Commentary for Shabbat 212:5

אמר רבה בר רב הונא הכא בצפור דרור עסקינן לפי שאינה מקבלת מרות דתנא דבי ר' ישמעאל למה נקרא שמה צפור דרור מפני שדרה בבית כבשדה השתא דאתית להכי חיה אחיה נמי לא קשיא הא בביבר גדול הא בביבר קטן

For the School of R. Ishmael taught: Why is it called a free bird? Because it dwells in a house [free] just as in the field. Now that you have arrived at this [answer], [the rulings on] beasts too are not contradictory: one refers to a large vivarium, the other to a small vivarium. What is a large vivarium and what is a small vivarium? Said R. Ashi: Where one can run after and catch it with a single lunge, that is a small vivarium; any other is a large vivarium. Alternatively, if the shadows of the walls fall upon each other, it is a small vivarium; otherwise it is a large vivarium. Alternatively, if there are not many recesses,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Into which the animals may run when chased. ');">⁸</span> it is a small vivarium; otherwise it is a large vivarium.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the whole passage v. Bez. 23b. ');">⁹</span>

Explore commentary for Shabbat 212:5. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.