Avrohom Yitzchok ben Asher Anshel z'l

(1) The four new years are: On the first of Nisan, the new year for the kings and for the festivals; On the first of Elul, the new year for the tithing of animals; Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon say, on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei, the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years and for the Jubilee years and for the planting and for the vegetables. On the first of Shevat, the new year for the trees according to the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof.

(1) With what [wicks] may one light [Shabbat lamps], and with what [wicks] may one not light? One may not light with moss [that grows in] cedars, nor with uncombed flax, nor with raw silk, nor with willow bast, nor with desert fiber, nor with weeds [growing] on water. Nor [may one light] with pitch, nor with wax, nor with castor oil, nor oil set for burning [consecrated oil that has become impure], nor with [the fat from] sheeps' tails, nor with forbidden fat. Nachum HaMadi says: One may light with boiled forbidden fat; but the Sages say: One may not light with forbidden fat whether it's boiled or not boiled.

(1) Rabbi [Yehuda haNasi] said: Which is the straight path that a person should choose for himself? Whichever [path] that is [itself] praiseworthy for the person adopting [it], And praiseworthy to him from [other] people. And be as careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one, for you do not know the reward given [for the fulfillment] of [the respective] commandments. Also, weigh the loss [that may be sustained through the fulfillment] of a commandment against the reward [that may be obtained] for [fulfilling] it. And [weigh] the gain [that may be obtained through the committing] of a transgression against the loss [that may be sustained] by [committing] it. Keep your eye on three things, and you will not come to sin: Know what is above you: An Eye that sees, and an Ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book.

(14) He [Rabbi Hillel] used to say: If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, then when?

(1) From when may one recite Shema in the evening? From the time when the Kohanim go in to eat their Terumah [produce consecrated for priestly consumption], until the end of the first watch – so says Rabbi Eliezer. And the Sages say: Until midnight. Rabban Gamliel says: Until the break of dawn. It once happened that his [Rabban Gamliel’s] sons came from a house of feasting. They said to him: We have not recited Shema. He said to them: If dawn has not broken, you are obligated to recite it. And [this is true] not only in this case; rather, in all cases where the Sages said that [some precept can be performed only] until midnight — their precepts are [still in force] until the break of dawn. [For example:] Burning the fats and limbs [of the sacrifices, on the Temple altar] — their precepts [can be performed] until the break of dawn. And [another example:] all [sacrifices] which may be eaten for one day — their precepts [of eating them can be performed] until the break of dawn. If that is so, why did the Sages say, "until midnight"? To distance a person from transgression.

(1) On Yom Kippur, it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint, and to wear leather shoes and to have sexual relations. The King and the bride may wash their faces, and the newly delivered mother may wear leather shoes: the words of Rabbi Eliezer; and the Sages prohibit this.

(6) [If] a deer enters a house and an individual locks it in, he is liable. If two people lock it in, they are exempt. If one individual is unable to lock it, and two people lock it, they are liable. But Rabbi Shimon exempts him.

(1) The legal period of chazakah [a presumption of ownership, generally regarding landed property, established by unchallenged, publicly known possession for a certain period of time, together with a legally acceptable claim regarding how the property came into the possessor’s hands] for houses, cisterns, trenches, caves, dovecotes, bath-houses, olive-presses, irrigated fields and slaves and anything which continually produces a yield is three complete years . The legal period of possession [in order to establish ownership] for a field irrigated by rain water is three years and they need not be completed. Rabbi Yishmael says: Three months during the first year, and three months during the last year and twelve months during the middle year, which makes eighteen months. Rabbi Akiva says: One month during the first year and one month during the last year and twelve months during the middle year, which makes fourteen months. Rabbi Yishmael said: When does this apply? With regards to a grain field, but when it comes to a field of trees , if he brought in his produce (grapes), harvested the olives and gathered in his fig harvest, this counts as three years.

(1) [One who says] "Konam, wine that I will taste today," it is only forbidden until it becomes dark. "This week," he is forbidden the whole week, and Shabbat [belongs to the week] that passed. "This month," he is forbidden the entire month, but Rosh Chodesh [belongs to the month] to come. "This year," he is forbidden for the entire year, but Rosh Hashanah [belongs to the year] to come. "This seven year cycle," he is forbidden for the entire seven year cycle, and the seventh year [belongs to the cycle] that passed. and if he says "one day," "one week,""one month,""one year,""one seven year cycle," he is forbidden from day to day.

(9) He then went to the east of the Temple courtyard, to the north of the altar, the deputy High Priest at his right and the head of the [priestly] family [ministering that week] at his left. There were two goats and an urn was there, and in it were two lots. They were of boxwood and Ben Gamla made them of gold, and they would mention his name in praise.

