Nedarim 41

ושטיח בחסר כל אמר רבי אמי אמר רב בלא נר ובלא שלחן רב חסדא אמר בלא אשה רב ששת אמר בלא שמש רב נחמן אמר בלא דעה תנא בלא מלח ובלא רבב

and a rug, as an exile needs those items and they are portable. The Sages interpreted the following verse describing the exile experience: “Therefore shall you serve your enemy whom the Lord shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon your neck, until he has destroyed you” (Deuteronomy 28:48). Rabbi Ami said that Rav said: “In want of all things” means without a lamp and without a table to eat upon. Rav Ḥisda said: Without a wife. Rav Sheshet said: Without an attendant to aid him. Rav Naḥman said: Without intelligence. One of the Sages teaches in a baraita: Without salt and without fat [revav] in which to dip his bread.

אמר אביי נקטינן אין עני אלא בדעה במערבא אמרי דדא ביה כולא ביה דלא דא ביה מה ביה דא קני מה חסר דא לא קני מה קני

Abaye said that we have a tradition: A poor person is only one lacking in intelligence, in agreement with the opinion of Rav Naḥman. In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: One who has this attribute, intelligence, in him has everything in him. One who does not have this attribute in him, what is in him? If he acquired this, what else is lacking? If he has not acquired this, what has he acquired?

אמר רבי אלכסנדרי אמר רבי חייא בר אבא אין החולה עומד מחליו עד שמוחלין לו על כל עונותיו שנאמר הסלח לכל עונכי הרפא לכל תחלואיכי רב המנונא אמר חוזר לימי עלומיו שנאמר רטפש בשרו מנער ישוב לימי עלומיו כל משכבו הפכת בחליו אמר רב יוסף לומר דמשכח תלמודו

§ Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The sick person recovers from his illness only when the heavenly court forgives him for all his sins, as it is stated: “Who forgives all your iniquity; Who heals all your diseases” (Psalms 103:3). Rav Hamnuna said: When he recovers, he returns to the days of his youth, as it is stated in a verse with regard to one recovering from illness: “His flesh is tenderer than a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth” (Job 33:25). Interpreting the verse: “The Lord will support him upon the bed of suffering; You overturned all his lying down in his illness” (Psalms 41:4), Rav Yosef said: That is to say that the sick person forgets his studies, as everything that is organized is overturned.

רב יוסף חלש איעקר ליה תלמודיה אהדריה אביי קמיה היינו דבכל דוכתא אמרינן אמר רב יוסף לא שמיע לי הדא שמעתא אמר ליה אביי את אמריתה ניהלן ומהא מתניתא אמריתה ניהלן

The Gemara relates: Rav Yosef himself fell ill and his studies were forgotten. Abaye restored his studies by reviewing what he had learned from Rav Yosef before him. This is the background for that which we say everywhere throughout the Talmud, that Rav Yosef said: I did not learn this halakha, and Abaye said to him in response: You said this to us and it was from this baraita that you said it to us.

כי הוה גמיר רבי תלת עשרי אפי הילכתא אגמריה לרבי חייא שבעה מנהון לסוף חלש רבי אהדר רבי חייא קמיה הנהו שבעה אפי דאגמריה שיתא אזדו הוה ההוא קצרא הוה שמיע ליה לרבי כדהוה גריס להו אזל רבי חייא וגמר יתהון קמי קצרא ואתא ואהדר יתהון קמי רבי כד הוה חזי ליה רבי לההוא קצרא אמר ליה רבי אתה עשית אותי ואת חייא איכא דאמרי הכי קאמר ליה אתה עשית את חייא וחייא עשה אותי

The Gemara relates: When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would learn thirteen aspects of a halakha on a certain issue, he taught Rabbi Ḥiyya seven of them. Ultimately, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi fell ill and forgot all thirteen aspects. Rabbi Ḥiyya restored those seven aspects that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi taught him by reviewing them before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. However, six were gone and forgotten, as Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi had not taught them to anyone. There was a certain launderer who would hear Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi when he was studying those halakhot. Rabbi Ḥiyya went and learned those halakhot from the launderer and he came and restored them by reviewing them before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi saw that launderer, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: You made me and Ḥiyya, as we were able to learn these halakhot that otherwise would have been forgotten. Some say that this is what he said to the launderer: You made Ḥiyya, and Ḥiyya made me.

ואמר רבי אלכסנדרי אמר רבי חייא בר אבא גדול נס שנעשה לחולה יותר מן הנס שנעשה לחנניה מישאל ועזריה של חנניה מישאל ועזריה אש של הדיוט והכל יכולים לכבותה וזו של חולה של שמים היא ומי יכול לכבותה

And Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Greater is the miracle performed for the sick person than the miracle that was performed for Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were rescued from the fiery furnace (see Daniel, chapter 3), as in the miracle of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, they were rescued from the fire of a layman, and anyone is capable of extinguishing it. And that fire afflicting a sick person with a fever is the fire of Heaven, and who can extinguish it?

