5. These are the things by which one can discharge his obligation to eat unleavened bread during the passover; with cakes made of wheat, and barley, and rye, and oats, and spelt; and they discharge their obligation in that of which the tithing was doubtful, and in the first tithe after the heave-offering was separated from it, and in second tithes and holy things after their redemption. And the priests discharge their obligation with cakes of dough-offering and heave-offering, but not with that which owes first tithes, or before the heave-offering was separated from it, nor with that which owes second tithes or holy things before their redemption. “The loaves of the praise-offering and the cakes of the Nazarite?” “If made for themselves, they do not discharge the obligation: if made for sale in the market, they discharge the obligation.”
6. And these are the herbs with which one discharges his obligation to eat bitter herbs in the passover: lettuce, endives, horse-radish, liquorice, and coriander. The obligation can be discharged whether they be moist or dry, but not if they be pickled, or much boiled, or even a little boiled. And they may be united to form the size of an olive. And the obligation may be discharged with their roots; and also if their tithes be in [pg 089] doubt; and with their first tithing, when the heave-offering has been taken from them; and with their second tithe, and with holy things which are redeemed.
7. Persons must not moisten bran during the passover for chickens, but they may scald it. A woman must not moisten bran in her hand when she goes to the bath. But she may rub it dry on her flesh. A man should not chew wheat and leave it on a wound during Passover, because it becomes leavened.
8. People must not put flour into the charoseth[131] or into the mustard. “But if one puts it?” “He must eat it off-hand.” But Rabbi Meier forbids it. They must not boil the passover offering in liquids nor in fruit juice. But one may smear it (after it is roasted), or dip it into them. Water used by the baker must be poured away because it becomes leavened.
Chapter III
1. These cause transgression during passover: the Babylonian cuthack,[132] and the Median beer, and the Edomite vinegar, and the Egyptian zithum,[133] and the purifying dough of the dyer,[134] and the clarifying grain of the cooks, and the paste of the bookbinders. Rabbi Eleazar said, “even the cosmetics of women.” This is the rule. All kinds of grain whatever may cause transgression during the passover. These are negative commands, and they are not visited by cutting off.
2. “Dough in a split of a kneading trough?” “If there be the size of an olive in a single place one is bound to clear it out.” Less than this is worthless from its minuteness. And so is it with the question of uncleanness. Particularity causes division. “But if one wish it to remain?” “It is reckoned as the trough.” “Dough dried up?”[135] “If it be like that which can become leavened it is forbidden.”
3. “How do persons separate the dough-offering when it becomes unclean on a holiday?” Rabbi Eleazar said, “you cannot call it a dough-offering till it be baked.” Rabbi Judah, [pg 090] the son of Bethira, said, “you must put it in cold water.” Said R. Joshua, “it is not leaven so as to transgress the negative command ‘It shall not be seen nor found,’[136] but it must be separated and left till the evening. But if it become leavened it is leavened.”
4. Rabban Gamaliel said, “three women may knead at once, and bake in one oven, each after the other.” But the Sages say, “three women may be busied with the dough, one kneads, and one prepares, and one bakes.” Rabbi Akiba said, “all women, and all wood, and all ovens, are not alike.” This is the rule. “If it ferment it must be smoothed down with cold water.”