(1) One may lift up his child who has a stone in his hand, and a basket which has a stone in it. One may move impure Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a kohen which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by kohanim and their households] with pure [Terumah] and with non-consecrated items. Rabbi Yehudah says: One may even lift out [one part] of the Terumah [that has fallen into] a mixture of one hundred and one parts.

(1) [One] should not stand up to pray unless he is in a serious frame of mind. The original pious ones used to wait one hour and then pray, in order to direct their hearts towards the Omnipresent. [While one is reciting Shemoneh Esrei,] even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him, and even if a snake wraps around his heel, he should not interrupt.

(1) If three people eat together they are obligated to convene [to say the blessing after a meal]. If he ate food which may not have been tithed, or the first tithe from which Terumah [produce consecrated for priestly consumption] had been removed, or the second tithe or Hekdesh [items pledged for sacred use] that had been redeemed, or a servant that had eaten an olive['s volume], or a Kuti [sect closely tied to Judaism], he must convene with them. But if he ate untithed produce, or the first tithe from which Terumah had not been removed, or the second tithe or sanctified [food] which had not been redeemed, or a servant who ate less than an olive['s volume], or a non-Jew, he cannot convene with them.

(16) Rabban Gamliel says, "Make for yourself a mentor, remove yourself from doubt and do not frequently tithe by estimation."

(1) These are the things that have no measure: Peah [corner of the field which, while harvesting, must be left for the poor], Bikurim [First-fruits that must be brought to the Temple and given to the priest], the appearance-sacrifice [brought to the Temple on Pilgrimage Festivals], acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah. These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.

(1) Once the verdict is reached, they bring him out to stone him. The stoning area was outside the courthouse, as it says, (Leviticus 24:14) "Bring out he who has cursed." One would stand before the entrance to the courthouse, his scarf in his hand; and another would ride on a horse before them at a distance, in order to see him. [If] one says, "I have an argument for acquittal," then he waves the scarf, and the horse runs to stop him. And even if [the accused] says, "I have an argument for my [own] acquittal," then he is returned; and this may happen even four or five times, so long as there is substance to his words. If he is acquitted, he is dismissed; and if not, he is brought out to be stoned. And an announcer comes out before him and announces, "So-and-so son of so-and-so is being brought out to be stoned for having committed such-and-such transgression, and so-and-so and so-and-so are his witnesses. Anyone who has any knowledge as to his innocence should come and argue for him."

(2) Shimon the Righteous was from the remnants of the Great Assembly. He would say, "On three things the world stands: on the Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness."

(1) A lulav [a palm branch, one of the four species which it is a mitzvah to take on Sukkot] which was stolen or dried out is invalid. One which comes from an ashera [a tree dedicated to idolatry], or from a condemned city [an idolatrous city which must be destroyed] is invalid. If its tip was snapped off, or its leaves missing, it is invalid; if its leaves were [merely] separated, it is valid. Rabbi Yehudah says: One must bind it together from the top [in order for it to be valid]. The palms of Iron Mount are valid [for use as a lulav]. A lulav that has three hand-breadths [in length] by which to shake it, is valid.

(4) If wine or olive juices fell into it, and they changed its appearance in part [i.e. the appearance of part of the mikveh was changed], if it does not contain forty se'ah that have the appearance of water, one should thereby not immerse in it.

(5) If there are three log of [drawn] water, and a kortov of wine fell into them, and their appearance is thereby like that of wine, and they [that mixture] fell into a mikveh [containing fewer than forty se'ah], they have not rendered it invalid [as drawn waters, since their appearance is that of wine]. If there are three log of water less one kortov, and a kortov of milk fell into them, and their appearance is thereby [still] like that of water, and they fell into a mikveh, they have not rendered it invalid [since there is still less than three log, of drawn water]. Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri says: everything follows the appearance.

(6) Regarding a mikveh containing precisely forty se'ah, if two people descended and immersed [in it], one after the other, the first is pure, and the second is impure. Rabbi Yehuda says: if the feet of the first were touching the water [while the second was immersing], even the second is pure. If one immersed a thick wool coat [which absorbs a lot of water] in it, and raised it out, if a small part of it is touching the water [and another person then comes and immerses,] he is pure. Regarding a leather pillow or cushion, once one raised their edges out of the water, the water within them is [considered] drawn. What should one do [in such a case]? One should immerse them and raise them out by their undersides.

(7) If one immerses a bed in it [in a mikveh containing precisely forty se'ah], even if its legs sink into thick mud [at the bottom of the mikveh, which is not counted as part of its waters] it is pure, because the waters precede it. If the waters of a mikveh are shallow [such that one cannot immerse one's whole body at once], one may weigh down even bundles of wood or bundles of reeds [with weights, on one side of the mikveh,] so that the waters will rise, and then he can descend and immerse. Regarding a [impure] needle on the steps of a cavern [which houses a mikveh], if one was moving the waters back and forth [by stirring the waters around with one's hands or feet], once a wave passes over it [the needle], it is pure.