Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath

Folio 126a

Whether it is fastened or not, providing that it was prepared.¹  Said R. Jeremiah to him, But let the Master say, Whether it is suspended or not, providing that it is fastened;²  for Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said in R. Johanan's name: Just as there is a controversy here, so is there a controversy in respect of a dragging bolt.³  For we learnt: With a dragging bolt, one may lock [the door] in the Temple, but not in the country;⁴  but one that is laid apart [on the ground]⁵  is forbidden in both places. R. Judah said: That which is laid apart [is permitted] in the Temple; and that which is dragged, in the country. Now it was taught: Which is a dragging bolt wherewith we may close (a door] in the Temple but not in the country? That which is fastened (to the door] and suspended — one end reaching the ground. R. Judah said: Such is permitted even in the country. But which is forbidden in the country? That which is neither fastened nor suspended — but which one removes and places in a corner. Further, R. Joshua b. Abba said in 'Ulla's name: Who is the Tanna of 'a dragging bolt?'⁶  It is R. Eleazar!⁷  Said he to him, I hold with the following Tanna. For it was taught: If a private individual prepares⁸  a cane for opening and shutting [a door] therewith: if it is tied and suspended to the door, he may open and shut [it] therewith; if it is not tied and suspended may not open and shut [it] therewith. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel ruled: If it is prepared⁹  even if it is not fastened.¹⁰

R. Judah b. Shilath said in R. Assi's name in R. Johanan's name: The halachah is as R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. Now, did R. Johanan say thus? Surely we learnt: All lids of vessels

1. For this purpose before the Sabbath.
2. Before the Sabbath, i.e., explain the Mishnah stringently, instead of leniently.
3. Lit., 'a bolt that is dragged'. I.e., a door-bolt, fastened to the door, but one end thereof drags on the floor.
4. 'Country' is employed technically to denote all places except the Temple. — Since it is fastened to the door, it is as though built thereto, and therefore the prohibition of handling it is only a Rabbinical one, which was imposed in the country but not in the Temple.
5. It is not fastened at all, but when removed from the sockets it is simply placed on the ground.
6. Requiring both that it be fastened and suspended.
7. Whereas R. Judah will agree with the Rabbis. From this passage we see that all agree that it must be tied.
8. I.e., sets aside.
9. I.e., since it has been devoted to this purpose.
10. It may be used for opening and shutting. R. Abba rules in accordance with this.

which have a handle on the Sabbath. Whereon R. Judah b. Shila said in R. Assi's name in R. Johanan's name: Providing that they have the character of utensils.¹  And should you answer, Here too [it means] where it ranks as a utensil,²  — does then R. Simeon b. Gamaliel require it to have the character of a utensil? Surely it was taught: As for the dried branches of a palm tree which one cut down for fuel and then changed his mind, [intending them for sitting thereon], he must tie them together.³  R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: He need not tie them together!⁴  — R. Johanan agrees with him in one⁵  and disagrees with him in the other.⁶  R. Isaac the smith⁷  lectured at the entrance of the Resh Galutha:⁸  The halachah is as R. Eliezer. R. Amram objected: And from their words we learn that we may close (a skylight], measure [a mikweh], and tie [a temporary knot] on the Sabbath!⁹  — Said Abaye to him, What is your view: because it is taught anonymously?¹⁰  [But the Mishnah concerning] a dragging bolt is also anonymous!¹¹  — Yet even so an actual incident is weightier.¹²

MISHNAH. ALL LIDS OF UTENSILS WHICH HAVE A HANDLE MAY BE HANDLED ON THE SABBATH. SAID R. JOSE, WHEN IS THAT SAID? IN THE CASE OF LIDS OF GROUND [BUILDINGS],¹³  BUT THE LIDS OF UTENSILS MAY IN ANY CASE BE HANDLED ON THE SABBATH.

GEMARA. R. Judah b. Shila said in R. Assi's name in R. Johanan's name: Provided that they have the character of a utensil. All agree: Covers of ground [buildings may be handled] only if they have a handle but not otherwise; covers of utensils, even if they have no handle. Where do they differ? In respect of utensils joined to the ground: one Master holds: We forbid (them] preventively,¹⁴  while the other Master holds, We do not forbid preventively. Another version: Where do they differ? In respect of an oven cover:¹⁵  one Master likens it to the cover of a ground [building], while the other Master likens it to the cover of utensils.

