Yaacov Levy asked:
The gemara on 11b towards the bottom wants to prove that when the mishah says if u hit ure friedn in the ear u need to give him a sela, but we learn its a provinsial sela not troy, and the proof is " People are accustomed to call half a zuz an istera", and artscroll says an was a troy selah,
i dont understand what this is a proof to, or how?
Yaacov Levy, Queens usa
The Kollel replies:
Dear Yaacov
Thanks for your question.
First let me point out that a Selah Tzuri is from the city of Tyre (Tzor in Hebrew) not to be confused with Troy.
The proof of the Gemara is that the term "Istera", which literally refers to a Tyre Selah is also commonly used in reference to half a Zuz. Thus, when the Mishnah rules paying a Selah, it can also mean half a Zuz.
Kol tuv
Yehuda Landy