Chullin 119: The Size of Produce, Shimon ben Shatah, Queen Salome

We have learned that if food has a yad, a handle, or if it was covered with something that acted as a shomer, a protection to the food, touching the a00endages would cause ritual defilement that could be spread to others.  Today, the Gemara provides the example of husks of wheat kernels as a shomer because the kernels protect each other.  The Gemara questions whether or not the kernels are large enough to become ritually defiled.  We learn about the case of "the wheat grains of Shimon ben Shatah".

In Massekhet Ta'anit (23a) we learn that kernels grew to the size of kidneys, barley grew to the size f olives and lentils grew to the size of gold dinars.  This was said to remind future generations that if we too were without sin, we would merit such large produce.

Shimon ben Shatah was the leader of the Sanhedrin while King Alexander Yannai was in charge of the land.  Shimon ben Shatah abolished witchcraft, clarified the laws of court testimony, and finalized the laws of marriage contracts.  He even brought King Yannai to court which led him into hiding.  After King Yannai's death, Queen Salome took charge of the land.  She was the sister of Shimon ben Shatah, and they worked together to rule the land successfully according to Jewish law.