders. The rules given in this sentence apply only to the territory North of Akhzib described in the book of Joshua as part of the tribal distribution. The rest of the territory is “Syria” (cf. Peah, Chapter 7, Note 119). can be eaten from but not worked. From Euphrates or Amanus to their side they can be eaten from and worked.
הלכה: כְּתִיב אֵלֶּה הַחוּקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ. בָּאָרֶץ אַתֶּם חַייָבִין לַעֲשׂוֹת. וְאֵי אַתֶּם חַייָבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. אַדַּייִן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אֵינָן נוֹהֲגוֹת אֶלָּא בָאָרֶץ. יָכוֹל אֲפִילוּ מִצְוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן תְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ לֹא יְהוּ נוֹהֲגוֹת אֶלָּא בָאָרֶץ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר הִשָּֽׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה וְחָרָה אַף יי֨ בָּכֶם וגו׳. וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַיי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וגו׳. אֲפִילוּ גוֹלִים. וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַיי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם. מַה אִית לָךְ כְּגוֹן תְּפִילִּין וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. מַה תְּפִילִּין וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵינָן תְּלוּיִין בָּאָרֶץ נוֹהֲגִין בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. אַף כָּל־דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ תָלוּי בָאָרֶץ יְהֵא נוֹהֵג בָּאָרֶץ וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. HALAKHAH: It is written (Deut. 12:1): “These are the statutes and the rules of law which you will be required to follow in the Land.” In the Land you are required to follow them but not outside the Land. Still we say obligations depending on the Land apply only in the Land, but we might think that obligations not depending on the Land also should apply only in the Land. The verse says (Deut. 11:16–18) “Guard yourselves, lest your heart be seduced … And the Eternal’s rage be inflamed against you, etc. Put these words on your hearts, etc.” Even if you are exiled. (Deut. 11:18) “Put these words on your hearts and your persons.” You have to say, for example tefillin and the study of Torah. Just as tefillin and the study of Torah do not depend on the Land and apply both in the Land and outside the Land, so everything not depending on the Land applies both in the Land and outside the Land4The argument goes as follows: Deut. 11:16 is a general exhortation against idolatry, a sin not connected with agriculture in the Land. V. 17 then declares that the punishment for idolatry will be exile from the Land. Verses 18, 19, which now must be talking about the obligations of a Jew in exile, contain the obligations of tefillin and the study of Torah. Therefore, it is impossible that no obligations at all should be imposed on Jews in exile. It is reasonable to assume that the restriction of obligations to the Land extends only to obligations connected with agriculture in the Land.
A different argument is in Sifri Deut. 59 and Babli Qiddušin37a: Verse Deut. 12:1 ends: “all the days you are living on the soil.” “Soil” is everywhere on earth; it is not restricted to the Land. The details of the argument there for distinguishing between obligations of the Land and others is best understood as depending on the argument here..
מֵעַתָּה מִשֶּׁגָּלוּ יְהוּ פְטוּרִין. כְּתִיב וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כָּל־הַקָּהָל הַבָּאִים מֵהַשְּׁבִי סוּכּוֹת וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בַסּוּכּוֹת. כִּי לֹא עָשׂוּ מִימֵי יֵשׁוּעַ בִּן נוּן. וְלָמָּה יֵשׁוּעַ רִבִּי הִלֵּל בְּרֵיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן פָּגַם הַכָּתוּב כְּבוֹד צַדִּיק בַּקֶּבֶר מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד צַדִּיק בְּשַׁעְתּוֹ הֵקִישׁ בִּיאָתָן בִּימֵי עֶזְרָא לְבִיאָתָן בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. מַה בִּיאָתָן בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ פְּטוּרִין הָיוּ וְנִתְחַייְבוּ. אַף בִּיאָתָן בִּימֵי עֶזְרָא פְּטוּרִין הָיוּ וְנִתְחַייְבוּ. מִמָּה נִתְחַייְבוּ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָה אָמַר מִדְּבַר תּוֹרָה נִתְחַייְבוּ הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהֶבִיאֲךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָֽרְשׁוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וִירִישְׁתָּהּ. הֵקִישׁ יְרוּשָֽׁתְךָ לִירוּשַׁת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ. מַה יְרוּשַׁת אֲבֹתֶיךָ מִדְּבַר תּוֹרָה. אַף יְרוּשָֽׁתְךָ מִדְּבַר תּוֹרָה. וְהֵטִיבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ. אֲבוֹתֶיךָ פְּטוּרִין הָיוּ וְנִתְחַייְבוּ וְאַתֶּם פְּטוּרִין הָייִתֶם וְנִתְחַייַבְתֶּם. אֲבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא הָיָה עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹל מַלְכוּת. וְאַתֶּם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲלֵיכֶם עוֹל מַלְכוּת. אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא נִתְחַייְבוּ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה שֶׁבַע שֶׁכִּיבְשׁוּ וְשֶׁבַע שְׁחִילְּקוּ. אֲבָל אַתֶּם כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנַסְתֶּם נִתְחַייַבְתֶּם. אֲבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא נִתְחַייְבוּ עַד שָׁעָה שֶׁקָּנוּ כוּלָּהּ. אֲבָל אַתֶּם רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן קוֹנֵה וּמִתְחַייֵב. If it is so, they should have been freed once they were exiled5This sentence, taken out of context, is the basis of the first part of Spinoza’s Politico-Theological Treatise.. It is written (Neh. 8:17): “All the congregation coming from captivity made Sukkot and sat in tabernacles … something nobody had done since the days of Joshua bin Nun.6The wording has not been corrected following the masoretic text.” Why Joshua? Rebbi Hillel, the son of Samuel ben Naḥmani7Son of R. Samuel ben Naḥmani; no halakhic statements of his are recorded.: The verse damaged the reputation of the just person in his grave for the reputation of the just person in his time; it compares their coming in the days of Ezra to the coming in the days of Joshua. As at the coming in the days of Joshua they had been free and became obligated, also at the coming in the days of Ezra they had been free and became obligated. How did they become obligated? Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, they became obligated by the words of the Torah; that is what is written (Deut. 30:5): “The Eternal, your God, will bring you to the Land that your fathers had inherited and you will inherit it.” Just as the inheritance of your fathers was by the words of the Torah, so your inheritance is by the words of the Torah. “He will be good to you and give increase to you more than to your forefathers8In this homily, “increase” is interpreted as increase in obligations, not increase in benefits..” Your fathers had been free and became obligated, also you had been free and became obligated. On your fathers was no yoke of government9מלכות in both Talmudim means “Gentile government.”, but you even though there is on you the yoke of government. Your fathers did become obligated only after 14 years, seven they conquered and seven they distributed10The universally accepted computation that from the crossing of the Jordan to the assembly at Shilo there passed 14 years is given in Seder Olam, Chap. 11 (in the author’s edition, Northvale NJ 1998, pp. 116–119.), but you became obligated immediately when you entered. Your fathers did become obligated only after they had acquired all, you become obligated for every single piece at the moment you acquire it.
