If one forbids his wife by vow from cohabitation [as when he says: "Let the enjoyment of your cohabitation be forbidden to me" (But if he says: "The enjoyment of my cohabitation is forbidden to you," she is not forbidden, for he is obligated to her, it being written (Exodus 21:10): "…and her (conjugal) time he shall not withhold")] — Beth Shammai say: Two weeks. [If he vowed thus, he must wait two full weeks (before resuming relations); for thus do we find with a woman who gave birth to a female, that she is unclean for two weeks.] And Beth Hillel say: one week. [For thus do we find with respect to a niddah, that she is unclean for seven days; and we derive what is common (a man's becoming angry with his wife and forbidding her by vow) from what is common (niddah, which is a common occurrence) — as opposed to childbirth, which is not that common. And Beth Shammai hold that we derive something which he causes (the vow of the man, which causes her to desist), from something that he causes (childbirth, which comes through him) — as opposed to niddah, which comes of itself. If (he forbids her) more than one week according to Beth Hillel, or more than two weeks according to Beth Shammai, he must send her away and give her her kethubah — even if he were a camel driver, whose conjugal time is once in thirty days, or a mariner, whose conjugal time is once in six months.] If a woman miscarried on the eve of the eighty-first day [of her having given birth to a female, in which instance she brings an offering of atonement on the eighty-first day (for the first birth)], Beth Shammai exempt her from an offering [for the second (miscarried) birth, even though it took place after the "consummation" (of her days of purification [viz. Leviticus 12:6]) since it took place at night, when an offering may not be brought, it being written (Ibid. 7:38): "…on the day that He commanded… to present their offerings," wherefore, in respect to the offering, it (the eighty-first day) is considered the day of "consummation."] And Beth Hillel rule it liable (for a second offering) [since she miscarried after the time of "consummation."] A (linen) night-garment with tzitzith, [(which contain a cord of tcheleth, (wool dyed in the (purple) blood of a chilazon)] is kilayim (a forbidden admixture [wool and linen]). Beth Shammai exempt [such a garment from tzitzith in the daytime], and Beth Hillel does not. [In the daytime, the time of the mitzvah (of tzitzith), the positive commandment comes and overrides the negative commandment (against wearing sha'atnez (viz. [Deuteronomy 22:11]: "You shall not wear sha'atnez, wool and linen together"). But in the night-time, when the mitzvah of tzitzith does not obtain, it being written (Numbers 15:39): "And you shall see it (the tcheleth)," excluding (from the mitzvah) a night-garment, if he wears a linen night-garment with tzitzith attached, he is in transgression of "You shall not wear sha'atnez." Beth Shammai hold that we decree against wearing a (linen) night-garment with tzitzith even in the daytime, so that it not be worn at night when, (the mitzvah of tzitzith not obtaining,) he would be liable for kilayim. And Beth Hillel hold that we do not make such a decree.] The basket of the Sabbath [i.e., a basket full of fruits designated for the Sabbath] — Beth Shammai exempt them [from tithing, holding that Sabbath "takes hold" only when it arrives.] And Beth Hillel obligate [them to be tithed immediately, even before the arrival of the Sabbath. For since he designated them for the Sabbath, it so "took hold" immediately.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
המדיר את אשתו מתשמיש המטה (this part of the Mishnah is also taught in Tractate Ketubot, Chapter 5, Mishnah 6) – such as the case when he (i.e., the husband) said: “your benefit of sex will be forbidden to me, but the benefit of my sex will be forbidden upon you, is not forbidden,” for he is subjugated to her, as it is written (Exodus 21:10): “[If he marries another,] he must not withhold from this one [her food, her clothing] or her conjugal rights.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
Introduction
This mishnah contains four more disputes between Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel. The first one continues to deal with marital law. The second one deals with laws of giving birth. The final two deal with other areas of law.
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ב"ש אומרים שתי שבתות – if he made her take a vow for two weeks, she should wait, for so we found with a woman who gave birth to a girl is ritually defiled for two weeks.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
One who takes a vow not to have intercourse with his wife: Beth Shammai says: [after] two weeks [he must divorce her and pay her kethubah], And Beth Hillel say: after one week. According to the Rabbis, a husband is obligated to have sexual relations with his wife at regular intervals (see Ketuboth 5:6). If he takes a vow not to have relations with his wife, Beth Shammai says that after two weeks she can sue him for divorce and she will be able to collect her kethubah (marriage payment). Beth Hillel is stricter on the husband and gives him only one week.
