Yalta

b. Berakhot 51a–b

And some say that this halakhah was taught in a baraita: Ten things were said with regard to a cup of blessing [the cup of wine over which Grace after Meals is recited]: It requires rinsing and washing; [it must be] undiluted [wine] and full; [it requires] adorning and wrapping; he takes it in his two hands and places it in his right [hand], and he lifts it [at least] one handbreadth from the ground, and [when reciting the blessing] he fixes his eyes upon it. And some say: He also sends it as a gift to members of his household. [ . . . ]

Ulla happened [to come] to the house of R. Naḥman. He ate bread, recited Grace after Meals, and gave the cup of blessing to R. Naḥman. R. Naḥman said to him, “Master, please send the cup of blessing to Yalta.” [Ulla] responded to him, “[There is no need,] as R. Yoḥanan said as follows: The fruit of a woman’s body is blessed only from the fruit of a man’s body, as it is stated: [And He will love you, and bless you, and make you numerous,] and He will bless the fruit of your body (Deuteronomy 7:13). ‘[He will bless] the fruit of her body’ was not stated. Rather, [He will bless] the fruit of your [masculine singular] body.” [ . . . ]

Meanwhile, Yalta heard [Ulla’s refusal to send her the cup of blessing]. She arose in a rage, entered the wine-storage, and broke four hundred barrels of wine. [Afterward,] R. Naḥman said to [Ulla], “Let the Master send her another cup.” [Ulla] sent [Yalta a different cup with a message saying that] all [of the wine in] this barrel is [wine] of blessing. She sent him [a response]: “From itinerant [peddlers come meaningless] words, and from rags [come] lice.”

b. Shabbat 54b

R. Aḥa bar Ulla sat before Rav Ḥisda and he sat and he said, “From when they shear [the wool off the animal], they soak a [soft] swatch [of wool or some other material] in oil and place it on [the animal’s] forehead so that it will not catch cold [until its wool grows back. Ḥanunot refers to animals with those swatches].” Rav Ḥisda said to him, “If so, you turned [the animal into the exilarch], Mar Uqva. [That is treatment fit for him, not for a shorn sheep.]”

Rather, R. Papa bar Samuel sat before Rav Ḥisda, and he sat and he said, “At the time that [the animal] crouches to give birth, [those tending to the animal] soak two swatches [of wool] in oil, and place one on [the animal’s] forehead and the other on its womb so that it will be warmed. [Ḥanunot refers to animals with those swatches.]” R. Naḥman said to him, “If so, you turned [the animal into] Yalta, [who descended from the house of the exilarch. That is treatment fit for her, not for an animal].”

b. Betsah 25b

The sages taught in a baraita: A blind person may not go out [on a festival] with his cane, nor a shepherd with his satchel. And one may not go out on a chair [borne on poles], neither a man nor a woman. [ . . . ]

Is that so? But didn’t R. Naḥman permit [his wife] Yalta to go out [on a festival] on [a chair borne on] poles? Yalta is different, as she was afraid [of falling].

b. Gittin 67b

When the [members] of the exilarch’s house would afflict R. Amram the Pious they would [make] him lie down [to sleep all night] on [the] snow. The next day they would say to him: What is preferable for the Master, [i.e., R. Amram,] for us to bring him to eat? [R. Amram] said [to himself,] Anything I say to them, [they will do] the opposite. He said to them, [“Bring me] red meat [roasted] over coals and diluted wine.” They brought him fatty meat [roasted] over coals and undiluted wine [instead, which is what R. Amram had intended, because this is the remedy for one who suffers from the chills].

Yalta, [R. Naḥman’s wife,] heard [what the members of the exilarch’s house did, and that R. Amram was suffering from the chills]. And she brought him to the bathhouse, and placed him in the water of the bathhouse until the water of the bathhouse turned [red like] blood. And his flesh became [covered with spots that looked like] coins.

b. Kiddushin 70a–b

[R. Naḥman—Ed.] said to him [R. Judah—Ed.], “Let the Master drink a cup of wine.” [ . . . ]

[Later on, R. Naḥman] said to him, “Let [my daughter] Donag come [and] pour us drinks.” [R. Judah] said to him, “This is what Samuel says: One may not make use of a woman [for a service such as this.” R. Naḥman replied], “She is a minor.” [R. Judah retorted,] “Samuel explicitly says: One may not make use of a woman at all, whether [she is] an adult or a minor.”

[Later on, R. Naḥman suggested,] “Let the Master send [greetings of] peace to Yalta.” [R. Judah] said to him, “This is what Samuel says: A woman’s voice is [considered] nakedness, [and one may not speak with her.” R. Naḥman responded, “It is] possible [to send your regards] with a messenger.” [R. Judah] said to him, “This is what Samuel says: One may not send greetings to a woman [even with a messenger.” R. Naḥman countered by suggesting that he send his greetings] with her husband. [R. Judah] said to him, “This is what Samuel says: One may not send greetings to a woman at all.” [Yalta,] his wife, [who overheard that R. Judah was getting the better of the exchange,] sent [a message] to him: “Release him [and conclude your business with him], so that he not equate you with another ignoramus.”

b. Ḥullin 109b

Yalta said to R. Naḥman, “Now [as a rule, for] any [item] that the Merciful One prohibited to us, He permitted to us a similar [item. He] prohibited to us [the consumption of] blood, [yet] He permitted to us [the consumption of] liver, [which is filled with blood and retains the taste of blood. Likewise, God prohibited sexual intercourse with] a menstruating woman, [but permitted sexual intercourse with one’s wife while she discharges] the blood of purity.¹

“Furthermore, the Torah prohibits the consumption of the forbidden] fat of a domesticated animal, [but permitted the] fat of an undomesticated animal, [which has the same flavor. It is prohibited to eat] pork, [but one may eat] the brain of a shibuta [fish, which has a similar taste. One may not eat] giruta, [a non-kosher fish, but one may eat the] tongue of a fish, [which tastes similar.

“Likewise, the Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with] the wife of [another] man [but permitted one to marry] a divorced woman in her [previous] husband’s lifetime. [The Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with one’s] brother’s wife, [and yet it permits one to marry his] yevama, [his brother’s widow when the brother dies childless. Finally, the Torah prohibits sexual intercourse with] a gentile woman [but permitted one to marry] a beautiful woman [who is a prisoner of war (see Deuteronomy 21:10–14).” Yalta concluded, “The Torah prohibits the consumption of meat cooked in milk;] I wish to eat [a dish that tastes like] meat [cooked] in milk.”

[Upon hearing this,] R. Naḥman said to [his] cooks, “Roast udders on a spit for her.”