(1) [One] should not stand up to pray unless he is in a serious frame of mind. The early pious ones used to meditate for one hour and only then pray, in order to properly direct their hearts towards the God. [While one is reciting Shemoneh Esrei,] even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him. And even if a snake wraps around his heel, he should not interrupt.
(1) Inhabitants of a town who have sold the town square, may purchase with that money a synagogue. The money obtained by the sale of a synagogue, they may apply to the purchase of an ark [to keep the rolls of the Holy Law in]; for that obtained by the sale of such an ark, cloaks or wrappers for the rolls of the Holy Law may be purchased; for the produce of such wrappers, sacred books may be purchased; for the produce of sacred books, a roll of the Holy Law may be purchased; but if they had sold a roll of the Holy Law, it will not be lawful to apply that money for the purchase of [other] sacred books, nor wrappers for the proceeds of sacred books, nor an ark for the proceeds of wrappers, nor a synagogue with the proceeds of an ark, nor an open [or market] place with the money obtained by the sale of a synagogue, and even so in respect to any surplus fund. According to R. Meir, it is unlawful to sell sacred public property to private individuals, because its sanctity becomes thereby lowered: but the sages replied, "If so, it would be also prohibited for a large town to sell sacred things to a smaller one."
(1) The mitzvah concerning the prohibition of eating the "sinew which shrank" [גיד הנשה] is obligatory in and out of the Holy Land, during and after the existence of the Temple, in animals slaughtered for profane use [חולין], and in respect also to consecrated sacrifices, and applies to wild and domestic animals, and to both the right and left thighs of the animal; it does not apply to fowl, since these have no "hollow in the thigh." It applies to a fœtus in embryo. R. Yehuda says it does not apply to a foetus in embryo, and its suet [חלב] is permitted to use. According to R. Meir, "The assertion of butchers in respect to their having removed the גיד הנשה is not to be relied on;" but the sages hold, "That they may be relied on in this respect, and in that of the removal of חלב, or suet."
(1) Monetary suits are judged with three judgesKimber1911; theft and personal injury with three; damage and half-damage, (crimes for which one would) pay double, or pay quadruple or quintuple, rape, violation, and giving a bad name with three - these are the words of Rabbi Meir. But the sages say, giving a bad name with 23 because this is a capital crime.
(1) He that sees a place where a miracle was done for Israel say, “Blessed are you that did miracles for our ancestors in this place.” A place in the land of Israel that had idol worship uprooted from it say, “Blessed are you that uprooted idol worshippers from our land.”
(א) חבית שנשברה, מצילין הימנה מזון שלש סעדות, ואומר לאחרים, בואו והצילו לכם, ובלבד שלא יספג.אין סוחטין את הפרות להוציא מהן משקין, ואם יצאו מעצמן, אסורין.רבי יהודה אומר, אם לאוכלין, היוצא מהן מתר, ואם למשקין, היוצא מהן אסור.חלות דבש שרסקן מערב שבת ויצאו מעצמן, אסורין.ורבי אליעזר מתיר.
(1) Should a cask break, sufficient may be saved to serve three meals. The owner may also call to others, "Come and save for yourselves whatever you can;" provided, always, that no portion of the leakage be soaked up with a sponge. One must not squeeze fruits, so as to extract the juice; and if it ooze out by itself, it is forbidden to use it. R. Yehudah says, "If the fruits are for eating, the juice which oozes out is permitted for use, but if the fruits are for beverage, the juice which oozes out is forbidden for use. If honey-cakes have been broken on the Sabbath-eve, and the honey oozes out, it is forbidden for use; but R. Eleazar permits its use.
(1) The Priest shook the urn and brought up the two lots. On one was inscribed: “For the Name”, and on the other: “For Azazel.” The deputy high priest was at his right hand, and the head of the ministering family at his left. If the lot “For the Name” came up in his right hand, the deputy high priest would say to him: “Sir, high priest, raise your right hand!” And if the lot “For the Name” came up in his left hand, the head of the family would say: “Sir high priest, raise your left hand!” Then he placed them on the two goats and said: “A sin-offering for the Lord!” Rabbi Ishmael said: he did not need to say, “a sin-offering”, but just “for the Lord. And they answered after him: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever!”
(1) On Yom Kippur, it is forbidden to eat, to drink, to wash, to anoint, and to wear leather shoes and to have sexual relations. The King and the newly wed may wash their faces. And the pregnant mother may wear leather shoes according to the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer; but the Sages prohibit this.
(1) From when may one recite the Shema in the evening? From the time when the Kohanim go in to eat their terumah, until the end of the first watch – so says Rabbi Eliezer. And the Sages say: Until midnight. Rabban Gamliel says: Until the break of dawn. It once happened that his [Rabban Gamliel’s] sons came from a house of feasting. They said to him: We have not recited the Shema. He said to them: If dawn has not broken, you are obligated to recite it. And this is true not only in this case; rather, in all cases where the Sages said "until midnight" — their mitzvot are in force until the break of dawn. [For example:] Burning the fats and limbs [of the sacrifices, on the Temple altar] — their mitzvot can be performed until the break of dawn. And: all sacrifices which may be eaten for one day — their mitzvot can be performed until the break of dawn. If that is so, why did the Sages say, "until midnight"? To distance a person from transgression.
(1) The order of these fasts applies only when the first fructifying rains do not descend; but when the sprouts degenerate, they shall immediately commence to sound an alarm. It is also to be sounded immediately if there be an interval of forty days between each rain; because it is a general plague on the land, causing dearth.
(1) On the eve of Passover from close to the time of the afternoon offering, no one must eat until nightfall. Even the poorest person in Israel must not eat on the night of Passover until he reclines at the seder. And they must give him no fewer than four cups of wine, even if he receives relief from the charity plate.
Produce grown outside of the land of Israel, which are imported into the land of Israel require the taking of Challah. Exported from here to there, Rabbi Eliezer requires Challah, and Rabbi Akiva exempts them.