Thursday, November 01, 2007

Spit Out all of the Saliva

Rav Anan bar Tachlifa related (Kesuvos 61a): I was once standing in the presence of Shmuel when they brought him a dish of mushrooms, and, had he not given me to eat from it, I would have been exposed to danger.

Rav Ashi said: I was once standing before Rav Kahana when they brought him slices of turnip heads in vinegar, and, had he not given me to eat from it, I would have been exposed to danger.

Rav Papa said: Even a fragrant date may expose one to danger.

This is the general rule: Any food that has a strong aroma or an sharp taste will expose a man to danger if he is not allowed to eat from it.

The Gemora records a related incident: A Roman once said to a woman, “Will you marry me?” “No,” she replied. Thereupon, he brought some pomegranates, split them open and ate them in her presence. She kept on swallowing all the saliva that irritated her, but he did not give her any of the fruit until her body became swollen. Eventually, he said to her, “If I cure you, will you marry me?” “Yes,” she replied. He went and brought more pomegranates, split them open and ate them in her presence. He said to her, “All the saliva that irritates you, spit out at once, and again and again.” She continued doing so until something issued forth from her body in the shape of a green palm-leaf, and she recovered.

Reb Akiva Eiger (Y”D 336) writes in the name of the Maharil: The Mahari Segal told us that it is forbidden to test any of the remedies and cures mentioned in the Talmud, for we do not fully comprehend all the intricate details, and if we attempt to duplicate them and it fails to heal the sick, it will result in the mocking of our Sages. (He cites one exception that is mentioned in Meseches Shabbos.)

The Mishna Berura (617:8) cites our Gemora as a cure for one who smells the aroma of a certain food and he is unable to eat from it. He should be careful to spit out all the saliva accumulated in his mouth and he should not swallow any of it. His ruling indicates that this is not a magical remedy; but rather, it is a natural phenomenon, and it is applicable nowadays.

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