In this daf, we continue our deep dive into the halachos of checking wine that was set aside for terumah and ma'aser, focusing on the exact timeframe of concern if the wine is found to have turned to vinegar. The Gemara analyzes the opinion of Rabbi Elazar and how it compares to the Sages' view regarding a mikveh that was found to be lacking the required forty se'ah, exploring the retroactive status of the taharos. We also learn about the specific times of the year when wine must be checked due to seasonal changes, and the times when partners in agricultural produce may sell their shared stock without needing to ask for each other's permission.
מֵעֵת לְעֵת שֶׁל הַנָּחָה.
It means a twenty-four hour period from the time of placing the money or produce aside, meaning we are concerned that it was lost starting from the day after it was set aside.
תְּנַן: אִם אָבְדוּ – הֲרֵי זֶה חוֹשֵׁשׁ מֵעֵת לְעֵת.
But we learned in our Mishnah: If they were lost, behold, he must be concerned for a twenty-four hour period.
בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵעֵת לְעֵת שֶׁל בְּדִיקָה – שַׁפִּיר;
Granted, according to the one who says it means a twenty-four hour period from the time of checking backward, it works out well, as we suspect it was lost during the preceding twenty-four hours;
אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר מֵעֵת לְעֵת שֶׁל הַנָּחָה – הַאי ״מֵעֵת לְעֵת״?! ״עַד מֵעֵת לְעֵת״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ!
but according to the one who says it means a twenty-four hour period from the time of placing forward, is this expression "a twenty-four hour period" accurate? "Until a twenty-four hour period" after placing is what it should have said!
קַשְׁיָא.
The Gemara notes: Indeed, this is difficult according to that opinion.
דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: חֲלוּקִין עָלָיו חֲבֵירָיו עַל רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר – דִּתְנַן: מִקְוֶה שֶׁנִּמְדַּד וְנִמְצָא חָסֵר; כׇּל טְהָרוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ עַל גַּבָּיו לְמַפְרֵעַ – בֵּין בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד, בֵּין בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים – טְמֵאוֹת.
The Mishnah stated that this is the words of Rabbi Elazar. Rabbi Elazar the Amora said: His colleagues disagree with Rabbi Elazar the Tanna, as we learned in a Mishnah: In the case of a mikveh that was measured and found deficient, all pure items that were prepared on its back, i.e., purified in it, retroactively—whether in a private domain or in a public domain—are impure, and they do not limit this retroactivity to just twenty-four hours.
פְּשִׁיטָא דַּחֲלוּקִין!
The Gemara asks: Is this not obvious that they disagree? Why did Rabbi Elazar need to point this out?
מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: מַאי ״לְמַפְרֵעַ״ – מֵעֵת לְעֵת, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.
The Gemara answers: It was necessary, lest you say: What is the meaning of "retroactively" in that Mishnah? It means only for a twenty-four hour period, in accordance with Rabbi Elazar's view. Therefore, he comes to teach us that they indeed disagree and rule everything impure back to the last time the mikveh was measured.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה פְּרָקִים כּוּ׳: תָּנָא: בְּקִידּוּם שֶׁל מוֹצָאֵי הַחַג שֶׁל תְּקוּפָה.
We learned in the Mishnah: Rabbi Yehuda says, at three times in the year we check the wine, etc. A Sage taught in a Braisa: This refers to when the east wind blows at the conclusion of the Festival of Sukkot, which is of the autumn season. However, if the summer heat continues, we do not check it then.
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה פְּרָקִים מוֹכְרִין אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה – לִפְנֵי הַזֶּרַע, וּבִשְׁעַת הַזֶּרַע, וּבִפְרוֹס הַפֶּסַח.
It was taught in a Braisa, Rabbi Yehuda says: At three times of the year one sells grain: before the sowing, and during the time of the sowing, and before Pesach.
וּבִשְׁלֹשָׁה פְּרָקִים מוֹכְרִין אֶת הַיַּיִן – בִּפְרוֹס הַפֶּסַח, וּבִפְרוֹס עֲצֶרֶת, וּבִפְרוֹס הַחַג. וְשֶׁמֶן – מֵעֲצֶרֶת וְאֵילָךְ.
And at three times one sells wine: before Pesach, and before Shavuos, and before the Festival of Sukkot. And oil is sold from Shavuos and onward.
לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא?
The Gemara asks: With regard to what halacha was this stated? Surely one can sell his produce whenever he wishes!
אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב פָּפָּא: לְשׁוּתָּפִין.
Rava said, and some say Rav Pappa said: This was stated with regard to partners, as one partner may sell the joint produce without the other's permission only at these established times.
מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, מַאי? אָמַר רָבָא: כׇּל יוֹמָא פִּירְקֵיהּ הוּא.
The Gemara asks: From this last time and onward, what is the halacha? Rava said: Every day is its time for selling, and a partner may sell it then.
״וַיְהִי כִּזְרוֹחַ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וַיְמַן אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ קָדִים חֲרִישִׁית״ – מַאי ״חֲרִישִׁית״?
The Gemara expounds on the east wind: It is written, "And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement [charishis] east wind." What is the meaning of "charishis"?
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּנַשֶּׁבֶת, עוֹשֶׂה תְּלָמִים תְּלָמִים בַּיָּם.
Rav Yehuda said: At the hour that it blows, it makes furrows upon furrows in the sea, like a plow [choresh].
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבָּה: אִי הָכִי, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַתַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עַל רֹאשׁ יוֹנָה וַיִּתְעַלָּף״?!
Rabba said to him: If so, is that which is written: "And the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, and he fainted" understandable? The verse implies the wind brought intense, motionless heat, not a storm!
אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבָּה: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּנַשֶּׁבֶת, מְשַׁתֶּקֶת כׇּל הָרוּחוֹת מִפָּנֶיהָ.
Rather, Rabba said: At the hour that it blows, it silences [mashetekes] all other winds before it, causing the air to become stiflingly hot.
וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״אֲשֶׁר בְּגָדֶיךָ חַמִּים בְּהַשְׁקִט אֶרֶץ מִדָּרוֹם״.
And this is as it is written: "How your garments are warm, when the earth is still by reason of the south wind."
אָמַר רַבִּי תַּחְלִיפָא בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא, אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: אֵימָתַי בְּגָדֶיךָ חַמִּים? בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִשְׁקִיט אֶרֶץ מִדָּרוֹם. שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּנַשֶּׁבֶת מְשַׁתֶּקֶת כׇּל הָרוּחוֹת מִפָּנֶיהָ.
Rabbi Tachalifa bar Rav Chisda said that Rav Chisda said: When are your garments warm? At the hour that He stills the earth from the south; for at the hour that it blows, it silences all other winds before it.
רַב הוּנָא וְרַב חִסְדָּא הֲווֹ יָתְבִי. חָלֵיף וְאָזֵיל גְּנִיבָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, אֲמַר חַד לְחַבְרֵיהּ: נֵיקוּם מִקַּמֵּיהּ, דְּבַר אוֹרְיָין הוּא.
Rav Huna and Rav Chisda were sitting. Geneiva was passing by them. One said to his fellow: Let us stand before him, for he is a son of Torah.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִידַּך: מִקַּמֵּי פָּלְגָאָה נֵיקוּם?!
The other said to him: Shall we stand before a quarrelsome person?
אַדְּהָכִי אֲתָא אִיהוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: בְּמַאי עָסְקִיתוּ? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּרוּחוֹת.
In the meantime, he came to them. He said to them: With what are you dealing? They said to him: With winds.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא, אָמַר רַב: אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת מְנַשְּׁבוֹת בְּכׇל יוֹם, וְרוּחַ צְפוֹנִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת עִם כּוּלָּן; שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא כֵּן, אֵאין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים אֲפִילּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת.
He said to them: So said Rav Chanan bar Rava in the name of Rav: Four winds blow every day, and the north wind blows with all of them; for were it not so, the world could not exist for even one hour.
וְרוּחַ דְּרוֹמִית קָשָׁה מִכּוּלָּן, וְאִלְמָלֵא בֶּן נֵץ מַעֲמִידָהּ, מַחְרֶבֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ מִפָּנֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲמִבִּינָתְךָ יַאֲבֶר נֵץ יִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו לְתֵימָן״.
And the south wind is harsher than all of them, and were it not for Ben Netz, the angel of the storm, who stops it, it would destroy the entire world before it, as it is stated: "Does the hawk [netz] soar by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?"
רָבָא וְרַב נַחְמָן בַר יִצְחָק הֲווֹ יָתְבִי; הֲוָה חָלֵיף וְאָזֵיל רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב, דְּיָתֵיב בְּגוּהַרְקָא דְּדַהֲבָא וּפְרִיס עֲלֵיהּ סַרְבָּלָא דְכַרָּתֵי.
Rava and Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak were sitting; Rav Nachman bar Yaakov was passing by, sitting in a golden carriage and with a green cloak spread over him.
רָבָא אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ, רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק לָא אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ. אָמַר: דִּלְמָא מֵאִינָשֵׁי דְּבֵי רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא נִינְהוּ; רָבָא צָרִיךְ לְהוּ, אֲנָא לָא צְרִיכְנָא לְהוּ.
