Rabbinic JudaismJerusalem Talmud Demai 2.1HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
The Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem Talmud Demai 2.1

The Jerusalem Talmud

Jerusalem Talmud Demai 2.1

1
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: The following must be tithed as demay everywhere: Fig cakes, dates, carobs, rice, and cumin. Rice from outside the Land is free for everybody who uses it.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: There, we have stated: “Garlic from Baalbek, onions from Rikhpah, split beans from Cilicia, and Egyptian lentils.” Because these kinds also grow in the Land of Israel, the Sages had to attach marks to them. “But filberts, pistachios, and pine nuts, since these kinds do not grow in the Land of Israel, the Sages did not have to attach marks to them.” Rebbi Abun said, the Mishnah is the opposite regarding the obligation of these kinds; since these kinds do not grow outside of the Land, the Sages had to enumerate them. But is there not fig cake from Bosra? It is pounded. But dates from Alexandria? They are thin. But carob from Kiari? It is cut. But rice from the Ḥolata? It has more numerous kernels and is reddish. But cumin from Cyprus? It is curved.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Lazar said, they stated the Mishnah only for him who buys from a Gentile, but for him who buys from a Jew it is demay. Rebbi Joḥanan said, there is no difference, whether one buys from a Jew or from a Gentile it is demay. Rebbi Eleazar holds that most of the Land of Israel is in the hands of the Gentiles. Rebbi Joḥanan holds that most of the Land of Israel is in the hands of Jews. But even if Rebbi Eleazar agrees with Rebbi Joḥanan that most of the Land of Israel is in the hands of Jews, Rebbi Eleazar is anxious about a minority. Like that fortification, if for one day it got supplies from a forbidden source, that day will become proof for all days. Rebbi Yose asked: If that is so, a prospective proselyte who comes to convert should not be accepted; I say he is from Ammon and Moab, and one proselyte would become proof for all proselytes. Hence, Rebbi Eleazar must hold that most of the Land of Israel is in the hands of Gentiles and Rebbi Joḥanan must hold that most of the Land of Israel is in the hands of Jews.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Moreover from the following: Rebbi Zeïra sent to ask Rebbi Alexander from Ẓedoqa, those Nicolaus dates from here, what you estimate about them, mostly from Gentiles or mostly from Jews? He said to him, we are not able to estimate about them.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

One statement supports this and a second statement supports Rebbi Eleazar. “The trader’s produce everywhere is demay. When is that? If most of his supply is from Jews. But if he buys from Gentiles, it is certain.” A statement supports Rebbi Joḥanan: “Rebbi Neḥemiah stated: “Whether from a Gentile, a Jewish Samaritan, or an am haareẓ seller, if at times he buys from the Gentile, at times from the Jew, it is demay.”

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada asked before Rebbi Mana: From whom did this man buy? If from a Jew it is demay, from a Gentile certain. Explain that if the trader was a Gentile and both Jew and Gentile deliver to him, it is demay. Rav Hoshaia objected, does not the Mishnah support Rebbi Joḥanan? As it was stated: “Rebbi Jehudah said, they only mentioned pomegranates from Badan and grain from Geba because they must be tithed as certain everywhere.” What are we talking about? If he bought from a Jew, can it be pronounced certain? But we must deal with a Gentile. Hence, all other things are tithed as demay. Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac said, we deal with certain produce from a Jew. Explain it that there was a powerful overseer of markets who exerted pressure to sell at low prices, and they permitted him to sell ṭevel and let the buyer beware for himself.

7
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Who is a trader? Everyone who brought, repeated, and came a third time. Rebbi Jonah asked, if he brought three loads together, is he not a trader; one after the other, is he a trader? Rebbi Jonah asked, does he become a trader retroactively or only for the future? What is the difference? If someone came and brought his things in order, if you say only for the future, can he tithe from one on the other! Rebbi Mana asked: Can he, his son, and his worker combine for three loads? Rebbi Jonah asked, a ship that comes from Rome and carries many kinds, do you count this only as one?

