Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod Bet, Part 5

 

Introduction

The Talmud continues to discuss the issue of healthy drinking water. While their science clearly differs from ours, access to safe drinking water remains one of the primary health issues to this day.

ת"ר לא ישתה אדם מים לא מן הנהרות ולא מן האגמים לא בפיו ולא בידו אחת ואם שתה דמו בראשו מפני הסכנה.

מאי סכנה? סכנת עלוקה

 

Our rabbis taught: One should not drink water either from rivers or from pools direct with his mouth or [by drawing the water] with one hand; if he drinks it, his blood shall be upon his head, for it is dangerous.

What danger is there? The danger of a leech.

 

Drinking straight from a source of water is dangerous due to leeches.

 

מסייע ליה לרבי חנינא דאמר רבי חנינא הבולע נימא של מים מותר להחם לו חמין בשבת.

ומעשה באחד שבלע נימא של מים והתיר רבי נחמיה להחם לו חמין בשבת

אדהכי והכי אמר רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע ליגמע חלא.

 

[This statement] supports R. Hanina: for R. Hanina said: One who swallows a leech, it is permissible to heat water for him on Shabbat.

It happened that one swallowed a leech, and R. Nehemiah permitted heating water for him on Shabbat.

Meanwhile [before the water is heated, what should he do?] R. Huna son of R. Joshua said, let him sip vinegar.

 

Swallowing leeches is so dangerous that it is permitted to heat water to remove the leech on Shabbat. Note that if this was not dangerous, we heating water on Shabbat is prohibited.

 

אמר רב אידי בר אבין האי מאן דבלע זיבורא מחייא לא חיי. מיהו לשקייה רביעתא דחלא שמגז אפשר דחיי פורתא עד דמפקיד אביתיה

R. Idi b. Abin said: One who has swallowed a wasp cannot possibly live. Let him however drink a quarter of strong vinegar; perhaps he will live long enough to set his house in order.

 

Well, there you have it. Be careful not to swallow a wasp. Although I did once know a woman who swallowed a fly.