Siman 116

Just as it is forbidden to eat and drink a forbidden thing, so too it is forbidden to eat and drink a thing of danger. It is common in the Shas that danger is more stringent than a prohibition. For it is written, "And surely your blood of your lives will I require," and it is written, "And you shall guard your lives." And anyone who destroys himself willfully has no portion in the World to Come [as in Gittin 57b]. A person should never place himself in a place of danger saying that they will perform a miracle for him, for perhaps they will not perform a miracle for him; and if they do perform a miracle for him, they deduct from his merits [Shabbat 32b]. And in the Yerushalmi Terumot chapter 8, it is brought regarding one who drank uncovered water on Erev Yom Kippur and said that the merit of Yom Kippur would protect against this, and he did not manage to finish drinking it before his bowels were convulsed and he died. Therefore, a person must be very careful in this.

In the time of the Shas, there was "giluy," meaning liquids that were uncovered and foods that were uncovered were a great danger because of the snakes that ate and drank from them and cast venom there. The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote that now, when snakes are not common among us, we are not concerned with giluy, and therefore they were brief regarding this. This is not a matter of something that was forbidden by a formal assembly which remains forbidden forever even when the reason is nullified, as was written in the previous siman regarding cheese; for regarding giluy, when they decreed, they only decreed upon places where snakes are common, and such was the enactment—that they did not decree upon places where they are not common [Tur, and so wrote the Tosafot, Avodah Zarah 35a]. Nevertheless, one of the great Acharonim wrote that even now in the lands of the inner West, there are many places where snakes and scorpions are common [Pri Chadash, subsection 1] and they must be careful regarding giluy.

The sages taught in the Mishnah of Terumot [chapter 8]: Three liquids are forbidden due to giluy: water, wine, and milk; and all other liquids are permitted because the snake does not drink from them. However, in a Baraita there is that even honey is subject to giluy, and thus we establish the law [Beit Yosef]. The Rambam ruled that even brine is forbidden. And even if people drank from them and were not harmed, one may not drink from them, because there is venom that floats on top, and there is venom that permeates to the middle of the liquid, and there is venom that sinks to the bottom of the vessel; therefore, it is possible that these will be harmed and those will not be harmed [Perek Af Al Pi 30b]. Liquids that were strained with a strainer are subject to giluy, and we do not say that the venom remains on top, for there is no proof, and it is possible that it passed through the strainer. And whenever liquids were uncovered without human guarding, they are subject to giluy, whether by day or by night. And specifically that the person be awake and not sleeping, for the fear of a sleeper is not upon them [Gemara]. And it appears that even if one is dozing it is forbidden due to the doubt. And how much time must they remain uncovered to be forbidden? Long enough for a snake to emerge from under the handle of the vessel and return to its hole, which is a short amount of time.

And what is the measure of the liquids that they should be subject to the law of disclosure? If the liquids are in vessels, they have no measure, and they are forbidden whether they are much or little. And if they are in the ground, they said in the Gemara: forty seah. And the Tur wrote: There are those who explain that if there are forty seah or more, the venom is nullified within them and it is permitted; and there are those who explain the opposite, that up to forty seah it is permitted because they are few, and if there were venom in them it would be noticeable when they are clear, but in forty seah and more it is not noticeable and it is forbidden. And he wrote that it is good to be concerned for the words of both of them. However, a flowing spring of any size is not subject to the law of disclosure [the Rambam, chapter 11 of Rotzeach], for so it is found in the Yerushalmi there. And regarding the measure of the water, the Rambam did not distinguish between forty seah and less or more, but rather wrote plainly that if the water is abundant enough that the venom would be lost within it, it is permitted, see there. And he did not distinguish between vessels and the ground, nor between water and other liquids [and he follows his reasoning in the Commentary on the Mishnah, see there].

