Hebrew Literature. Various

singed?” Rabbi Eliezer says, “it contracts uncleanness, and they must not light it.” Rabbi Akiba says, “it is clean, and they may light it.”

      4. A man must not perforate an eggshell, and fill it with oil, and put it on the mouth of the lamp, because it drops, even though it be of pottery. But Rabbi Judah “allows it.” “But if the potter joined it at first?” “It is allowed, since it is one [pg 078] vessel.” A man must not fill a bowl of oil, and put it by the side of the lamp, and put the end of the wick into it because it imbibes. But Rabbi Judah “allows it.”

      5. “Whoever extinguishes the lamp because he fears the Gentiles, or robbers, or a bad spirit, or that the sick may sleep?” “He is free.” “He spares the lamp?” “He spares the oil?” “He spares the wick?” “He is guilty.” But Rabbi José frees in all cases except the wick, because “it makes coal.”

      6. For three transgressions women die in the hour of childbirth: when they neglect times, and the dough offering,100 and lighting the Sabbath lamp.

      7. Three things are necessary for a man to say in his house on the eve of the Sabbath at dusk. “Have you taken tithes?” “Have you prepared erub?”101 “Light the lamp.” “It is doubtful if it be dark or not?”102 “They must not tithe that which is certainly untithed, and they must not baptize vessels, and they must not light the lamps. But they may take tithes of the doubtful heave-offering, and prepare erub, and cover up hot water.”

Chapter III

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      1. “A cooking oven which was heated with stubble or brushwood?” “They may place on it cookery.” “With oil-dregs and with wood?” “They must not place it, till the coals are raked out, or ashes put in.” The school of Shammai say, “hot water, but not cookery.” But the school of Hillel say, “hot water and cookery.” The school of Shammai say, “they may take it off, but not place it back.” But the school of Hillel say, “they may place it back.”

      2. “A cooking stove, which was heated with stubble or brushwood?” “They must not place anything either inside or upon it.” “A bake oven, which was heated with stubble or brushwood?” “It is as a cooking oven.” “With oil-dregs or with wood?” “It is as a cooking stove.”

      3. They must not put an egg beside a boiler, lest it be boiled. And they must not wrap it in towels. But Rabbi José allows [pg 079] it. And they must not hide it in sand, or in the dust of the roads, lest it be roasted.

      4. It happened that the men of Tiberias arranged, and introduced a pipe of cold water into a canal of the hot springs. The Sages said to them, “if it be Sabbath, it is as if hot waters were heated on Sabbath, they are forbidden for washing and drinking. But if on a holiday, as if hot waters were heated on a holiday, they are forbidden for washing but allowed for drinking.” “A skillet with attached brazier?” “If one rake out the coals (on Friday evening), persons may drink its hot waters on Sabbath.” “A pan with double bottom?” “Even though the coals are raked out, they must not drink of it.”

      5. “The boiler which is set aside (from the fire)?” “They must not put into it cold water to be warmed; but they may put into it—or into a cup—cold water to make it lukewarm.” “A saucepan or an earthen pot, which they took off boiling?” “They must not put into it spices, but they may put them into a bowl or into a plate.” Rabbi Judah says, “they may put them into all vessels, excepting a thing in which there is vinegar or fish-brine.”

      6. They must not put vessels under a lamp to catch the oil. “But if they place them, while it is still day?” “It is allowed.” But they must not use it, because it is not purposely prepared (for Sabbath use). They may remove a new lamp, but not an old one. Rabbi Simon says, “all lamps may be removed, except the lamp lighted for the Sabbath.” They may put a vessel under the lamp to catch sparks, but they must not put water into it, as it quenches.

Chapter IV

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      1. “With what may they cover up (pots to retain the heat)?” “And with what may they not cover them up?” “They may not cover them up with oil-dregs, or dung, or salt, or lime, or sand either fresh or dry, or straw, or grape-skins, or woollen, or herbs when they are fresh, but they may cover up with them when they are dry. They may cover up with garments, and fruits, with doves' wings, with carpenters' sawdust, and with tow of fine flax.” Rabbi Judah forbids “fine,” but allows “coarse.”

      [pg 080]

      2. They may cover up with hides, and remove them—with woollen fleeces, but they must not remove them. “How does one do?” “He takes off the cover, and they fall down.” Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Azariah, says “the vessel is inclined on its side, and he takes them away.” “Perhaps he took them away and cannot return them?”103 But the Sages say “he may take them away, and return them.” “He does not cover it, while it is yet day?” “He must not cover it, when it begins to be dark.” “He covered it, and it opened?” “It is allowed to cover it again.” A man may fill the goblet, and put it under the pillow or under the bolster (to warm it).

Chapter V

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      1. “With what is a beast led forth, and with what is it not led forth?”104 One may lead forth the camel with a head-stall, and the she-camel with a nose-ring, and the Lydda105 asses with a bridle, and a horse with a halter, and all animals that wear a halter they may lead forth with a halter, and they are held with a halter, and, if unclean, they may sprinkle water upon them, and baptize them in their places.

      2. The ass one may lead forth with a pack-saddle when it is bound on it. Rams go forth tied up. Ewes go forth with tails bound back, doubled down, or put in a bag. The goats go forth bound tightly. Rabbi José “forbids all, excepting ewes, to have their tails in a bag.” Rabbi Judah says “the goats go forth bound tightly to dry up their udders, but not to guard the milk.”

      3. “And with what must they not go forth?” “A camel must not go forth with a rag bound as a mark to its tail, nor fettered, nor with fore-foot tied doubled up, and so with the rest of all beasts; a man must not bind camels one to another, and lead them, but he may take their ropes into his hand, and hold them, guarding that they be not twisted.”106

      4. One must not bring forth an ass with a pack-saddle, when it is not tied upon him before the Sabbath; nor with a bell, even though it be muffled, nor with a ladder107 on its throat, nor [pg 081] with a strap on its leg; nor may cocks and hens be led forth with twine or straps on their legs. Nor may rams be led forth with a gocart under their tails, nor ewes with John wood.108 And the calf must not be led forth with a muzzle, nor a cow with the skin of the hedgehog,109 nor with a strap between her horns. The cow110 of Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Azariah, used to go out with a strap between her horns, but not with the will of the Sages.

Chapter VI

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      1. “With what may a woman go out?” And “with what may she not go out?” “A woman may not go out with laces of wool, nor with laces of flax, nor with straps on her head, and she cannot baptize herself in them till she unloose them; nor with frontlets, nor temple fillets, unless sewn to her cap, nor with a headband, into the public street, nor with a golden crown in the form of Jerusalem, nor with a necklace, nor with nose-rings, nor with a ring without a seal, nor with a needle without an eye; but, if she go out, she is not guilty of a sin-offering.”