12th Cycle Dedication

ERCHIN 5 - Dedicated in memory of Rivkah bas Reb Avraham Leib, who passed away on 15 Adar 5764, and her husband, Nachum ben Reb Shlomo Dovid (Mosenkis) Z"L, who passed away on 23 Teves 5700, by their son and daughter-in-law, Sid and Sylvia Mosenkis (of Queens, NY).
1)

THE DECREE TO BRING THE ACTUAL PRODUCE (Yerushalmi Maaser Sheni Perek 5 Halachah 2 Daf 29b)

[דף כט עמוד ב] משנה כרם רבעי עולה לירושלים מהלך יום אחד לכל צד ואיזו היא תחומה אילת מן הדרום ועקרבה מן הצפון ולוד מן המערב והירדן מן המזרח

(a)

(Mishnah): (Similar to Maaser Sheni, Kerem Revai must be brought to Yerushalayim or redeemed and the money spent on food in Yerushalayim.) Kerem Revai must be taken to Yerushalayim if it's within one day's journey in any direction. And what was the limit? Eilas in the south, Akravah in the north, Lod in the west and the Jordan river in the east. (This decree was made in order to adorn Yerushalayim with fruits.)

ומשרבו הפירות התקינו שיהא נפדה סמוך לחומה ותנאי היה בדבר [דף מח עמוד ב (עוז והדר)] אימתי שירצו יחזור הדבר לכמות שהיה.

(b)

When the amount of fruit increased (and there was no need bring more fruit to Yerushalayim), they decreed that it may even be redeemed close to the city wall. This decree had an in-built stipulation that at any point, they could re-enact the old decree.

ר' יוסי אומר משחרב בית המקדש היה התנאי הזה ותנאי היה אימתי שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו שיחזור הדבר לכמות שהיה.

(c)

(R. Yosi): (Disagreeing) The decree was actually made when the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed and it was stipulated that when the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt speedily in our days, the original decree will return (requiring fruits within a day's journey to be brought).

כרם רבעי בית שמאי אומרים אין לו חומש ואין לו ביעור. ובית הלל אומרים יש לו.

(d)

Kerem Revai - Beis Shammai say that it has no extra fifth (if it is redeemed) and has no requirement of Biur (removing it from one's house in the fourth and seventh years of the Shemittah cycle). Beis Hillel say that both apply.

בית שמאי אומרים יש לו פרט ויש לו עוללות והעניים פודין לעצמן. ובית הלל אומרים כולו לגת:

(e)

Beis Shammai say that it is subject to the laws of Peret (fallen single grapes) and Olelos (small clusters) that must be left for the poor and the poor then redeem them themselves. Beis Hillel says that all of the grapes (even Peret and Olelos) go to the winepress.

גמרא א"ר הילא בראשונה היו עושין יין בטהרה לנסכים ולא היו ענבים מצויות. התקינו שיהא עולה לירושלים מהלך יום לכל צד.

(f)

(Gemara) (R. Hila): Originally, they would make wine for the libations (in the Temple) in purity and therefore, grapes were not commonly found in the marketplace. They decreed that if one is within one day's walk of Yerushalayim in any direction, they must bring the actual fruit (rather than redeem them and bring the money, in order to adorn the marketplaces of Yerushalayim with fruits).

אף הן מחלקין אותן לקרובין ולשכנין ולמיודעין.

(g)

Question: Even if they merely distribute it there to their relatives, neighbors, and friends (rather than bring them to the market)?

אפילו דבר קל היה מעטר את השוק:

(h)

Answer: A small amount will always remain in his hands with which to adorn the market.

[דף מט עמוד א (עוז והדר)] הדא פליגא על נקיי.

(i)

Our Mishnah that taught about that Lod was a one day's walk does not agree with the story of Nekai...

נקיי הוה שמש במגדל צבעייא בכל ערובת שובא מן דהוה עביד קנדילוי הוה סליק שבת בבית מקדשא ונחית ומדליק לון.

1.

Nekai was an attendant in Migdal Tzevaya (which was beyond Lod). Every Erev Shabbos, after he prepared the candles, he would go to the Beis HaMikdash to acquire his place of dwelling for Shabbos (known as Shvisah, which defines the point from which to measure his Techum Shabbos - his limit of 2000 Amos for Shabbos). He would then go home to Migdal Tzevaya to light his candles there.

ואית דאמרין ספר הוה בכל ערובת שובתא הוה סליק פשט סדרוי לבית המקדש ונחית שבת בבייתיה.

2.

Some say that Nekai was a teacher and every Erev Shabbos he would go to the Beis HaMikdash to teach them the Parsha and he would then return home.

טרטירוי דמהלול הוה סליק שבית לגו בית מקדשא ולא הוה בר נש קרץ לתאינייא קדמוי מיניה.

(j)

Tartiroi of Mahalol would go to spend Shabbos in the Beis HaMikdash and he would return (after Shabbos). The next morning, he was the first person to pick figs.

בנות צפורי הוון סלקין שבתין בגו בית מקדשא ולא הוה בר נש קרץ לתאינייא קדמוי מינהון.

(k)

The girls of Tzipori would go to spend Shabbos in the Beis HaMikdash and they would return (after Shabbos). The next morning, they were the first to pick figs.

בנות לוד היו לשות עיסתן ועולות ומתפללות ויורדות עד שלא יחמיצו.

(l)

The girls of Lod would knead their dough and go and pray in the Beis HaMikdash and then return before the dough had risen.

חד בר נש הוה קאים רדי פסקת תורתי' קומוי הוות פריא והוא פרי פריא והוא פרי עד דאשתכח יהיב בבבל.

(m)

A certain person was once plowing with an ox (in Eretz Yisrael). The ox broke loose and began running with the owner in pursuit. It continued running until he found himself in Bavel.

אמרו ליה אימת נפקת אמר לון יומא דין. אמרין בהיידא אתיתא. אמר לון בדא. אמרין ליה איתא חמי לון. נפק בעי מיחמייא לון ולא חכים בהיידא

1.

The people there asked him - When did you leave Eretz Yisrael? He said that it was today. They asked him which route he took and he answered them. They asked him to show it to them. He went out to show them but he didn't recognize it.

דא מכלל דפליגא.

(n)

Question: These stories about Lod seem to disagree with the Mishnah's statement that Lod is one day's journey from Yerushalayim?

אפילו תימר לית הוא פליגא מחילות היו ונגנזו. הדא הוא דכתיב (איכה ג) גדר דרכי בגזית נתיבותי עוה.

(o)

Answer: It could agree - there used to be tunnels that would bring them to the Beis HaMikdash much quicker, but they were later hidden. This is the meaning of the pasuk (Eichah 3:9), "He has walled up my roads with hewn stones, He has made my paths crooked."

רבי יונה בשם רבי זעירא אפילו כרם שהיה סמוך לחומה היה נפדה:

(p)

(R. Yona citing R. Zeira): (The Mishnah taught that when the amount of fruit increased (and there was no need bring more fruit to Yerushalayim), they decreed that it may be even be redeemed close to the city wall.) This means that even if the vineyard was close to the wall (of Yerushalayim) it was redeemed (and certainly if it was one day's journey away).