Shabbat 110: Snakes, Castration, Medicinal Foods for Zavim and for Treating Jaundice

We learn about how to cure one who has eaten a snake, and then we are told a story of a Jewish official in Pumbedita who was bitten by a snake.  The rabbis explain why this must have been a punishment for violating a rabbinic decree.  There is further discussion about how one might manage a snake encircling them.  Perhaps go into the water with a basket on one's head, and slowly direct the snake into the basket, then running out of the water.  If a snake is angry, one might ride another person for four cubits, or let him jump over a ditch, or let him cross a river, or raise his bed on four barrels and sleep under the stars.  Or tie four cats to the four legs of the bed and then bring in twigs and leaves so that when they hear the sound of the snake, they attack.

There is a section of conversation about aa woman who does not know whether or not a snake is looking for her.  She should remover her garment and throw it by the snake.  If the snake wraps itself in the clothing is in the process of tracking her.  If not, she is safe.  But how can she get the snake to leave her alone?  Perhaps she should have relations with her husband in front of the snake.  But that the snake's desire might become stronger.  She could throw her hair and nails at the snake and say "I am a dishtana, a menstruating woman".  There is actually instruction on what to do if the snake entered the woman: spread her legs and put her on two barrels.  Put fatty meat, a bowl of cress and fragrant wine mixed together on coals.  When the snake smells the fragrance and emerges, she should grab it with tongs and burn it in the fire, for it will return to her if it is not burned.

The obsession with women and snakes is longstanding and simple.  It is also somewhat bizarre and fantastical.  And clearly coming from the minds of men.

We learn that we are permitted to eat medicinally.  A spleen for healing teeth and vetch for healing intestines because they are not commonly eaten foods.  All drinks are allowed on Shabbat, including water with capers and vinegar.  But urine is not considered a drink.  It is only commonly consumed for medical purposes and so it is forbidden on Shabbat.  The rabbis discuss other drinks and how they might help or harm the body. 

Instructions are provided to treat a zav or a zava so who has an emission.  The person suffering should drink different ingredients crushed together and mixed with wine.  In this way they will treat the illness and not lose the ability to procreate.  Similar options are offered to treat jaundice.  Each recipe involves three or four ingredients which are combined with a drink and then consumed.  Then the Gemara says, "and if this is not effective, let him bring..." and a new combination of healing items are proposed.  

We are told that an Arab was sick with jaundice and he asked the gardener to take his cloak and give him a row of leeks  in exchange.The Arab ate the leeks and said, Lend me your cloak and I will sleep in it for a short while.  The Arab slept and became very hot; his sweat caused the cloak to fall apart.  in the end, the gardener was left with nothing.  

At the end of today's daf the rabbis not that the treatments for jaundice have come with the risk of causing sterility.  We know that castration is prohibited from Leviticus (22:24) the testicles cannot be bruised, crushed, torn or cut.  Rabbi Chanina says that this means we sall not do this to ourselves.  Perhaps it refers to intentional castration, which would not be the case in remedying jaundice.  Rabbi Yochanan teaches that if we want to castrate a rooster we should remove its comb and it will become castrated on its own.