Commentaire sur Halla 4:7
יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ אֲרִיסִין לְנָכְרִים בְּסוּרְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְחַיֵּב פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בַּמַּעַשְׂרוֹת וּבַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל פּוֹטֵר. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, שְׁתֵּי חַלּוֹת בְּסוּרְיָא. וְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, חַלָּה אֶחָת. אָחֲזוּ קֻלּוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְקֻלּוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. חָזְרוּ לִנְהוֹג כְּדִבְרֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּשְׁתֵּי דְרָכִים:
Un Juif qui était locataire de non-Juifs en Syrie: le rabbin Eliezer oblige leurs produits à Ma'aserot [dîmes] et dans [les lois de] l'année sabbatique; mais Rabban Gamliel exempte. Rabban Gamliel dit, [il faut donner] deux [portions de] Challah en Syrie; mais Rabbi Eliezer dit, [seulement] une [portion de] Challah . Ils avaient adopté la décision indulgente du rabban Gamliel et la décision indulgente du rabbin Eliezer. Ils sont retournés et ont agi conformément à Rabban Gamliel à ces deux égards.
Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
סוריא – lands that [King] David conquered, and lack the sanctity like the sanctity of the Land of Israel.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
Introduction
In rabbinic language “Syria” refers to the land that borders the land of Israel to the north and east but is not considered fully part of Israel. The rules of tithing and terumah do apply to produce grown by a Jew in Syria but one who purchases produce in Syria can assume that it grew on gentile land and is therefore exempt from the laws of tithing and terumah. The first subject dealt with in our mishnah is people who are tenant-farming land that belongs to non-Jews in Syria. Tenant-farming means that the tenant has received a piece of land from its owner in order to work the land and keep for himself a portion of the crops.
The second section deals with whether the laws of hallah apply to dough in Syria in the same way that they do in the land of Israel.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
רבי אליעזר מחייב – he holds that they made Syria like the Land of Israel with regard to Tithes and Seventh Year produce.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
An Israelite who was a tenant of a non-Jew in Syria: Rabbi Eliezer makes their produce liable to tithes and to [the law of] the sabbatical year; But Rabban Gamaliel makes [it] exempt. According to Rabbi Eliezer, Syria is treated like the land of Israel when it comes to tithes and to sheviit (the sabbatical year). Just as in the land of Israel if a Jew is a tenant-farmer for a non-Jew on land owned by a non-Jew, he still has to separate tithes and observe the laws of the sabbatical year, so too when it comes to land in Syria, he must separate tithes and observe the sabbatical laws. Rabban Gamaliel disagrees. He holds that since the land belongs to a non-Jew and the Jew who is working the land doesn’t own it, he need not separate tithes or observe the sabbatical laws.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
ורבן גמליאל פוטר – since he holds that they did not make Syria like the Land of Israel. And he is not liable for Tithes in Syria other than at the time when the land belongs to an Israelite and the heathen has no portion in it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
Rabban Gamaliel says: [one is to give] two hallah-portions in Syria; But Rabbi Eliezer says: [only] one hallah-portion. In tomorrow’s mishnah we will learn that outside of the land of Israel one has to separate two portions of hallah from the dough. Consequently, Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Eliezer debate what to do in Syria. Rabban Gamaliel stated above that Syria was not treated like Israel therefore, in Syria one has to separate two portions of hallah. Rabbi Eliezer above treated Syria like the land of Israel therefore in Syria one has to separate only one portion.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
ר"ג אומר שתי חלות בסוריא – In the manner that they separate two Hallot loaves outside the Land [of Israel], one is burnt because it is ritually impure with the defilement of the lands of the nations (i.e., heathens), and the second is given to the Kohen in order that the law of Hallah from an Israelite should not be forgotten.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Challah
They adopted the lenient ruling of Rabban Gamaliel and the lenient ruling of Rabbi Eliezer. Eventually they went back and acted in accordance with Rabban Gamaliel in both respects. The mishnah now treats us to an interesting tidbit concerning the way people were acting. Originally, they adopted both lenient rulings. In other words, when it came to tithes and the sabbatical year, they treated Syria as if it was not the land of Israel. However, when it came to hallah, they separated only one portion, as if it was the land of Israel. They were not consistent as to which rabbi they followed they always adopted the more lenient opinion. However, eventually they changed their practice and acted consistent with the opinion of Rabban Gamaliel. This seems to be the way of behaving preferred by the mishnah here and in other places as well. One should not select lenient opinions from various rabbis rather one should choose one rabbi and follow his opinions, at least when these opinions are consistent with one another, as they are here.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
ר' אליעזר אומר חלה אחת – Rabbi Eliezer according to his reasoning who said that they made Syria like the Land of Israel and its dust does not defile like the dust of the land of the heathens. Therefore, one Hallah [only] and not more than this.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
אחזו קולו של רבן גמליאל – who exempts Syria from Tithes and Seventh-year produce.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Challah
וקולו של ר' אליעזר – who says that in Syria [only] one Hallah [is necessary]. And we hold hat he who acts according to the lenient opinion of this master and the lenient opinion of that master is [considered] wicked. Therefore, they retracted to act like Rabban Gamaliel in two matters – that Syria is not like the Land of Israel – either with regard to Tithes and Seventh-year produce when the heathen has a share in the land and not in regard to Hallah, and such is the Halakha.
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