MISHNAH: How does one designate First Fruits? A person comes into his field and there sees an early ripening fig, an early ripening bunch of grapes, an early ripening pomegranate; he binds them with bast and says, “these are First Fruits.” Rebbi Simeon says, nevertheless he repeats and calls them First Fruits after they have been separated from the ground.

HALAKHAH: “How does one designate First Fruits? Etc.” In the opinion of Rebbi Simeon, if he did not call them when they were picked they are not sanctified, they do not create *dema‘*¹, one is not required to add a fifth², and one is not whipped for them outside the wall³. What is the reason of the rabbis? (Deut. 26:10) “Now, behold, I brought the first of the fruits of the earth.” At the moment of presentation it must be a fruit, but also at the moment of dedication? Even unripe grapes, even unripe figs! In the opinion of Rebbi Simeon, since at the moment of presentation it must be a fruit, so also at the moment of dedication it must be a fruit.

footnotes: ¹ If they are mixed with profane fruits and are unrecognizable, the mixture is permitted to laymen. ² If misappropriated, the amount of restitution has to be 100%, not 125%. ³ If eaten outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

Rebbi Zeïra asked: Do First Fruits of a grafted branch permit what is budding⁴?

footnotes: ⁴ If a grafted branch produces already recognizable fruits while the tree stump only has buds, does designating a fruit from the graft prevent you from designating later a fruit of the original tree? The question is not answered since it is not relevant in real-life agriculture.

It was stated: First Fruits one in sixty⁵2:17) as rabbinic rule, even though it contradicts the statement of Talmud Peah that First Fruits have no rabbinic measure. It is probable that this includes not only First Fruits but also their “decorations” (Mishnah 9).. The first of shearings, one in sixty⁶ 137b, this is the opinion of Samuel only.. Impure heave, one in sixty⁷ 5:6.. Rebbi Ismael⁸ stated: First Fruits one in sixty. Peah one in sixty⁹ 1:2.. The first of shearings, one in sixty. Impure heave, one in sixty. Heave for which the Cohanim do not care¹⁰ 2, Note 64., one in sixty. What do you have? E. g., the heave of kelesin¹¹ 11, Note 60; Ma‘serot 2, Note 134., carob, and red barley.

footnotes: ⁵ This statement, that First Fruits have to be 1⅔% of the entire harvest, is accepted by Maimonides (Bikkurim ⁶ In the Babli, Ḥulin ⁷ Tosephta Terumot ⁸ In the Tosephta (Note 7): R. Ismael from Shezur and R. Simeon. ⁹ Mishnah Peah ¹⁰ ‘Orlah ¹¹ Cf. Terumot

MISHNAH: How does one bring First Fruits? All villages in the ma‘amad¹² Chapter 1, Note 231. district come to its central city. They stay overnight in the city square and do not enter houses¹³. 19). Any other impurity is immediately removed by immersion in a miqweh outside the Temple mount and does not prevent the farmer from presenting his First Fruits.. In the morning, the organizer says to them (Jer. 31:5): “Get up and let us ascend to Zion, to the Eternal’s, our God’s, House.¹⁴”

footnotes: ¹² The district which sent Temple personnel and accompanying laymen to Jerusalem for a week; cf. Berakhot ¹³ So as not to become impure by the impurity of the dead which persists for seven days. The impurity of the dead is transmitted by the “tent” (the house) over the corpse (Num ¹⁴ In the verse: אל ייי אלהינו.

HALAKHAH: For example, Jehoyarib and its acquaintances¹⁵ districts were given the names of the 24 priestly courses..

footnotes: ¹⁵ The 24 ma‘amad

Could they not stay in the synagogue overnight? Rebbi Ḥalaphta ben Shaul stated: Because of the tent of impurity¹³. 19). Any other impurity is immediately removed by immersion in a miqweh outside the Temple mount and does not prevent the farmer from presenting his First Fruits..

footnotes: ¹³ So as not to become impure by the impurity of the dead which persists for seven days. The impurity of the dead is transmitted by the “tent” (the house) over the corpse (Num

On the way they were saying (Ps. 122:2): “I rejoiced when I was told, we shall go to the Eternal’s House.” In Jerusalem, they said (Ps. 122:3): “Our feet were standing in Jerusalem.” On the Temple Mount they said (Ps. 150:1) “Hallelujah, praise God in His Sanctuary, etc.” In the Temple courtyard they said (Ps. 150:6): “Praise the Eternal every soul, praise the Eternal”¹⁷. 150 to last from the gate of the Temple Mount to the gate of the Temple enclosure..

