daf bit: Pesachim 112

[cellio]

It was taught: do not go out alone at night, on the nights of Wednesday or Shabbat, because Igrath the daughter of Mahalath (the queen of demons) and 180,000 destroying angels go out then with permission to wreak destruction. Originally they went about by day, but one day she met R. Chanina b. Dosa and said to him: "had they not made an announcement in heaven, 'take heed of Chanina and his learning', I would have put you in danger". He replied: "if I am of account in heaven, then I order you to never pass through settled areas". She pleaded with him: "leave me a little room", and so he left her the nights of Wednesday and Shabbat. (112b)

(It is not explained why he chose those nights. Shabbat in particular seems counter-intuitive to me. If it's not already answered there I plan to ask on Mi Yodeya, along with a question about demons in general.)

Today's g'mara (and nearby pages) is full of short bits of rabbinic advice. Another from today's daf: don't go into a house with a cat barefoot, because cats kill snakes and you might stick yourself with a snake-bone. But also don't go into a house without a cat in the dark, lest a snake attack you. I didn't actually know that cats kill snakes, nor that this was understood to be a hazard at the time of the g'mara.

Comments

[cellio]

No argument on them knowing the danger of snakes; I seem to recall snakes making other talmudic appearances (along with scorpions).

I didn't know cats went after frogs and lizards, but if so then snakes don't seem like a stretch. Thanks.