Shifting the Status of Women

(4) Why are the opinions of Hillel and Shammai recorded [only] to be nullified? To teach the generations that one should not be insistent in his/her opinions, for the fathers of the world were not insistent in their opinions.

(5) And why do we record the words of an individual among the many, when the law is [according to] the words of the many? Because if the court sees [fit] the words of the individual, it may rely on them. But a court is not able to nullify the words of a fellow court unless they are greater in wisdom and number [than the fellow court]. If they are greater in wisdom but not number, or in number but not in wisdom, they are not able to nullify its words until they become greater in wisdom and number.

(6) Rabbi Yehudah said: "If so, why do we record the words of an individual among the majority [only] to be nullified? For if a person says "Thus I have received [the law]," another will say to him "You heard it according to the words of So-and-So."

(5) These are the [kinds of] work which the woman [is obligated to] do for her husband. She grinds, and bakes, and washes [clothes]. She cooks, and nurses her child. She makes his bed, and work with wool. If she brought in one maidservant [from her father's home], she does not [need to] grind, bake, or wash. [If she brought him] two [maidservants], she does not [need to] cook nor nurse her child. Three, she does not [need to] make his bed nor work with wool. Four, she may sit in an easy chair. Rabbi Eliezer says, "Even if she brought him a hundred maidservants, he may force her to work with wool, as idleness leads to licentiousness." Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says, "Similarly, one who, by vow, interdicts his wife from doing work, he must divorce her and pay [the amount of] her ketubah [monetary settlement payable to a woman upon divorce or the death of her husband], because idleness leads to dull-mindedness."

(8) These are the things they said [i.e., enacted] due to "ways of peace:" A Kohen should read [the Torah] first, and after him a Levite, and after him an Israelite due to "ways of peace;" we place the eruv [halachic merging of separate domains by means of setting aside an amount of food in a designated place] in an old house, due to "ways of peace"; the well nearest to the water-course must be filled first, due to "ways of peace." [With regard to] traps for wild animals, birds or fish or traps are included in the laws of theft, due to "ways of peace." Rabbi Yossi says, "It is a real felony." What a deaf person, a person who exhibits signs indicating severe mental incompetence, or a minor finds [is his own], and [stealing from him] is included in the laws of theft. due to "ways of peace." Rabbi Yossi says, "It is a real felony." In the case of a poor person beating down olives from the top of a tree, that which is under him is included in the laws of theft. Rabbi Yossi says, "It is a real felony." We do not prevent non-Jewish poor from gathering leket[that which is dropped in the course of harvesting, which is reserved for the poor] the forgotten [grain], and the produce of the corner of the field [reserved for the poor], due to "ways of peace."

(9) One woman may lend to another who is suspected [not to observe properly the laws] of the Sabbatical year, a flour-sieve, a winnow, a handmill, and a stove, but she may not assist her to winnow nor to grind. The wife of a ‏chaver [one learned in, and observant of, the law] may lend to the wife of an unlearned person, a flour-sieve or a winnow, and may aid her to winnow, to grind, or to sift; but as soon as water is poured over the flour, she may not further assist her, for we may not aid those who transgress the law. All of [these permitted acts] are due to "ways of peace." We may aid non-Jews [who works in the fields] during the Sabbatical year, but [we may not] aid an Israelite; and we ask how he is, due to "ways of peace."