Kiddushin, Daf Lammed Het, Part 6

 

Introduction

Today s section discusses the status of various soil-based mitzvoth outside the Land of Israel.

 

תנן התם החדש אסור מן התורה בכל מקום ערלה הלכה והכלאים מדברי סופרים

 

We taught there: New produce is forbidden by the Torah everywhere; [the prohibition of] Orlah [outside the Land] is a halakhah, and [that of] kilayim is from the words of the Scribes.

 

This mishnah (Orlah 3:9) outlines the obligation of three soil-based mitzvoth outside the land of Israel: 1) the prohibition of eating new grain (hadash) before the Omer sacrifice on the sixteenth of Nissan; 2) the prohibition of fruit from a tree during the first three years of its growth (orlah); 3) the prohibition of mixed seeds (kilayim).

 

מאי הלכה אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכתא מדינה

עולא אמר רבי יוחנן הלכה למשה מסיני

 

What is meant by halakhah ?

Rav Judah said in the name of Shmuel: It is a law of the country.

Ulla said in the name of R. Yohanan: It is a halakhah of Moses from Sinai.

 

Amoraim disagree over the implication of the word halakhah, the status of the prohibition of orlah outside of the Land. To Shmuel the prohibition is a law of the country. Rashi explains that this means that the observance of this prohibition was dictated by the sages who lived outside the Land. R. Yohanan gives it a higher status it is an oral tradition that goes all the way back to Moses at Sinai.

 

א"ל עולא לרב יהודה בשלמא לדידי דאמינא הלכה למשה מסיני היינו דשני לן בין ספק ערלה לספק כלאים דתנן ספק ערלה בארץ אסור בסוריא מותר בחוצה לארץ יורד ולוקח ובלבד שלא יראנו לוקט

ואילו גבי כלאים תנן כרם הנטוע ירק וירק נמכר חוצה לו בארץ אסור בסוריא מותר בחוצה לארץ יורד ולוקט ובלבד שלא ילקוט ביד

 

Ulla said to Rav Judah: It makes sense according to my view that it is a halakhah of Moses from Sinai; for we distinguish between doubtful orlah and doubtful kilayim. For we learnt: Doubtful orlah is forbidden in the Land, permitted in Syria, while outside the Land one may enter [a Gentile s field] and buy it, as long as he does not see him [the Gentile] gather it.

Whereas in respect to kilayim we learnt: If a vineyard is planted with vegetables, and the vegetables are sold outside it: in the Land they are forbidden; permitted in Syria; while outside the Land, he [the Gentile owner of the vineyard] may enter and gather them, providing, however, that he [the Jew] does not gather them himself.

 

Ulla argued that outside the Land, orlah is a halakhah given to Moses at Sinai, a relatively high status, whereas kilayim is only a simple rabbinic prohibition. This helps us make sense of why the rules governing orlah are stricter than those governing kilayim. Outside of Israel, a Jew may buy orlah and kilayim from a Gentile, but with regard to the former, he cannot see him gather the fruit, whereas with the latter, the only prohibition is for the Jew to gather the kilayim vegetables himself. He can see the Gentile gather them.

 

אלא לדידך ניתני או זה וזה יורד ולוקח או זה וזה יורד ולוקט

 

But on your view, let it be taught in both cases either that he [the Jew] may enter and buy, or that he [the Gentile] may enter and gather [them]?

 

But, Ulla continues, according to Shmuel s view, there should be no difference in the rules governing buying orlah and kilayim from a Gentile outside the Land. Both have the same status prohibited by the rabbis.

 

האמר ליה שמואל לרב ענן תני או זה וזה יורד ולוקח או זה וזה יורד ולוקט

 

Shmuel did indeed say to R. Anan, Read in both cases either that he [the Jew] may enter and make a purchase, or that he [the Gentile] may enter and gather [them].

 

Shmuel did indeed emend one of the mishnayot such that both read the same. Thus he accepted Ulla s criticism.

 

מר בריה דרבנא מתני ליה לקולא זה וזה יורד ולוקט ובלבד שלא ילקוט ביד

 

Mar son of Rabbana taught it in the direction of leniency: In both cases he [the Gentile] may enter and gather them, provided that he [the Jew] does not gather them himself.

 

Mar son of Rabbana, a late amora, was lenient in both cases as long as the Jew does not gather the orlah or kilayim, the produce is not prohibited.