Nedarim - Daf 49
- Machlokes if roasted food is included in מבושל
The sixth Perek begins: הנודר מן המבושל מותר בצלי ובשלוק – One who vows from cooked food is permitted in roasted and undercooked food. The Gemara quotes a dissenting view: רבי יאשיה אוסר, ואף על פי שאין ראיה לדבר זכר לדבר – Rebbe Yoshiyah forbids roasted food, and even though there is no proof for it, there is a hint for it, as it says, "ויבשלו הפסח באש כמשפט" – “and they cooked the korban pesach according to the law.” The pesach must be roasted, yet the Torah employs the word “cooked,” which shows that roasted food is included in the term “cooked.” The Gemara first suggests that the point of contention is whether we follow the language of the Torah for nedarim, which would include roasted in “cooked” based on the passuk above, or we follow the language of people, who do not use the word cooked to refer to roasted food. The Gemara concludes that in truth, everyone agrees בנדרים הלך אחר לשון בני אדם – with nedarim, follow the language of people for how a term is used. Rebbe Yoshiyah forbids roasted food, because in his location, the word “cooked” was also commonly used to refer to roasted food. The Gemara adds that although he quoted a passuk as proof (which is not pertinent to common usage), he intended it merely as an אסמכתא – a passuk in support.
- Rebbe Yehudah’s shining face
At the end of a discussion of the effects of various foods, the Gemara tells that Rebbe Yehudah was once sitting before Rebbe Tarfon, who commented that Rebbe Yehudah’s face was shining. Rebbe Yehudah explained that the day before, his servants had gathered beets and he ate them without salt, and had he eaten them with salt, his face would have shone even more. The Gemara records another incident, in which a noblewoman said to Rebbe Yehudah: "מורה ורוי" – “One who issues rulings and is drunk!” She had thought his shining face was a result of intoxication. Rebbe Yehudah responded that, on the contrary, he only drank wine for Kiddush, Havdalah, and the four cups of wine on Pesach, and he had to bind his temples from Pesach until Shavuos because of the severe headaches he suffered from the four cups. Rather, the shine of his face was as the passuk states: חכמת אדם תאיר פניו – A man’s wisdom brightens his face. The Gemara records a third incident, in which a Sadducee accused Rebbe Yehudah of possessing a shining face as a result of either lending with interest or raising pigs (both extraordinarily profitable), and Rebbe Yehudah responded that both are forbidden, and explained his shining face based on the many lavatories he frequented.
- Rebbe Yehudah’s extreme poverty
The Gemara relates that when Rebbe Yehudah would go to the Beis Medrash, he carried a jug on his shoulder (on which to sit) and remarked, גדולה מלאכה שמכבדת את בעליה – “Great is labor, for it honors its performers.” Rebbe Yehudah’s wife once obtained wool and fashioned a fine cloak from it. When she would go to the marketplace, she would wear it, and when he would go to daven, he would wear it, and would make the blessing: ברוך שעטני מעיל – “Blessed is He Who wrapped me with a robe.” The Gemara relates that once Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel decreed a fast, and Rebbe Yehudah did not attend the gathering. When told that Rebbe Yehudah did not attend because he had nothing to wear, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel sent clothing, which Rebbe Yehudah refused. Rebbe Yehudah then lifted a mat and showed the messenger the great wealth hidden there (which appeared by a miracle) and explained that he did not wish to benefit from this world.