אָמַר רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר מֵאֵילֵיהֶן קִיבְּלָה עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. מַה טַעַם וּבְכָל־זֹאת אֲנַחְנוּ כּוֹרְתִים אֲמָנָה וְכוֹתְבִים וְעַל הֶחָתוּם שָׂרֵינוּ לְוִייֵנוּ וְכֹהֲנֵינוּ. מַה מְקַייֵם רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר וְאֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת בְּקָרֵינוּ וְצֹאנֵינוּ. מִכֵּיוָן שִׁקִּיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם דְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ חַייָבִין עֲלֵיהֶן. אֲפִילוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ חַייָבִין עֲלֵיהֶן הֶעֱלָה עֲלֵיהֶן הַמָּקוֹם כְּאִילּוּ מֵאֵילֵיהֶן קִיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן. Rebbi Eleazar said, they accepted the tithes voluntarily. What is the reason? (Neh. 10:1) “In view of all this, we execute a contract and write, signed by our princes, Levites, and priests.11Neh. 10 contains the contract between the people and God in which they accept the Biblical obligations connected with Land and Temple. If the obligations were Biblical, no contract would have been needed.” How does Rebbi Eleazar uphold (10:37): “The first-born of our cattle and flock12Even though Ex. 13:11 explicitly connects the sanctity of the first-born to the conquest of the Land, it is generally accepted that the obligation does not depend on the Land.”? Since they accepted upon themselves matters they were not obligated for, even matters they were obligated for are credited to them as if they were accepted voluntarily13The Babli (Qiddušin 31a, Baba Qama 38a, 87a, Avodah Zarah 3a) holds that the person who is obligated receives greater reward than the person who is not obligated. This opinion, quoted in the name of R. Ḥanina and undisputed in the Babli, clearly is not accepted in the Yerushalmi and is never quoted there. One must assume that the statement was the opinion of R. Ḥanina when he was still in Babylonia..
מַה מְקַייֵם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא וּבְכָל־זֹאת. מִכֵּיוָן שִׁקִּיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת הֶעֱלָה עֲלֵיהֶן הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ מֵאֵילֵיהֶן קִיבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶן. מַה מְקַייֵם רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ. פָּתַר לָהּ לְעָתִיד לָבוֹא. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר בָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲבוֹתֶיךָ יָֽרְשׁוּ אֶרֶץ שֶׁל שִׁבְעַת עַמְמִים. וְאַתֶּם עֲתִידִין לִירֵשׁ אֶרֶץ שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר עַמְמִים. תְּלָתֵי חוֹרַנִייָתָא אִילֵּין אִינּוּן אֶת הַקֵּינִי וְאֶת הַקְּנִיזִי וְאֶת הַקַּדְמוֹנִי. רִבִּי יוּדָה אָמַר עֲרָבִיָּיא שַׁלְמַייָא נַבָּטַייָא. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר אַסִּיָּא וְאִסְפַּמִּיָּא וְדַמֶּשֶׂק. רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר אַסִּייָא וְקַרְתִּיגֵנִי וְתוֹרְקִי. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר אֱדוֹם וּמוֹאַב וְרֵאשִׁית בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן. מֵאֲבוֹתֶיךָ. אֲבוֹתֶיךָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ חָֽזְרוּ וְנִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ. אֲבָל אַתֶּם מִשֶּׁאַתֶּם נִגְאָלִין עוֹד אֵין אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין. מַה טַעַם שַׁאֲלוּ נָא וּרְאוּ אִם יוֹלֵד זָכָר. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין הַזָּכָר יוֹלֵד כָּךְ אַתֶּם מִשֶּׁאַתֶּם נִגְאָלִין עוֹד אֵין אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין. How does Rebbi Yose bar Ḥanina explain “In view of all this”? Since they accepted [the obligations] with good grace, the verse credits it to them as if they had accepted it voluntarily13The Babli (Qiddušin 31a, Baba Qama 38a, 87a, Avodah Zarah 3a) holds that the person who is obligated receives greater reward than the person who is not obligated. This opinion, quoted in the name of R. Ḥanina and undisputed in the Babli, clearly is not accepted in the Yerushalmi and is never quoted there. One must assume that the statement was the opinion of R. Ḥanina when he was still in Babylonia.. How does Rebbi Eleazar explain “more than your forefathers?” He explains it for the future since Rebbi Ḥelbo, Simeon bar Abba said in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Your forefathers inherited the land of seven peoples14Deut. 7:1: The Hittites, Girgashites, Emorites, Canaanites, Perizites, Ḥiwwites, Yebusites., but you will in the future inherit the land of ten peoples. The three others are (Gen. 15:19) “the Qenites, the Qenizites and the Qadmonites.15These three, promised to Abraham, are never mentioned by Moses. The list, with minor deviations, also appears in Gen.rabba 44(27) and Babli Baba Batra 56a.” Rebbi Jehudah said, [these are] Arabia, Salmaia16A people living in the desert between Syria and Mesopotamia [Pliny Hist.Nat. vi, 26, 30.] These identifications are given in the Midrash in the name of Rebbi, in the Babli in the name of R. Meïr. and Nabataea. Rebbi Simeon says, Asia, Spain, and Damascus17The same list in Gen.rabba; in the Babli the list contains Asia, Spain, and an unidentified region variously written ערדיסקיס, ערדסקס, ערסקיס, אדרסקא, עידסקיס.. Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, Asia, Cartagena, and Thrace18In Gen.rabba.תרקי . The last identification is a conjecture by A. Neubauer. The word cannot mean Turkey since in Talmudic times the Turk peoples were still living in the Altai mountains. This list is not in the Babli.. Rebbi says, Edom, Moab, and the best of Ammon19This is attributed to the rabbis in Gen.rabba, to R. Jehudah in the Babli.. “More than your forefathers”: Your forefathers, even though they were redeemed, were later subjugated again. But you when you are redeemed will not be subjugated again. What is the reason? (Jer. 30:6) “Inquire and see whether a male gives birth.” Just as a male cannot give birth so you, after you are redeemed, will not be subjugated again20The image of the male as symbol of the sterility of the days of the Messiah is found in Yerushalmi Midrashim [Mekhilta deR.Ismael,Bešallaḥ 1 (ed. Horovitz-Rabin p. 118), Cant.rabba 1(37)]. It is discussed at length in the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah (Northvale NJ, 1995), pp. 314–316..
