(Fol. 24b) Rab said: "A man should never absent himself from the house of study, even for one hour, because I and Levi both" were in the college when Rabbi declared this Halacha (Law). In the evening, however, he said: 'They are even permitted to be eaten;' while the next morning he said: 'They are permitted only to be received.' I, who was in the college in the morning, and heard his second decision, gave up the first; but Levi, who was not, did not."
(Fol. 25b) We are taught in a Baraitha: "A man shall not conmence eating garlic or onions, from the roots, but from the leaves; but if he did so, he is considered voracious. Likewise, a man should not empty his goblet at one draught: but if he do so, he is considered a drunkard."
It has been taught in the name of R. Meir: "Why was the Law given to Israel? Because they (Israel) are impetuous (difficult to be vanquished), as it is said (Deut. 33, 2) From His right hand He gave a fiery law unto them; and in the school of R. Ishmael it was thus explained: From His right hand He gave a fiery law unto them; i.e., "The Israelites, because of being impetuous, deserved that a fiery law should be given to them." According to others: "The customs and habits of this people are like fire; if such a law had not been given to them, no creature could withstand them." And this is as R. Simeon b. Lakish said: "The boldest nation of all nations is Israel."
"MISHNAH: One may say to his friend on the festival,"Fill me this vessel with some edibles; but the vessel to measure with must not be appropriated." R. Juda says: "If a measure is used, it must not be quite filled." Abba Saul b. Batnith used to fill his measures on the day preceding the festival, and to deliver them to his customers on the festival. The same Saul said: "One should do so even on the Chol-hamoed in order to permit the froth to settle down in the measure." The sages, however, say: "One should do so also on week-days for the sake of [giving] an exact measure, in order to allow the liquids to settle." GEMARA: We are taught: One should do it even on Chol-hamoed in order to prevent interruption in the house of study. Our Rabbis were taught: "He, Abba Saul, collected almost three hundred garabs of wine from the froth of the measures; and his colleague collected the same amount from what remained in the measures after emptying them for the customers. Both of them brought this wine to the treasurers of the sacred property at Jerusalem. The treasurers said to them: "It is not necessary for you to do so, because it is your own." They replied: "But we do not "wish to use it." "Since you are so strict towards yourselves," remarked the treasurers to them, "go and dispose of it in a way which should be of benefit to the community at large, for we are taught in a Baraitha: 'If one committed robbery and does not know of whom he robbed, he should go and dispose of it in a way which should be of benefit to the community at large.'" What are they [these beuefits]? Said R. Chisda: "The construction of drinking wells."