1)

THINGS THAT LEAD TO HEMORRHOIDS

עשרה דברים מביאין את האדם לידי תחתוניות ואלו הן האוכל עלי קנים. ועלי גפנים. ולולבי גפנים. ומוריגי בהמה בלא מלח. ושדרו של דג. ודג מליח שלא בישל כל צרכו. והשותה שמרי יין. והמקנח בסיד ובחרסית. [והמקנח] בצרור שקנח בו חבירו. וי"א אף התולה עצמו בבית הכסא:
Translation: A Beraisa taught that 10 things lead to hemorrhoids - eating leaves of reeds or of vines, or Lulavim of vines, Morigei Behemah, the spine of a fish, salted fish that was not cooked enough, drinking dregs of wine, cleaning oneself with plaster, a shard of Cheres (earthenware), or a rock that someone else used to clean himself. Some say, even suspending oneself in the Beis ha'Kisei causes hemorrhoids.
(a)

What are Lulavim of vines?

1.

Rashi: They are tendrils that grow on vines and branch out.

(b)

What are Morigei Behemah?

1.

Rashi: It is meat that is not smooth. Rather, it is like Morag, which is not smooth, e.g. the membrane of the tongue, palate and inner stomachs.

i.

Maharsha (Berachos 55a): In Berachos, Rashi said [Stam] that the tongue (is harmful). It is unreasonable that Avraham is praised for serving tongue if this causes hemorrhoids!

ii.

Megadim Chadashim (Berachos 55a): The Rashash answered that tongue with salt does not harm. Avraham served tongue with mustard; perhaps mustard helps like salt, or he served it also with salt. Maharsha is unlike Chizkuni, who said that Avraham served tongue because it is prepared quickly; it does not require flaying. (NOTE: Perhaps one can remove the membrane of the tongue faster than one can flay! - PF)

2.

Maharsha (Berachos 55a): The Aruch (Marag) says that it is the palate. The Targum of "Davak Leshon Yonek El Chiko" (Eichah 4:4) is Morigei.

(c)

Does 'that someone else used to clean himself' apply only to a rock?

1.

Rashi: No, it applies also to plaster and a shard of Cheres mentioned beforehand.

(d)

Here it lists 10 things that lead to hemorrhoids. Why did it omit sitting too much, which is Kasheh for (prone to cause) hemorrhoids (Kesuvos 111a)?

1.

Megadim Chadashim (Berachos 55a): Perhaps here we list only what leads to them, but not what is merely Kasheh for them. We find also 'hemorrhoids rule over him' (Nedarim 22a).

(e)

What is suspending oneself in the privy?

1.

Rashi: He does not sit. Rashi (Berachos 55a) - he suspends himself on his knees; this opens the anus too much. (NOTE: The text in Berachos says 'suspending himself too much.' - PF)

81b----------------------------------------81b

2)

THINGS THAT MAKE ONE VULNERABLE TO WITCHCRAFT

[רב חסדא ורבה בר רב הונא הוו קאזלי בארבא אמרה להו ההיא מטרוניתא אותבן בהדיכו ולא אותבוה אמרה איהי מילתא אסרתה לארבא אמרו אינהו מילתא שריוה. אמרה להו מאי אעביד לכו [דף פב עמוד א] דלא מקנח לכו בחספא ולא קטיל לכו כנה אמנייכו ולא שליף לכו ירקא ואכיל לכו מכישא דאסיר גינאה:
Translation: Rav Chisda and Rabah bar Rav Huna were going in a boat; a distinguished woman said 'Usvan Bahadaichu' - they refused. She said something, causing the boat to stop; they said something that allowed it to move. She said, I cannot overcome you [through witchcraft], for you do not use Cheres for Kinu'ach, you do not kill lice on your clothing, and you do not eat vegetables from the bundle that the gardener tied.
(a)

Was she Jewish?

1.

Rashi: No, she was a Nochris.

(b)

What is the meaning of 'Usvan Bahadaichu'?

1.

Rashi (Chulin 105b): Seat me on the boat with you. (NOTE: She was close, and able to speak to them. It seems that also she was on the boat, and asked to sit by them. However, Rashi implies that she requested to go on the boat with them. Iyun Yakov and Rav Elyashiv clearly explain so. Had she been on the boat, she would have sat by them without asking! - PF)

(c)

Why did they refuse her request?

1.

Iyun Yakov #1: They hold like Rav (32a) - perhaps there is a Din against her (NOTE: and they will be punished with her. Due to this, Rav would not go on a ferry with a Nochri! - PF)

i.

Rav Elyashiv: Rashi explained that she was a Nochris, to teach why they refused (they hold like Rav)!

2.

Iyun Yakov #2: They could hold like Shmuel [32a], who says that the Satan does not punish people of different nations at the same time. They were stringent due to seclusion, or due to concern for her witchcraft.

i.

Rav Elyashiv: Even though she said that she cannot harm them via witchcraft, they feared that if she is constantly by them, they will lapse [to guard from her] and she will be able to harm them. (NOTE: If they merely wanted to distance from women (especially Nochriyos, who often dress or act immodestly), or lest she hear them engage in Torah (we may not teach Torah to Nochrim), they could have stipulated that she stay on the other side of the boat. - PF)

(d)

How did she stop the boat?

1.

Rashi: It was via witchcraft.

(e)

Why did she stop the boat?

1.

Rav Elyashiv: It was to take vengeance against them for refusing to go with her. Since she could not harm them, she harmed (stopped) the boat.

(f)

How did they enable the boat to go?

1.

Rashi: They said a Tahor name [of Hash-m].

i.

Daf Al ha'Daf: R. Ovadyah Yosef brought from the Yerushalmi that R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua used witchcraft to save themselves from witchcraft. Sefas Emes says that here they did not, for they could have saved themselves without it, i.e. via letting her on the boat.

2.

Rashi (Chulin 105b): They were expert in witchcraft, and used it to save themselves.

i.

Iyun Yakov: Chachamim on the Sanhedrin must know witchcraft (Sanhedrin 17a), so they can undo it.

3.

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Ba'al Shem Tov Al ha'Torah (Mishpatim 5): The text should not say 'Milsa', rather, Mem Lamed Tov - the acronym for "Mechashefah Lo Sechaye" (do not let a witch live). The author of Sha'arei Teshuvah found so in an old text.

(g)

Why did she say 'I cannot overcome you'? She was able to stop the boat!

1.

Maharsha (Chulin 105b) #1: She did not realize that they said something to permit it. She thought that she cannot even stop the boat, because they are careful.

2.

Maharsha (Chulin 105b) #2, Iyun Yakov: Even though she was able to stop the boat, she could not harm their bodies, for they avoided matters that make one vulnerable to witchcraft.

(h)

What is the significance of not killing lice on their clothing?

1.

Rav Elyashiv: They guard themselves in cleanliness.

(i)

Is it a problem to eat vegetables that the gardener tied in a bundle?

1.

Rashi: Eating without untying it makes one vulnerable to witchcraft.