משנה: מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִמְכּוֹר בְּהֵמָה דַקָּה לַגּוֹיִם מוֹכְרִין. מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכּוֹר אֵין מוֹכְרִין וְאַל יְשַׁנֶּה אָדָם מִפְּנֵי הָמַּחֲלוֹקֶת. וּבְכָל־מָקוֹם אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה עֲגָלִים וּסְייָחִים שְׁלֵמִין וּשְׁבוּרִין. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר בַּשְּׁבוּרָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא מַתִּיר בַּסּוּס׃ MISHNAH: At a place where they used to sell small cattle to Gentiles one sells157At places where sheep and goats are not sacrificed in pagan rites.; at a place where they used not to sell one does not sell; nobody should change this because of controversy158Even if the situation changes one should not change old usage since this will destroy communal peace.. Nowhere does one sell to them large animals, calves, and donkey foals, whole or damaged159Cattle and donkeys were used as animals for work and beasts of burden. Belonging to Jews, these animals have a right to rest on the Sabbath. If they are sold to Gentiles, the seller deprives them of this right; depending on circumstances this might be counted as violation of the Sabbath by the seller. Calves and foals do not work but are raised for work.. Rebbi Jehudah permits damaged ones; Ben Bathyra permits horses160In antiquity horses were used only for riding, not for work. Even if the horse is used for hunting, he holds that transporting live animals or birds is not a breach of biblical Sabbath law.
Mishnah and Halakhah are also in Pesaḥim 4:3 (פ) which partially survives in a Genizah text (ג) edited by L. Ginzberg, New York 1909. It is difficult to determine which text is original..
הלכה: מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִמְכּוֹר בְּהֵמָה דַקָּה כול׳. מַה וּמוּתָּר לְגַדֵּל. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא. כְּגוֹן מָהִיר שֶׁהוּא שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר מִיל עַל שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר מִיל. הֲווֹן בָּעֵיי מֵימַר. מָאן דָּמַר. מוּתָּר לִמְכּוֹר מוּתָּר לְגַדֵּל. וּמָאן דָּמַר. אָסוּר לִמְכּוֹר אָסוּר לְייַחֵד. רִבִּי יוֹנָה רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר בְּשֵׁם רַב. וַאֲפִילוּ כְּמָאן דָּמַר. מוּתָּר לִמְכּוֹר אָסוּר לְייַחֵד. מַּה בֵין לִמְכּוֹר מַה בֵין לְייַחֵד. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמּוֹכְרָהּ לוֹ כִּבְהֶמְתּוֹ שֶׁלְּגוּי הִיא. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מְייַחֲדָהּ לוֹ כִבְהֶמְתּוּ שֶׁלְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא וְהוּא חָשׁוּד עָלֶיהָ. HALAKHAH: “At a place where they used to sell small cattle,” etc. But is it permitted to raise them161Since it is forbidden to raise sheep and goats in the Land of Israel (Mishnah Bava qamma7:10, Note 97), from where does one get them to sell them to a Gentile?? Rebbi Abba said, for example Mahir which is sixteen by sixteen mil162The Mishnah permits to raise goats and sheep in places unfit for agriculture. Mahir is described in Eccl. rabba1(34) as situated in the domain of the tribe of Reuben in Transjordan, a country of sheep and goats (Num. 32:4). Mentioned also in Pesaḥim5:3.. They wanted to say, he who said it is permitted to sell [says] it is permitted to raise163Read with Pesaḥim: “to leave alone”.. But he who says, it is forbidden to sell [says] it is forbidden to leave it alone164Gentiles are suspected of bestiality (Mishnah 2:1).. Rebbi Jonah, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rav165In the Babli, 14b/15a, this is R. Eleazar’s statement opposing Rav.: Even one who says it is permitted to sell it [says] it is forbidden to leave it alone. What is the difference between selling and leaving alone? When he sells it to him it becomes the Gentile’s animal. If he lets it be alone with him, it is the Jew’s animal and he is suspected about it.
מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכּוֹר אֵין מוֹכְרִין. לָמָּה. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָהּ מִידֵי גִיזָה. הַגַּע עַצְמָךְ שֶׁהָֽיְתָה עֵז. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָהּ מִידֵי בְכוֹרָה. הַגַּע עַצְמָךְ שֶׁהָיָה זָכָר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹצִיאוֹ מִידֵי מַתָּנוֹת. מֵעַתָּה חִיטִּין אַל יִמְכּוֹר לוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַחַלָּה. יַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן אַל יִמְכּוֹר לוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָן מִן הַבְּרָכָה. “At a place where they used not to sell one does not sell.” Why? Because he eliminates the duty of shearing166The first shearing of sheep should be given to a Cohen, Deut. 18:4. But goats are not raised for wool and are included in the prohibition.. Think of it, if it was a goat! Because he eliminates the duty of the first-born167Which must be given to a Cohen, Deut. 15:19. But a male animal does not bear lambs and also is included in the prohibition.. Think of it, if it was a male! Because he eliminates the gifts168The parts of the animal to be given to a Cohen, Deut. 18:3.. Then one should not sell wheat to them because he eliminates the duty of ḥallah169The gift to the Cohen from bread dough, Num.15:20.; then one should not sell wine and oil to them because he eliminates the duty of benedictions170Which are pronounced before and after food, as described in the later Chapters of Tractate Berakhot.
