Despair

<<that is not

<<knowing —

<<Abaye

<<said:

<<it is not

<<deemed

<<despair;

<<and Rava

<<said:

<<it is

<<despair.

With a thing

<<that has

<<in it

<<a mark

<<everyone

<<does not

<<disagree

<<that it is not

<<deemed

<<despair;

<<and even though

<<we heard him

<<despair

<<in the end —

<<it is not

<<deemed

<<despair,

<<for when

<<it came

<<to his hand,

<<in a forbidden state

<<it is

<<that it came

<<to his hand,

<<for when

<<he knew

<<that it fell

<<from him

<<he did not

<<despair;

<<saying

<<he says:

<<a mark

<<I have

<<in it,

<<I will give

<<the mark

<<and take

<<it.

With the sweep

<<of

<<the sea

<<or the flooding

<<of

<<a river —

<<even though

<<there is in it

<<a mark —

<<the Merciful One

<<permitted it,

<<as we shall wish to say

<<further on.

Where

<<they disagree

<<is with a thing

<<that has not

<<in it

<<a mark.

<<Abaye

<<said:

<<it is not

<<deemed

<<despair,

<<for indeed

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him.

<<Rava

<<said:

<<it is

<<despair,

<<for when

<<he knows

<<that it fell

<<from him

<<he despairs.

<<Saying

<<he says:

<<a mark

<<I have not

<<in it;

<<from now

<<it is

<<that he despairs.

(A mnemonic:

<<PMGSh

<<MMKGTY

<<KKSAZ)

Come and hear:

<<“produce

<<scattered” —

<<but

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him!

<<But

<<Rav Ukva bar Chama said:

<<here

<<with the gathering

<<(of seeds)

<<[of the threshing floor]

<<we are dealing,

<<for a loss

<<with knowledge

<<it is.

Come and hear:

<<“money

<<scattered —

<<these

<<are his” —

<<why?

<<But

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him!

<<There too

<<it is like Rabbi Yitzchak

<<who said:

<<a person

<<is apt

<<to feel

<<his purse

<<at every

<<hour

<<and hour.

<<Here too

<<a person

<<is apt

<<to feel

<<his purse

<<at every

<<hour

<<and hour.

Come and hear:

<<“round cakes of

<<pressed figs

<<and loaves

<<of

<<a baker —

<<these

<<are his.”

<<Why?

<<But

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him?

<<There too,

<<since

<<they are heavy

<<knowing

<<he knows

<<of them.

Come and hear:

<<“and tongues

<<of

<<purple wool —

<<these

<<are his.”

<<And why?

<<But

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him!

<<There too,

<<since

<<they are valuable

<<feeling

<<he feels

<<for them,

<<and it is like Rabbi Yitzchak.

Come and hear:

<<one who finds

<<money

<<in synagogues

<<and in study halls,

<<and in every

<<place

<<where the public

<<is found

<<there —

<<these

<<are his,

<<because

<<the owners

<<despair

<<of them.

<<But

<<he does not

<<know

<<that it fell

<<from him?

<<Rabbi Yitzchak said:

<<a person

<<is apt

<<to feel

<<his purse

<<at every

<<hour

Come and hear:

<<from when

<<are all

<<people

<<permitted

<<in the gleanings?

<<From when go

<<in it

<<the namoshos.

<<And we said:

<<what are

<<namoshos?

<<And Rabbi Yochanan said:

<<old men

<<who walk

<<with a staff.

<<Reish Lakish

<<said:

<<gleaners

<<after

<<gleaners.

And why?

<<Granted

<<that the poor

<<of here

<<have despaired —

<<there are

<<poor

<<in a place

<<another

<<who have not

<<despaired!

<<They say:

<<since

<<there are

<<poor

<<here,

<<those

<<from the outset

<<despairing

<<despaired,

<<and they say:

<<the poor

<<of there

<<will gather

<<it.

Come and hear:

<<dried figs

<<on the road,

<<and even

<<beside

<<a field of

<<dried figs,

<<and likewise

<<a fig tree

<<that leans

<<over the road,

<<and he found

<<figs

<<beneath it —

<<they are permitted

<<on account of

<<robbery,

<<and exempt

<<from

<<the tithe.

<<with olives

<<and carobs

<<it is forbidden.

It is well:

<<the first clause

<<for Abaye

<<is not

<<difficult —

<<since

<<they are valuable

<<he feels

<<for them;

<<a fig tree

<<too —

<<knowing

<<it is known

<<that they fall.

But

<<the latter clause

<<for Rava

<<is difficult,

<<for it teaches

<<“with olives

<<and carobs

<<it is forbidden”.

<<Rabbi Abahu said:

<<different is

<<an olive,

<<since

<<its appearance

<<proves

<<about it;

<<and even though

<<there fall

<<olives,

<<knowing

<<it is known

<<that the place

<<of each man

<<is each man's

<<own.

If so,

<<even

<<the first clause

<<too!

<<Rav Pappa said:

<<a fig

<<with

<<its falling

<<becomes repulsive.

Come and hear:

<<the thief

<<who took

<<from this one

<<and gave

<<to that one,

<<and likewise

<<a robber

<<who took

<<from this one

<<and gave

<<to that one,