Monday 12 May 2014

beitza 38

laughing and shaming the one who wants to be part of the group,
but like the borrowed spice, the outsider stands alone and distinct.

(R. Abba came from Bavel to Israel and wanted to be accepted by the scholars in Israel. he hears a discussion about if water and salt can be nullified within dough and offers an coutner-argument. the scholars laugh at him, and after R. Abba says why are they shaming him, they laugh more and then the gemara proceeds to defend the laughing... among the cases they discuss about a small substance not becoming nullified in the larger amount is the example of borrowing a spice for cooking. the taste of the spice will always be distinct. the outsider here, R. Abba, wants to be part of the larger group, but is shamed and remains apart)

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