footnotes: ¹⁷ They timed the recitation of Ps

MISHNAH: Those who live close by bring figs and grapes but those from far away bring dried figs and raisins. The bull walks before them¹⁸, his horns covered with gold and he wears an olive crown on his head. The fife beats¹⁹ before them until they are arriving close to Jerusalem. When they arrived close to Jerusalem, they sent ahead of them²⁰ and they adorned their First Fruits²¹. Civil²². 23:6. and Temple administrators and the treasurers came out to meet them; they were leaving according to the standing of the comers. All artisans in Jerusalem were getting up for them²³ to greet them: “Our brothers, people from place X, be welcomed.”

footnotes: ¹⁸ The required sacrifice (Mishnah 2:4) was a communal sacrifice, not a personal one of each farmer. ¹⁹ The marching time. ²⁰ To the Temple. ²¹ Cf. Mishnah 9. ²² This has to be taken with a grain of salt; the expression פחות וסגנים is from Ez ²³ When the procession passed by.

HALAKHAH: How far? That he could give heave from the best²⁴2:4 where it is stated that if there is no Cohen available, the farmer should not give heave from the best but from what keeps best. The meaning of the sentence here seems to be that if the time needed to bring the First Fruits to Jerusalem is enough that in the case of heave the farmer should prefer the preservable to the good-looking, the people are classified as “far away”.. If he wants to bring a fig cake, we shall say that if it was from Qe‘ila²⁵ 4a, these fig cakes are classified as intoxicating. Those from Bostra, on the dry Golan heights, were dry. he may bring it, from Bostra he cannot bring it.

footnotes: ²⁴ This refers to Mishnah Terumot ²⁵ In the Babli, Nazir

Is it obvious that it²⁶ will be sacrificed as a well-being offering? Rebbi Ammi said, it will be sacrificed as a well-being offering. Rav said, one uses it to occupy the altar²⁷. Rebbi Zeïra asked: Does a private person who was lazy and did not come [with the group] bring a goat with its horns covered in silver²⁸ 1, #291) it is a prescriptive sentence: “A private person who was lazy and did not come brings a goat with its horns covered in silver.” This agrees with Z. Frankel’s opinion that in the Yerushalmi, בעי does not necessarily imply a question.?

footnotes: ²⁶ The bull walking in front of the procession. ²⁷ קיץ המזבח is used for elevation offerings which are brought any time the altar would otherwise be empty. It is difficult to find the meaning in the root קיץ “summer”; it might be from a verb parallel Arabic قصّ, أِّقصّ, “to appear pregnant”. ²⁸ This is the interpretation of Maimonides who does not quote the statement in his Code. According to Rashba (Responsa

“And an olive crown on his head.” Since this is one of the “Seven Kinds”.

It was stated: He whose First Fruits were dried figs adorned them with fresh figs; raisins one adorned with fresh grapes.

Is there small and great in Jerusalem²⁹? But so is the Mishnah: By multitudes³⁰ 9, Note 47.. According to the number of comers they were leaving.

footnotes: ²⁹ When the Mishnah states that the receiving committe of the Temple was formed according to the standing of the comers, it seems inconceivable that the social standing of the arrivals should be given any consideration. ³⁰ A Greek word with Semitic endings; cf. Berakhot

Did we not state: (Lev. 19:32) “You shall rise and give respect³¹ to an Elder (a rabbinic authority).”.” Just as rising does not cost anything, so giving respect should not cost anything³² 7(13). But the Mishnah requires the artisans, who are paid for their products, not for their time, to get up when the procession passes by and lose time (which is money) from their work.? There is a difference here since it is only once in a long time. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Ḥuna bar Ḥiyya: Come and see how strong is the case of those who come to fulfill a commandment! For before an elder one does not have to stand³³ 33a. but before those who come to fulfill a commandment one stands! Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, those that stand up before a dead person do not stand up before the dead but before those who serve him in charity³⁴.

footnotes: ³¹ “Before a white head (an old person) you shall rise and give respect ³² Sifra Qedošim Pereq ³³ If it costs money. The saying is quoted in Babli Qiddušin ³⁴ This sentence is added because it is a homily by R. Yose ben R. Abun and is somehow connected with the topic discussed.