הַמְּהַלֵּךְ מֵעַכּוֹ לְאַכְזִיב מִימִינוֹ לְמִזְרַח הַדֶּרֶךְ טְהוֹרָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים וְחַייֶבֶת בְּמַעְשְׂרוֹת וּבַשְּׁבִיעִית עַד שֶׁתִּיװָדַע לָךְ שֶׁהִיא פְּטוּרָה. מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ לְמַעֲרָב הַדֶּרֶךְ טְמֵיאָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים וּפְטוּרָה מִן הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת וּמִן הַשְּׁבִיעִית עַד שֶׁתִּיװָדַע לָךְ שֶׁהִיא חַייֶבֶת עַד שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לְאַכְזִיב. רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר מִשּׁוּם אָבִיו עַד לַבְּלַב. עַכּוֹ עַצְמָהּ מַה הִיא. רִבִּי אָחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי אִימִּי. מִן תְּרֵין עוֹבְדוֹי דְרִבִּי אֲנָן יָֽלְפִין עַכּוֹ יֵשׁ בָּהּ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. רִבִּי הֲוָה בְעַכּוֹ חָֽמְתוּן אָֽכְלוּן פִּיתָּא נְקִייָה אָמַר לוֹן מַה אַתּוּן לָתִין. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ תַּלְמִיד אֶחָד בָּא לְכָאן וְהוֹרָה לָנוּ עַל מֵי בֵּיצִים שֶׁאֵין מַכְשִׁירִין. סָֽבְרִין מֵימַר וַאֲנָן שָֽׁלְקִין בֵּיעִין וְלָתִין בְּמֵיהֶן סָֽבְרִין מֵימַר מֵי שְׁלָק שֶׁל בֵּיצִים וְלֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא מֵי בֵּיצִים עַצְמָן. אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי מֵאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה גָֽזְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא תַלְמִיד מוֹרֶה הוֹרַייָה. רִבִּי חִייָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי הוּנָא תַּלְמִיד שֶׁהוֹרָה אֲפִילוּ כַהֲלָכָה אָין הוֹרָאָתוֹ הוֹרַייָה. If21Tosephta Ahilut 18:14, also quoted in Babli Giṭṭin 7b. one walks from Acco to Akhzib, to one’s right hand side and the East the road is pure regarding the land of Gentiles and is subject to tithes and the Sabbatical unless it was known to you to be exempt. To one’s left and the West, the road is impure regarding the land of Gentiles and is free from tithes and the Sabbatical unless it was known to you to be obligated, until one arrives at Akhzib; Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose said in his father’s name, as far as Lablab22In the Tosephta לכלאבי (Ms. Vienna). The place is unidentified and the ל might be a preposition “to”.. What is the status of Acco itself? Rebbi Aḥa bar Jacob in the name of Rebbi Immi: From two actions of Rebbi we learn that Acco is partly of the Land of Israel and partly outside the Land. Rebbi was in Acco when he saw them eating clean bread23People he knew as “fellows” who ate their food in ritual purity. The bread was of the finest white flour, which proved that it was milled from washed grain and, therefore, was liable to impurity (cf. Demay Chapter 2, Note 141) and probably became impure in handling.; he asked them, how did you wash [the grains]? They said to him, a student came here and instructed us that egg water is in order. They thought, we will cook eggs and wash with the cooking water [because] they thought he was talking about cooking water of eggs when he spoke only of egg fluid24The fluid contents of a raw egg do not prepare for impurity since only water (including water used for cooking), wine, olive oil and human body fluids can do so. The instruction given by the student was correct but was delivered in a misleading way. The entire story makes sense only if Acco is considered to be of the Land since any other land is impure in itself.. Rebbi Jacob bar Idi said, at that moment they decreed that a student may not render decisions. Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Ḥuna: If a student gives instructions even according to practice, his instructions are no instructions.
תַּנֵּי תַּלְמִיד שֶׁהוֹרָה הֲלָכָה לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ חַייָב מִיתָה. תַּנֵּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר לֹא מֵתוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁהוֹרוּ בִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבָּן. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּתַלֲמִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהוֹרָה לִפְנֵי רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר רַבּוֹ. אָמַר לְאִימָּא שָׁלוֹם אִשְׁתּוֹ אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא שַׁבָּתוֹ. וְלֹא יָצָא שַׁבָּתוֹ עַד שֶׁמֵּת. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ תַלְמִידָיו רִבִּי נָבִיא אַתָּה. אָמַר לָהֶן לֹא נָבִיא אָנֹכִי וְלֹא בֶן נָבִיא אָנֹכִי אֶלָּא כָךְ אֲנִי מְקוּבָּל שֶׁכָּל־תַּלְמִיד הַמּוֹרֶה הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ חַייָב מִיתָה. תַּנֵּי אָסוּר לְתַלְמִיד לְהוֹרוֹת הֲלָכָה בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל כְּמַחֲנֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמַה טַעַם וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל הַיַּרְדֵן מִבֵּית הַיְּשִׁימוֹת עַד אָבֵל הַשִּׁיטִּים וְכַמָּה הֵן שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל. כְּהָדָא רִבִּי תַנְחוּם בַּר חִייָה הֲוָה בְחֵפֶר וַהֲווֹן שְׁאָלִין לֵיהּ וְהוּא מוֹרֶה שְׁאָלִין לֵיהּ וְהוּא מוֹרֶה. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ וְלֹא כֵן אִילְפָן רִבִּי שֶׁאָסוּר לְתַלְמִיד לְהוֹרוֹת הֲלָכָה לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל כְּמַחֲנֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָא רִבִּי מָנָא רַבָּךְ יְתִיב בְּצִיפּוֹרִין. אָמַר לוֹן יֵיתִי דְלָא יָֽדְעִית. מִן הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא לָא אוֹרֵי. It was stated: A student who gave instructions about practice in front of his teacher has committed a deadly sin25Babli Berakhot 31b, Eruvin 63a, Yerushalmi Giṭṭin 1:2. This insert takes up the theme of unauthorized ruling from the previous story. However, in the previous case it was assumed that the student was not ordained; he is prohibited from giving instructions by a late rabbinic ordinance. In the present paragraph the student is ordained; nevertheless, he may not issue instructions at his teacher’s place by a Biblical injunction. (The story of Rebbi at Acco is continued in the next paragraph.). It was stated in the name of Rebbi Eliezer: Nadab and Abihu died only because they determined practice in the presence of their teacher Moses26They died because they presented “a strange fire that was not commanded to them.” Since they must have had some rationale for their actions, it follows that they acted on their own judgment, not consulting their teacher Moses. Since Moses was not with them at that moment, it also follows that “in front of his teacher” means “while his teacher is alive”, in that case, in the encampment of the Israelites in the desert. Their argument is hinted at in Babli Yoma 53a.. It happened that a student gave instructions about practice in front of his teacher Rebbi Eliezer. The latter said to his wife Imma Shalom27The sister of Rabban Gamliel. The parallel is in Babli Eruvin 63a; there R. Eliezer speaks of a year, not a week.: That one will not live out his week. The week was not completed when he died. His students said to him: Rebbi, you are a prophet. He said to them (Amos 7:14) “I am neither a prophet nor the disciple of a prophet” but I have received a tradition that any student who gives instructions about practice in front of his teacher has committed a deadly sin. It was stated: A student is forbidden to give instructions about practice during the lifetime of his teacher unless he be at a distance of at least 12 mil from him, [the breadth of] the camp of Israel. What is the reason? (Num. 33:49) “They encamped along the Jordan from Bet Hayyešimot to Abel Haššiṭṭim”; how far is this? Twelve mil28In the Babli (Eruvin 55b,Yoma75b) this is a determination of Rabba bar bar Ḥana. The text here shows that in the Babli the reading “3 parasangs” (12 mil) of the mss. is to be preferred over “3 parasangs square” of the Venice edition, against the opinion of R. Rabbinovicz (Diqduqe Soferim Eruvin p. 224, Note.פ ) A mil is 2000 cubits, cf. Kilaim Chapter 5, Note 25.. Like this: Rebbi Tanḥum ben Ḥiyya was in Ḥefer29The Biblical Gat Ḥefer, possibly the village El-Mešad near Kafr Kanna, not far from Sepphoris.; they asked him repeatedly and he gave instructions about practice. They said to him, did the rabbi not teach us that a student may not give instructions about practice during the lifetime of his teacher unless he be at a distance of at least 12 mil from him, [the breadth of] the camp of Israel; and your teacher Rebbi Mana sits at Sepphoris! He said to them, so it should come over me that I did not know! From that moment on he did no longer give instructions.