8
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“For fruits they did not consider either smell, or looks, or taste, or value, but only plurality.” Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If it was wine, for example new wine and old wine, they judged according to taste.

9
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Mana said, I went to Caesarea and I saw them using fig cake as free. I asked Rebbi Isaac bar Eleazar; he said to me that Zeugos used to permit it. Rebbi Isaac bar Eleazar in the name of Zeugos of Caesarea: All that sees the water is free. Some want to say, up to the salt tower, some want to say, up to the Telamon cave. Rebbi Abba Mari said, the words of the rabbis imply that all kinds are forbidden in Caesarea. “Wheat, bread, oil, dates, rice, and cumin.” Fig cakes are not included? It is in the Mishnah. But we have also mentioned rice and cumin; these are in the Mishnah and we have spelled them out! Those are the ones which are left out. “These are permitted in the Sabbatical year, in all other years of the Sabbatical cycle they are demay.” These are permitted in the Sabbatical year; why are they not Sabbatical fruits in the Sabbatical year? The Jews treat them as Sabbatical, the Gentiles are free, Jews and Gentiles outnumber Samaritans. In all other years of the Sabbatical cycle they are demay, the Judean Jews put them in order, Gentiles are free, Jews and Gentiles outnumber Samaritans. How far? The inn of the pillars, the inn at Tayibeh, as far as Kefar Saba. Their juices are certain in Caesarea.

10
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Ḥanina: bulbs (onions) sold in Cesarea are forbidden because most of them come from King’s Mountain. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, the white ones, but the rabbis of Cesarea say, the red ones.

11
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Zeïra, Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Rebbi permitted Beth Shean on the testimony of Joshua ben Zeruz, the son of Rebbi Meïr’s father-in-law, who said, I saw Rebbi Meïr buy vegetables from a garden in the Sabbatical year. He permitted all of it! Rebbi Zeïra said, this implies that nobody should act in public; I say that this garden was a particular case for him; should he have permitted it completely? Rebbi permitted Beth Shean, permitted Caesarea, permitted Bet Guvrin, permitted Kefar Ẓemaḥ. Rebbi permitted to buy vegetables after the end of the Sabbatical year and all were saying bad things about him. He said to them, come and let us discuss the matter. It is written (2Kings 18:4): “He smashed the brass snake.” Was there no just person between Moses and Hezekiah to remove it? But the Holy One, praise to Him, reserved that crown to him so he could crown himself with it. We also had this crown reserved by the Holy One, praise to Him, to crown ourselves with it.

12
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Joshua ben Levi commanded his lads: Do not buy me vegetables except from Sisera’s garden. He, may he be remembered for the good stood nearby and said to him: Go tell your teacher that this is not Sisera’s garden; it did belong to a Jew but he killed him and took it away from him. If you want to be restrictive for yourself, permit it to your friend.

13
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Yose of Kefar Dan in the name of Rebbi from Meadiah, the kinds forbidden in Beth Shean: Nigella, sesame, mustard, garlic, bulbs, black peas, commercial onions, local ones that are sold by weight, Egyptian beans bound with bast, mint bundled separately, carrot always, leeks from Pentecost to Ḥanukkah. Rebbi Zeïra said, from Pentecost to Ḥanukkah the forbidden ones outnumber the permitted ones, from Ḥanukkah to Pentecost the permitted ones outnumber the forbidden ones. In the matter of aftergrowth, from New Year’s Day to Ḥanukkah prohibition of aftergrowth, from Ḥanukkah to Pentecost permission of aftergrowth, from Pentecost to New Year’s Day questionable. Zucchini, squash, water melon, apple melon, wine, oil, Ephesian dates, somebody also says lupines. Bread always requires hallah. These are Sabbatical in a Sabbatical year. In the other years of the cycle? Rebbi Jonah said, demay; Rebbi Yose said, certain. They have no disagreement over tithes; Rebbi Jonah said demay for him who buys from a person making house calls, Rebbi Yose said certain for him who bought from the garden.

