as wines, oils, flours and fruits [...] During a year of drought one should not even hoard a kab
of carobs since it introduces a curse into the prices.,, 2 The Talmudic texts of Roman
Palestine contain many such prohibitions; in general, it was not allowed to export or resell
food or to profit from dearth. Although one recent commentator dismisses these laws as the
Rabbinie view of an economic utopia, which does not reflect any economic reality, they do …