רִבִּי הֲוָה בְעַכּוֹ. חָמָא חַד בַּר נַשׁ סְלַק מִן כֵּיפְתָא וּלְעֵיל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לֵית אַתְּ בְּרֵיהּ דְּפַלָּן כַּהֲנָא לֹא הֲוָה אָבוּךְ כֹּהֵן. אָמַר לֵיהּ עֵינָיו שֶׁל אַבָּא הָיוּ גְבוֹהוֹת וְנָשָׂא אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ הוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ וְחִילֵּל אֶת אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ. Rebbi was in Acco when he saw a man going up over the rock. He said to him, “are you not the son of the Cohen X, was your father not a Cohen30Since a Cohen may not defile himself willingly, in Rebbi‘s time a Cohen was forbidden to leave the Land (even though the impurity of the airspace of land outside the Holy Land is only a rabbinical ordinance). Since Rebbi assumed that the man was a Cohen violating the prohibition, he spoke to him in Aramaic as to an uneducated vulgar. The man answered in learned Hebrew that his father had married a woman forbidden to him as a Cohen (a divorcee or a prostitute) and, therefore, he himself was no Cohen and was permitted to be outside the Land. This story proves that parts of Acco were outside the Land.
It is standard Talmudic style that a person who has to deprecate himself refers to himself as ’this man”; cf. Berakhot Chapter 3, Notes 195–199.?” He said to him, “the eyes of my father were high, but he married a woman unfit for him and profaned this man.”
תְּחוּמֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־שֶׁהֶחֱזִיקוּ עוֹלֵי בָבֵל. פרשת דשקלין חומות מגדל שיד. ושינא דרור ושורא דעכו וקציריא דגליל וכברתה ובית זניתה וקובעיא ומילתא דביר וּביריי רבתא תפניסא וסנפתה מחרתה דיתייר וממציא דאבהתא וראש מי געתון וגעתון עצמה מי ספר ומרחשת ומגדל חרוב ואולם רבתה ונוקבתא דעיון ותוקרת ברכה רבה ובר סנגדא ותרנגולא עילאה דלמעלה מן קיסרין וטרכונא דמתחם לבוצרא ומלח דזרכאיי ונמרין וּבית סכל וקנת ורפיח דחגרא ודרך הגדולה ההולכת למדבר חשבון ויבקא ונחלא דזרד ויגר שהדותא ורקם דגועה וגניא דאשקלון. [נ"א תְּחוּמֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מָקוֹם שֶּׁהֶ[חֱזִיקוּ] עוֹלֵי בָּבֶל פּוֹרָשַּׁת אַשְּׁקְלוֹן וְחוֹמַת מִגְדַּל שְּׁרוֹשַּׁן דוֹר וְחוֹמַת עַכּוֹ ורֹאשּׁ מֵי גֵּיאַתוֹ וְגֵיאַתוֹ עַצְמָהּ וְכַבַּרָ[תָא וּבֵי]ת זְנִיתָה וְקַסְטְרָא דְגָלִילָא וְקוּבַּעְייָא דְאַייְתָא וּממַצִּייָה דְיָרְכָּתָה וּמִלְתָה דְּכוֹרַייִם וּסְחַרְתָּה דְּיַתִּיר וְנַחְלָה דִבְצָאל וּבֵית עַיִט וּבַרְשָּׁתָה וְאוּלֵי רַבְּתָה וְנִקְבְּתָה דְּעִיּוּן וּמֵיסַב סְפַנְחָה וּכְּרָכָה דְּבַר סַנְגּוּרָה וְתַרְנְגוֹלָה עִילִּייָה דְקֵיסָרִיּוֹן וּבֵית סַבָּל וּקְנָת וּרְקַם טְרָכוֹן זִימְרָה דְּמִתְחָם לְבוֹצְרַה יַבֹּקָה וְחֶשְּׁבּוֹן וְנַחֲלָה דְזֶרֶד אִיגַר סַהֲדוּתָא נִימְרִין וּמְלָח רְזִיזָה רְקַם דְגֵיאָה וְגִנַּייָה דְאַשְקְלוֹן וְדֶרֶךְ הַגְּדוֹלָה הַהוֹלֶכֶת לַמִּידְבָּר.] The boundaries of the Land of Israel, the domain acquired by the returnees from Babylonia: The road-crossing of Ascalon, the wall of Straton’s Tower32Caesarea Maritima., Dor, the wall of Acco, the head of the waters of Gaaton33Nahr Mafšukh, flowing into the Sea at Nahariyya. Gaaton is Khirbet Ja‘ṭun., Gaaton itself, Kabarata34Khirbet Al-Kabari, 5 km SE of Akhzib. and Bet Zenita35Khirbet Zuënita, NE of Al-Kabari., the castrum of Galilee36Khirbet Jelil, 13 km NE of Akhzib., the waterholes of Aita37Kafr ‘Aita, 30 km NE of Khirbet Jelil. For the translation of קובעייה see Tosefta ki-fshutah, p. 535., the best of Yorkata40Unidentified., the wall of Koraim38Khirbet al-Koriyya, 8 km NE of Kafr ‘Aita., the corral of Yattir39Kafr Yaṭir, N. of al-Koriyya., the brook Beṣal40Unidentified., Bet Ayiṭ, Barshata41Bir ‘Ašit, E. of Yaṭir., great Uleh42The conjectures about this place are collected by Lieberman, p. 536. Sussmann reads: Huleh, but this does not fit the geography of the description which moves from about Nahariyya to Banias without enclaves or exclaves. The reading of the Yerushalmi, רבחה אולם, would lead to ‘Almon on Nahr Khasimiyye., the water source of Iyun43Merj ‘Ayyoun., the surroundings of Sepanḥah44Unidentified, in Tosephta and Sifriספנתא., the fortification of Bar Sangura, the upper cock of Caesarea45Cf. Demay Chapter 2, Note 74., Bet Sabbal46All other sources read בית סכל or בית סכות. While it is true that the mosaic shows a dark stone at the right hand side bottom of the letter, it is not impossible that this designatesכ ; then this and the next two places are SW of Damascus., Qanat, Reqam of Trachonitis47קנת is Al-Qonut NW of the Hauran, רקם is Ar-Raqim near Damascus. (רקם “heap of stones”.), Zimra which borders on Bostra48Cf. Demay Chapter 2, Note 9., Yabboq, Ḥesban, the brook Zered, Yegar Sahaduta49Biblical names from Transjordan; the Mishnaic tradition of identification of these places is lost., Nimrin50If this Nimrin is the place mentioned in Yerushalmi Ketubot 2:8 (fol. 26d) it must be in Trachonitis (Jebel Druz) since the last place mentioned in that region is Bostra. Maybe it is Bet-Nimra (Jos. 13:27)., the salt flat of Raziza40Unidentified., Reqam of Geia51Petra. In the Targumim, גֵיאָה רְקַם is the translation of Qadeš Barnea‘., the gardens of Ascalon and the main road which leads to the desert.
