Study Shabbat folio 110A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
בר קשא דפומבדיתא דטרקיה חיויא, הוה תליסרי חמרי חיורתא בפומבדיתא, קרעינהו לכולהו, ואישתכחו טריפה. הואי חדא בההוא גיסא דפומבדיתא, עד דאזלי מייתי לה אכלה אריא. אמר להו אביי: דילמא חיויא דרבנן טרקיה, דלית ליה אסותא, דכתיב: ״ופרץ גדר ישכנו נחש״. אמרו ליה: אין רבי, דכי נח נפשיה דרב, גזר רב יצחק בר ביסנא דליכא דלימטי אסא וגידמי לבי הילולא [בטבלא], ואזל איהו אמטי אסא וגידמי לבי הילולא בטבלא. טרקיה חיויא, ומית.
Jewish official in Pumbedita that was bitten by a snake. There were 13 white donkeys in Pumbedita and they tore them all open and they were found to be tereifot. There was one donkey on the other side of Pumbedita, and until they went to bring it, a lion ate it. Abaye said to them: Since all of these things have happened, perhaps a snake of the Rabbis bit him, for which there is no cure, as it is written: “One that digs a pit will fall into it, and one who breaches a fence will be bitten by a snake” (Ecclesiastes 10:8). Perhaps this person violated a rabbinic decree, also known as a fence, and was bitten by a snake as punishment. That bite has no cure. They said to him: Yes, my teacher! it is so, as when Rav died Rav Yitzḥak bar Bisna ruled that one may not bring myrtle and palm branches to a wedding hall to accompany bells, and he went and brought myrtle and palm branches to the wedding hall with bells. Therefore, a snake bit him. And it is reported that ultimately the official died.
האי מאן דכרכיה חיויא — לינחות למיא וליסחוף דיקולא ארישיה ולהדקיה מיניה, וכי סליק עילויה — לישדיה למיא וליסלוק וליתי. האי מאן דמיקני ביה חיויא, אי איכא חבריה בהדיה — לירכביה ארבע גרמידי, ואי לא — לישואר נגרא, ואי לא — ליעבר נהרא, ובליליא — לותביה לפריה — אארבע חביתא, וניגני בי כוכבי, ולייתי ארבעה שונרי וליסרינהו בארבעה כרעי דפורייה, וליתי שחפי ולישדי התם, דכי שמעי קליה אכלי ליה. האי מאן דרהיט אבתריה — לירהוט בי חלתא.
The Talmud cites additional information about the dangers posed by snakes and how to deal with them. One whom a snake encircled should descend into water and place a basket on his head and remove the snake slowly from him into the basket. And once the snake goes into the basket, let him throw it into the water and climb and emerge. One at whom a snake is angry and is being pursued by a snake, if he has another with him, let him ride him 4 cubits. And if not, let him jump over a ditch. And if not, let him cross a river. And at night let him place his bed on 4 jugs and sleep outside beneath the stars. And let one bring 4 cats and let one tie them to the 4 legs of the bed. And let one bring twigs and branches and throw them there so that when the cats hear the sound of the snake crawling they will eat it. One who is being pursued by a snake, let him run in sand because a snake cannot move as quickly in sand as a person can.