The problem treated here is that in the next paragraph it is stated that one does not sell large animals to Gentiles because of problems with the laws of the Sabbath. Therefore one is inclined to say that the prohibitions of Mishnah 5 are because of pagan worship and those of Mishnah 6 because of Jewish worship. It is shown that this does not hold; the first part of Mishnah 6 is about pagan worship, about places where sheep or goats are sacrificed by pagans; only the second part is about Jewish matters..
בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה. לָמָּה. בְּהֵמָה גָסָּה יֵשׁ בָּהּ חִיּוּב חַטָּאת וּבְהֵמָה דַקָּה אֵין בָּהּ חִיּוּב חַטָּאת. וְאֵינוֹ חוֹלֵב וְאֵינוּ גוֹזֵז. אָמַר. תַּמָּן הִיא מִתְחַייֶבֶת. בְּרַם הָכָא הוּא מִתְחַייֵב. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא מוֹכְרָהּ לוֹ לֹא כִבְהֶמְתּוֹ שֶׁלְּגוֹי הִיא. רִבִּי אִמִּי בַּבְלָייָא בְשֵׁם רַבָּנִין דְּתַמָּן. פְּעָמִים שֶׁמּוֹכְרָהּ לוֹ לְנִיסָּיוֹן וְהוּא מַחֲזִירָהּ לְאַחַר ג׳ יָמִים וְנִמְצָא עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה בִבְהֶמְתּוֹ שֶׁלְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵעַתָּה לְנִיסָּיוֹן אָסוּר שֶׁלֹּא לְנִיסָּיוֹן מוּתָּר. זוֹ מִפְּנֵי זוֹ. Nowhere does one sell large animals to them.” Why? For a large animal there might be an obligation for a purification offering172If the Gentile does work with the Jew’s animal on the Sabbath, it is a violation of the Sabbath by biblical standards.; for a small animal there can be no obligation for a purification offering. But does he not shear, does he not milk? One says, there it is liable, here he is liable173It is clear that shearing a sheep on the Sabbath is a violation of biblical law (Mishnah Šabbat7:2). The Yerushalmi holds that milking a goat also is a biblical prohibition. But giving the animal rest on the Sabbath is an obligation of the owner; he is liable even if another person does the work with his consent. But the Gentile who shears or milks the animal violates no prohibition; since the animal is passive the owner also does not violate any biblical statute.. But if it is sold, is it not the Gentile’s animal? The Babylonian Rebbi Immi174A Babylonian who immigrated to Galilee in the generation after R. Immi the Galilean. In the Babli 15a he is called Rami ben Rebbi Yeva. in the name of the rabbis there: Sometimes he sells it on trial and returns it after three days, then it turns out that he did do work with the Jew’s animal175If the Gentile takes the animal on Friday and returns it on Sunday he will have worked with it on the Sabbath with the agreement of the Jew who it turns out still is the owner.. Then on trial it should be forbidden, not on trial permitted. One is because of the other176This is a rabbinic “fence around the law,” far from biblical prohibitions..
