גיטין ל

In the times of the נודע ביהודה, it was customary for the בחורי ישיבה to eat their meals at the homes of local בעלי בתים. In the community of the נודע ביהודה it was also customary for the בחורי ישיבה to leave over a portion of their meals as שיריים for the בעלי בתים to enjoy from the food of those who are עוסק בתורה. One of the בעלי בתים once complained to the נודע ביהודה that a בחור did not leave him שיריים from his סעודה. The נודע ביהודה told him not to let it bother him. Instead, he said, “When the boy comes tomorrow, ask him the question which I’m now going to relate to you and from his answer you will understand why he doesn’t leave שיריים. The בעל הבית heard the question and agreed to ask it of the boy. The next day, when the boy came for his meal, the בעל הבית asked him as follows: “In מסכת חולין we see that the donkey of ר׳ פנחס בן יאיר wouldn’t eat barley before מעשר was taken from it. This donkey was obviously a בקי בהלכה. But, if so, it should have known that the הלכה follows ר׳ מאיר that ‘נותן עינו בצד זה ואוכל בצד אחר’ and according to this, he could have eaten from the barley until he was full.” After thinking for but a moment, the boy responded: “The הלכה of ר׳ מאיר was known to the donkey, but he refrained from eating because he would have been required to leave over that part of the barley that he did see with his eyes. The donkey was concerned that if he did so it’s master would think that he was satisfied eating only a portion of the food and next time the master would reduce his ration.” The בעל הבית got the message.

06/10/2021