ואמר רבי אלכסנדרי אמר רבי חייא בר אבא ואמרי לה אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כיון שהגיע קיצו של אדם הכל מושלים בו שנאמר והיה כל מצאי יהרגני רב אמר מן הדין קרא למשפטיך עמדו היום כי הכל עבדיך

And Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Once the end of the time allotted for the life of a person arrived, everything has dominion over him, as it is stated that Cain said: “Whosoever finds me will slay me” (Genesis 4:14). Cain feared that since God sentenced him to death he would be susceptible to all threats and vulnerable to anyone seeking to murder him. Rav said that it is derived from this verse: “They stand this day according to Your judgments; for all are Your servants” (Psalms 119:91). When the decree emerges from Heaven that the time has arrived for a person to die, everyone is a servant of God, an agent to kill him.

רבה בר שילא אמרו ליה שכיב גברא גבוה הוה רכיב גירדונא זוטרא מטא תיתורא איסתויט שדייה וקא שכיב קרי על נפשיה למשפטיך עמדו היום

The Gemara relates that people said to Rabba bar Sheila: A man died. This person was tall and was riding on a small mule [giredona]. When he reached a bridge [tittora], the mule was frightened [istavveit] and cast off the rider, and although the rider was tall and the mule was short and the rider did not fall far, he died. Rabba bar Sheila read the verse and applied it to the rider: “They stand this day according to Your judgments.”

שמואל חזייה לההוא קרוקיתא דעקרבא יתיבא על אקרוקתא ועברה נהרא טרקא גברא ומיית קרי עליה למשפטיך עמדו היום

Shmuel saw a certain frog [kerokita], and also noticed that a scorpion was sitting upon the frog and the frog crossed the river. The scorpion stung a man on the other side of the river and the man died. Shmuel read and applied the verse to the dead man: “They stand this day according to Your judgments.” Even the frog and scorpion are servants and agents of God. The only way the scorpion could reach the man and kill him was by means of the frog taking it across the river.

אמר שמואל אין מבקרין את החולה אלא למי שחלצתו חמה לאפוקי מאי לאפוקי הא דתניא רבי יוסי בן פרטא אומר משום רבי אליעזר אין מבקרין לא חולי מעיים ולא חולי העין ולא מחושי הראש בשלמא חולי מעיים משום כיסופא אלא חולי העין ומחושי הראש מאי טעמא

§ Shmuel said: One visits a sick person only if that person is one whom fever overcame. The Gemara asks: What illnesses does this statement come to exclude? The Gemara answers: It comes to exclude that which is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei ben Perata says in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: One visits neither those with intestinal illness, nor those with eye illness, nor those suffering from headaches. The Gemara asks: Granted, one does not visit those with intestinal sickness, due to the sick person’s embarrassment, as he would need to frequently relieve himself and it would be awkward for him in the presence of the visitor. However, what is the reason that one does not visit those with eye illnesses and headaches?

משום דרב יהודה דאמר רב יהודה דיבורא קשיא לעינא ומעלי לאישתא אמר רבא האי אישתא אי לאו דפרוונקא דמלאכא דמותא מעלי

The Gemara answers: It is due to that which Rav Yehuda said, as Rav Yehuda said: Speech is injurious for the eye and beneficial for curing a fever. Therefore, if one suffers from pain in his eye or his head it is better for him not to talk. If he has visitors, he will need to speak to them, which will cause him harm. Rava said: With regard to this fever [ishta], were it not the agent [parvanka] of the Angel of Death, i.e., the cause of serious, potentially deadly illnesses, it could be deemed beneficial,

כחיזרא לדיקלי חד לתלתין יומין וכי תירייקי לגופא רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר לא היא ולא תירייקה

like thorns for palm trees, as the thorns prevent people and animals from touching and ruining the dates. The fever is advantageous if its incidence is once in thirty days, and it is like an antidote [tiraiki] for poison in the body. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: It is preferable for one to have neither fever nor the benefits of its capacity to serve as an antidote.

אמר רבה בר יונתן אמר רב יחיאל ערסן יפה לחולה לרפואתו מאי ערסן אמר רבי יונתן חושלא דשערי עתיקתא דריש נפיא אמר אביי בעיין בישולא כעין בישרא דתורא רב יוסף אמר סמידי דשערי עתיקתא דריש נפיא אמר אביי בעיין בישולא כבשרא דתורא

Rabba bar Yonatan said that Rav Yeḥiel said: Arsan is beneficial for the sick person for his cure. The Gemara asks: What is arsan? Rabbi Yonatan said: It is old hulled barley from the beginning of the sifting process. Abaye said: And that barley requires extensive cooking like the meat of a bull. Rav Yosef said: Arsan is fine flour [semida] ground from old barley from the beginning of the sifting process. Abaye said: And that flour requires extensive cooking like the meat of a bull.