עָבַר וּמָכַר קוֹנְסִין אוֹתוֹ. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁקּוֹנְסִין לוֹ לַהֲלָכָה כָּךְ קוֹנְסִין לוֹ לְמִנְהָג. וּמְנַיִין שֶׁקּוֹנְסִין לוֹ לְמִנְהָג. חַד בַּר נַשׁ זְבִין גְּמָלֵיהּ לַאֲרָמָאֵי. אֲתַא עוֹבְדָא קוֹמֵי רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ וּקְנָסֵיהּ בְדִיפְּלֵא בְּגִין דְּיַחְזִר לֵיהּ גְּמָלָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. לְסִרְסוּר קְנָס וַהֲווּ צְווָחִין לֵיהּ בְּרָא דִמְסַרְסֵר לָאֲרְמָאֵי. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ כְּרִבִּי יוּדָה. דְּתַנֵּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוּדָה. הַלּוֹקֵח בְּהֵמָה מִן הַגּוֹי וְיָֽלְדָה בְּכוֹר מַעֲלֶה עִמּוֹ בְשָׁוְייוֹ וְנוֹתֵן חֲצִי דָמִים לַכֹּהֵן. נְתָנָהּ לוֹ בְקַבָּלָה מַעֲלֶה עִמּוֹ עַד כַּמָּה דָמִים בְשָׁוְייוֹ וְנוֹתֵן כָּל־הַדָּמִים לַכֹּהֵן. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים. הוֹאִיל וְאֶצְבַּע הַגּוֹי בָאֶמְצַע נִפְטְרָה מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה. רוֹבָה דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ מִדְּרִבִּי יוּדָה. מַה דָּמַר רִבִּי יוּדָה מִשּׁוּם הִילְכוֹת בְּכוֹרָה. וּמַה דָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ לְהִילְכוֹת בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה. If he transgressed and sold one fines him. Just as one fines for practice so one fines for custom. From where that one fines for custom? A person sold his camel to an Aramean177A Gentile. While “Gentile” is used to emphasize the pagan character of a person, “Aramean” simply characterizes him as Non-Jew.. The case came before Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish who fined him double178Greek διπλῇ. In פ the Hebrew/ Aramaic translation is used. In פ and the Babli, Bekhorot3a, he authorizes a fine up to ten times its price. to make him take back the camel. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, they fined the broker and called him son who brokers to Arameans179Translated following פ.. Does Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish follow Rebbi Jehudah180Could R. Simeon ben Laqish act against accepted practice in this case?? As it was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehuda181Tosephta Bekhorot2:1, Babli Bekhorot2b.: “If somebody buys an animal from a Gentile and it gave birth to a firstling, he buys it up to its worth and gives half of its worth to a Cohen. If it was given to him as contractor, he has to pay for up to ten times its worth and gives all of its worth to the Cohen. But the Sages say, since the finger of the Gentile in involved it is no longer liable as firstling182Undisputed practice follows the Sages, cf. Note 187..” Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish is more than Rebbi Jehudah. What Rebbi Jehudah said because of the practice of firstlings; but what Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said because of practice regarding a large animal183The two cases have nothing in common..
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר בַּשְּׁבוּרָה. לֹא אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אֶלָּא בַּשְּׁבוּרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לְהִתְרַפּוֹת. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ. וַהֲלֹא הוּא מֵבִיא לָהּ זָכָר וְהוּא רוֹבְעָהּ וְהִיא יוֹלֶדֶת. אָמַר לָהֶן. אַף אֲנִי לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָּא בְסוּס זָכָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְרַפּוֹת. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ. וַהֲלֹא מֵבִיא לוֹ נְקֵיבָה וְהִיא רוֹבַעַת מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִיא יוֹלֶדֶת. רַב אַבִּין בְּשֵׁם רַבָּנִין דְּתַמָּן. זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַמְצִיא לָהֶן עוּבָּרִין. תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. הַלּוֹקֵחַ עוּבַּר חֲמוֹרוֹ שֶׁלְּנָכְרִי וְהַמּוֹכֵר לוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי. וְהַמִּשְׁתַּתֵּף לוֹ וְהַמְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ וְהַנּוֹתֵן לוֹ בְקַבָּלָה פָּטוּר מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה. רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. לֵית הָדָא אָֽמְרָה שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַמְצִיא לָהֶן עוּבָּרִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כְּבָר קְדָמָךְ רַב אַבִּין בְּשֵׁם רַבָּנִין דְּתַמָּן. זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַמְצִיא לָהֶן עוּבָּרִין. “Rebbi Jehudah permits damaged ones.” Rebbi Jehudah said this only for a damaged one which cannot be healed184To ever work again.. They told him, may he not bring a male to it, he fertilizes it and it gives birth? He said to them, I also said this only about a male (horse) [damaged one]185The text in parentheses is from the text here, the (correct) one in brackets from Pesaḥim. which cannot be healed. They told him, may he not bring a female to him, she is fertilized by him and gives birth? Rav Abin in the name of the rabbis there: This implies that one is forbidden to provide them with fetuses186Since the argument of the rabbis has nothing to do with Sabbath prohibitions. The Babli, 16a and Bekhorot2b, disagrees and reports that R. Jehudah denies that a disabled cow will accept a male.. There187Mishnah Bekhorot1:1., we have stated: “If somebody buys a Non-Jew’s donkey fetus or who sells one to him even though he is not authorized, or one who enters into partnership, or accepts from him as contractor, or lets it in contract, is not liable for firstling.” Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Yose, does this188The note that one is not authorized to sell a pregnant animal to a Gentile. not imply that one is forbidden to provide them with fetuses? He said to them, Rebbi Abin in the name of the rabbis there already preceded you: This implies that one is forbidden to provide them with fetuses.