14
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

How far? (The cross roads of Rẓyfta, the mausoleum of Pgvṭiah and Kefar Karnaim, Kefar Karnaim being like Beth Shean.)

15
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Zachariah: The kinds forbidden in Paneas: Walnuts, rice, sesame, and Egyption beans. Gamliel the twin says, early ripening atriplex. Rebbi Jonah said, that means, higher than the Rooster of Caesarea. But below the Rooster of Caesarea it has the status of the Land of Israel. Rebbi Jonah asked: If his field was sown with vegetables and he came and found it full of rice, is the vegetable permitted and the rice forbidden? If the rice is high and the vegetable low, is the vegetable permitted and the rice forbidden? In fact, most of these fields produce these species! Even if you say that most of these fields produce these species, most of these kinds only come from forbidden areas.

16
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

It was stated: The rice in the sands of Antiochia is permitted in its place. Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Yose permitted it as far as Kdvn. Rebbi Jonah asked: This distance in every direction?

17
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“The following are the forbidden towns in the district of Tyre: ṡẓt, Al-Baṣa, the source at Ma‘aṣuba, upper and lower Ḥanuta, Bet Badia, the water spring, Hamun, and Mazy.”

18
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Mana said, what you enumerate was earlier. But now there [are other towns that were held by Israel and they are forbidden. “ These are the towns forbidden in district] Susita: Al ‘Awaniš, Eyn Tara‘, the heights of Barin, the spring Ya‘riṭ, Kefar Yaḥrib, Nab, Ḥasfin, and Kefar Ẓemaḥ. Rebbi permitted Kefar Ẓemaḥ.” Rebbi Immi asked: Are these not of the taxpayers? Rebbi Immi is of the opinion that taxpayers count as if they were conquered.

19
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“The following are the towns that were permitted in the district of Naveh: Ṣaria, Ṭeriya, Jasim, Zizun, the stone heaps of ḥṭm, Aldanba the ruin, the palisades of Bar hzrg.”

20
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

A load of raisins came up to Tiberias. Gamliel the twin asked Rebbi Abba bar Kahana. He said to him: All of the Land of Israel does not produce a load of raisins. Does all of the Land of Israel not produce a load of raisins? But so he said to him: No single place in the land of Israel produces a load of raisins.

21
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

A person brought a back-pack of leeks to Rebbi Isaac bar Tevele. He asked Rebbi Joḥanan. He said to him, go and ask Ḥananiah ben Samuel who knows statements about this. He went and asked. He said, they did not show me a statement, but he told me an Amoraic tradition, since Rebbi Yasa said in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Rebbi and Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon disagree: one says after its place of production, the other says, after its current stand. Rebbi Abbahu explained: Rebbi said, after its place of production and Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon, after its current stand. Rebbi Abbahu said that Rebbi said, after its place of production, and they taught him following Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon, after its current stand. This means for back packs, but for animal loads everybody agrees after its place of production. If its place of production and of current placement are free but he is going to transport it through forbidden territory, that forbidden territory is as if he did not traverse it. Rebbi Abba bar Cohen asked before Rebbi Yose: Did not Rebbi Ḥiyya say in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, between Rebbi and his colleague, practice follows Rebbi. But Rebbi Jonah said, even Rebbi with Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon? He said to him, what do you want from Rebbi Joḥanan! Rebbi Joḥanan follows his own opinion, for Rebbi Joḥanan said, they were very lenient regarding the Sabbatical, which is of their words. Some want to say, the opinion of Rebbi Joḥanan is added to that of Rebbi and they form a majority against Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon.

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Jerusalem Talmud Demai 2.1English
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The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

Hebrew/Aramaic text: The Jerusalem Talmud, edition by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015), via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

English translation: The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015); commentary notes omitted, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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