Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 9.5

משנה: נִפְטְרוּ זִקְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלֵם וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶן. זִקְנֵי אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר מְבִיאִין עֶגְלַת בָּקָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְעוֹל. וְאֵין הַמּוּם פּוֹסֵל בָּהּ. וּמוֹרִידִין אוֹתָה לְנַחַל אֵיתָן וְאֵיתָן כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ קָשֶׁה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין אֵיתָן כָּשֵׁר. עוֹרְפִין אוֹתָהּ בַּקּוֹפִּיץ מֵאֲחוֹרֶיהָ. וּמְקוֹמָהּ אָסוּר מִלִּזְרוֹעַ וּמִלַּעֲבוֹד וּמוּתָּר לִסְרוֹק שָׁם פִּשְׁתָּן וּלְנַקֵּר שָׁם אֲבָנִים.

MISHNAH: When the Elders of Jerusalem had completed their work and left, the Elders of that town bring “a cattle calf, one which never had been used for work, which never had drawn under a yoke.” Bodily defects do not disqualify it. One brings it down to an etan valley; the meaning of etan is “hard”. Even if it is not hard it is qualified. One breaks its neck with a stiletto from behind. Its place is forbidden to be used for sowing or agricultural works; it may be used to card flax or to hew stones.

הלכה: אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. לְדַעַת. אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְעוֹל. בֵּין לְדַעַת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. רִבִּי יוֹנָה פָתַר מַתְנִיתָא. אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. לְדַעַת. אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְעוֹל. בֵּין לְדַעַת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּמְשׁוֹךְ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָתַר מַתְנִיתָא. לְדַעַת. אֲפִילוּ לֹא מָשַׁךְ. וְשֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּמְשׁוֹךְ. וָאַתְיָיא דְּרִבִּי יוֹנָה כְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּדְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי כְּרַבָּנִן. דְּרִבִּי יוֹנָה כְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל. דְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָמַר. כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלָל וְיָצָא מִן הַכְּלָל לְלַמֵּד נֶעֱקַר מִכְּלָלוֹ וַהֲרֵי הוּא בְחִידּוּשׁוֹ. לְפוּם כֵּן צָרִךְ מֵימַר. אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. לְדַעַת. אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְעוֹל. בֵּין לְדַעַת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּמְשׁוֹךְ. וּדְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי כְּרַבָּנִן. דְּרַבָּנִין אָמְרִין. הֲרֵי הוּא בִכְלָלוֹ וַהֲרֵי הוּא בְחִידּוּשׁוֹ. לְפוּם כֵּן צָרִךְ מֵימַר. לְדַעַת. אֲפִילוּ לֹא מָשַׁךְ. וְשֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּמְשׁוֹךְ.

HALAKHAH: “One which never had been used for work,” intentionally, “which never had drawn under a yoke,” intentionally or unintentionally. Rebbi Jonah explains the Mishnah: “One which never had been used for work,” intentionally, “which never had drawn under a yoke,” intentionally or unintentionally, if it actually had drawn. Rebbi Yose explained the Mishnah: Intentionally even if it had not drawn, unintentionally if it actually had drawn. It turns out that Rebbi Jonah follows Rebbi Ismael and Rebbi Yose the rabbis. Rebbi Jonah follows Rebbi Ismael, since Rebbi Ismael says, anything which was in a set and left the set to teach leaves its set and stands in its new meaning. Therefore, he has to spell out “one which never had been used for work,” intentionally, “which never had drawn under a yoke,” intentionally or unintentionally, if it actually had drawn. Rebbi Yose follows the rabbis, since the rabbis say, anything which was in a set and left the set to teach remains in its set and in its new meaning. Therefore, he has to spell out: intentionally even if it had not drawn, unintentionally if it actually had drawn.

כַּמָּה יִמְשׁוֹךְ. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר כִּמְלוֹאוֹ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי יוּדָה אוֹמֵר. שָׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת. רִבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן נְהוֹרַאי. מְלוֹא הָעוֹל לְרָחְבּוֹ.

How far would it have to draw? Rebbi said, its width. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah said, three finger breadths. Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Nehorai said, the entire length of the yoke in its width.

רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר חִיָיה בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעִירָא. אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. כְּלָל. אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה בְעוֹל. פְּרָט. כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֵין בִּכְלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁבִּפְרָט. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הֲוָה כְתִיב אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבְּדָה וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא מָשְׁכָה. יְאוּת. לֵית כְּתִיב אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. אֵין כָּאן כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֶלָּא רִיבּוּיִין עוֹל עוֹל לִגְזֵירָה שָׁוָה. מַה עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בָּעֶגְלָה עָשָׂה בָהּ שְׁאָר כָּל הָעֲבוֹדוֹת כְּעוֹל. אַף עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בַּפָּרָה נַעֲשֶׂה בָהּ שְׁאָר כָּל הָעֲבוֹדוֹת כְּעוֹל. מַה עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בָּעֶגְלָה עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת בָּהּ בֵּין לְדַעַת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. אַף עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בַּפָּרָה עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת בָּהּ בֵּין לְדַעַת בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת. מַה עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בַּפָּרָה הָעוֹל פּוֹסֵל בָּהּ. אַף עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בָּעֶגְלָה הָעוֹל פּוֹסֵל בָּהּ. אִי מַה עוֹל הָאָמוֹר בַּפָּרָה הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין בָּהּ. אַף עוֹל הָאָמוּר בָּעֶגְלָה הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין בָּהּ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם. הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין בַּפָּרָה. אֵין הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין בָּעֶגְלָה. וְאָמַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת אֵין עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת בַּפָּרָה. הָכָא אֲשֶׁר לֹא עוּבַּד בָּהּ. בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת אֵין עֲבוֹדָה פוֹסֶלֶת בַּפָּרָה. אִית לָךְ מֵימַר תַּמָּן. אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם. בָּהּ הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין אֵין הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִין בַּמּוּקְדָּשִׁין.

Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya asked before Rebbi Ze‘ira: “One which never had been used for work,” a general statement, “which never had drawn under a yoke,” a detailed statement. If a general statement is followed by a detail, the general does not contain more than the detail. He said to him, if it were written “which never had worked, which never had drawn,” you would be justified; but it is written “one which never had been used for work.” This does not describe general and detail, but the additional reference to “yoke” for an equal cut. Since relative to “yoke” said for the calf He treated all work as a yoke, so for the “yoke” said for the cow we have to treat all work as a yoke. Since relative to “yoke” said for the calf work disables whether intentional or unintentional, so for the “yoke” said for the cow work disables whether intentional or unintentional. Since relative to “yoke” said for the cow, the yoke disables, also for the “yoke” said for the calf the yoke disables. Then since for the “yoke” said for the cow blemishes disable, so also for the “yoke” said for the calf blemishes disable? The verse says, “where this one has no blemish.” Blemishes disable the cow, blemishes do not disable the calf. Then it also says “one which never had been used for work,” for this one work disables, does for the cow work not disable? Can you say there, “where this one has no blemish,” this one is disabled by blemishes, sacrifices are not disabled by blemishes?

מְחוֹסְּרֵי אֵיבָרִין מַהוּ שֶׁיִּפְסְלוּ בָהּ. אֲפִילוּ כְקָרְבְּנוֹת בְּנֵי נֹחַ אֵינָם. לֹא כֵן אָמַר רִבִּי יָסָא. פָּשַׁט רִבִּי לָעְזָר לַחֲבֵרַיָיא. וּמִכָּל הַחַי מִכָּל בָּשָׂר. [שֶׁיְּהוּ] שְׁלֵימִין בְּאֵיבָרֵיהֶן. תַּמָּן. יֵשׁ מֵהֶן לַמִּזְבֵּחַ. בְּרַם הָכָא. אֵין מֵהֶן לַמִּזְבֵּחַ. רִבִּי חוּנָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה. מִכֵּיוָן דְּאַתְּ אָמַר. כַּפָּרָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ כְּקֳדָשִׁים. כְּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ מֵהֶן לִמִּזְבֵּחַ. טְרֵיפָה מַהוּ שֶׁתִּיפָּסֵל בָּהּ. מִכֵּיוָן דְּאַתְּ אָמַר. יֵשׁ מֵהֶן לַמִּזְבֵּחַ. טְרֵיפָה פּוֹסֶלֶת בָּהּ. בְּהַי פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ שֶׁהַטְּרֵיפָה פּוֹסֶלֶת בָּהּ. הָיְתָה רַגְלָהּ קְלוּטָה כְשֶׁלְּחַמּוֹר מַה אַתְּ עֲבַד לָהּ. כִּמְחוּסֶרֶת אֵבֶר אוֹ כְבַעֲלַת מוּם. אִין תַּעַבְדִּינָהּ כִּמְחוּסֶרֶת אֵבֶר. כְּשֵׁירָה. אִין תַּעַבְדִּינָהּ כְּבַעֲלַת מוּם. פְּסוּלָה. דָּמָהּ מַהוּ שֶׁיַּכְשִׁיר. מִן מַה דְתַנֵּי רִבִּי חִיָיה. דָּמָהּ טָמֵא. דָּמָהּ מַכְשִׁיר.

Would missing limbs disable it? That would not be even like sacrifices of the descendants of Noah! Did not Rebbi Yasa say that Rebbi Eleazar explained to the colleagues: “From all living, from all flesh,” that they should be complete in their limbs? There, some were for the altar, but here, the altar has no part. Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rebbi Jeremiah: Since you say, purgation is written there as for sacrifices, it is as if some of it were for the altar. Does ṭerefa disable it? Since you say, it is as if some of it were for the altar, in that it should be clear to you that ṭerefa disables it. If its foot was undeveloped, as a donkey’s foot, how do you treat that? If you treat it as if missing a limb, can it be enabled? If you treat it as a bodily defect, can it be disabled? Does its blood prepare? Since Rebbi Ḥiyya stated that its blood is impure, its blood prepares.

