(Tosefta): Venom is annulled in 40 Se'ah of water collected on the ground.

(R. Nechemia): Enough water to fill an earthenware barrel used as a raft.

But as for wine, whether it's in vessels or collected on the ground, even if there is a large quantity of it, it is prohibited. Freshly produced wine, as long as it is effervescing, cannot become prohibited, as snakes are afraid of it. How long does it effervesce? For three days.

It once happened that a snake was found next to a pit of effervescing wine. The case was brought to R. Yehuda and he permitted it.

A flowing spring does not have a prohibition (since the flowing waters wash away the venom).

(R. Yishmael son of R. Yochanan ben Beroka): Once, R. Yochanan ben Nuri went to visit his father, R. Yochanan ben Beroka, in Beis Shearim and his father showed him a pit which contained only three Log of water and the raindrops were dripping into it. He bent down to drink from it, saying that there was no concern of venom, since the drops were in close succession (and the snake would hear them and not approach).

Question: How much rain avoids the prohibition?

Answer (R. Mana bar Tanchum citing R. Chanina): If there is enough to wash a leek.

(R. Elazar b'R. Yosi citing Rav): Enough for the water to spread like goose legs, this way and that.

(R. Yaakov bar Acha): When such rainwater flows into the house, it is also not prohibited.

Baraisa (R. Hoshiya): The prohibition applies both in Eretz Yisrael and in Chutz LaAretz, whether in the summer or in the rainy season.

(R. Yuda ben Pazi): The opinion in the Mishnah that is concerned for a snake eating from food, is Rabban Gamliel. (This can be found in a Mishnah in Maseches Parah, that says - If any creeping thing drinks from the Parah Adumah waters, they do not become disqualified; aside from a weasel, because when it drinks, it spits out what it drank and some of its saliva goes into the water.) Rabban Gamliel even prohibits when a snake drank, since it spits out.

Rebuttal (R. Yona): Why are you comparing the validity of the Parah Adumah waters to a snake eating? Didn't a Tosefta teach (earlier - Chulin 96-2(l)) that if one saw a bird nibbling from a fig or a mouse nibbling from a melon, it is prohibited, as we are concerned that they were eating from the area that a snake had previously eaten...

And R. Ba said that it was Rabban Gamliel who said that a snake spits out.

Question (R. Yona): (Asking the same question as earlier) Why are you comparing the validity of the Parah Adumah waters to a snake eating?

Question: And concerning a Treifah, R. Ba said in the name of the Rabbanan of Bavel - if a person slaughtered and wolves snatched away the intestines, it is Kasher, because intestines are assumed to be Kasher.

Why wasn't he concerned that the intestines had been perforated (and therefore not Kasher) if here he's concerned that a snake ate from the fruit?

Answer: The Chachamim ruled to be stringent like Rabban Gamliel because of the danger to life.

Baraisa (R. Eliezer): A person may eat figs and grapes at night without concern (that a snake put his venom into them), as the pasuk states (Tehillim 116:6), "Hash-m guards the simple''.

(R. Yona citing Rav): A fish that was nibbled is prohibited.

(R. Chizkiyah/ R. Tavi citing Rav): A live fish that was nibbled is prohibited (as the venom spreads throughout it). If it was salted, the salting spreads the venom throughout the fish. If it was dead (but not salted), one must merely remove the area where it was nibbled.

(R. Yaakov bar Acha citing R. Chiya bar Ba): If a melon was nibbled and its pits dissolved, it is prohibited (as they dissolved because of the venom).

A person was once carrying nibbled sweet melons and ten people ate from them and all died. Some of the venom then fell on the person and cut his legs off. There was once a person who hated sheep's meat. Once, he ate meat and afterwards, someone informed him that it was sheep's meat. He was so repulsed that he died.

Once, some donkey drivers entered an inn and asked the owner for lentils. After he gave them, they again asked for lentils and he gave them. They said, "The first lentils were better than these.'' He told them, "I found a snake's spine in the first lentils so the second time I brought you different ones.'' When they heard this, they were so repulsed that they died.

The pasuk states (Mishlei 16:7), "When Hash-m accepts a person's ways, He will even cause his enemies to make peace with him.''

There were once some shepherds who milked an animal and a snake came and drank from it. Their dog saw the snake drink from the milk. When they came themselves to drink from it, the dog began to bark, but they ignored it. In the end, the dog drank from it and died.

A person once ground garlic in his home and a wild snake came and ate from it. Their pet snake saw this and when the household members can to eat from it, their snake became agitated and threw earth on them. They didn't understand the hint, so their snake threw itself into the garlic to save them.

A person once invited a Rav to eat with him. When he came to sit at the table, the host sat his dog next to the Rav. The Rav asked if the host was trying to disgrace him. The host said, "Rebbi; I am trying to show appreciation for the good that my dog did for me...Once, men came into the city and one tried to kidnap my wife. The dog came and attacked him in his reproductive organs and saved her.