Sunday 16 June 2013

Eiruvin 99a, b

A funny and bizarre daf about bodily functions, most of which I would rather not read about.  That said, here is an overview.

The rabbis agree that it is not allowed to stand in a private domain and spit or urinate into the public domain. However, they ask, what if the opening of the male member actually is in the public domain?  Do we follow the urine from where it was "uprooted from the body" (ie. the bladder) or where it was emitted from the body?  The rabbis leave this question unresolved.

The rabbis then discuss spit, which I found particularly nauseating to read about.  They debate about when someone must dislodge the spittle from his mouth - before walking four cubits into the public domain? Immediately after it has been turned around and thus 'dislodged' from the mouth?  Far from a Master?

A new mishna introduces reaching one's head into the public domain to drink.  It also begins a discussion of winepresses.  I am not clear about the workings of a winepress; Koren often includes descriptions and diagrams that help me with my visualization of these utensils.  However, winepresses are still vague for me.  Another new mishna speaks about drinking from gutters or downspouts.  And then another mishna tells of drinking from cisterns of different heights.  Finally another short mishna speaks about a tree that hangs over.  How many cubits from the ground should the roots be to allow one to sit on them?

A very interesting daf, but not terribly intense.  My gag reflex surprised me when reading about the details of spittle! 

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