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Avodah Zarah 28b

עבודה זרה כ״ח ע״ב

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Topic

Medical remedies (hemorrhoids, ear pain) and which dangerous conditions, especially eye problems, may be treated on שבת

Overview

This עמוד opens with practical medical advice. First comes a remedy for hemorrhoids, with backup cures for the deeper kind. Next is the cure taught to רבי אבהו for ear pain: lukewarm fluid from a goat's kidney, followed by a chain of fallback cures and a memory aid about moist and dry treatments. The גמרא then returns to healing on שבת. רבי חנינא allows putting the ears back in place, and there are two versions of which method is allowed. רב rules that a dangerously sick eye may be treated on שבת, and רבי יעקב reports from רב יהודה that this applies even if it needs grinding and carrying. A story about רב שמואל בר יהודה and שמואל's maidservant shows the source of the ruling. The reason given is that the eye is linked to the heart. רב יהודה then lists which eye problems count, and the עמוד ends with his warnings about bathhouses and hot and cold remedies, which finish on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

בְּפִיקְעָא,

from hemorrhoids.

אוֹרִי לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַמֵּי,

Rabbi Ami instructed him,

וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַבִּי אַסִּי אוֹרִי לֵיהּ:

and some say Rabbi Asi instructed him:

לַיְתֵי שַׁב בִּינֵי אַהֲלָא תּוֹלָנָא,

he should bring seven seeds of worm-red ice plant,

The steps (35)

  1. StatementA remedy for hemorrhoids
  2. QuestionWhat about the deeper, lower hemorrhoid?
  3. ResponseMelted goat fat for the lower crevice
  4. ResponseBackup remedies if goat fat is not available
  5. Statementרבי אבהו's ear pain
  6. QuestionWhat was the advice?
  7. Responseאביי's mother: the kidney is for the ear
  8. ProofThe doctor מניומי agrees
  9. ResponseThe kidney recipe for ear pain
  10. StatementFirst backup cure: melted beetle fat
  11. StatementSecond backup cure: oil and seven burning alfalfa wicks
  12. StatementA second version of the wick cure: wax wicks with alfalfa oil
  13. StatementThird backup cure: uncombed fiber held near the fire
  14. StatementFourth backup cure: an old reed with rock salt
  15. ConclusionMemory aid: moist cures for dry problems, dry cures for moist problems
  16. Statementרבי חנינא: one may raise the ears on שבת
  17. Statementרב שמואל בר יהודה: by hand, not with medicine
  18. StatementOthers say the opposite: with medicine, not by hand
  19. QuestionWhy not by hand?
  20. ResponseBecause the hand might injure the ear
  21. StatementA dangerously sick eye may be treated on שבת
  22. StatementThe first understanding: only if no real מלאכה is needed
  23. Rejectionרבי יעקב: even grinding and carrying are allowed
  24. Statementרב יהודה permits, and רב שמואל בר יהודה mocks
  25. QuestionHis own eye hurts, so he asks
  26. ResponseAllowed for everyone, but not for you
  27. ProofIt is not my own ruling, it comes from מר שמואל
  28. StatementThe maidservant's eye and שמואל's teaching
  29. QuestionWhy is an eye so serious?
  30. ResponseThe eye is connected to the heart
  31. QuestionWhich eye problems count?
  32. Responseרב יהודה's list of dangerous eye problems
  33. StatementFive conditions where the bathhouse is dangerous
  34. StatementRadish for fever, beets for chills
  35. StatementHot and cold remedies for stings and thorns