אַשְׁקְלוֹן עַצְמָהּ רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא מִן מַה דְתַנֵּי גִּנַּייָה דְאַשְׁקְלוֹן הָדָא אָֽמְרָה אַשְׁקְלוֹן כִּלְחוּץ. רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם חִילְפַיי. דְּבֵי רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וּבֶן הַקַּפָּר נִמְנוּ עַל אֲוֵיר אַשְׁקְלוֹן וְטִיהֲרוּהוּ. מִפִּי רִבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר שֶׁאָמַר יוֹרְדִּין הָייִנוּ לְסִירְקִי שֶׁל אַשְׁקְלוֹן וְלוֹקְחִין חִטִּין וְעוֹלִין לְעִירֵינוּ וְטוֹבְלִין וְאוֹכְלִין בִּתְרוּמָתֵינוּ. לְמָחָר נִמְנוּ עָלֶיהָ לְפוֹטְרָהּ מִן הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. מָשַׁךְ רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֵּי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אֶת יָדָיו שֶׁהָיָה מִסְתַּמֵּךְ עַל בֶּן הַקַּפָּר. אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי לָמָּה לֹא אָמַרְתָּ לִי מִפְּנֵי מַה מָשַׁכְתָּ אֶת יָדֶיךָ מִמֶּנּוּ הָייִתִי אוֹמֵר לָךְ אֶתְמוֹל אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁטִּימֵּאתִי אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁטִּיהַרְתִּי וְעַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא נִתְכַּבְּשָׁה מִדְּבַר תּוֹרָה. וְהֵיאַךְ אֲנִי פוֹטְרָהּ מִדְּבַר תּוֹרָה. Ashqelon itself? Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Zeïra: Since we have stated “the gardens of Ascalon” it follows that Ascalon is outside. Rebbi Simon in the name of Hilfai: The House of Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose and Ben Qappara voted on the airspace of Ascalon and declared it pure from the testimony of Rebbi Phineas ben Yaïr who said, we were descending to the Saracen [market] at Ascalon52Since he was eating heave, he must have been a Cohen and forbidden to leave the Land. where we bought wheat, returned to our town, immersed ourselves53Cf. Mishnah Berakhot 1:1. and ate our heave. The next day they voted to free it from tithes54This ruling would contradict the previous one and declare Ascalon outside the Land.. Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose removed his hand that was leaning on Ben Qappara. He said to him, my son, why did you not say to me: why did you remove your hand? I would have told you that yesterday I was he who declared it impure55Not really he personally, but he is like one of the rabbis who decreed impurity on the airspace outside the Holy Land., I am he who declared it pure. But now I am saying, maybe it was conquered within the meaning of the Torah, how can I free it from the meaning of the Torah56He must follow R. Yose bar Ḥanina and hold that the obligation of tithes in the Second Commonwealth was biblical.?
אֵימָתַי הִיא טְמֵיאָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי סִימוֹן מִשֶּׁתִּשְׁהֵא הַגְּזֵירָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. אָמַר רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה וְלֹא בְטָעוּת אָנוּ מַחֲזִיקִים אֶלָּא מִיַּד הִיא טְמֵיאָה מִשּׁוּם אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא לֹא כֵן אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא מִן מַה דְתַנֵּי גִּנַּייָה דְאַשְׁקְלוֹן הָדָא אָֽמְרָה אַשְׁקְלוֹן כִּלְחוּץ. וְכִי צוֹר אֵינוֹ אָסוּר לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם וְהַקּוֹנֶה שָׁם אֵינוֹ מִתְחַייֵב דְּלָא תִיסְבּוֹר מֵימַר אוֹף הָכָא כֵן לְפִיכָךְ נִמְנוּ עָלֶיהָ לְפוֹטְרָהּ מִן הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. When is it impure because of territory of Gentiles57This refers to the rabbinic decree that Gentile settlements, even in the Land of Israel, are impure since Gentiles bury their still-born babies anywhere, even under dirt floors of houses or under dirt roads. Anybody walking through such a settlement might become impure by the impurity of the “tent” (cf. Kilaim Chapter 2, Note 180.)? Rebbi Simeon said, if the decision stands for forty days. Rebbi Jeremiah said, did we not hold it by error58Ascalon was erroneously held to be pure by R. Phineas ben Yaïr; the decree is not new.? Certainly it is immediately impure because of territory of the Gentiles! Rebbi Mana said, did not Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa say in the name of Rebbi Zeïra: Since we have stated “the gardens of Ascalon” it follows that Ascalon is outside. Is it not forbidden to go to Tyre59In the time of Rebbi, when a Cohen was forbidden to leave the Land, he might not go to Tyre since this is far to the North of Akhzib. In the time of R. Mana this rule apparently was disregarded since it is reported (Berakhot 3:1, note 94) that R. Ḥiyya bar Abba, a Cohen, went to Tyre to see the emperor Diocletian. and is the one who buys there not obligated60Cf. Demay Chap. 1, Note 168.? They voted to exempt it from tithes that you should not say the same in this case.
רִבִּי סִימוֹן וְרִבִּי אַבָּהוּ הֲווֹן יְתִיבִין. אָמַר הָא כְתִיב וַיִּלְכֹּד יְהוּדָה אֶת עַזָּה וְאֶת גְּבוּלָהּ. לֵיתֵי עַזָּה. אֶת אַשְּׁקְלוֹן אֶת גְּבוּלָהּ. לֵיתֵי אַשְּׁקְלוֹן. מֵעַתָּה הָהֵן נַחַל מִצְרַיִם. לֵיתֵי נַחַל מִצְרַיִם. Rebbi Simon and Rebbi Abbahu were sitting. He said, is it not written (Jud. 1:18) “Jehudah conquered Gaza and its territory”? Include Gaza61This refers to the question of tithes due from the territory conquered by the twelve tribes under Joshua even if they could not hold onto their conquests, as argued by R. Ismael ben R. Yose. For this opinion, all that is described in the Torah and the book of Joshua is subject to tithes. The commentators translate ליתי עזה by “this is not Gaza”, meaning that Gaza town is not the Gaza mentioned in the verse. But the Yerushalmi uses לית only as “no; not”, never as “not being”; the latter is always spelled out לא אית; ליתי as verbal form can be derived only from אתי “to come”, not from אית “to be”.. “Ascalon and its territory”, include Ascalon. If it is so, what about the brook of Egypt62Jos. 15:4. Num. 34.9, identified by R. Saadia Gaon as Wadi el-‘Arish.? Include the brook of Egypt.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כְּתִיב וַיִּבְרַח יִפְתַּח מִפְּנֵי אֶחָיו וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ טוֹב זוֹ סוּסִּיתָא. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ טוֹב שֶׁיִּפְטוֹר מִן הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. רִבִּי אִימִּי בָּעֵי וְלֹא מִמַּעֲלֵי מִיסִּין הֵן. סָבַר רִבִּי אִימִּי כְּמִי שֶׁנִּתְכַּבְּשׁוּ. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן שָׁלֹשׁ פרסטיגיות שִׁילַּח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּֽנְסוֹ לָאָרֶץ מִי שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לְהִפָּנוֹת יְפַנֶּה. לְהַשְׁלִים יַשְׁלִים. לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה יַעֲשֶׂה. גִּרְגָּשִׁי פִּינָּה וְהֶאֱמִין לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלַךְ לוֹ לְאַפְרִיקֵי. עַד בּוֹאִי וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּאַרְצְכֶם. זוֹ אַפְרִיקֵי. גִּבְעוֹנִים הִשְׁלִימוּ וכִי הִשְׁלִימוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי גִּבְעוֹן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מֶלֶךְ עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה וְנָֽפְלוּ. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said it is written (Jud. 11:3): “Jephtah fled because of his brothers and dwelled in the land Good,” that is Hippos. Why is it called “Good”, because it frees from tithes. [63The passage in brackets is from Demay, Chapter 2 (at Note 97); it refers to Kefar Ẓemaḥ, a place within the municipality of Hippos with a Jewish quarter, in contrast to Gentile Hippos. It has no connection with the theme of this paragraph other than the mention of Hippos. Rebbi Immi asked: Are these not of the taxpayers? Rebbi Immi is of the opinion that taxpayers count as if they were conquered.] For Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, Joshua sent three orders64The word in the Yerushalmi (both mss.) seems to be corrupt. In the parallel Lev.rabba 17(6) the reading is פרוזדוגמאות in the printed editions and פרסטיגמאות in Arukh. Compare Greek πρόσταγμα “command, edict”. to the Land of Israel before they entered the Land: Those who want to evacuate should evacuate, those who want to make peace should make peace, those who want to go to war should go to war. The Girgasites65Even though the Girgasites are mentioned in Jos. 24:11 as having fought against Israel, they are not mentioned anywhere in the report on the conquest. evacuated, believed in the Holy One, praised be He, and went to Africa66The Roman province of Africa on the Southern shore of the Mediterranean. In the Babli (Sanhedrin 94a), the identification is quoted in the name of Mar Zuṭra, a late Amora known for his quotes of sermons of early authorities.. (2K. 18:32, Is. 36:17) “Until I come and take you to a land like your Land,” that is Africa. The people of Gibeon made peace, (Jos. 10:1) “… that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel.” Thirty-one kings went to war and fell.