How often does a person have to rise before an Elder? Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: twice a day³⁵ 33b, it is formulated in the name of R. Yannai: That the reverence shown to a Sage should not be greater than that given to God, before Whom one appears twice daily, for morning and afternoon/evening prayers.. Rebbi Eleazar said, once a day. Was it not stated thus: Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar says, from where that an Elder should not importune? The verse says (Lev. 19:32): “Elder, but you should fear your God, I am the Eternal³⁶ 7(15). The ending of the verse is addressed not to the person who has to show reverence to the rabbi but to the rabbi..” According to Rebbi Joḥanan, this is understandable³⁷. According to Rebbi Eleazar one should not get up at all³⁶ 7(15). The ending of the verse is addressed not to the person who has to show reverence to the rabbi but to the rabbi.! Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: That he should not see a group of old men³⁸ and pass in front of them so they should rise before him. Just as they³⁹ disagree here, so they disagree about greeting.

footnotes: ³⁵ In the Babli, Qiddušin ³⁶ Sifra Qedošim Pereq ³⁷ He holds that the reverence shown to a rabbi must definitely be less than that given God. ³⁶ Sifra Qedošim Pereq ³⁸ Or any people. ³⁹ R. Johanan and R. Eleazar; how many times a student has to greet his teacher every day.

Rebbi Ḥizqia, Rebbi Ḥanina the son of Rebbi Abbahu, in the name of Rebbi Eudaimon from Haifa: For an Elder four cubits; once he passed one sits down. The High Priest, from the moment one sees him until he disappears from view.⁴⁰ 33b, with the head of the rabbinic court instead of the High Priest. What is the reason? (Ex. 33:8) “It was, when Moses went to the tent, the entire people rose, etc.” Two Amoraïm⁴¹ 33b, they are identified as R. Ammi and R. Isaac Nappaḥa., one as praise and one as shame. The one who says, as praise: To see the just person and acquire merit. The one who says, as shame: Look at his thighs, look at his feet, he eats from the Jews, he drinks from the Jews, all he has is from the Jews.

footnotes: ⁴⁰ The statement is quoted in the Babli, Qiddušin ⁴¹ In the Babli, Qiddušin

The ark is facing the people, the Cohanim are facing the people, and the people face the holy⁴².

footnotes: ⁴² In the synagogue, the people stand with their faces towards the ark (and Jerusalem); the face of the holy ark and the Cohanim while they bless the people face the people, not the ark.

Rebbi Eleazar said, the Torah does not get up because of her son. Samuel said, one does not get up because of a fellow⁴³. Rebbi Hila and Rebbi Jacob bar Idi were sitting⁴⁴. Samuel bar Abba⁴⁵ passed by them and they stood up. He said to them: Two things are [wrong] with you. The first, that I am not an Elder⁴⁶. The other, that the Torah does not get up because of her son⁴⁷.

footnotes: ⁴³ But only before a genuinely ordained rabbi. ⁴⁴ Studying Torah. ⁴⁵ A student of R. Joḥanan who enjoyed great authority but never was formally ordained, cf. Note 66. ⁴⁶ He never acquired a rabbinic title. ⁴⁷ Study is the Torah, the Sage is only the son of the Torah.

Rebbi Zeïra said that Rebbi Aḥa interrupted [his studies] and got up since he considered the following statement:⁴⁸ 2:6, quoted Šabbat 1:1 (fol. 3b) In the Tosephta, there is an additional statement of Rebbi to the effect that one does not interrupt the performance of one commandment for any other commandment, a statement attributed to R. Ḥanania ben Aqabia in Babli Sukkah26a. While here it is assumed that R. Aḥa follows R. Ḥanania ben Aqabia, an argument in R. Aḥa’s name to support the anonymous statement is in Berakhot1:5 (Note 164), Šabbat 1:2. “The writers of Torah scrolls, tefillin and mezuzot do interrupt for the reading of the Šema‘ but they do not interrupt for prayer. Rebbi Ḥanania ben Aqabia says, just as they interrupt for the reading of the Šema‘ so they do interrupt for prayer, tefillin, and all other commandments of the Torah.”

footnotes: ⁴⁸ Tosephta Berakhot

The great Ḥizqiah⁴⁹, when he had studied Torah as much as he could, used to go and sit before the assembly hall in order to see old men and get up before them. Jehudah bar Ḥiyya used to go and greet his father-in-law Rebbi Yannai every Sabbath eve. He used to sit on a hilly place in order to see him and get up before him. His students said to him, did the teacher not instruct us, “for an Elder four cubits”? He said to them, one does not sit before Sinai. Once he did not come. He said it is impossible that my son Jehudah should change his habits, it is impossible that sufferings should come over this holy body⁵⁰. It is reasonable that we lost the great Jehudah.

footnotes: ⁴⁹ Ḥizqiah ben R. Ḥiyya the elder, twin brother of Jehudah ben Ḥiyya. The story must refer to the very young Ḥizqiah, before he opened his own academy. ⁵⁰ R. Yannay must disagree with the characterization that sudden death is a sign of Divine wrath (Chapter 2, Note 47), at least as far as totally just people are concerned. Proof for this position is given by the deaths of Aaron and Moses.

