Shabbat 155B

את הדלועין לפני הבהמה ואת הנבלה לפני הכלבים. מאי לאו, דלועין דומיא דנבלה: מה נבלה ⁠— דרכיכא, אף דלועין ⁠— דרכיכי, אלמא טרחינן באוכלא, ותיובתא דרב יהודה! אמר לך רב יהודה: לא, נבלה דומיא דדלועין: מה דלועין דאשוני, אף נבלה ⁠— דאשונא. והיכי משכחת לה? בבשר פילי. אי נמי, בגורייאתא זוטרי.

pumpkins before an animal and an animal carcass before dogs. Is this not referring to pumpkins that are similar to an animal carcass? Just as an animal carcass is soft, so too, the pumpkins referred to here are soft. Apparently, one may exert himself with food, and this is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Rav Yehuda. The Talmud answers that Rav Yehuda could have said to you: No, the Mishnah is referring to an animal carcass that is similar to pumpkins. Just as the reference is to pumpkins that are hard, so too, the reference is to an animal carcass that is hard, and chopping it renders it edible. The Talmud asks: And how is it possible to find an animal carcass that is so hard that another animal cannot eat it? The Talmud answers: The Mishnah is referring to elephant flesh. Alternatively, it can be explained that the Mishnah is referring to more common animal meat placed before puppies that can eat only chopped meat.

תא שמע, דתני רב חנן מנהרדעא: מפרכין תבן ואספסתא ומערבין. אלמא טרחינן באוכלא! תבן בתיבנא סריא, אספסתא ⁠— בעילי זוטרי.

Come and hear a proof from that which Rav Ḥanan of Neharde’a taught: One may crumble straw and alfalfa on Shabbat and mix the two together, and the animal then eats the straw because it is mixed with the alfalfa. Apparently, one may exert himself with food on Shabbat. The Talmud rejects this proof: No, the straw mentioned here is rotten straw that requires special preparation to render it suitable for animal consumption, and alfalfa is taught with regard to young donkeys who can only eat it in small pieces.