Content
Fragments
from the book: Epstein I. Babylonian Talmud.
Seder Kodashim. Vol. 2. Hullin (1948). The editor comments on the words of
Rabbi Samuel (Shmuel) in the tractate Hullin of the Babylonian Talmud,
explaining the location of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in relation to
the joint and its differences from the sciatic nerve. The original in
Russian is available at: 1948EpsteinI.
Quote p.
500
Hullin.
Chapter 7.89b
MISHNAH.
[THE PROHIBITION OF] THE SCIATIC NERVE(1) IS IN FORCE BOTH WITHIN THE HOLY LAND
AND OUTSIDE IT, BOTH DURING THE EXISTENCE OF THE TEMPLE AND AFTER IT, IN
RESPECT OP BOTH UNCONSECRATED AND CONSECRATED [ANIMALS]. IT APPLIES TO CATTLE
AND TO WILD ANIMALS, TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT HIP, BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO BIRDS
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO SPOON-SHAPED HIP(2). IT ALSO APPLIES TO A FOETUS. R. JUDAH
SAYS, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO A FOETUS. AND ITS(3) FAT IS PERMITTED. BUTCHERS ARE
NOT TRUSTWORTHY WITH REGARD TO THE [REMOVAL OF THE] SCIATIC NERVE(4): SO R.
MEIR. THE SAGES SAY, THEY ARE TRUSTWORTHY WITH REGARD TO IT AS WELL AS WITH
REGARD TO THE [FORBIDDEN] FAT.
(1) Gen
XXXII. In the whole of this Chapter the Sciatic nerve is often referred to as
‘the nerve’. (2) The ‚muscles upon the hip bone (or femur) of a bird lie flat
and are not raised and convex like those of cattle. In cattie the entire hip is
very much like the back of a spoon or like a club. This feature is expressly
specified in the prohibition, … , the spoon of the thigh, i.e., the convex
prominence of the thigh‘. Gen. ibid. (3) The fat of the foetus; or, according
to others, the fat surrounding the sciatic nerve. (4) For it entails hard and
careful work, and it is doubtful whether the butcher would follow it up in all
its ramifications; consequently one may not rely upon him. (5) The prohibition
of the sciatic nerve attached to the animal the moment it was born.
Quote p.
508.
Hullin.
Chapter 7.91a
For it was
taught: The fat thereof is permitted, but Israel being a holy people have
treated it as forbidden. Rabina said, It(3) can only be explained according to
the statement of Rab Judah in the name of Samuel. For Rab Judah said in the
name of Samuel, It consists of two nerves, the inner, next the bone is
forbidden and one is liable on account of it; the outer next to the flesh is
forbidden but one is not liable on account of it.
(3) the
sciatic nerve
Quote
pp. 538-539
Hullin.
Chapter 7.96ab
IF A PERSON
ATE AN OLIVE S BULK OF THE SCIATIC NERVE etc. Samuel said, The Torah forbade
only that part [of the nerve] which is on the spoon(7), for it is written,
Which is upon the spoon of the thigh. R. Papa said, This [statement of Samuel]
is the subject of dispute between Tannaim; for it was taught: If a person ate
[the whole of] it and it was not as much as an olive’s bulk, he is nevertheless
liable. R. Judah says, [He is not liable] unless it was as much as an olive’s
bulk. What is the reason of the Rabbis? — Because it is a complete entity in
itself. [96b] And what does R. Judah [say to this]? — The term ‘eating’ is used
in connection there with.? And the Rabbis? — The term eating’ is to teach that
if it [the sciatic nerve] consisted of four or five olives' bulk and he ate
thereof the size of one olive, he is liable. And R. Judah? — That is derived
from the expression, ‘Which is upon the spoon of the thigh’. And the Rabbis? —
This verse is required for Samuel’s teaching, for Samuel said, The Torah
forbade only that part [of the nerve] which is on the spoon. And R. Judah? — It
is written ‘the thigh', that is, the entire thigh. And the Rabbis? —That is to
indicate that the prohibited nerve is the one that is spread over the whole of
the thigh, [namely the inner one], and not the outer one; but of course, only
[so much of it is prohibited as is] upon the spoon. But is not the expression
‘spoon’ required to teach that [the prohibition of the sciatic nerve] does not
apply to birds as they have not a spoon-shaped hip? — The word ‘spoon’ is
written twice [in the verse].
(7) The muscles at the proximal end of the thigh are rounded and convex like the back of a spoon. Only that part of the sciatic nerve which runs in these muscles, says Samuel, is prohibited.
Epstein I
(Ed). Babylonian Talmud. Seder Kodashim. Vol. 2. Hullin. Trans. E.
Cashdan. London: The Soncino Press, 1948. archive.org
Samuel (Shmuel, Amora, c. 165 – c. 257) was a physician,
teacher, judge, astronomer, lived in Nehardea (Babylonia). jewishencyclopedia.com , sefaria.org , wikipedia.org
ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, Torah, Bible, animals, synonym, anatomy, damage, non-scientific synonym
NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7
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