Diluted wine is subject to the law of giluy, and the Tur wrote: as long as there is a small amount of wine in it, see there. And it appears his intention is when it is diluted with other liquids that are not subject to giluy, for then it requires a small amount of wine; but when diluted with water, in any case it is subject to giluy [see Pri Chadash]. Fermenting wine is not subject to giluy because the snake does not drink from it; and how long is its fermentation? Three days from the time of its making. Similarly, wine that has soured is not subject to giluy. Similarly, liquids that descend and drip drop by drop are not subject to giluy, for the snake flees from this. And know that in the Yerushalmi there it is stated that this fact that other liquids are not subject to giluy is only by default, but when we saw that the snake drank from them, there is a prohibition in this liquid that is in this vessel. And so it implies in the Gemara regarding Babylonian kutach, that if there are punctures in them we are concerned, see there [30b]. And punctures are like the place of a snake bite [Rashi]. And even though they did not see the snake, nevertheless, since it appears that this is from its puncture, it is forbidden; and the same law applies to all things.

Liquids that were uncovered should not be poured out in a public domain lest a barefoot person pass over them, and one may not sprinkle them in the house, nor may one knead clay with them, nor may one give them to any animal to drink, whether his own or that of others. Even his own is forbidden, for it is forbidden to destroy property directly. However, one may give them to a cat to drink, for cats eat snakes [Pesachim 112b]. And specifically his own cat, but that of others is forbidden because it weakens it temporarily and afterwards it improves, and perhaps the other person wishes to sell it immediately [30b]. And one may not wash his face, his hands, or his feet with them, even in a smooth place, because the venom penetrates [see Rashi at the beginning of Bava Kamma 115b who wrote the reason regarding an animal is lest he slaughter it and eat it, and it implies that an impure animal is permitted; and so wrote the Ran in the first chapter of Avodah Zarah there, and the Beit Yosef wrote that he holds that a cat is not specific, and for any impure animal one is not afraid of the snake's venom, and it requires further study].

The Rambam wrote [ibid.]: Garlic that was crushed and a watermelon that was cut and left uncovered are forbidden, and so too anything similar to them. Thus far his words. This is the wording of the Tur: Any fruit that contains moisture, such as cucumbers and gourds, figs and melons and watermelons, if they are split open one may not eat from them, for there is a concern that perhaps a creeping creature bit into them and deposited venom in them. And even if they are very large, whether detached or attached, and even if we see that something without venom bit into them, such as a bird or a mouse, they are forbidden, for there is a concern that perhaps another creeping creature bit into them first, and this bird bit in the place where the creeping creature bit them. And the Rashba wrote: Specifically those bitten or split where the moisture in them is exposed, but split ones where the moisture in them is not exposed are permitted. Therefore, the "mouth" of a fig—meaning, when one plucks it, a small mouth is formed at the place of its stem—is not subject to the law of uncovered liquids, and a person may eat figs and grapes at night and need not be concerned. Thus far his words [and see the end of section 8].

The Rambam further wrote: Wine or water or milk that were hot—as long as the steam rises from them, they are not subject to the law of giluy, for the snake is afraid of the steam and does not drink from it. Water of pickling, and water of boiled vegetables, and water of lupines are not subject to the law of giluy. And water in which one soaked pickles, boiled vegetables, and lupines—if their taste changed, they are not subject to the law of giluy, but if they do not have a change of taste, they are forbidden. And similarly, water in which one rinsed quinces and damson plums for a sick person is forbidden due to giluy. And wine in which sharp things were mixed, such as peppers, or bitter things like wormwood, until their taste changed, is not subject to the law of giluy, and the same applies to other liquids, etc. A flowing spring, however small, is not subject to the law of giluy. An uncovered flask that one placed in a chest, a box, or a locker, or in his pouch, or in a pit even a hundred cubits deep, or in a tower a hundred cubits high, or in a beautiful and plastered salon—this is forbidden. If he checked the chest or the tower and afterwards placed it there, it is permitted; but if there was a hole in them, it is forbidden. And how large must the hole be? Sufficient for the small finger of a child to enter, etc. Dough that was kneaded with uncovered water, even if it is of terumah, shall be burned, and even if the bread was baked, it is forbidden. Thus far his words. And all of this is in the Yerushalmi and in the Tosefta. The Tur further wrote: All creeping things have venom, and one must be concerned for their puncture; that of a snake is lethal, and that of other creeping things is not lethal but rather harmful. Thus far his words. And it is in the Gemara there.