Rava went to him, but Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak did not go to him. He said: Perhaps they are of the house of the Exilarch; Rava needs them, but I do not need them.
כְּדַחֲזָא דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה, אָזֵיל לְגַבֵּיהּ. גַּלִּי לִדְרָעֵיהּ, אֲמַר: שַׁדְיָא נָשֵׁיב!
When he saw that it was Rav Nachman bar Yaakov, he went to him. Rav Nachman bar Yaakov uncovered his arm and said: The Shadya wind is blowing!
אָמַר רָבָא, הָכִי אָמַר רַב: אִשָּׁה מַפֶּלֶת בּוֹ;
Rava said, so said Rav: A pregnant woman miscarries because of it;
וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ מַרְגָּלִית שֶׁבַּיָּם מַרְקֶבֶת בּוֹ;
and Shmuel said: Even a pearl in the sea rots because of it;
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע שֶׁבִּמְעֵי אִשָּׁה מַסְרַחַת בּוֹ.
Rabbi Yochanan said: Even semen in a woman's womb putrefies because of it.
אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק, וּשְׁלׇשְׁתָּן מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ: ״כִּי הוּא בֵּין אַחִים יַפְרִיא יָבוֹא קָדִים רוּחַ ה׳ מִמִּדְבָּר עוֹלֶה וְיֵבוֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.
Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: And all three of them expounded one verse: "Though he be fruitful [yafri] among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of Hashem coming up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, etc."
״יֵבוֹשׁ מְקוֹרוֹ״ – זוֹ מְקוֹרָהּ שֶׁל אִשָּׁה.
"His spring shall become dry"—this refers to the womb of a woman who miscarries.
״וְיֶחֱרַב מַעְיָינוֹ״ – זֶה שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע שֶׁבִּמְעֵי אִשָּׁה.
"And his fountain shall be dried up"—this refers to the semen in a woman's womb.
״הוּא יִשְׁסֶה אוֹצַר כׇּל כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה״ – זוֹ מַרְגָּלִית שֶׁבַּיָּם.
"He shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels"—this refers to the pearl in the sea.
אָמַר רָבָא: עָדֵי סוּרָאָה הוּא, דְּדָיְיקִי קְרָאֵי! מַאי ״כִּי הוּא בֵּין אַחִים יַפְרִיא״? אָמַר רָבָא: אֲפִילּוּ
Rava said: This is the style of the people of Sura, who analyze verses so precisely! What is the meaning of "Though he be fruitful [yafri] among his brethren"? Rava said: Even
The Gemara clarifies the precise timeline of concern when wine is found to have spoiled, contrasting the view of Rabbi Elazar with his colleagues who rule stringently on retroactive impurity in the case of a deficient mikveh. It then transitions to the halachos of Rabbi Yehuda regarding the three times of the year when wine must be checked, particularly when the east wind blows after Sukkot, and the designated times for partners to sell grain, wine, and oil. Finally, the Gemara expounds on the nature of the different winds, explaining the unique power of the east and south winds to silence all other winds, and how the north wind is essential for the very survival of the world.
In today's daf, we find a fascinating moment where Rav Huna and Rav Chisda see Geniva passing by. One says, "Let us stand up before him, for he is a man of Torah!" The other hesitates, saying, "Should we stand up before a man of division (a palga'ah)?" This brief exchange contains a tremendous, piercing lesson for our daily avodah. Even when someone is a genuine "bar oryan", a person of immense Torah knowledge and spiritual stature, the stain of being a "palga'ah," someone who stirs up machlokes and division, can cause even great gedolim to hesitate to show him honor.
How often do we justify a sharp tongue, a critical comment, or a divisive attitude by pointing to our other achievements? We think to ourselves, "But I learn so much, I give tzedakah, I am careful with my mitzvos!" Yet the Gemara is teaching us that division is so destructive that it threatens to overshadow a person's very Torah. Machlokes is a spiritual wind that silences the good we do, just like the harsh east wind described in our sugya that silences all other winds and dries up the world.
Your Torah and your mitzvos need a vessel of peace to contain them. When we allow ourselves to become agents of division, whether in our shuls, our workplaces, or, Hashem yishmor, inside our own homes, we risk becoming a "palga'ah." The Aibershter desires unity among His children more than any intellectual brilliance.
Today, make a conscious decision to step away from any form of machlokes. If you find yourself in a conversation where people are taking sides, speaking lashon hara, or fueling a disagreement, quietly excuse yourself or change the subject, choosing peace over being right.