Commentary for Shabbat 122:11

אלא כיון דמסי אף על גב דנקיט ליה בידיה נמי שפיר דמי

The scholars propounded: Have amulets sanctity or not? In respect of what law? Shall we say, in respect of saving them from a fire?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That if a fire breaks out in a house, it shall be permitted to carry these into a courtyard which is not formally joined to the house by means of an 'erub (v. Glos.). Nothing may be taken out of a house into this courtyard, except sacred writings, to save them from fire; infra 115a. ');">¹⁰</span> Then come and hear: Benedictions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In writing. ');">¹¹</span> and amulets, though they contain the [divine] letters and many passages from the Torah, may not be saved from a fire, but are burnt where they are. Again, if in respect to hiding,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When sacred writings are worn out and not fit for use, they may not be thrown away or burnt, but must be 'hidden', i.e., buried; Meg. 26b. ');">¹²</span> — Come and hear: If it [the Divine Name] was written on the handles of utensils or on the legs of a bed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For magical purposes; v. A. Marmorstein in MGWJ. [1928], pp. 391 seq. ');">¹³</span> it must be cut out and hidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus whatever contains the Divine Name must be treated as sacred in this respect. ');">¹⁴</span> Rather [the problem is] what about entering a privy with them? Have they sanctity, and it is forbidden; or perhaps they have no sanctity, and it is permitted? — Come and hear: NOR WITH AN AMULET, IF IT IS NOT FROM AN EXPERT. This [implies that] if it is from an expert, one may go out [with it]; now if you say that amulets possess sanctity, it may happen that one needs a privy, and so come to carry it four cubits in the street?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He may have to remove it in order to deposit it somewhere and carry it thither. ');">¹⁵</span> The reference here is to an amulet of roots.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This certainly does not possess sanctity, since the Divine Name is not there. ');">¹⁶</span> But it was taught. Both a written amulet and an amulet of roots? — The reference here is to an invalid whose life is endangered.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the amulet is removed. He may take it into a privy even if it possesses sanctity. ');">¹⁷</span> But it was taught: 'Both an invalid whose life is endangered and one whose life is not endangered'? — Rather [this is the reply]: since it heals even when he holds it in his hand, it is well.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Permitted as a kind of cure. For even if one does carry it in the street in his hands, it is not a culpable act. ');">¹⁸</span>

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