A punctured fig that dried and became a dried fig, and a punctured date that dried, both are permitted [Jerusalem Talmud ibid.]. And so they said in the Gemara [35b] regarding cheeses: dry is permitted because the venom of a snake does not allow it to dry; aged is permitted because it does not allow it to age. And the same applies to wine that was uncovered and turned to vinegar, it is permitted [Jerusalem Talmud], for if a snake had drunk from it, it would not have turned to vinegar. Nevertheless, initially it is forbidden to leave it until it dries or turns to vinegar, lest they come to eat them and be endangered [ibid.]; that is to say, perhaps the snake truly ate or drank and it will not dry and will not turn to vinegar, and in the meantime they will come to eat them. For even regarding a forbidden matter we are concerned for a pitfall, as I wrote in siman 57, all the more so regarding a matter of danger, for danger is more stringent than a prohibition. And the Tur wrote that they were more stringent regarding a doubt of danger than a doubt of prohibition, see there.

One must be careful not to eat meat and fish together because it is harsh for tzara'at [Pesachim 76b], and there is no distinction between the meat of an animal and the meat of poultry. Similarly, one should not roast meat with fish in a small oven together because of rei'cha; however, ex post facto it is not forbidden, as it is only a danger by way of cooking. But if the fat flows from one to the other, it is certainly forbidden. Some permit roasting even initially, and some forbid even ex post facto [see Shach subsection 1]. We have only the words of our teacher, the Rema, who ruled that it is permitted ex post facto. One should wash his hands between eating fish and meat and eat soaked bread in between in order to wash his mouth. Some say that one need not be concerned for this except when they are cooked together and eaten, or roasted together, for then there is danger; but to eat them one after the other, there is no concern. Our teacher, the Rema, wrote that this is the custom, not to wash the mouth and hands between them; nevertheless, one should eat something between them and drink, which constitutes kinua'ch and hadacha. Thus far his words. Some say that now natures have changed, and regarding several things that they said in the Gemara because of a "bad spirit," we are not careful in this, and the lands are not equal to one another [Magen Avraham siman 273 subsection 1]. Also, our teachers the authors of the Tosafot wrote at the end of the first chapter of Moed Katan regarding what they said in the Gemara there, that fish close to spoiling is beneficial, and this is their wording: In this time we consider it a danger to eat close to spoiling; and also regarding the drinking of water after fish, which is stated there to be beneficial, and now it is not so; and perhaps they have changed like the medicines in the Shas which are not good in this time. Thus far their words. Know that there is one who says that a matter of danger, such as the cooking of fish with meat, is not nullified even in sixty [Taz subsection 2]. Several of the great authorities disagreed with him, saying that only with snake venom is there no nullification, but with other matters it is nullified in sixty like a prohibition, for since there is sixty, there is no longer a taste here and there is no danger in this [Nekudot HaKesef, Shevut Yaakov, Chavat Da'at, and Pri Chadash subsection 5]. In the salting of meat and fish there is no danger [ibid.]. There is clear proof that fish in meat is nullified in sixty from Chullin 97, like pieces in a stew pot, see there in Rashi.

It is stated in the Yerushalmi [ibid.] that one must be careful regarding human sweat, for all human sweat is a deadly poison. Therefore, one should be careful that no sweat falls into any food or drink, except for the sweat of the face, which contains no danger; and your sign is, "By the sweat of your face shall you eat bread." So too, one must be careful not to place coins in his mouth, lest there be upon them the dried saliva of those afflicted with boils, and also because everyone's hands handle them, and some of them are ill and their filth clings to them, and that filth is harmful to a person when he brings it into his mouth [Shach in the name of the Ran]. And one should not place the palm of his hand under his armpit, lest his hand touched a leper or a harmful substance, and the area of the armpit contains moisture and the leprosy or the substance is absorbed there. And one should not place bread under the armpit because of the sweat. And one should not place cooked food or drinks under the bed because an evil spirit rests upon them; and it implies that raw food is permitted, though some are meticulous even with raw food. Nowadays people are not careful about this, and "the Hashem preserves the simple," since many have become accustomed to it [Shabbat end of chapter 18]. And according to the prohibition, even if it is covered with a vessel, even of iron, it is forbidden. And so too, one should not stuck a knife into an etrog or into a radish, lest a person fall upon its point and die; so it is stated in the Yerushalmi. And it is not understood, for if so, why specifically an etrog and a radish? And there is one who explained that it is because the knife develops rust when left in them for a long time, and they, due to their sharpness, absorb the rust and it harms those who eat them [Pri Chadash subsection 7 in the name of Yefeh Mareh].