CHAPTER XVIII

MISHNAH. ONE MAY CLEAR AWAY EVEN FOUR OR FIVE BASKETS OF STRAW OR PRODUCE [GRAIN] TO MAKE ROOM FOR GUESTS OR ON ACCOUNT OF THE NEGLECT OF THE BETH HAMIDRASH,¹⁶  BUT NOT THE STORE.¹⁷  ONE MAY CLEAR AWAY CLEAN TERUMAH, DEM'AI,¹⁸  THE FIRST TITHE WHOSE TERUMAH HAS BEEN SEPARATED,¹⁹  REDEEMED SECOND TITHE AND HEKDESH,²⁰  AND DRY LUPINES, BECAUSE IT IS FOOD FOR GOATS.²¹  BUT [ONE MAY] NOT [CLEAR AWAY] TEBEL,¹⁸  THE FIRST TITHE WHEREOF TERUMAH HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN, UNREDEEMED SECOND TITHE OR HEKDESH, LOF²²  OR MUSTARD. R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL PERMITS [IT] IN THE CASE OF LOF, BECAUSE IT IS FOOD FOR RAVENS.²³  AS FOR BUNDLES OF STRAW,²⁴  TWIGS, OR YOUNG SHOOTS, IF THEY WERE PREPARED AS ANIMAL FODDER, THEY MAY BE MOVED; IF NOT, THEY MAY NOT BE MOVED.²⁵

GEMARA. Seeing that five may be cleared away, need four be stated? — Said R. Hisda: [It means] four out of five.²⁶  Some there are who state, Four of a small store,²⁷  and five of a large store. And what does BUT NOT THE STORE mean?²⁸  That one must not commence [dealing] with a store for the first time;²⁹  and which [Tanna] rules [thus]? It is R. Judah, who accepts [the interdict of] mukzeh. But Samuel said: [It means] four or five

1. I.e., the lids themselves must be fit for use as vessels. But how can a cane rank as a utensil?
2. E.g., if the cane may be used for stirring olives in the vat.
3. V. p. 226, n. 1.
4. They may be handled without tying, though they are certainly not utensils.
5. That if it is prepared it need not be tied.
6. Holding that they must have the character of a utensil.
7. Many of the Rabbis were tradesmen or workers; e.g., R. Johanan the cobbler; R. Papa, who was a brewer; Hillel at one time a wood-cutter.
8. V. p. 217, 11. 7.
9. V. Mishnah infra 157a. The reference there is to a cloth that is not fastened and suspended, and yet we may close a skylight with it.
10. You assume that that proves the halachah is so, for otherwise you could simply answer that it represents the Rabbis' view only and is not a final ruling.
11. And there R. Eliezer's view is stated.
12. In the Mishnah infra 157 it is not merely a theoretical ruling but bears on actual practice. Therefore one may assume that it states the final ruling, and this refutes R. Isaac.
13. E.g., the lid or cover of a pit built in the ground. When they have a handle they are obviously not part of the pit and are meant to be put on and taken off. But otherwise they seem to be there permanently: hence placing them there is like building, and removing them is like demolishing.
14. Lest they be confused with the lid of ground. buildings.
15. V. p. 620, n. 8 for its construction.
16. Caused by lack of room for the disciples.
17. Explained infra.
18. V. Glos.
19. The first tithe belonged to the Levite; a tenth thereof, called terumah ('septs ration'), was given to the priest.
20. The second tithe was to be eaten by an Israelite owner in Jerusalem. Both it and hekdesh, q.v. Glos., could be redeemed, whereby they became like ordinary produce, save in a few respects, and then consumed. (Hekdesh, if an animal dedicated as a sacrifice, might be redeemed only if it received a blemish.)
21. Var lec.: for the poor.
22. Jast.: a plant similar to colocasia, with edible leaves and root, and bearing beans. It is classified with onions and garlic.
23. Which some wealthy people bred.
24. Or, stubble.
25. This is the reason of the others too which may not be moved, viz., because they cannot be used even as animal fodder.
26. If the entire store consists of five, only four may be removed, but not all, lest depressions in the ground are revealed which may be levelled on the Sabbath.
27. Var. lec. omit: 'Some there are … small store'.
28. It cannot mean that the whole store must not be cleared away, since on the present interpretation that is already implied in the first clause.
29. If he had not already started using it for food, either for himself or for his animals, before the Sabbath, it is mukzeh and must not be touched.