Rebbi Meïr, when he saw even a vulgar old man, rose before him. He said, not for nothing did he live so long. Rebbi Ḥanina slapped a person who did not rise before him and said, do you want to do away with the Torah? Rebbi Simon said, The Holy One, praise to Him, said (Lev. 19:32): “Before a white head you shall rise, give respect to an Elder, and fear your God, I am the Eternal.” I am the one who first observed standing before an Elder⁵¹. 18:2..

footnotes: ⁵¹ Gen

“⁵² 7:8; the Tosephta text is identical with the Babli text, Horaiot 13b. When the patriarch⁵³ enters, everybody stands and they may not sit down until he tells them: sit! For the chief judge⁵⁴ one forms rows; he may choose through which one to enter. For the ḥakham⁵⁵, one person after another stands up and then sits down until he arrives at his place.” Rebbi Meïr was used to it that when he went to the assembly hall, the people saw him and stood up before him. When they heard a Tanna reciting this statement, they wanted to follow its rules⁵⁶. He got angry and left. He said to them, I heard than one promotes in dignity but does not demote⁵⁷ 20b). For example, if the High Priest becomes temporarily disabled on the Day of Atonement, his substitute after that day cannot serve as High Priest, because there is one, or as simple priest, since one promotes in dignity but does not demote. R. Meïr extends the principle and rules that forms of showing respect cannot be reduced once they became accepted..

footnotes: ⁵² Tosephta Sanhedrin ⁵³ The president of the Synhedrion. ⁵⁴ The number two man in the hierarchy of the Synhedrion. In the Babli version, one forms two passage ways on both sides of which the people stand and he may choose one of these. ⁵⁵ The number three man in the hierarchy of the Synhedrion. ⁵⁶ That only the persons closest to where he was at the moment would stand up and sit down immediately after he passed. ⁵⁷ A principle also accepted in the Babli (Yoma

They wanted to ordain Rebbi Zeïra but he did not want to take it upon himself. When he heard a Tanna stating: “For an ordained person, a bridegroom, a patriarch, the dignity deletes [his sins],” he accepted being ordained. An ordained person: (Lev. 19:32): “Before a white head you shall rise, give respect to an Elder, and fear your God, I am the Eternal.” What is written after that (v. 33): “If a proselyte lives in your land, you shall not trick him.” Just as all his sins are forgiven to the proselyte, so all sins are forgiven to one being ordained. The bridegroom: (Gen. 28:9) “Esaw went to Ismael and married Maḥalat⁵⁸ bat Ismael.” But was her name Maḥalat, was it not Basemat⁵⁹? But all his sins were forgiven him. The president: (1S. 13:1) “Saul was one year old when he became king.” Was he one year old when he became king? But all his sins were forgiven him as to a baby of one year.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ “The one being forgiven.” ⁵⁹ “The perfumed.” The verse would prove only that prior sins of the bride are forgiven.

Rebbi Mana made light of those ordained for money. Rebbi Ammi⁶⁰ 7b, this is ascribed to Rav Ashi and directed against those who ordain for money. The ordination discussed here is original ordination in the succession of Moses and the Prophets, in Mishnaic times expressed by the title of “Rebbi”, in contrast to the informal (Babylonian and modern) ordination known by the title of “Rav.”. read for them (Ex. 20:19): “Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.” Rebbi Yoshia said, their prayer shawl is like a donkey’s saddle cover. Rebbi Ashian said, if somebody is ordained for money, one does not get up before him and one does not address him as Rebbi; his prayer shawl is like a donkey’s saddle cover. Rebbi Zeïra and one of the rabbis were sitting together when a person ordained for money was passing by. One of the rabbis said to Rebbi Zeïra, let us behave like Tannaïm⁶¹ and not get up before him.

footnotes: ⁶⁰ In the Babli, Sanhedrin ⁶¹ People of prior generations, before the patriarchate, the only authority empowered to ordain in their time, had discovered ordination as a source of income. Not to honor an ordained person was really an insult to the patriarchate.

