Pisqa’ 230¹

1

“You may not sow your vineyard with incompatible species

lest you prohibit² the whole” (Dt.22:9).

Do I need to know this?

Isn’t it already stated:

“Your field you may not sow

with incompatible species” (Lv.19:19)?

[The redundancy] teaches that

whoever maintains a vineyard

with incompatible species

transgresses two proscriptions:

[One concerning a vineyard (Dt.22:9)

and one concerning a field (Lv.19:19)].³

2

Now, I might infer only that

this rule applies when the entire vineyard is sown

with incompatible species!

But, how do I know that

[the prohibition applies to]

even a single fruit-bearing vine

[sown, say, in a wheat field]?

The Teaching states:

“A vineyard” (Dt.22:9)—

[containing] any number [of vines].⁴

How, furthermore, do I know that

grapes of a vineyard sown with incompatible species

are prohibited for benefit?

The term, prohibited, appears here (Dt.22:9),

and the term, prohibited, appears elsewhere (Lv.5:15).

Just as [the grapes] prohibited elsewhere

are forbidden for benefit,

do, too, [the grapes] prohibited here

are [prohibited] for benefit.

3

“Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9).

At what point [in its growth] is

the whole of the seed prohibited?
When it strikes root.

[This criterion holds for grain or greens,]

but as for grapes—

when they are the size of white beans.⁵

“Of the seed” (Dt.22:9)—

excluding from the rule seed [sown inadvertently]

in manure or by watering the field.

If one was sowing seed [in one field],

and it was blown down-wind [to another]—

[what is the application of the rule]? ⁶

Is it possible for me to exempt from the rule

the case of one who was sowing seed,

and it was blown down-wind?

The Teaching states:

“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

[ The rule is limited to fields intentionally sown

in violation of the rule].

As for one who maintains thorns in a vineyard—

R. Eliezer says:

He has placed it under prohibition,

for it is said:

“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

[and maintaining the thorns is like sowing them].

But sages say:

“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

this excludes the case of

one who maintains thorns in a vineyard

[since the thorns are neither seed nor are they sown]. ⁷

4

“Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown, and the yield” (Dt.22:9).

At what point in its growth is the yield prohibited?
When it strikes root.

[This holds for grain and greens,]

But as for grapes—

When they are the size of white beans.⁸

I might infer that

the rule only applies to a vineyard that is actually productive.

How do I know that it may also apply

to a vineyard that is barren?

The Teaching states:

“A vineyard” (Dt.22:9)—

of any sort.

I might infer that

the rule only applies to your own [Israelite] field.

How do I know that it may also apply

to fields owned by [gentile] others?

The Teaching states:

“You may not sow . . . with incompatible species’ (Dt.22:9)—

in any [field, owned by anyone].

One who extends the tendril of a grape vine

over seed of an incompatible species—

even [if the extension covers] a distance of a hundred cubits—

the vine and its fruit are prohibited under the rule.⁹

5

“You may not plow with an ox and an ass as one” (Dt.22:10)—

is it possible to say that

you can’t plow with this one on its own,

and then with that one on its own?

The Teaching states:

“As one” (Dt.22:10)—

however, plowing with this one on its own,

and then with that one on its own is permitted.

Another word:

“Incompatible species” (Dt.22:9)—

[species implies a minimum of two].

This places a vineyard under the rule

as well as a field [of wheat or greens].

Another word:

“Lest you prohibit the whole of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

lest you impose a prohibition upon all of it:

As was explained by R. Josiah.

6

“Of the seed you have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

I might assume that the rule only applies

to seed sown by him.

How do I know that

the rule applies as well where his companion has done the sowing,

but the owner of the field desires to maintain it?

The Teaching states:

“You have sown” (Dt.22:9)—

by anyone, [acceptable to both parties].¹⁰

1. H:240-241; JN2:142-143.
2. Heb: tiqdash. In this context, the root q-d-sh has the sense of “taboo” and refers to produce the use of which is forbidden until it is deconsecrated.
3. Cf. Sifra, qedoshim, per. 4:16
4. Cf. M. Kil. 4:6.
5. = M. Kil.7:7.
6. Cf. M. Kil. 5:7.
7. // M. Kil. 5:8.
8. = M. Kil. 7:7 and Pisqa’ 230.3.
9. =T. Kil. 4:10.
10. The text at 230.5-6 is missing from several early copies. See F:263, n.11.