(For the riddles, please see back page and page 35)
1) The Gemara in Bechoras (44b) brings a drosha on the above pasuk from Reish Lakish: אמר ר"ל מאי דכתיב (דברים ז ,יד )לא יהיה בך עקר ועקרה ובבהמתך אימתי לא יהיה בך עקר בזמן שבבהמתך – “Reish Lakish said, what does the pasuk ‘you will not have amongst you sterile males, females or animals’ mean? It means, when will you not have amongst you sterile males and females? When you act like animals.”
Rashi explains, that if one acts like an animal and excuses himself/herself as soon as he/she needs to, even when in public, then one won’t become sterile.
The Sefer Chareidim (Mitzvos Lo Saseh, Perek 7) writes: “One who holds himself back from gedolim [the longer manner of being excused] transgresses “ba’al teshaktzu” [the prohibition against doing disgusting things] and one who holds himself back from ketanim [the shorter manner of being excused] transgress two prohibitions, “ba’al teshaktzu”, and לא יהיה בך עקר – “the prohibition against making oneself sterile”. The doctors also say that holding oneself back from being excused can cause one to become sterile.
The Gemara in Bechoros (44b) relates that once Shmuel needed to make ketanim during a shiur, and they spread out a sheet between him and the audience, in order that he could be excused in privacy. Later he came in front of his father, and his father told him off, and said that he shouldn’t have waited until they spread out a sheet, as although He (Shmuel) was an important person and people would be there to serve him and spread out a sheet for him very quickly, talmidim will learn from this that they too should spread out a sheet, however, it will take them longer and it may cause them to become sterile.
Sixty Amoraim Became Sterile
The Gemara in Yevamos (62b) relates, that Rav Huna was once giving a long shiur to his talmidim and many of them needed to be excused, and they held themselves back. As a result of this, sixty amoraim became sterile. The Gemara then lists some of the amoraim, the Gemara says that Rav Aba Bar Zavda, Rav Gidel, Rebbi Chelbo, and Rav Shashes were amongst those that became sterile.
The poskim ask: Why weren’t these amoraim worried about the prohibition of “ba’al teshaktzu”?
i) The Terumas HaDeshen (siman 16) answers:
“It is degrading and embarrassing for the rebbe if his talmidim walk out in the middle of the shiur, therefore, they weren’t worried about the rabbinic prohibition. And although Chazal say if one holds himself back, he violates “ba’al teshaktzu”, we have to say that this drosha is just an asmachta [support, but not de’O’raisa]. The Terumas HaDeshen is answering that the prohibition of “ba’al teshaktzu” is just rabbinic, and the mitzvah of showing kavod to a rebbe overrides.
ii) The Tevuas Shor (siman 13, ois 2) is very unhappy with the above, he writes:
“I know I am not worthy of arguing on the lion the “Terumas HaDeshen”, however, I find this very difficult. As it’s clear in Bechoros that there is an obligation to be excused as soon as possible, and it is dangerous not to and one violates: לא יהיה בך עקר – “the prohibition against making oneself sterile”, if he doesn’t?”
Therefore, he goes on to give his own incredible answer: אלא מחמת שהיו שקועים מאד בלימודם בעיון רב לא הרגישו כלל בצורך לעשיית צרכיהם – “Rather, it was because they were so deeply engrossed in their learning with great intensity, that they never realized they needed to be excused.” We find a similar thing with Rav in Maseches Shabbos (88a) that he was so engrossed in his learning and he had his fingers underneath his feet, and he was squeezing them and blood was dripping out, and because he was so engrossed in his learning he never realized.
The Tevuas Shor is answering: It’s true they may have done something wrong, but because they were so engrossed in the shiur, they simply never realized they were doing something wrong.
iii) The Tevuas Shor offers an additional answer
that Rav Huna’s talmidim weren’t able to get out to be excused as they were too many talmidim in the way, the room was crowded and it was simply too difficult to get out, like the Gemara in Kesubos (106a) relates. And to be excused in their places was also not an option, as although we mentioned from the Gemara in Bechoros that one may be excused in public, that’s only in a place which isn’t holy, however, in a holy...