Jacob from Kefar Naburaia translated (Ḥab. 2:19–20): “Woe, to him who says to wood wake up, arise to the silent stone, should he instruct?” He who knows should instruct. “Behold, he is grabbed by gold and silver,” is he not ordained by the money chest? “No spirit is in him,” he does not know anything. Woe to him who says, I want to be ordained! “But the Eternal is in His holy hall,” e. g., Rebbi Isaac ben Eleazar in the fortified synagogue⁶² 3, Note 90. of Caesarea.

footnotes: ⁶² Cf. Berakhot

Rebbi Ammi asked Rebbi Simeon: Did you hear that one ordains Elders outside the Land? He answered, I heard that one does not ordain Elders outside the Land. Rebbi Levi said, is that not an explicit verse (Ez. 36:17): “Son of man, the House of Israel are dwelling on their Land;” that all your academies⁶³ shall only be on your Land. The rabbis of Caesarea say, one may ordain Elders outside the Land on condition they return. Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman was in Gaza and they ordained him on condition he return⁶⁴ p. 496.). Rebbi Zemina was in Tyre and they ordained him on condition he return. Also Rebbi Jonah was on the list but he refused to be ordained as long as his teacher was not ordained. They ordained his teacher. Rebbi Ḥama said, Jehudah ben Titus⁶⁵ was in Rome and they ordained him on condition he return.

footnotes: ⁶³ Taking the word ישב “to sit” in the meaning: “To study in a talmudic academy.” ⁶⁴ The Southern border of the Amoraic Land of Israel was Ascalon (cf. Ševi‘it ⁶⁵ A fourth-generation Amora.

Simeon bar Abba⁶⁶ 1:7, Note 137) he is given the title of Rebbi and in the Babli he appears as Rav Shimen bar Abba, he had the title of Rav before he came from Babylonia to Galilee and in the end was fully ordained in the Land of Israel. was in Damascus and smaller people than he were ordained but he was not ordained. Simeon bar Abba was an expert in everything concerning pearls but he did not have a loaf to eat. Rebbi Joḥanan quoted about him (Eccl. 9:11): “Also bread is not for Sages.” He said, anybody who does not know the good works of Abraham may know them through the good works of this man’s ancestors. Simeon bar Abba was in Damascus when Rebbi Abbahu sent him a letter and enclosed some of his grey hair: “For these gray hairs’ sake, get up and go to the Land of Israel. Who would remove the earth from your eyes, Rebbi Joḥanan: Abbahu the shoe-clad was ordained, Simeon the toga-clad was not ordained!”

footnotes: ⁶⁶ Since elsewhere in the Yerushalmi (e. g., Berakhot

MISHNAH: The fife beats before them until they arrive at the Temple Mount. Arrived at the Temple Mount, even king Agrippas takes the basket on his own shoulder and enters until he arrives at the Temple courtyard. When they arrived at the Temple courtyard, the Levites sang (Ps. 30:2): “I shall elevate You, Eternal, for You drew me up and You did not make my enemies happy because of me.” The pigeons on the baskets were elevation sacrifices and what was in their hands⁶⁷ 58a), the baskets themselves. The last explanation is the only one compatible with the Halakhah (Note 70). they gave to the Cohanim. As long as the basket is still on his shoulder he reads from (Deut. 26:3) “I am declaring today before the Eternal, your God” until he finishes the entire paragraph. Rebbi Jehudah says, until (v. 5): “My father was a wandering Aramean.” When he comes to “my father was a wandering Aramean”, he takes the basket down from his shoulder, holds it by its rim, and the Cohen puts his hand under it and weaves⁶⁸ it. Then he reads from “my father was a wandering Aramean” until he finishes the entire paragraph, he puts it down next to the altar, prostrates himself, and leaves. In earlier times, everybody who knew how to read, read, and everybody who did not know how to read, had someone read before him⁸¹. When they refrained from bringing they instituted that one read before him who knew and him who did not know. Rich people bring their First Fruits in bowls⁸² “basket; pail; bowl”. of silver and gold but poor people bring them in baskets of stripped willow twigs. Baskets and First Fruits are given to the Cohanim.

footnotes: ⁶⁷ According to Maimonides, pigeons that were not tied to the baskets. According to R. Abraham ben David and R. Simson, the baskets of First Fruits; according to the Mayence commentary (“Rabbenu Gershom”) and Rashi (in Menaḥot ⁶⁸ Cf. Chapter 2, Note 122. ⁸¹ The Cohen recites the declaration word by word and the farmer repeats each word after the Cohen. ⁸² Greek κάλαθος, Latin calathus

