Commentary for Oktzin 3:6
הַפַּגִּין וְהַבֹּסֶר, רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מְטַמֵּא טֻמְאַת אֳכָלִין. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי אוֹמֵר, מִשֶּׁיָּבֹאוּ לְעוֹנַת הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת. פְּרִיצֵי זֵיתִים וַעֲנָבִים, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי מְטַמְּאִין וּבֵית הִלֵּל מְטַהֲרִין. הַקֶּצַח, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי מְטַהֲרִין, וּבֵית הִלֵּל מְטַמְּאִין. וְכֵן לַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת:
Regarding figs or grapes which are not yet ripe, Rabbi Akiva considers them [susceptible to becoming] impure with the impurity of foods. Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri says: [they become susceptible to being rendered impure] once they have come to the season of [requiring] tithes. Regarding hardened olives or grapes, Beit Shammai consider them [susceptible to being rendered] impure, and Beit Hillel consider them pure [i.e. insusceptible]. Regarding black cumin, Beit Shammai consider it pure, and Beit Hillel consider it impure. And so too [did they differ] with regard to [its requiring] tithes.
Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
הפגין (hard/unripe figs)- figs that are not ripe, as it is written (Song of Songs 2:13): “The green figs form on the fig tree.” And all the rest of the produce/fruits also which are not ripe are called פגין.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Unripe figs or grapes: Rabbi Akiva says: they convey food uncleanness; Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says: [this is only] when they have reached the season when they are liable to tithes. According to Rabbi Akiva, although they are not yet ready to eat, unripe grapes and figs are already considered food and therefore they convey food uncleanness. Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri says that this is so only when they become liable to tithes. Their liability to tithes is discussed in Sheviit 4:7-8.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
והבוסר (half-ripe fruit, esp. grapes) – grapes that did not ripen. And when they arrived to become like a white bean, they are called בוסר. And פגין are worse than בוסר.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Olives and grapes that have hardened: Bet Shammai says: they are susceptible to uncleanness, Bet Hillel says: they are insusceptible. The mishnah now moves to the opposite scenario olives and grapes that have hardened. Bet Shammai says that they are nevertheless still considered food. Bet Hillel says that since they are generally no longer eaten, they are no longer considered food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
משיבואו לעונות המעשרות – each and every fruit according to the established time for it to be obligated in tithing, as is taught in the Mishnah in the first chapter of [Tractate] Maaserot (see Mishnah 32). But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Black cumin: Bet Shammai says: is not susceptible, Bet Hillel says: it is susceptible. Bet Shammai says that black cumin which is not eaten but just put on the top of bread is not considered food and therefore is not susceptible to impurity. Bet Hillel says that since it is eaten, it is considered food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
פריצי זיתים וענבים (the proud among the olives and grapes) – that became hard prior to their ripening, and they are not peeled in the olive press. It is the language of (Daniel 11:14): “and the lawless sons of your people [will assert themselves to confirm the vision, but they will fail],” hard and wicked people. Such are these olives and grapes, hard and they are not peeled nor trodden/pressed.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Oktzin
Similarly [they dispute with regard to their liability to] tithes. The same dispute occurs with regard to tithing black cumin. Bet Shammai says it is not food and therefore need not be tithed. Bet Hillel says it is liable for tithes because it is food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
בית שמאין מטמאין – for they are considered edible/food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
ובית הלל מטהרין – for they are not considered edible/food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
הקצח (black cumin) – NEEL in the foreign language. And it is a black seed, and it is customary to put it on bread, for those who are accustomed to it do not come to have heart pain.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Oktzin
וכן למעשרות – just as they disagreed regarding defilement, so too they argued with regard to tithing, for those who declare them as susceptible to uncleanness as food obligated it for tithing.
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