אמר רבי יוחנן בורדם אין מבקרים ואין מזכירין שמו מאי טעמא אמר רבי אלעזר מפני שהוא כמעיין הנובע ואמר רבי אלעזר למה נקרא שמו בורדם שהוא כמעיין הנובע

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One does not visit a person suffering from buredam, an intestinal illness, nor is the name of that illness mentioned, because it is embarrassing for the one suffering from the illness. The Gemara asks: What is the reason that one does not visit him? Rabbi Elazar said: It is due to the fact that he is like a flowing spring, as the symptom of the illness is severe diarrhea. And Rabbi Elazar said: Why is the illness called buredam? It is due to the fact that the one suffering from the illness is like a flowing spring, a bottomless pit [bor] of blood [dam].

ומרפאהו רפואת הנפש כו׳ היכי קתני אילימא דרפואת נפש בחנם רפואת ממון בשכר ליתני הכי מרפאהו בחנם אבל לא בשכר אלא רפואת נפש גופו רפואת ממון בהמתו אמר רבי זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב אבל אומר לו סם פלוני יפה לה סם פלוני רע לה

§ We learned in the mishna that if one is prohibited by a vow from deriving benefit from another, that other person heals him with a cure of the nefesh but not a cure of property [mamon]. The Gemara asks: How is the mishna taught? If we say that cure of the nefesh means that he cures him for free and cure of mamon means that he cures him for a fee, then let the mishna teach this: He cures him for free but not for a fee. Rather, cure of the nefesh means that he cures his body, and cure of mamon means that he cures his animal. Rabbi Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: It is prohibited to cure the animal. However, he says to him: Such and such medicine is beneficial for the animal, and such and such medicine is harmful for the animal. Advice, as opposed to treatment, is not considered benefit.

מתני׳ ורוחץ עמו באמבטי גדולה אבל לא בקטנה וישן עמו במטה

MISHNA: And with regard to another person who is prohibited from deriving benefit from him, one may bathe with him in a large bath [ambati], in which his presence does not affect the other person. However, he may not bathe with him in a small bath, as his presence moderates the temperature of water if it is too hot or too cold, thereby benefiting the other person. And he may sleep with him in one bed.

רבי יהודה אומר בימות החמה אבל לא בימות הגשמים מפני שהוא מהנהו ומיסב עמו על המטה ואוכל עמו על השולחן אבל לא מן התמחוי אבל אוכל הוא עמו מן התמחוי החוזר

Rabbi Yehuda says: That is permitted during the days of summer, but he may not sleep with him in one bed during the rainy season, i.e., the winter, because he benefits him by warming the bed. And he may recline with him on a divan even during the rainy season, as no benefit is involved. And he may eat with him at the same table, but not from a common platter from which several people eat, as if one leaves food on the platter, the other derives benefit from him. However, he may eat with him from a platter that returns to the host, as everyone takes a small portion and leaves food on the platter. No benefit is derived. Since there is enough food for everyone, none of the diners receives part of another’s portion.

גמ׳ תניא לא ירחץ עמו באמבטי ולא ישן עמו במטה בין גדולה בין קטנה דברי רבי מאיר רבי יהודה אומר גדולה בימות הגשמים וקטנה בימות החמה מותר רוחץ עמו באמבטי גדולה ומזיע עמו בקטנה אבל מיסב עמו על המטה ואוכל עמו על השולחן אבל לא מן התמחוי אבל אוכל הוא מן התמחוי החוזר אמר רבי יוסי בר חנינא מן התמחוי החוזר לבעל הבית

GEMARA: It is taught in a baraita: One may neither bathe with him in a bath nor sleep with him in a bed, and there is no difference whether it is a large bed or whether it is a small bed; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: It is permitted for him to sleep with him in a large bed during the rainy season and a small bed during the days of summer, as no benefit is derived. He may bathe with him in a large bath and sweat with him in a small one, as his presence provides no benefit for the other. However, he may recline with him on a divan, and he may eat with him at the same table but not from a common platter. However, he may eat with him from a platter that returns. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: That means a platter that returns to the host.

מתני׳ לא יאכל עמו מן האבוס שלפני הפועלים ולא יעשה עמו באומן דברי רבי מאיר וחכמים אומרים עושה והוא ברחוק ממנו

MISHNA: One may neither eat with him from the large vessel of food placed before the laborers, nor may he work with him in the same row in a vineyard; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: He may work in the same row with him provided that he is at a distance from him. If he is close, the other would derive forbidden benefit from him.

גמ׳ בקרוב לא פליגי דאסיר כי פליגי ברחוק רבי מאיר סבר גזרינן רחוק משום קרוב דקא מרפי לה לארעא קמיה ורבנן סברי לא גזרינן

GEMARA: In a case where one is proximate to the other, the tanna’im do not disagree that it is prohibited for them to work together. When they disagree, it is in a case where one is distant from the other. Rabbi Meir holds: We issue a decree prohibiting their working together when one is distant from the other, due to the prohibition against their working together when one is proximate to the other, as he loosens for him the earth before him. And the Rabbis hold: We do not issue a decree.