HALAKHAH: Rav Huna said⁶⁹.4 separates between two declarations.: So is the Mishnah (Deut. 26:4): “The Cohen shall take the basket from your hand.”

footnotes: ⁶⁹ According to R. Isaac Simponti and R. Simson of Sens, this refers to Mishnah 4: The Cohen has to take the basket before the Levites start to sing. In this version, the Levites wait until the procession reaches the inner courtyard where the ceremony is held. According to others, Rav Huna gives the reason why even the king has to take the basket himself, that the Cohen has to receive it from the owner’s hand. The correct interpretation seems to be that “the Cohen shall take the basket from your hand” should replace the first reference to “my father was a wandering Aramean” in the text of R. Jehudah since v

Some Tannaïm switch statements⁷⁰ to combine gift with gift.

footnotes: ⁷⁰ Switch the order of Mishnaiot to have Mishnah 7 follow immediately after Mishnah 4, to explain what really was given to the Cohanim.

Rebbi Yose stated: They did not put the pigeons on top of the baskets in order not to dirty them but one hangs them on the sides of the baskets.

An old man stated before Rebbi Zeïra: He returns to⁷¹ “I am declaring today.” But can a person declare and repeat it⁷² 44b).? We support it: I already declared⁷³.

footnotes: ⁷¹ In this version, R. Jehudah requires the farmer first to declare v. 3, then to perform the procedure of weaving, and then to read again vv. 3,5–10. ⁷² Usually, this is taken to mean that a witness may not change his story even if he gives a reason (Babli Sanhedrin ⁷³ The repetition of v. 3 is not a declaration but a statement that this already had been declared.

Huna asked: Does depositing it permit to those lacking time⁷⁴? Rav Mattania said, that means⁷⁵, if he took them up again. But if they stayed in their place they are deposited⁷⁶. Rebbi Jonah asked, if he deposited them in the night⁷⁷?

footnotes: ⁷⁴ Somebody brought First Fruits to the Temple before Pentecost. They should not have been accepted but if they were duly dedicated and deposited near the altar, will they automatically become regular First Fruits on Pentecost and then may be eaten by Cohanim under the rules of heave? ⁷⁵ That you have a problem (which is not answered.) ⁷⁶ While the owner cannot make the declaration, the Temple acquires all it is given and gives it to the Cohanim. ⁷⁷ No Temple service is performed during the night except what is connected to the activities of the preceding day. Therefore, the obvious answer to R. Jonah’s question is negative; First Fruits illegally deposited in the night never become permitted.

“⁷⁸, quoted in Babli Soṭa 14b, Zebaḥim 66a, Menaḥot 19b. The Babylonian character is shown by the use of אי as “if”. One puts them⁷⁹ near the South-West corner. (Deut. 26:10) ‘Before the Eternal’, that should mean the West. The verse says (Deut. 26:4) ‘at the face of the altar.’ If it is at the face of the altar that should mean the South⁸⁰. The verse says ‘before the Eternal’! How is that? He presents them at the South-Western corner and puts them down South of the corner.”

footnotes: ⁷⁸ This is a Babylonian baraita ⁷⁹ The First Fruits to be deposited near the altar. The problem treated is an apparent contradiction between the prescriptions contained in verses 4 and 10 of Chap. 26. ⁸⁰ The entrance to the Temple precinct was to the East. Going from East to West one has the outer and inner courtyards, then the Cohanim’s court containing the altar, and to the West the Temple building containing the holiest of holies, counted as the Presence of the Eternal. The access to the altar was via the ramp built at its South side. Therefore, “before the Eternal” means before the Temple building, to the West of the altar. “At the face of the altar” means at the South side.

It was stated: “Answering is only by a single person. Not only that but they found support in the verse (Deut. 26:5): ‘You shall answer and say’.⁸³. 26:5, reciting the declaration is formulated as “answering and saying.” From this one deduces that even though First Fruits are brought to the Temple in a large procession, the presentation is a private ceremony for each farmer separately. They also found a biblical hint that the declaration should be repeated after the Cohen, to convince literate people to conform to the usage of the illiterate. The corresponding statement in Sifry Deut (#301) reads: “ ‘You shall answer and say’. It is said here ‘answer’ and it is said there (Deut. 27:14) ‘answer’. Since the answering there is in the holy language (Hebrew), so the answering here is in the holy language. From here, they said that in earlier times, everybody who knew how to read, read, and everybody who did not know how to read, had someone read before him. When they refrained from bringing they instituted that one read before him who knew and him who did not know; they found support in the verse: ‘You shall answer’, answering is only to what others said.” This text would read in the Halakhah: אֵין עֲנִייָה אֶלָּא מִפִּי אַחֵר.”