חַד סַב שְׁאַל לְרַבָּנִין דְּקַיְסָרִין. עֲרִיפָתָהּ מַהוּ שֶׁתְּטָהֵר טְרֵיפָתָהּ מִטּוּמְאָתָהּ. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ. וְלָאו מַתְנִיתָא הִיא. הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְנִמְצָא טְרֵיפָה. אָמַר לוֹן. מָה אֲנָן בְּעַיָין עֲרִיפָה וְאַתּוֹן מָיְיתוּ לֵיהּ שְׁחוּטָה. אָמְרוּן לֵיהּ. לֹא כֵן אָמַר רִבִּי יַנַּאי. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי מֵאִיר. אֲפִילוּ טְרֵיפָה חַיָיב. וְאָמַר לוֹן. וּמִן הָדָא דְּרִבִּי יַנַּאי אַתּוֹן מְגִיבִין לִי.

An old man asked the rabbis of Caesarea: Does the breaking of its neck clear its ṭerefa from its impurity? They said to him, is that not a Mishnah: “He who cuts the throat and it turns out to be ṭerefa.” He said to them, but I asked about breaking the neck and you answer me cutting the throat! They said to him, but did not Rebbi Yannai say, the words of Rebbi Meïr, even if it was ṭerefa he is guilty? He said to them, you answer me from that of Rebbi Yannai?

אֵיתָן כִּשְׁמוּעוֹ קָשֶׁה. אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶיךְ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִינֶּךָ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין אֵיתָן כָּשֵׁר. וְדִכְוָותָהּ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין הַנַּחַל כָּשֵׁר. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. הוֹרִידוּ וְהוֹרִידוּ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין נַחַל. דְּהָדָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי מִן אִילֵּין דְּהָכָא הָכִן. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. כָּל אִילֵּין דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי מִן אִילֵּין דְּהָכִן אָכִן יְחִידִין אִינּוּן וְלֹא סָמְכִין עֲלֵיהוֹן.

“The meaning of etan is “hard”, “Hard is your seat, make your nest in the rock.” “Even if it is not hard it is qualified.” Similarly, if there is no brook? Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated, “they shall bring down, and they shall bring down,” even if there is no brook. But that of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai is of those which are so-and-so. As Rebbi Joḥanan said, all those [statements] of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai which are so-and-so are isolated opinions and one cannot rely on them.

וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲרוֹף בָּהּ שְׁנַיִם אוֹ רוֹב שְׁנַיִם. נִישְׁמְעִינָהּ מִן הָדָא. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא רַב יְהוּדָה בְשֵׁם שְׁמוּאֵל. עַד מָקוֹם שֶׁהַצַוָּאר כָּשֵׁר לִשְׁחִיטָה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ הָעוֹרֶף כָּשֵׁר לִמְלִיקָה. וְכָן הוּא אָמַר אָכֵן.

Does he break its neck until he has cut two blood arteries or most of them? Let us hear from the following, that Rebbi Ze‘ira said, Rav Jehudah in the name of Samuel: Any place the bottom of the neck is acceptable for slaughtering, the back of the neck is acceptable for breaking; here he would say the same.

תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. יֵשׁ חוֹרֵשׁ תֶּלֶם אֶחָד וְחַיָיב עָלָיו מִשּׁוּם שְׁמוֹנֶה לָאוִין. רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה בָּעֵי. נִיתְנֵי הַחוֹרֵשׁ מְקוֹם עֲרִיפָתָהּ שֶׁלָּעֶגְלָה הֲרֵי תִשְׁעָה. אָמְרִין חֲבֵרַיָיא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. תִּיפְתָּר לְשֶׁעָבַר. אָמַר לוֹן. מַה דְאִית לָהּ לְשֶׁעָבַר כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לָבֹא.

There, we have stated: “One might plough one furrow and infringe thereby on eight prohibitions.” Rebbi Hoshaia asked: Could one not state “one who ploughs the place where the calf’s neck was broken,” for a total of nine? The colleagues said before Rebbi Yose: Explain it by the past. He said to them, since it was for the past, so certainly for the future.

מְקוֹם גִּיסָתָהּ וּתְפִיסָתָהּ הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ אֲסוּרִין. וְכַמָּה הִיא תְפִיסָתָהּ. אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר. אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁתְּפִיסָתָהּ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ כְּלָל. וְלֹא יִזָּרֵעַ. פְּרָט. כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֵין בִּכְלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁבִּפְרָט. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הֲוָה כְתִיב. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִזָּרֵעַ יְאוּת. לֵית כְּתִיב אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵעָבֵד בּוֹ. כִּי הָא דָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא. אֵין כָּאן כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֶלָּא רִיבּוּיִין.

The place where it falls down and its surroundings are forbidden. How much are its surroundings? Four cubits. Rebbi says, I am saying that its surroundings are fifty cubits. Rebbi Samuel the son of Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun: “which would not be worked on,” a general statement. “And would not be sown,” a detail. If a general statement is followed by a detail, the general does not contain more than the detail. He said to him, if it were written “which would not be worked on, which would not be sown,” you would be justified; but it is written “which would not be worked on.” This does not describe general statement and detail, but an additional reference.