Chapter XIII

Eighteen Treatises from the Mishna, by D. A. Sola and M. J. Raphall, [1843], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER XIII.

§ 1. R. Eleazar saith, "Whoever weaves three threads at the [first] beginning [of a weft], or one thread while the weft is in progress, is guilty;" but the sages decide, "that whether at the first beginning or end [of a weft] the prescribed quantity is two threads."

§ 2. Whoever ties two threads, whether in the warp or in the shoot, or in a fine or coarse sieve, or in a basket, is guilty. [Moreover], he who sews two stitches, or tears, with intent to sew two stitches, [is guilty].

§ 3. Whoever tears something in a rage, or at a death, and all who in a passion spoil [or destroy], are absolved. Whoever spoils [breaks] in order to repair the prescribed quantity, [which decides his being guilty], is [guilty] according to the [extent of the necessary] repairs.

§ 4. The prescribed quantity of wool, washed, carded, dyed, or spun, is that of a double sit; ¹ and, in the weaving of two threads, the prescribed quantity is that of one sit in width.

§ 5. R Jehudah saith, "Whoever hunts a bird into a cage, or a deer into a house, is guilty." The sages decide, "a bird into a cage, a deer into a house, a court, or an inclosure for animals." ² R. Simeon ben Gamaliel saith, "Not all inclosures are alike." The rule is, when the capture is incomplete, he is absolved; but when the capture is not incomplete he is guilty. The meaning is, whatsoever must be chased a second time renders guilty; whatsoever is completely in a man's power does not render guilty.

§ 6. If a stag enter a house, and one man shuts him in, he is guilty; if two shut him in, they are absolved; if one man is not able to shut him in, and [therefore] two shut him in, they are guilty. ³ R. Simeon absolves them.

§ 7. If one man places himself in the door [entry, to prevent the deer from getting out again], but does not [completely] fill it, and a second person places [himself next to him], and does fill it, the second is guilty. If the first places himself in the door [entry], and fills it, and a second person comes and places himself at his side,

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although the first should afterwards get up and go away [leaving the second in the entry], the first is guilty, and the second is absolved. For what is this like? Like as if he had locked his house to secure his property, and a stag is found secured within it.

Footnotes

56:1 The size of a full span: between the first and middle finger is a sit, the space between the thumb and middle finger is a double sit.

56:2 ‏ביברין‎, from the Latin vivarium; a kind of den or inclosure, in which wild animals were kept.

56:3 Vide our note 1, p. 27.