מִפְּנֵי מַה לֹא גָֽזְרוּ עָל אוֹתָהּ הָרוּּחַ שֶׁבְגְּרָרִיקוֹ. רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּיוֶיהָ רַע. עַד הֵיכָן. רִבִּי חָנִין בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק עַד נַחַל מִצְרַיִם. וַהֲרֵי עַזָּה נִיוֶיהָ יָפֶה. פִּישְׁפְּשָׁה אָמַר קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי שְׁאֵלִית לְרִבִּי אָחָא וְשָׁרָא. Why did they make no decree about the direction of Gerar67The desert part of the Negev. This is part of the Biblical Holy Land that was not settled by the returnees from Babylon but which is so sparsely inhabited and infrequently visited that no decree was deemed necessary.? Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Because its oases are poor. How far? Rebbi Ḥanin in the name of Rebbi Samuel ben Rabbi Isaac: Up to the brook of Egypt62Jos. 15:4. Num. 34.9, identified by R. Saadia Gaon as Wadi el-‘Arish.. But is not the oasis of Gaza a good one? Pishpesha68Name of an otherwise unknown person (or a nickname “inquirer into details”) who must have been a Cohen since he was worried about the impurity of Gentile territory. said before Rebbi Yose: I asked Rebbi Aḥa and he permitted.
רִבִּי זְעִירָא אֲזַל לְחַמְּתָא דִפְחָל וַהֲוָה חָמִי גַרְמֵיהּ יְהִיב לְבַר (מִן) מִדִּיקְלַיָּא דְּבָבֶל שָׁלַח שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי חִייָא בַּר װָא שָׁאַל רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר װָא לִתְרֵין בְּנוֹי דְּרִבִּי אֶבְיָתָר דְּירָמָה אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ נְהִיגִין כֹּהֲנַיּיָא מָטֵיי עַד תַּמָּן. כָּהֲנַייָא שְׁאָלוּן לְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הָהֵן חוּטָּא דְנָוֶה. אָמַר לוֹן רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חוּנְיָא דִבְרַת חַװְרָן. נְהִיגִין כֹּהֲנַיָא מָטֵיי עַד דְּרֵיי וְהָהֵן חוּטָּא דְבוֹצְרַייָה עַד דְּפַרְדֵיסָא. Rebbi Zeïra went to the hot springs of Pella69In Perea, South of Naveh. Since this place is West of Bostra, there should not have been any question that it is within the Land of Israel. But since a group of date palms was called “Babylonian”, there arose a question whether their place followed the rules of Babylonia. and found himself outside of the “Babylonian date palms”. He sent to ask Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba; Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba asked the two sons of Rebbi Eviatar from Dama70Nothing is known about this person. He is referred to by his place (Dameh in the plane of Ḥattin) to distinguish him from the (originally Babylonian) R. Eviatar quoted elsewhere. who said to him, Cohanim are used to go there. The Cohanim asked Rebbi Joḥanan about that strip around Naveh. Rebbi Joḥanan said to them in the name of Rebbi Onias from Ḥauran: Cohanim are used to go there up to Edrei, and in the region of Bostra48Cf. Demay Chapter 2, Note 8. up to the orchard.
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ יֵשׁ עַייָרוֹת שֶׁל כּוּתִים שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בָהֶן הֵיתֵר מִימֵי הוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וְהֵן מוּתָּרוֹת. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בָּעֵי מֵעַתָּה לֹא יָחוּשׁוּ כֹּהֲנִים עַל חַלָּתָן. וַאֲנָן חָמֵיי רַבָּנִין חֹשְׁשִׁין. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי לָא בְגִין מִילְתָא דְאַתְּ אָֽמְרָת אֶלָּא בְגִין דְלָא חָלַטְּתוּן מַלְכוּתָא בְיָדָא. Rebbi Abbahu said: There are Samaritan places permitted since the days of Joshua bin Nun and they remain permitted71The entire Land of Israel was permitted from the time of the conquest under Joshua. R. Abbahu notes that there were places held by the returnees from Babylonia that in his time were occupied by Samaritans. Since the territory acquired the status of holiness with their return, it cannot lose it again even if the place is occupied by people who cannot be trusted in matters of ritual purity and Cohanim may go there.. Rebbi Yose inquired: If that is so, Cohanim should not worry about their ḥallah. But we see that rabbis worry72They do treat Samaritan ḥallah as impure.! Rebbi Judah ben Pazi said, it is not because of what you said, but because it never was absolutely under government control73The places were never included in the Persian province of Yehud nor consolidated into the Hasmonean kingdom..
רִבִּי יָסָא שָׁמַע דְּאָתִת אִימֵּיהּ לְבוֹצְרָה. שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מַהוּ לָצֵאת. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִם מִפְּנֵי סַכָּנַת דְּרָכִים צֵא. אִם מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד אִמָּךְ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ. אָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק עוֹד הִיא צְרִיכָה לְרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אַטְרָח עֲלוֹי וְאָמַר גָּמַרְתָּה לָצֵאת תָּבוֹא בְשָׁלוֹם. שָׁמַע רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר וָמַר אֵין רְשׁוּת גְּדוֹלָה מִזּוּ. 74This text is also in Berakhot 3:1 (Notes 103 ff.); a parallel in Babli Qiddušin 31b. Rebbi Yasa heard that his mother had come to Bostra. He went and asked Rebbi Yoḥanan, may I leave? He said to him, if it is because of danger on the road, leave. If it is in order to honor father and mother, I do not know. Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, Rebbi Yoḥanan still needs to answer. He importuned him, so he said: If you decided to go, return in peace. Rebbi Eleazar heard this and said: there is no greater permission than that.
רִבִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי חֲנִינָה הַקּוֹנֶה בְעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב מַהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֲנִי לֹא שְׁמַעְתִּיהָ מֵרִבִּי חִייָה הַגָּדוֹל אֶלָּא מִפָּרָשַׁת אַשְׁקְלוֹן וּלְחוּץ. וְקַשְׁיָא דְּהוּא שָׁאַל לֵיהּ הָדָא וָמַר לֵיהּ הָדָא. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּלֵית רִבִּי חֲנִינָה אָמַר מִילָּה דְּלֹא שָׁמַע מִן יוֹמוֹי וּבְגִין דְּלָא מְפִיקְתֵּיהּ רֵיקָן בְּגִין כֵּן שָׁאַל לֵיהּ חָדָא וּמֵגִיב לֵיהּ חָדָא. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish asked Rebbi Ḥaninah: What is the status of one who buys in Ammon and Moab75What is the status for Sabbatical and tithes? From the discussion in the paragraph after the next it will be clear that “Ammon and Moab” does not refer to the Biblical states but to the domain of the former tribes Reuben and Gad in Transjordan.? He said to him, I heard from the great Rebbi Ḥiyya only “outside the crossroads of Ascalon.” That is difficult, he asked him this and he answered that76He asked him about Northern Transjordan and the answer was given for Southern Cisjordan.? But since Rebbi Ḥaninah never said anything he had not heard and because he did not want to send him away emptyhanded, he [R. Simeon] asked him one topic and he [R. Ḥanina] answered another.
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אֲזַל לְבוֹצְרָה אֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ. אָֽמְרוּ לֵיהּ חָמִי לָן בַּר נַשׁ דָּרִישׁ דַּייָן סֹפֵר חַזָּן עֲבִיד כָּל־צוּרְכִינָן חָמָא חַד בַּבְלָיי. אָמַר לֵיהּ חָמִית לָךְ חַד אָתָר טָב אָתָא לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר לֵיהּ מִן בָּבֶל לְבָבֶל. אָמַר יַעֲֲקֹב בַּר אַבָּא מִן מַה דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִן בָּבֶל לְבָבֶל הָדָא אָֽמְרָה הַקּוֹנֶה שָׁם אֵינוֹ מִתְחַייֵב. וְכִי צוֹר אֵינוֹ אָסוּר לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם וְהַקּוֹנֶה שָׁם אֵינוֹ מִתְחַייֵב. אַשְׁכָּח תַּנֵי סִימָּן לְעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וּלְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁתֵּי אֲרָצוֹת. אַחַת נַאֱכֶלֶת וְנֶעֱבֶדֶת וְאַחַת נֶאֱכֶלֶת וְלֹא נֶעֱבֶדֶת. סָבַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מֵימַר אֶת בֶּצֶר בַּמִּדְבָּר. שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ בֶּצֶר בּוֹצְרָה. Rebbi Simon ben Laqish went to Bostra; they came to him and said to him: Select for us a man as preacher, judge, scribe, reader; one who will do everything we need77Full job description of a paid practicing rabbi.. He selected a Babylonian and said to him, I have a good place for you. He went to Rebbi Joḥanan who said to him, from Babylonia to Babylonia78You came from Babylonia to be in the Holy Land; do not leave the Land. This ruling contradicts the one given to R. Assi.. Rebbi Jacob bar Abba said, since Rebbi Joḥanan said from Babylonia to Babylonia, that means one who buys there is not obligated. But is it not forbidden to go to Tyre79Since Tyre is North of Akhzib, it is not in the Holy Land. Nevertheless, the rules of the Sabbatical are kept there., and if one buys there is he not obligated? It was found stated: A sign for Ammon, Moab, and the Land of Egypt: There are two regions80Each country contains two regions. It is stated in Mishnah Yadayim4:3 that a “new decree”, enacted after the destruction of the Temple, requires Jewish farmers in these regions to give tithes of the poor. It is stated here that these obligations apply only to those parts of these countries which border on the Holy Land.. From the first one eats and it may be worked81One eats under the rules of the holiness of the Sabbatical; one works (or may not work) the land in the Sabbatical., from the other one eats and it may not be worked. Rebbi Joḥanan wanted to refer to (Deut. 4:43): “Beṣer in the prairie82One of the cities of refuge, in the territory of Reuben. If Bostra is Beṣer then it belonged to the Biblical land of Israel and to the land held by the returnees from Babylonia, and must be obligated for all duties upon the Land. This was R. Joḥanan’s opinion when he told R. Assi (a Cohen) to go there to meet his mother. But then he asked R. Simeon ben Laqish, changed his mind and placed Bostra just outside the borders of the Land. In the Babli (Avodah Zarah 58b), the identification is R. Simeon’s and R. Joḥanan insists that these are different places. (Bostra is in the North, at the Eastern end of the Bashan highlands; Beṣer is in the South, in the low plain near the Dead Sea.)”. He asked Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: Is Beṣer Bostra?
רִבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר נַחְמָן וְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ שָׁאַל לְרִבִּי חֲנִינָה הַקּוֹנֶה מֵעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב מַהוּ. אָמַר [רִבִּי זְעִירָא] קְשִׁיתָהּ קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יָסָא לֵית עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב דְּמֹשֶׁה. אָמַר רִבִּי מָנָא קְשִיתָהּ קוֹמֵי רִבִּי חַגַּיי לֵית עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב דְּמֹשֶׁה. לֵית עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב דְּרִבִּי לָֽעְזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּי רִבִּי בּוּן כְּתִיב כִּי חֶשְׁבּוֹן עִיר סִיחוֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמוֹרִי הִיא צְרִיכָה לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן טֻהֲרָה מִיַּד סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג אוֹ לֹא טֻהֲרָה. אִין תֵּימַר טֻהֲרָה חַייֶבֶת. אִין תֵּימַר שֶׁלֹּא טֻהֲרָה פְטוּרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּמָא הָחֵל רָשׁ לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת אַרְצוֹ עָשִׂיתִי אֶת אַרְצוֹ חוּלִין לְפָנֶיךָ. Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman: Did not Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish ask Rebbi Ḥaninah: What is the status of one who buys in Ammon and Moab75What is the status for Sabbatical and tithes? From the discussion in the paragraph after the next it will be clear that “Ammon and Moab” does not refer to the Biblical states but to the domain of the former tribes Reuben and Gad in Transjordan.? Rebbi Zeïra said, I asked this question before Rebbi Assi: Are not Ammon and Moab from Moses? Rebbi Mana asked this question before Rebbi Ḥaggai: Are not Ammon and Moab from Moses? Ammon and Moab are not from Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah84In Mishnah Yadayim 4 there is a list of decrees enacted on the day R. Eleazar ben Azariah was made head of the Synhedrion. On the authority of R. Joshua it was decreed that “Ammon and Moab” (i. e., the domains of the former tribes Reuben and Gad) must give tithe of the poor in the Sabbatical. This implies that the land there is cultivated during the Sabbatical. Therefore, Transjordan cannot be part of the Holy Land where work is forbidden.! Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, it is written (Num. 22:26): “For Ḥešbon is the city of Siḥon, the king of the Amorites.” Rebbi Simeon was not sure whether it was purified from the hand of Siḥon and Og or not. If you say it was purified it is obligated, if you say it was not purified it is free. Rebbi Tanḥuma said (Deut. 2:31): “Make profane for inheritance, to inherit his land.” I made his land profane before you85Even in the times of Moses and Joshua, Transjordan did not have the status of a Holy Land. The opposite conclusion is drawn from the same verses in Babli Ḥulin 60b..
