Commentary for Shabbat 232:5

רב אשי אמר לעולם כדאמרן מעיקרא ושמואל כרבי נחמיה דתניא אע"פ שאמרו כתבי הקדש אין קורין בהן אבל שונין בהן ודורשין בהן נצרך לפסוק מביא ורואה בו א"ר נחמיה מפני מה אמרו כתבי הקדש אין קורין בהן כדי שיאמרו בכתבי הקדש אין קורין וכ"ש בשטרי הדיוטות:

we may not read [them]; when it is not the time of the <i>Beth Hamidrash</i> we may read them. And Samuel is consistent with his view, for in Nehardea they closed the prescribed lesson [of the Pentateuch] with<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text should read [H], as above, not [H]. ');">¹³</span> [a reading from] the Hagiographa. R. Ashi said, In truth, it is as we first stated, Samuel [ruling] according to R. Nehemiah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But he does not state his own view there. ');">¹⁴</span> For it was taught: Though they [the Sages] said, Holy writings may not be read, yet they may be studied, and lectures thereon may be given. If one needs a verse, he may bring [a Scroll] and see [it] therein. R. Nehemiah said: Why did they rule, Holy Writings may not be read? So that people may say, If Holy Writings may not be read, how much more so secular documents!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., bills, documents relating to business transactions, etc. ');">¹⁵</span>

Explore commentary for Shabbat 232:5. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.