SATURDAY PRAYER: HOCHMA-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p116

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

There is a Boraitha: “A woman must not go out with a key in her hand, nor with a box of
cachous, nor with a perfume bottle; and if she goes out with them, she is liable for a sinoffering.”
So is the decree of R. Meir, but R. Eliezer freed her, provided the box contains
cachous, and the bottle perfume; but if they are empty, she is liable (for then there is a burden).
Said R. Ada b. Ahaba: “From this we may infer that one carrying less than the prescribed
quantity of food in a vessel on public ground is culpable, as it states if there was no cachou or
perfume, which is equal to a vessel containing less than the prescribed amount of food, she is
liable. Hence it makes her liable even if less than the prescribed quantity. Said R. Ashi:
Generally one may be freed, but here it is different; the box and the bottle themselves are
considered a burden.
We read in the Scripture [Amos, vi. 6]: “And anoint themselves with the costliest of ointments.”
Said R. Jehudah in the name of Samuel: “This signifies perfumery.”
R. Joseph objected: “R. Jehudah b. Baba said that after the destruction of the Temple at
Jerusalem the sages prohibited even the use of perfumes, but the rabbis did not concur in the
decree. If we say perfume used only for pleasure, why did not the rabbis concur?” Abayi
answered: According to your mode of reasoning, even drinking wine from bowls (bocals) is
prohibited, for it is written further [ibid., ibid.]: “Those that drink wine from bowls.” R. Ami
said, that certainly means bocals, but R. Assi claimed that it means they clinked glasses one with
another. Still Rabba b. R. Huna once happened to be at the house of the Exilarch and drank wine
out of a bocal, but was not rebuked. It is, therefore, thus to be understood: The rabbis restricted
only such pleasures as were combined with rejoicing, but not pleasures unaccompanied with
rejoicing.
Said R. Abuhu: Others say we were taught in a Boraitha: “Three things bring man to poverty:
Urinating in front of one’s bed when naked; carelessness in washing one’s hands; and permitting
one’s wife to curse him in his presence.” Said Rabha: “Urinating in front of one’s bed should be
understood to signify ‘turning around so as to face the bed and then urinating,’ but not turning in
the opposite direction; and even when facing the bed it signifies only urinating on the floor in
front of the bed and not in a urinal.’ Carelessness in washing one’s hand signifies “not washing
one’s hands at all,” but not insufficient washing, for R. Hisda said: “I washed my hands well
and plentifully and am plentifully rewarded.” Permitting one’s wife to curse him in his presence
implies “for not bringing her jewelry,” and then only when one is able to do so but does not.