Kiddushin, Daf Gimmel, Part 1

 

Introduction

The Talmud now asks why other mishnayot use the word ways instead of things just as it asked and answered above concerning the first mishnah of this masekhet.

 

והא דתנן בז’ דרכים בודקין את הזב ליתני דברים התם הא קמ"ל דדרכא דמיכלא יתירא לאותיי לידי זיבה ודרכה דמישתיא יתירא לאתויי לידי זיבה

Now, that which it taught: a zav is examined in seven ways : let it state [seven] things ? It teaches us: it is the nature [way] of excessive eating to cause zivah, and it is the nature [way] of excessive drinking to cause zivah.

 

The mishnah about zavim (people with unnatural genital discharge) use the word ways instead of things. The Talmud explains that this is because it is an excessive way that leads one to have these types of problems.

 

והא דתנן אתרוג שווה לאילן בג’ דרכים ליתני דברים משום דבעינן מתני סיפא ולירק בדרך אחד

סיפא נמי ניתני דבר התם הא קמשמע לן דדרכיה דאתרוג כירק מה ירק דרכו ליגדל על כל מים ובשעת לקיטתו עישורו אף אתרוג דרכו ליגדל על כל מים ובשעת לקיטתו עישורו

 

And as to that which we learned: An etrog is comparable to a tree in three ways let it teach [in three] things?

Because it wants to teach the second clause: and to vegetables in one way.

Then in the second clause too let its state, [and to vegetables in one] thing ?

It teaches us that the nature [way] of an etrog is like that of vegetables. Just as it is the nature of vegetables to grow by means of all waters, and its tithing is determined by the time when it is harvested; so is it the nature of the etrog to grow by means of all waters, and [therefore] its tithing is determined by its harvesting.

 

The mishnah uses the word ways in comparing an etrog to trees or vegetables because the way of an etrog is to grow like a vegetable. Just as vegetables grow on all waters , so too do etrogs. This means that in addition to rainwater, they also need irrigation. Their tithing year follows their point of harvesting. For other types of fruits the tithing year follows when they first appear on the branch of the tree.