Whispering and Anointing

Hebrew

Simeon bar Ba [said] in the name of R. Ḥanina: One who “whispers” [i.e., recites an incantation] may apply oil on someone’s head and “whisper,” but only if he will not apply it with the hand or with a vessel. R. Jacob bar Idi [and] R. Yoḥanan [said] in the name of R. Yannai: One may apply [the oil] either with the hand or with a vessel.

What [difference exists] between these [two opinions]?—disgust [for the direct application]. For one who says that one may apply with the hand or with a utensil, this is disgusting. For one who says to apply it [directly] on the head, this is not disgusting. [ . . . ]

One may “whisper” [recite an incantation] for the eye, the intestines, snakes, and scorpions, and one may pass [a healing item] over the eye on the Sabbath. It happened to R. Akiva that the eye seized him, and they passed vessels over him on the Sabbath.