footnotes: ⁸³ In Deut

Rebbi Jonah asked: May one bring in large silver bowls⁸⁴. (Chapters 26,28) traditionally means a small (wooden or metal) bowl. Is this prescriptive? No answer is given. In the Babli (Baba Qama 92a), Mishnah 7 is interpreted to mean that the poor give baskets and fruits to the Cohanim but the rich come to get their silver bowl back after the Cohanim have eaten their fruits. There is no hint of this interpretation in the Yerushalmi and, since the presentation of First Fruits was always done simultaneously by a mass of people, the position of the Babli is not practical. Probably the question of R. Jonah is not answered because nobody would give a large precious bowl.?

footnotes: ⁸⁴ The (probably Egyptian) word טנא which appears only in Deut

⁸⁷ 4:1, which deals with the rules of the Aramaic translation of the Torah in public worship. While in principle the translator may choose his own words, in a few instances rabbinic authorities insisted that certain expressions are too imprecise. The first one is the translation of טנא by “vessel” instead of “basket”, the second one that of מצות ומרורים (Num. 9:11) by “unleavened bread and vegetables.” The paragraph is included here since from the preceding paragraph it is inferred that R. Jonah is the stickler for the correct translation of טנא. The addition of the unconnected statement of R. Phineas shows that the paragraph is copied from Megillah and not vice-versa. The Targumim follow R. Jonah and R. Jeremiah but not R. Phineas. Rebbi Jonah and Rebbi Jeremiah. One says, one repeats “vessel”. The other one says, one repeats “unleavened with vegetables” because you have to say “unleavened with bitter herbs.” We do not know who said what. Since Rebbi Jonah said, may one bring in large silver baskets, that shows that he must have said that one repeats “vessel”. One must say: “basket.” Rebbi Phineas said, one must repeat (Lev. 1:14): “Fattened and young pigeons” because one must say “pigeons and young pigeons.”

footnotes: ⁸⁷ The main place of this paragraph is in Megilla

MISHNAH: Rebbi Simeon ben Nanas⁸⁸ says, one adorns First Fruits [with anything] except from the Seven Kinds⁸⁹. Rebbi Aqiba says, one adorns First Fruits only with the Seven Kinds. Rebbi Simeon says, there are three components of First Fruits⁹⁰. First Fruits, additions to First Fruits, and adornments of First Fruits. Additions to First Fruits are of the same kind, adornments of First Fruits are not of the same kind. Additions to First Fruits are eaten in purity and exempt from the rules of demay⁹¹, adornments of First Fruits are subject to the rules of demay.

footnotes: ⁸⁸ A third generation Tanna, usually disagreeing with either R. Aqiba or R. Ismael. ⁸⁹ Cf. Mishnah 1:3. ⁹⁰ Since First Fruits are few, one fills the baskets with additional fruits. For R. Aqiba and R. Simeon, the additions may be of the same or of different kinds, following different rules. The “additions to First Fruits” of R. Simeon and R. Aqiba are the “adornments of First Fruits” of R. Simeon ben Nanas. The latter forbids R. Aqiba’s “adornments of First Fruits”. ⁹¹ They follow all rules of heave like First Fruits proper. Practically, additions to First Fruits are indistinguishable from First Fruits.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Yose said: Everybody agrees that one adorns First Fruits with produce of the Land since nobody errs to think that one may bring First Fruits from outside the Land. They differ about this, about Ammon and Moab⁹². For him who says, one adorns First Fruits [with anything] except from the Seven Kinds, one may adorn First Fruits with produce from Ammon and Moab⁹³. For him who says, one adorns First Fruits only with the Seven Kinds, one may not adorn First Fruits with produce from Ammon and Moab. Rebbi Mana said: Everybody agrees that one may not adorn First Fruits with produce of Ammon and Moab since people err to think that one may bring First Fruits from Ammon and Moab. About what do they differ? About outside the Land. For him who says, one adorns First Fruits [with anything] except from the Seven Kinds, one may adorn First Fruits with produce from outside the Land⁹³. For him who says, one adorns First Fruits only with the Seven Kinds, one may not adorn First Fruits with produce from outside the Land..

footnotes: ⁹² In talmudic sources, “Ammon and Moab” stands for all of Transjordan, including the earlier territories of the tribes Reuben and Gad but excluding the Golan heights which were settled in the times of the return from Babylon. ⁹³ These can never be taken as First Fruits. ⁹³ These can never be taken as First Fruits.