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וב"ה אומרים שבת אחת – for such we have found with the menstruant woman who is ritually impure for seven days, and we learn that something that is frequent, that is, the anger that a man expresses towards his wife and makes her take a vow, and that is something that is frequent, from the case of a menstruant woman which is something that is frequent, which excludes a woman who gives birth to a female which is not all that frequent. But the School of Shammai holds that we learn a thing that he caused her, that is the vow of a man that he caused her to wait, from giving birth which through him comes upon her, to exclude the case of a menstruant woman that of itself comes upon her, and more than one week, according to the School of Hillel or two weeks, according to the School of Shammai, he should release her (i.e., divorce her) and give her a Ketubah settlement, and even a camel driver whose period is one days or a sailor whose period is six months.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
A woman has a miscarriage on the eve of the eighty first [day]: Beth Shammai exempt her from bringing the offering, And Beth Hillel do not exempt her. According to Leviticus 12:5-6, a woman must bring a sacrifice 80 days after having given birth to a daughter. In other words, she brings a sacrifice on the 81st day. If she should become pregnant again during these 80 days, and have a miscarriage, the she need not bring another sacrifice for her miscarriage. [Generally she would have to bring a sacrifice for a miscarriage, just as she does for a live birth]. Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel disagree with regards to a woman who has a miscarriage on the night preceding the 81st day, the day she should have brought a sacrifice for the first birth. Beth Shammai rules that since she could not have brought a sacrifice at night, she is still within the 80 days, and she is exempt from bringing an additional sacrifice for the miscarriage. Beth Hillel rules that since the 80 days have been completed, she must bring a sacrifice for the miscarriage as well as one for the previous birth.
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המפלת לאור שמונים ואחד (this section of the Mishnah is also taught in Tractate Keritut, Chapter 1, Mishnah 6) – she gave birth to a female, and the night of the eighty-first day when it was appropriate for her to bring her atonement, she miscarried.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
[With regards to the rules of] tzitzit ( on linen sheet: Beth Shammai exempts, And Beth Hillel does not exempt. This mishnah deals with the obligation to put fringes (tzitzit) on a linen sheet. There are two reasons why Beth Shammai exempts one from doing so: 1) a sheet is not a piece of clothing. Deuteronomy 22:12 specifically states that the fringes must be put on clothing. 2) The sheet is made of linen and tzitzit are made of wool. According to Deuteronomy 22:11 it is forbidden to mix wool and linen. Beth Hillel rules that one should put the fringes on the sheet for two reasons: 1) The sheet may be worn as a piece of clothing; 2) The commandment to put fringes on clothing supersedes the prohibition of mixing linen and wool.
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ב"ש פוטרים מן הקרבן – from the second birth, even though it it was after it was full, since it was at night, and the appropriate hour for the sacrifice did not end, for the night was lacking the time of the sacrifice, as it is written (Leviticus 7:38): “when He commanded that the Israelites present their offerings to the LORD…” Therefore, with regard to the sacrifice it is like the day of completion.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
A basket of [fruit set aside for] the Sabbath: Beth Shammai exempts it [from tithes]. And Beth Hillel does not exempt it. This mishnah deals with who has put aside a basket of fruit for Shabbat but wishes to snack from the basket before Shabbat. This snacking is not considered a fixed meal, and in general one may “snack” from produce before it has been tithed. However, this is not true on the Sabbath. On the Sabbath it is forbidden to eat any produce that has not been tithed. According to Beth Shammai one may eat the fruit of this basket before the Sabbath. Although on the Sabbath itself it will be forbidden to do so since it has not been tithed (and cannot be tithed on the Sabbath), before the Sabbath it is still permitted. Beth Hillel forbids. According to them, setting aside something for the Sabbath makes it forbidden to eat from it until it has been tithed.
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וב"ה מחייבין – since it is after she completed it that she miscarried.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
Questions for Further Thought: • How did these four disputes come to be strung together? Can you find some link between each section and the preceding one? • Section one: If a man is obligated to have regular sexual relations with his wife, why doesn’t he have to divorce her immediately if he takes such a vow not to perform his duty?
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סדין – of flax/linen.
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ב"ש פוטרין – because it is the manner of a [linen] sheet that we wear it at night, and Tzizit/ritual fringes which has a “thread of blue,” which is wool colored with the blood of a Chalazon/purple-shell used for dying T’kheletl, which is mixed seeds/Kilayim in a linen sheet, and during the daytime which is the time for this Mitzvah, the positive command of Tzizit overrides the negative commandment of not wearing Shaatnez/linen and wool together (Deuteronomy 22:11 – “You shall not wear cloth combining wool and linen). But at night, when the command of Tzizit/ritual fringes does not apply, as it is written (Numbers 15:39): “[That shall be your fringe;] look at it [and recall all the commandments of the LORD and observe them],” excluding clothing of the nighttime. If he wears ritual fringes/Tzizit on linen sheet, he is liable because of “You shall not wear clothing combining wool and linen,” but the School of Shammai holds that we make the decree that a linen sheet with Tzizit, even during the daytime does not make one liable, with a decree because of night-time clothing which makes it liable because of mixed seeds. And the School of Hillel holds that we do not make this decree.
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כלכלת שבת (this portion of the Mishnah is also taught in Tractate Ma’aserot, Chapter 4, Mishnah 2) – a basket filled with fruits that have been designated for the Sabbath.
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ב"ה מחייבין – [The School of Hillel] obligates them] for tithes immediately, even before the Sabbath, since he designated it for the Sabbath, it was appointed immediately. But the School of Shammai holds that the Sabbath does not establish it until it has entered.