And so too one must be careful of all things that lead to danger, for danger is more severe than a prohibition. Therefore, it is forbidden to walk in any place of danger, such as under a leaning wall or alone at night in a place that is not secure. And so too they forbade drinking water from rivers at night or placing one's mouth upon a stream of water and drinking, for these things contain a concern of danger. And it is a widespread custom not to drink water during the hour of the tekufah, and thus wrote the early authorities, and one should not deviate. And there are those who place iron into the water, for when there is iron there, the danger is removed. And regarding cooked, or pickled, and salted foods and drinks, nothing is necessary, for in these there is no danger [Shach, subsection 6]. Furthermore, they wrote that one should flee from the city when there is a plague in the city, Heaven forbid, and one should leave the city at the beginning of the plague and not at its end, since the plague has already strengthened. And perhaps it is regarding this that our sages, of blessed memory, said [Bava Kamma 60b]: "A plague in the city, gather your feet; a famine in the city, scatter your feet," see there. And all these things are because of danger, and one who guards his soul shall distance himself from this. And it is forbidden to rely on a miracle or to endanger his soul in anything similar to this. And one should not walk in the middle of the street during a time of pestilence, may the Merciful One protect us.

To cut down a fruit tree is forbidden by the Torah, and our sages, of blessed memory, said that there is also danger in this [Bava Batra 26a]. Therefore, there is one who is stringent even if he needs its place [Ba'er Heitev in the name of Beit Yaakov]. However, according to the law, if he needs its place it is permitted, and likewise if it darkens his window, and all the more so there is no concern in cutting the branches. And specifically when he needs its place for buildings, but to expand for a mere stroll one should not cut. And one who has a bad dog, even if it does not bite, he may give it a drug, but he should not give it a needle in bread lest it go mad and lead to danger. And it is forbidden to walk on a shaky bridge or to enter a ruin. And there are those who do not sit on the wagon while crossing on a ferry. And the Maharshal wrote: they practiced to forbid sheep in which a type of boil of a plague grew, from which they are accustomed to die, because they maintain that there is danger in eating them.

In the Gemara it is explained not to drink lukewarm water that has not been fully heated, unless one places something in them like herbs or the like, and one should not drink them until they boil; and specifically when they were heated in a metal vessel, but in an earthenware vessel it is permitted in all manners [Bava Metzia 29b]. And likewise, not to eat fish that was salted on the seventh day of its salting, and on the sixteenth day, and on the twenty-third day, and on the twenty-seventh day of its salting when it is not fully roasted and he did not drink wine or shechar after it; and specifically a small fish [Berakhot end of chapter 6]. It is further stated in Eruvin [29b] that onion leaves that have not yet grown a span contain venom and one should not eat them, and if he ate them he should drink shechar after them; and there was an incident with Rabbi Chanina who ate them and became ill and was close to death, and they sought mercy for him and he lived [ibid.]. And we say in Shabbat [90a]: the moth of books, the worm of silk, the larva of grapes, the mite of figs, and the worm of pomegranates—all of them are a danger. And all of these are worms that are in each and every species and are distinguished by their names: tachach, ila, peh, hah [Rashi]. And the moth of books are worms that infest books and cloths [Aruch, entry Mak, and there the version is: the moth of cloths].