MISHNAH: When did they say that additions to First Fruits follow the rules of First Fruits? If they come from the Land. But if they do not come from the Land, they do not follow the rules of First Fruits. Why did they say, First Fruits are the Cohen's property⁹⁴? He may use them to buy slaves, real estate, and impure animals. A creditor can take them for his claim and a woman for her ketuba⁹⁵, like a Torah scroll. And Rebbi Jehudah says, one gives them only to a fellow⁹⁶. for goodwill, but the Sages say one gives them to the people of the watch⁹⁷ and they distribute them among themselves like Temple-hallowed food.

footnotes: ⁹⁴ Cf. Mishnah 2:1. ⁹⁵ The capital payment due a wife at the dissolution of her marriage by divorce or the husband's death. ⁹⁶ A Cohen who is a fellow as defined in the Introduction to Demay ⁹⁷ The group of Cohanim serving in the Temple during the week the First Fruits were presented. They might be from the same district as the farmers coming in procession, cf. Note 13.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi (Yannai)⁹⁸ in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: They asked Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel, may a person sell a Torah scroll in order to marry a wife? He said to them, yes. To study Torah? Yes. For his livelihood? He did not respond. Rebbi Jonah in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: They asked Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel, may a person sell a Torah scroll in order to marry a wife? He said to them, yes. To study Torah? Yes. For his livelihood they did not ask and he did not respond. According to Rebbi Jonah it is understandable: They did not ask, therefore he did not respond. According to Rebbi Yose, if they asked him, why did he not respond? When Rebbi Ḥanania came, Rebbi Phineas, Rebbi Joḥanan in the name of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel: A person may sell to marry a wife and to study Torah⁹⁹ 27a): “A person may sell a Torah scroll only to marry or to study Torah.” There, Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel emphatically forbids selling a Torah scroll for one’s livelihood; cf. Note 103., and a fortiori for his livelihood.

footnotes: ⁹⁸ As R. M. Margalit already noted, he must be R. Yose, the colleague of R. Jonah, who is quoted later. R. Yannai was R. Ḥiyya bar Abba’s teacher’s teacher.Since the Mishnah ties selling First Fruits to selling a Torah scroll, the rules discussed here also apply to the sale of First Fruits by a Cohen. ⁹⁹ In the Babli (Megillah

It was stated: If somebody vows¹⁰⁰ 1:2, Matthew 15:5.} The parallel to this paragraph is in Babli Nedarim 38b. In the formulation there it is unclear whether the father forbids his own property to his son until the son has successfully completed his studies or whether he forbids himself to enjoy any benefit from his son (depriving his son from the rewards for honoring father and mother) for that time; cf. Meïri Nedarim (ed. A. Liss) p. 151b. In the formulation of the Yerushalmi, it is clear that the parent forbids himself to enjoy any benefit from his son. It is then asserted that the vow excludes small personal services. regarding his son to study Torah, he is permitted to fill for him an amphora of water and to light for him. Rebbi Jacob bar Idi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: He also can buy things for him on the market. Do they differ? Here for a man, there for a woman¹⁰¹. If he was a known personality they treated him as a woman. “¹⁰² 6:11. There, the formulation is: “He made a vow that the son should be forbidden to work for him.” Nevertheless, R. Yose permitted small personal services. It happened that somebody vowed regarding his son to study Torah. The case came before Rebbi Yose ben Ḥalaphta and he permitted him to fill an amphora of water and to light for him.”

footnotes: ¹⁰⁰ מדיר here means מדיר הנאה, A made a vow either that A forbids to himself any benefit from B or he forbids B to enjoy any benefit from himself. {The technical term was that “A’s property should be like a sacrifice (of which any profane use is criminal) to B”, cf. Mishnah Nedarim ¹⁰¹ It was thought demeaning for a woman of substance (as well as for a man of high station) to be seen in public buying on the market. ¹⁰² Tosephta Bekhorot

It was stated¹⁰³ 27a in the name of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel: “He who sells either his father’s Torah scroll or his daughter (to be married) will never do well.”: “He who sells his father’s Torah scroll will never do well. But about everybody who keeps a Torah scroll in his house, the verse says (Ps. 112:3): “Property and riches in his house, his merit will stand forever.”

footnotes: ¹⁰³ In Babli Megillah