Peppers

Food

Pepper (pilpel) was well-known during Talmudic times and the word referred to both black peppercorns and the long pepper found in India today. In the Talmud (Berakhot 36), there is a lengthy discussion about the blessing to make on the Indian long pepper.

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Crushing Peppers on Shabbat

TALMUD

The rabbis debated the permissibility of crushing peppers on Shabbat, highlighting the nuances in Jewish law regarding Sabbath observance. The Gemara in tractate Shabbat discusses the differing opinions of Rav Yehuda and Rava on the method and quantity of peppers that can be crushed on Shabbat.

The Gemara cites a somewhat similar case. Rav Yehuda said: In the case of these peppers, crushing them one by one with the handle of a knife is permitted. However, crushing two at a time is prohibited, because it appears to be a prohibited labor. Rava said: Since he alters the manner in which he performs this activity, even crushing many at a time is also permitted.

Shabbat 141a:7

Ancient Remedy for Intestinal Pain

TALMUD

Long peppers were used medicinally in ancient times to treat intestinal pain. The Babylonian Talmud, in tractate Gittin, recounts a traditional remedy involving the consumption of long peppers with wine over several days.

As a remedy for pain of the intestines, let him bring three hundred long peppers, and every day let him drink one hundred of them with wine. It is told: Ravin of the city of Neresh prepared one hundred and fifty of our, i.e., Babylonian, peppers for the daughter of Rav Ashi, who had this illness, and she was healed.

Gittin 69b:7

Grinding Pepper Before the Holiday

TOSEFTA

The practice of grinding pepper before a holiday highlights the balance between preparation and observance of holiday laws. The Tosefta, an ancient compilation of Jewish oral law, provides insights into the permissible practices for food preparation on Jewish holidays.

The members of the house of Rabban Gamliel's used to ground pepper in their mill. R. Elazar ben Zadok said: Once my father came to dine at Rabban Gamliel’s house. So, they put fish broth and vinegar broth in front of him, with pepper ground onto it. Then my father pulled his hands away. Rabban Gamliel said to him: Don't worry about him; it was ground up the day before the holiday.

Tosefta Beitzah (Lieberman) 2:16

Blessings for Peppers

TALMUD

The rabbis distinguish between the consumption of damp and fresh peppers, which require a blessing, and dry peppers, which do not. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Berakhot discusses the laws of blessings, including those recited in the context of eating.

The Gemara responds: This is not difficult, as there is a distinction between two different cases. This, where Rabbi Meir spoke of peppers fit for consumption, is referring to a case when it is damp and fresh; and this, where chewing on pepper is not considered eating on Yom Kippur and does not require a blessing, is referring to a case when it is dry.

Berakhot 36b:16

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