It is stated in Gittin [70a]: Three things diminish the strength of a person, and these are: fear, travel, and sin, etc. Three things weaken the body of a person: one who eats standing, drinks standing, or engages in marital relations standing. Five are closer to death than to life: one who ate and stood up immediately before waiting a little [Rashi], drank and stood up, let blood and stood up, slept and stood up, or engaged in marital relations and stood up. Six things, if one does them, he dies immediately: one who comes from a journey and is exhausted, lets blood and enters a bathhouse, drinks and becomes intoxicated, sleeps on the ground, and engages in marital relations. And specifically when he did all of them in their order; and even not in their order, he becomes weak. And if he is a frail person, with three of them he dies when he did them in their order.

It is further stated there in the Mishnah: There are things where a large amount is harmful and a small amount is beneficial: travel and the way of the world—meaning cohabitation—wealth and labor, wine and sleep, hot water and bloodletting. Eight things diminish the seed: salt and hunger and leprosy, weeping and sleeping on the ground, and garden cress, and hops out of their season, and bloodletting below the testicles, but above this it is beneficial. And in Berakhot [34b] we say: Three things where a large amount is harmful and a small amount is beneficial: leaven and salt and refusal. And any meal that does not have *sharif* is not a meal; and Rashi explained: a moist cooked dish that has broth [ibid. 44b]. And the Aruch explained it as a term for *saraf* (spirit) that dissolves the food in the intestines, like brandy and the like. And the spleen is beneficial for the teeth and harmful for the intestines. Leeks are harmful for the teeth and beneficial for the intestines. Any raw vegetable makes one pale—it takes away the facial complexion [Rashi]. And any small thing that has not fully grown diminishes, and any soul—a living thing that is eaten whole, such as small fish that have fully grown [ibid.]—restores the soul. And anything close to the soul, such as meat adjacent to the neck and the heart and the intestines [ibid.], restores the soul. Cabbage is for nourishment, beets are for healing. Woe to the house through which turnips pass. And anything that is the size of an egg, an egg is better than it, except for meat, which is better than an egg [ibid.].

The matter of zugot is known in the Gemara [Pesachim 110a], and they said that one should not eat two nor drink two, and one who drinks double, his blood is on his head. This is specifically when he did not see the face of the marketplace between cup and cup, but if he saw the face of the marketplace, we have no concern. And it is specifically to go out on the road, but to sit in the house there is no danger, except that going out to the beit hakise is like going out on the road, and similarly going to sleep immediately is like going out on the road. A cup of blessing does not join for zugot. Two eggs, two nuts, and two cucumbers are a halacha le-Moshe mi-Sinai that zugot is a concern, but one more thing was said and the rabbis were in doubt as to what it is, and they decreed because of this on all things. If he drank two cups before the meal and one during the meal, they join so that there should not be zugot; similarly, one before and two on the table. But two on the table and one after the meal do not join to nullify the zugot. Two cups of wine and one of shechar do not join to nullify the zugot, but conversely, two of shechar and one of wine do join. Your sign is: everything joined to it from that which is more stringent than it joins; from that which is lighter, it does not join. Nevertheless, our sages of blessed memory said there that in the West they were not particular about zugot, and the general rule of the matter is: anyone who is particular, they are particular with him, and anyone who is not particular, they are not particular with him; see there. In our times, we have not heard of people being particular about zugot, but if there are those who are particular, they should conduct themselves as we have written. They said there that anything finished by the hands of man, such as loaves of bread or bowls of cooked food, are not subject to zugot; anything finished by the hands of Heaven, such as two fruits and the like, are subject to zugot. This is regarding types of foods, but regarding drinks, they indeed said that there is a concern of zugot with cups of wine and shechar even though their finishing is by the hands of man; rather, it is certain that they only said this regarding types of foods and not regarding drinks. If he is in doubt whether he drank zugot or not, he should drink one more; if he drank zugot, this cup joins to nullify the zugot since his intention is to join it, and if he did not drink zugot, it is not in his mind to join it to the first ones and it is like a new decision.

