[Damocles]

Talmudic Analysis

Mishnah: The School of Shammai says: "You must have four cows." The School of Hillel says: "You need only have two cows, that the poor not be disgraced." And the law is according to the School of Hillel.
Gemara: Why does the Mishnah say you must have two cows? Why not one cow and one bull? Rabbi Yohannan said: "In former times, farmers owned one cow and one bull, but that led to lewdness; therefore the Sages prohibited it." Rav objected: "Doesn't the Torah say, 'Be fruitful and multiply?'" Samuel countered: "It only says that with regard to birds, fish and human beings, not with regard to land animals." But Rav Ashi said, "Given that it is written 'Be fruitful and multiply' with regard to the former, we may infer by analogy that it applies to the latter." Then how does one breed one's cows? By taking them to visit the bulls on a Gentile's farm.