[Avodah] V'achata v'savata uveirachta

[Cantor Wolberg]

The following appears in Chapter one (26) of the gemara, Taanis. What  
struck me a very interesting is the fact that we have always been told  
to wait about an hour after
eating before exercising.

R. Yehudah said in the name of R. Hyya: One who travels on the road  
should not eat much--no more, in fact, than is eaten in a year of  
famine. Why so? Here in Babylon they say: "In order that the stomach  
be not filled and thus make walking difficult"; but in Palestine they  
say: "In order that the supply of food which is carried along be not  
too quickly exhausted." The difference in the two opinions is  
therefore concerning a man on board of a ship. There is fear of the  
supply of food being exhausted, but not that walking will be hindered.  
On the other hand, the difference of opinion also concerns a man  
travelling from village to village. There is no fear of the supply of  
food becoming exhausted, but there is fear of overloading the stomach  
and thus impeding further progress.

There is a difference of opinion, however, it is the answer given in  
Babylon which fascinated me.

ri