רִבִּי חוּנָא בָּעֵי מִישְׁרֵי הָהֵן יַבְּלוֹנָה אָתָא לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי מָנָא אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא לָךְ חֲתוֹם וְלָא קְבִילֵי עִילָּװֵיי מִיחְתּוֹם לְמָחָר קָם עִימֵּיהּ רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר מַדִיָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ יְאוּת עָֽבְדַת דְּלֹא חָתַמְתּ. דְרִבִּי יוֹנָה אָבוּךְ הֲוָה אָמַר אַנְטוֹנִינוּס יְהָבָהּ לְרִבִּי תְּרֵין אַלְפִין דַּשָּׁנִין בַּאֲרִיסוּ. לְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱכָל אֲבָל לֹא נֶעֱבָד [כְּסוּרִיָא] וּפָטוּר מִן הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא כִשְׂדוֹת גּוֹיִם. Rebbi Ḥuna wanted to permit the Gebalitis86For a discussion of the cases of substitution of י for ג see Y. F. Gumpertz, Mivta‘e Śefatenu (Jerusalem 1953), pp. 51–86. Gebalitis was the name of the region of Petra.. He came to Rebbi Mana and said to him: This is for you to sign. He did not agree to sign. The next day, Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Madia87Elsewhere, his name is R. Ḥiyya bar Maria; a student of rabbis Jonah and Yose. came to him and said, you did well that you did not sign, for your father, Rebbi Jonah, used to say that Antoninus88Cf. Kilaim Chapter 9, Note 79. gave there to Rebbi two thousand89This word is missing in the Rome ms. The text is elliptic; it seems that Rebbi received the income from two imperial properties in that region but never obtained title to the parcels. Since Gebalitis was not part of the Idumea absorbed into the Hasmonean state, the rules of the Holy Land certainly did not apply. gifts for sharecropping. Therefore it may be eaten2There are three essentially different interpretations of this expression. It is stated in the Torah (Lev. 25:6): “The Sabbatical yield shall be food for you.” Therefore, it is a positive obligation to eat Sabbatical fruits; they may not be used for industrial purposes or intentionally wasted (Mishnah 8:2). In the opinion of R. Isaac ibn Ghiat produce grown by a Jew in violation of the Sabbatical is forbidden for all Jews. In the opinion of R. Simson, the Mishnah refers to the time when no produce is left on the fields for the wild animals; then no Sabbatical produce harvested earlier may be kept or eaten. This is a biblical commandment based on Lev. 25:7 and explained in Mishnah 9:2.
In the opinion of Maimonides in his Code (Šemiṭṭah weYovel 4:26), in the later versions of his Mishnah Commentary (see the edition of R. Y. Qafeḥ), and explained at length in a responsum (ed. Blau #128, Peër Hador#15) the Mishnah refers to the rabbinic prohibition to buy in the Holy Land during the Sabbatical any produce that has to be sown and tended since we are concerned that a ready market for this produce will tempt people to work their fields. Only wild growing vegetables and fruits of trees may be bought. Clearly, any produce collected by one’s family from abandoned fields may be eaten (and stored as long as there are fruits left for the wild animals on the field.) The commentary follows the interpretation of Maimonides. but not worked like Syria and is free from tithes since one deals with Gentile fields.
רַב הוּנָא אָמַר כֵּינִי מַתְנִיתָא מִגְּזִיב וְעַד הַנָּהָר מִגְּזִיב וְעַד אֲמָנָה. תַּנֵּי אֵי זוּ הִיא הָאָרֶץ וְאֵי זוּ הִיא חוּץ לָאָרֶץ. כָּל־שֶׁשּׁוֹפֵעַ מִטַּוְרוֹס [אֲמָנֹס] וְלִפְנִים אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִטּוּרֵי אֲמָנֹס וּלְחוּץ חוּץ לָאָרֶץ. הַנֵּיסִים שֶׁבְּיָם אַתְּ רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן כְּאִילּוּ חוּט מָתוּחַ מִטּוּרֵי אֲמָנֹס עַד נַחַל מִצְרַיִם. מֵהַחוּט וְלִפְנִים אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵהַחוּט וּלְחוּץ חוּץ לָאָרֶץ. רִבִּי יוּדָה אָמַר כָּל־שֶׁהוּא כְּנֶגֶד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּגְבוּל יָם וְהָיָה לָכֶם הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וּגְבוּל. שֶׁבַּצְּדָדִין מֵהֶן אַתְּ רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן כִּילּוּ חוּט מָתוּחַ מִקֶּפַלָּרִיָּא וְעַד אוֹקִייָנוֹס מֵחוּט וְלִפְנִים אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵהַחוּט וּלְחוּץ חוּץ לָאָרֶץ. Rav Huna said: So is the Mishnah: “Between Akhzib and Euphrates, between Akhzib and Amanus.91It is not “between Akhzib and (Taurus Amanus and Euphrates)”; one does not speak about the point at which the Euphrates breaks through the Taurus range.” It was stated92Tosephta Terumot 2:12, Ḥallah2:11, Yerushalmi Ḥallah 4:8, Babli Giṭṭin 8a.: What is the Land and what is outside the Land? From the slopes of Taurus Amanus inwards is the Land of Israel3The Southernmost chain of the Taurus mountains between Turkey and Syria. Jewish tradition (the Yerushalmi Targumim, Babli Giṭṭin 8a) identifies Mount Hor (Num. 34:7) with Taurus Amanus. The Euphrates as border of the Holy Land is mentioned in Deut. 1:7. Amanus and Euphrates are the borders of promise, not the actual borders. The rules given in this sentence apply only to the territory North of Akhzib described in the book of Joshua as part of the tribal distribution. The rest of the territory is “Syria” (cf. Peah, Chapter 7, Note 119)., from Taurus Amanus to the outside is outside the Land. About the islands in the sea, one looks at them as if a string were drawn from Taurus Amanus to the brook of Egypt; from the string to the inside is the Land of Israel, from the string to the outside is outside the Land. Rebbi Jehudah said, all that lies before the Land of Israel is like the Land of Israel since it is said (Num. 34:6): “The Eastern border shall be for you the Great Sea93The Mediterranean. The entire width of the sea is the border. The tradition of R. Jehudah is an old one; Josephus (Antiquities 1.130) in his description of the list of peoples (Gen. 10) writes that the domain of the Canaanites did extend “to the Ocean”. The commentators to Josephus take this as a reference to the Indian Ocean; the text here shows that the Ocean is, as always in Greek literature, the Atlantic Ocean (at the straits of Gibraltar). According to R. Jehudah, Crete (and possibly Sicily) was first settled by Canaanite tribes and promised to Abraham. as border.” Assuming that a string were drawn from Cephalaria94Called by Pliny (Hist.nat. V (18) 21) promunturium Syriae Antiochiae. to the Ocean, inside the string is the Land of Israel, outside is outside the Land.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוּסְטָא בַּר שׁוּנֵם לִכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ הַגָּלִיּוֹת לְטוּרֵי אֲמָנֹס הֵן עֲתִידוֹת לוֹמַר שִׁירָה. מַה טַעַם תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה. Rebbi Justus bar Shunem said, when the people of the Diaspora arrive at Taurus Amanus95In the times of the Messiah, when all of Israel will be gathered in the Land of Israel in its Biblical borders. The same text (slightly shortened) is in Ḥallah 4:8, Midrash Širrabba 4(18). they will sing. What is the reason? (Cant. 4:8) “Sing from the top of Amanah”.