We maintain in Shabbat [151b]: It is forbidden to sleep in a house alone, and anyone who sleeps in a house alone is seized by Lilith. And there are those who explain that the intention is a solitary house, a solitary house that does not stand among other houses; but it is not so, for if it were, it should have said "a solitary house" [in the feminine]. Rather, it is certainly according to its plain meaning. However, it is possible that this is specifically when there is no one else in the entire house who sleeps there, but if there is another person in the house, even if one sleeps in a room alone, we have no concern regarding it, and so is the common custom. They further said there: There are six types of tears, three are good and three are bad; those caused by smoke, by weeping, and by the privy are bad; those caused by medicine, by laughter, and by fruits—such as the scent of mustard and the like—are good.

They further said there [82a]: One who enters the beit hakissei should not exert himself much, meaning to strain himself so that the waste departs against its will, for this rectum sits upon three "teeth," and perhaps due to the pressure the "teeth" of the rectum will be displaced and he will come, Heaven forbid, to a state of danger. And likewise, he should not sit down abruptly, meaning quickly and with force, because the orifice opens with force and the "teeth" of the rectum are detached. And he should not wipe with a shard, so as not to detach the "teeth" of the rectum, unless it is with the rims of vessels which are smooth. And they further said that he should not wipe with something that fire consumes because of sorcery, see there. And nowadays we wipe with paper, for we are not concerned with matters of sorcery in this time [however, this requires further study, for in the Gemara there it implies that this is not because of sorcery; see there carefully].

One who needs to relieve himself and does not relieve himself, a spirit of filth dominates him; and one who needs to relieve himself and eats is comparable to an oven that was stoked upon its ash, and this is the beginning of a foul odor. And one who needs to relieve himself and is unable should stand and sit, stand and sit, until he relieves himself [ibid.]. And one who delays his needs violates the prohibition of "do not make your souls abominable," and regarding minor needs, there is also danger. And thus our sages, of blessed memory, said in Bekhorot [44b]: One may urinate in front of many and should not be modest in this, lest he wait and be endangered. And also, this matter leads to becoming sterile, for there are two openings in a person, one emits urine and one semen, and there is only like a garlic peel between them; and at the time a person needs to relieve minor needs, it is possible that when he restrains himself much, they will puncture into one another and he will be found sterile. And they supported this from the verse, "There shall not be a sterile male or sterile female among you, nor among your cattle"—when will there not be a sterile male or sterile female among you? At the time you behave in this like cattle, meaning in the discharging of urine without modesty. And they further said there regarding this: A stream that returns—meaning when he restrains himself from urinating and the urine returns into the body—brings him to the illness of jaundice. And also regarding major needs they said there: A pillar that returns leads to dropsy, which is an intestinal illness. Therefore, a person must be careful in all this. And so too one must be careful that after every meal he should drink water or another beverage and walk a little, not less than four amot. And thus the sages taught in Shabbat [41a]: One who ate and did not drink, his eating is blood, and this is the beginning of intestinal illness; one who ate and did not walk four amot, his eating rots, and this is the beginning of a bad odor, see there. And a person must be careful in this. And the prohibition of "do not abominate" is Rabbinic, as is explained in the Rambam at the end of the Laws of Forbidden Foods, see there [and so it appears from Berakhot 22; and see Orach Chaim siman 92, section 2, and examine carefully].

There is a person who is an istanis who cannot drink from the remnants of a cup from which his fellow drank, and therefore it is forbidden to give the remnants of a cup, even of a mitzvah, to one who is an istanis, for perhaps due to honor he will be forced to drink and will come to danger. As we learn in tractate Tamid page 27b: A person should not drink water and give it to a student unless he poured from them; and it happened that one drank water and did not pour from them and gave it to his student, and that student was an istanis and did not want to drink and died of thirst. At that time they said: A person should not drink water and give it to his student unless he poured from them. And therefore, this student who pours before his teacher, there is no element of insolence in it, see there. Behold, it is proven that when he violates his istanis nature and drinks, he will be endangered, for if not so, they would not have permitted him to pour before his teacher. And furthermore they said there: Anything do not spit before your teacher, meaning do not spit in the presence of your teacher, as we say in Eruvin [99a]: One who spits in the presence of his teacher is liable for death, except if he ate ginger or groats, he may spit before his teacher, for it is like a wick of lead if he does not spit out the saliva and he will come to danger.

