Menachos Daf 31 מנחוס דַף 31

Rebbe Shimon Shezuri related that his טבל once became mixed into a majority of chullin. Rebbe Tarfon told him to purchase produce from the market (i.e., דמאי from an עם הארץ), and take maaser from it on his טבל. The Gemara explains that Rebbe Tarfon holds דאורייתא ברובא בטל – Biblically speaking, [the tevel] is nullified by the majority of chullin (and only requires maaser to be taken מדרבנן). He also holds רוב עמי הארץ מעשרים הן – most amei haaretz do take maaser properly, so the requirement to take maaser from their produce is only Rabbinical. Thus, this case is כתורם מן הפטור על הפטור – like one who separates terumah from the (Biblically) exempt for the (Biblically) exempt, which is valid. The Gemara explains that Rebbe Tarfon did not suggest purchasing produce from an עובד כוכבים, because he holds  אין קנין לעובד כוכבים בארץ ישראל להפקיע מיד מעשר – an idolator cannot have ownership of land in Eretz Yisroel regarding removing its produce from maaser obligations. In another version, Rebbe Tarfon did recommend purchasing produce from an עכו"ם, because he holds an עכו"ם can own land in Eretz Yisroel to remove the maaser obligation. In contrast, he did not recommend purchasing an עם הארץ’s produce, because he holds most עמי הארץ do not take maaser.

Rav said that a mezuzah which was written שתים שתים – two [words per line] is valid. The Gemara asks about a mezuzah written with two words on one line, three on the next, and one on the third, and Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak answered: כל שכן שעשאה כשירה – certainly it is valid, since he has made it like a song (i.e., like "אז ישיר" in the Torah, which alternates between long and short lines). Although a Baraisa teaches that if one made “it” like a שירה or made a שירה like “it,” it is פסול, that refers to a sefer Torah, not a mezuzah. Rebbe Yochanan also validated a mezuzah written in the above fashion, and added: ובלבד שלא יעשנה כקובה – provided he does not make it like a “tent,” i.e., narrow at the top and widening downwards (one word on a line, then two words, then three words), ובלבד שלא יעשנה כזנב – and provided he does not make it like a “tail,” i.e., wide at the top and narrowing downwards (three words, then two, then one).

Rav Chisda says: על הארץ בשיטה אחרונה – the last words of the mezuzah, “on the earth,” are written alone on the last line. Some say they are written בסוף שיטה – at the end of the line, and some say they are written בתחלת שיטה – at the beginning of the line. The first opinion reasons that the word "שמים", which is the last word in the second-to-last line, should appear directly over the word "הארץ", hinting that one’s days should be lengthened כגבוה שמים על הארץ – like the height of the heaven over the earth. The second opinion argues that the word "הארץ" should be at the beginning of the line, as far as possible from the word "שמים", hinting that one’s days should be lengthened כי היכי דמרחקא שמים מארץ – like the heaven is far from the earth.