- Spending maaser sheini monies on birds
On Daf 27b, two Baraisos learned from the passuk of maaser sheini utilizing כלל פרט וכלל, which foods can be purchased with maaser sheini funds. One Baraisa concluded that the food must be, פרי מפרי וגדולי קרקע – something that reproduces from its own seed and is nourished by the ground. The other Baraisa concluded that it must be ולד ולדות הארץ – generated by something that was created from the ground.
The Gemara asks what foods these two Baraisos are arguing about, and after rejecting a suggestion that was erroneously presented in the name of Abaye, Ravina answers that the machlokes is about birds. The first Baraisa includes birds because they are also nourished from the ground, whereas the second Baraisa excludes them because they were not created from the ground, but from the רקק, a place where there was both dry land and water.
The Gemara goes on to explain how each Baraisa arrived at their conclusion based on the different way they understood how to apply the principle of כלל פרט וכלל.
- Making an eruv with coriander
It was said in the name of Rav, מערבין בגודגדניות – one may make an eruv with coriander. The Gemara questions this based on a Baraisa that teaches that since coriander causes one to diminish zera, it should
not be eaten by those without children, and if the stalks became hard enough for the seeds to have ripened, then even those with many children should not eat it, since it is harmful to one’s health. How then could it be considered a significant food to be used as an eruv, if it has such a detrimental effect?
The Gemara gives three answers. 1. Rav only permitted them to be used for an eruv for those that had children, and only when they were not yet hardened enough to harm them. 2. Even those that were not hardened were permitted to be used for an eruv by those that did not have children since they are suitable for those that do, similar to permitting wine to be used by a nazir for an eruv since wine is permitted to others. 3. Rav only permitted הנדקוקי מדאי – median coriander, which is a harmless variety.
- The berachos on green grains and hops
Rebbe Zeira had a discussion with a young boy outside the Beis Midrash regarding the berachos for כשות וחזיז- hops and green grain. The boy said that his Rebbe taught him the beracha for hops was בורא פרי אדמה and the beracha for green grain was שהכל נהיה בדברו. Rebbe Zeira said it was more logical that the beracha for green grain should be האדמה, since it grows from the ground, whereas the hops should be שהכל since it is nourished from the air. Rashi explains that hops do not sprout from the earth but grow on prickly branches of shrubs.
The Gemara concludes that the halacha is like the schoolboy, and explains that since hops are a fully matured fruit, a בורא פרי האדמה is said, whereas green grains are not fully ripened so a בורא פרי האדמה is not recited. Hops are also nourished from the ground which is evident when they die after a shrub is cut down.