Three require guarding: a sick person, a groom, and a bride. In a Baraita it adds: a woman who has given birth. And some say: even a mourner. And some say: even a Torah scholar at night [beginning of chapter 9 of Berakhot]. And there are five things regarding which one who does them is liable for his life and his blood is upon his head, and these are they: one who eats peeled garlic, or a peeled onion, or a peeled egg; and one who drinks diluted liquids. And all these are specifically in a manner where the night passed over them, but without this we do not care. And diluted liquids specifically that stayed overnight in a metal vessel, but in an earthenware vessel we have no concern with it. And one who stays overnight in a cemetery. And one who trims his nails and throws them into the public domain, because when a pregnant woman passes over them she will miscarry; and specifically if he did not cut anything else with the knife after this, but if he cut with the knife, the danger has passed. And for this reason, some are accustomed to cut a little with the knife after trimming the nails, but in the conclusion it says that even in such a case we are concerned. And specifically if the nails were not moved from place to place, which means they are lying in the place where he threw them at the time he cut them, but if they were moved from place to place there is no longer danger in this [Moed Katan 18a]. And one who lets blood and engages in marital relations before he has tasted anything with his mouth [Niddah 17a].

In the Yerushalmi Shabbat chapter 2 [halacha 6]: A plank that is stretched from roof to roof, even if it is very wide, it is forbidden to walk upon it, for the Satan only prosecutes in a time of danger. And similarly in our Gemara they said: When the ox has fallen, sharpen the knife. They further said there: In three places the Satan is found to prosecute: one who walks on the road alone, one who sleeps in a dark house by himself, and one who sets sail on the great sea; see there. And it appears that regarding one who walks on the road, the intention is before the light of day, as we say at the end of the first chapter of Yoma: One who goes out on the road before the call of the rooster, his blood is on his own head; and a person should always enter with "it is good" and exit with "it is good." And setting sail on the great sea, the intention is also at a time when the sea is stormy, as is proven from the words of the Yerushalmi later; see there. And so it is in Midrash Bereshit [parashah 6; see there]. And a person must be careful of cold and of heat, as we say in several places: Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for chills and heat-fever. And regarding anything in which there is danger to others, it is a positive commandment to remove the danger, such as a parapet around a pit or a roof and the like, as is written in Choshen Mishpat siman 427, and the obligation is from the Torah; see there.

It is forbidden to eat foods and drinks that a person's soul finds loathsome, such as drinks and foods in which vomit, or excrement, or foul secretion and the like have become mixed. And likewise, it is forbidden to eat and drink from filthy vessels that a person's soul finds loathsome, such as vessels of the latrine, and glass vessels in which they let blood, and the like. And likewise, one should not eat with filthy hands or upon dirty vessels, for all these are included in "do not make your souls detestable." [The Taz, in subsection 6, cited in the name of Rabbi Yehuda HeChasid that there are days when it is a danger to let blood, and these are the New Moon of Iyar, Elul, and Tevet, and likewise on the eighth of the month when it falls on a Monday or on a Wednesday. And further on in siman 179, they are accustomed not to begin on Monday or Wednesday, see there; but in the Zohar, Parshat Ekev, it is stated that one does not begin on Monday and one does not conclude on Wednesday, see there.]

A dangerous animal, even though it is permitted through shechitah, nevertheless those who are meticulous are stringent upon themselves not to eat them, and this has already been explained in siman 17, see there. And an animal regarding which a sage ruled based on his own reasoning alone, and the law is not explicitly found stating that it is permitted, a person of soul should not eat from it. However, if the sage has a tradition that it is permitted, he may eat, and certainly if the permission is found in a book; and one who does not eat is worthy of rebuke, unless there is a dispute among the poskim, in which case each person may be stringent upon himself. But in a matter that all the poskim permit, Heaven forbid that one should be stringent upon himself, and this inclines toward heresy [as the Pitchei Teshuvah wrote in subsection 10 in the name of the Shevut Yaakov, see there].