Talmud su Ezechiele 31:8

‘Whoever learns from his fellow a single chapter.’ Since [the Baraitha] refers to ‘a single small letter’, what need was there to mention ‘one word’? And [since it refers] to ‘one word’, why mention ‘a single rule’ or ‘a single chapter’? [The intention is] one letter of the Talmud, one word of the Mishnah, one verse of Scripture, one rule even though it has not been established, one chapter even of [the tractate] Derek ’Ereẓ.¹³⁵The text of H is followed. Derek ’Ereẓ is a treatise on ethical conduct, included in this series of Minor Tractates. How [can one learn] ‘a single letter’? For example,¹³⁶Cf. Shab. 77b (Sonc. ed., p. 365, nn. 4, 6, 8) where the discussion is on whether certain Hebrew words are to be spelt with the letter ’alef or ‘ayin. me’ammeẓin or me‘ammeẓin; gar’inin or gar‘inin; or ’ommemoth or ‘ommemoth. And he¹³⁷Rabbah b. ‘Ulla in Shab. loc. cit. gave a reason [that the word should be spelt] gar ‘inin, for it is written, And an abatement shall be made [wenigra‘] from thy valuation;¹³⁸Lev. 27, 18, where the root gara‘ is spelt with ‘ayin. ‘ommemoth, for it is written, The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it;¹³⁹Ezek. 31, 8. There the root ‘amam is spelt with ‘ayin. me‘ammeẓin, for it is written, And shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil.¹⁴⁰Isa. 33, 15. Again the root ‘aẓam has the letter ‘ayin. He did not, however, give his own opinion [whether these words should be written] with ’alef or ‘ayin. But one [of the examples cited] is written with ’alef? They are surely written with ’ayin! He speaks of words which enter the heart,¹⁴¹So rendered by H. It may mean examples of a natural interchange of sibilants. as for instance, massiḳin, meziḳin.¹⁴²Cf. B.B. 116b (Sonc. ed., p. 695) where both words are used in the sense of ‘bandits’. But is not this [a better] example—for instance that which we have learnt:¹⁴³Beẓah 35b (Sonc. ed., p. 179). One may let fruit drop [mashshilin] through a trap-door on a Festival? If [one uses the verb] mashshilin he does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁴Beẓah loc. cit. [If the firstling is a] shaḥol or a kasol, [it may be slaughtered]; shaḥol [means an animal] whose hip has become dislocated and kasol [an animal] one of whose hips is higher than the other.¹⁴⁵Hence the root shaḥal means ‘slip, fall’, the same as the root nashal in mashshilin. If one teaches the word mashshirin¹⁴⁶From the root nashar, ‘fall’. he does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁷Beẓah loc. cit. If one’s clothes fell [nashru] in the water on a Sabbath he may walk in them without fear. He who uses the word mashshirin does not make a mistake; for we have learnt:¹⁴⁸ibid. The hair-clipper [shaḥor]¹⁴⁹Which causes the hair ‘to fall’ from the head. and the barber’s scissors are susceptible to defilement even though [the two parts] are separated. But [we are speaking of the change] of one letter and here it [deals with the change of] one word! It was only necessary as an opinion.¹⁵⁰A general example of the interchange of letters.
Raba said: Even with the waw, which is clearly one letter, you might argue that since it does not add anything to the meaning, conclude that one is not [obliged to honour him who teaches it]! Hence [the Baraitha] teaches that, since at times with the help of it a reason [for a law] is established [it is to be taken into consideration],¹⁵¹i.e. he is obligated to pay honour to him who teaches it to him. and it only applies where the reason [for a law] is established by it. Raba said: [It also applies] in connection with Scripture, although the reason for a law may not be established by it and it may be a letter that is not pronounced. But you said ‘a verse of Scripture’!¹⁵²If taught warrants respect to the instructor. This was necessary for a case when he expounded it in connection with a halakah.