בֶּן בְּתֵירָה מַתִּיר בַּסּוּס׃ לֹא אָמַר בֶּן בְּתֵירָה אֶלָּא בְסוּס זָכָר שֶׁהוֹרֵג בְּעָלָיו בַּמִּלְחָמָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. שֶׁרָץ אַחַר הַנְּקֵיבוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים. שֶׁעוֹמֵד וּמַשְׁתִּין. מַה בֵּינֵיהוֹן. סְרִיס. מָאן דְּאָמַר. שֶׁרָץ אַחַר הַנְּקֵיבוֹת. אֵינוּ רָץ. וּמָאן דְּאָמַר. עוֹמֵד וּמַשְׁתִּין. אַף זֶהּ עוֹמֵד וּמַשְׁתִּין. רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר חִייָה. לִכְשֶׁיַּזְקִין כּוֹדְנוֹ בָרֵיחַיִם. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי הוּנָא. בֶּן בְּתֵירָה וְרִבִּי נָתָן שְׁנֵיהֶם אָֽמְרוּ דָּבָר אֶחָד. דְּתַנֵּי. הוֹצִיא מִן הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִן הַחַיָּה וּמִן הָעוֹפוּת בֵּין חַיִּים בֵּין מֵתִים חַייָב. רִבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר. מֵתִים חַייָב. חַיִּים פָּטוּר. וְרַבָּנִן אִית לְהוֹן. חַייָב חַטָּאת. וְאִינּוּן מְתִיבִין לֵיהּ אָכֵן. כְּשִׁיטָּתוֹ הֵשִׁיבוּהוּ. כְּשִׁיטָּתָךְ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת. אוֹף אֲנָא אִית לִי. לִכְשֶׁיַּזְקִין כּוֹדְנוֹ לָרֵיחַיִם. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁאָסוּר מִשּׁוּם שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים. מִשֵּׁם כְּלֵי זַיִין וּמִשֵּׁם בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה. וְתַנֵּי כֵן. חַיָּה גַסָּה כִבְהֵמָה דַקָּה. מָאן תַּנִּיתָהּ. רִבִּי. דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים. רִבִּי בִּיסְנָא רִבִּי חָנָן בַּר בָּא בְשֵׁם רַב. חַיָּה גַסָּה כִבְהֵמָה גַסָּה. “Ben Bathyra permits horses.” Ben Bathyra said this only about a male horse because it kills its owner in war. Some say, because it runs after females, and some say, because it stands still to urinate189At this moment the horse will not obey its master and therefore be dangerous.. What is between them? A gelding. He who says because it runs after females, it does not run. He who says because it stands still to urinate, this one also stands still to urinate. [Rebbi Aḥa in the name of]190Added from the Pesaḥim texts. Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥiyya: If it gets old he binds it to the grindstone191Then it is used like a beast of burden and the same restriction may apply as to the sale of cattle. Babli 16a.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Huna: Ben Bathyra and Rebbi Nathan both said the same192For the laws of Sabbath. Everybody agrees that “a living person carries himself”; it is permitted to carry a human baby from private to public domains. The rabbis restrict this to humans; R. Nathan explicitly and Ben Bathyra implicitly (Note 160) extend the rule to animals. Babli Šabbat94a., as it was stated193Tosephta Šabbat8:34 Babli Šabbat94a.: “If he carried out domestic animals, wild animals, or birds, whether alive or dead, he is liable. Rebbi Nathan says, dead he is liable, alive he is not liable.” The rabbis hold that he is liable for a purification sacrifice and they answer him so194Why do they object because of the use of old horses which only implies a violation of rabbinic rules but not to the possible use of a younger horse in hunting which would violate biblical rules?? They answer following his own argument. Following your argument, since you are saying because of rabbinic Sabbath prohibition, also we hold that if it gets old he binds it to the grindstone. Rebbi says, I am saying that it is forbidden for two reasons, as a weapon195Which makes the seller of the weapon an accessory to murder before the fact. Babli 16a. and as a large animal. It was stated so: A large wild animal is like a (small) [large]196The correct text in brackets is from Pesaḥim, the text in parentheses is from Avodah zarah. In the last sentence, the Genizah text follows the one in Avodah zarah; this clearly is impossible. domestic animal197A horse is considered a tamed wild animal, not domesticated by nature.. Who stated this? Rebbi. The words of the Sages: Rebbi Bisna, Rebbi Ḥanan bar Abba in the name of Rav198It should be Rav Ḥanin, not Rebbi. The Genizah text has the statement in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rav’s uncle and foremost teacher.: A wild animal is like a (large) [small]196The correct text in brackets is from Pesaḥim, the text in parentheses is from Avodah zarah. In the last sentence, the Genizah text follows the one in Avodah zarah; this clearly is impossible. domestic animal.