Siman - Pesachim Daf 49
- One left home and forgot to do biyur chametz
The second Mishnah on the Daf states, ההולך לשחוט את פסחו – if one is going on the fourteenth of Nissan to shecht his korban pesach, or to circumcise his son, or to eat at a seudas erusin at his father-in-law’s house, and he remembers he has chametz in his house: אם יכול לחזור ולבער ולחזור למצותו יחזור ויבער – If he is able to return home, dispose of his chametz and then go back to the mitzvah, he should return and dispose of it. If not, מבטלו בלבו – he should nullify it in his heart. If he is on his way to rescue Jews from an attack by nochrim, from a flooding river, from bandits, from a fire or from a collapsed building, he should nullify the chametz in his heart. ולשבות שביתת הרשות – However, if he went to establish his makom shevisa for an optional purpose, יחזור מיד - he should return immediately and dispose of the chametz.
- The value of marrying a bas talmid chochom
It was taught in a Baraisa, לעולם ימכור אדם כל מה שיש לו וישא בת תלמיד חכם – A man should always be prepared to sell all he owns and marry the daughter of a talmid chochom, וישא בתו לתלמוד חכם – or marry off his daughter to a talmid chochom. משל לעבני הגפן בענבי הגפן דבר נאה ומתקבל – Such a marriage is analogous to the grapes of a vine with the grapes of another vine which is something fine and acceptable. Each grape improves the taste of the other .
Another Baraisa taught that if one cannot marry a bas talmid chochom, he should marry the daughter of the גדולי הדור, which Rashi explains to mean אנשי מעשה וצדיקים - men of good deeds and righteous people. If he cannot find one, he should marry the daughter of community leaders. If he cannot find one, he should marry the daughter of one of the gabbai tzedakah. If he cannot find one, he should marry the daughter of מלמדי תינוקות – cheder rebbes . But he should not marry a daughter of an am haaretz, מפני שהן שקץ - because amei haaretz are vermin, their wives are insects which Rashi explains means that they are not careful in mitzvos, and regarding their daughters it says, ארור שכב עם כל בהמה – Accursed is one who lies with an animal, which Rashi explains means that they lack the understanding that Torah is your life and length of days.
- The hatred of amei haaretz for talmidei chochomim
The Daf brings several teachings about amei haaretz and their hatred of talmidei chochomim for feeling disparaged. It was taught in a Baraisa that Rebbe Akiva said, כשהייתי עם הארץ אמרתי מי יתן לי תלמיד חכם ואנשכנו כחמור – When I was an am haaretz I said, “Who will give me a talmid chochom that I might bite him like a donkey?”. His talmidim asked him why he did not say ‘like a dog’ instead, which is the animal that typically bites, and he answered, זה נושך ושובר עצם וזה נושך ואינו שובר עצם – this one, referring to a donkey, bites strongly and therefore breaks a bone, whereas this one, referring to a dog, bites, but not strong enough to break a bone.
Another Baraisa taught, גדולה שנאה ששונאין עמי הארץ לתלמיד חכם יותר משנאה ששונאין אומות העולם את ישראל – The hatred that amei haaretz feel towards a talmid chochom is greater than the hatred the nations of the world feel towards Yisroel. ונשותיהן יותר מהן – and their wives hate talmidei chochomim even more than they do. Another Baraisa taught, שנה ופירש יותר מכולן – One who was once learned and then departed from its way, hates talmidei chochomim more than all of them do. Rashi explains that they are aware of the low regard that talmidei chochomim have for amei haaretz.
