Commentary for Shabbat 284:20

והאמר רבא לשמעיה טווי לי בר אווזא ושדי מיעיה לשונרא

recite: They learnt this only when it is required for itself; but if its place is required, one may move it while they are yet upon it. IF MONEY IS LYING ON A CUSHION, ONE SHAKES, etc. R. Oshaia said: If one forgets a purse in a courtyard, he places a loaf or a child thereon and moves it. R. Isaac said: If one forgets a brick in a courtyard, he places a loaf or a child thereon and moves it. R. Judah b. Shila said in R. Assi's name: They once forgot a saddlebag full of money in the street, and went and consulted R. Johanan and he told them, Place a loaf or a child thereon and move it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Less than four cubits at a time, since carrying in a street is forbidden; or, within a barrier formed by a chain of persons, v. 'Er. 43b. ');">¹⁷</span> Mar Zutra said: The law is as all these rulings, where one forgets. R. Ashi said: Even if one forgets, this is still not [permitted], and they permitted [the expedient of] a loaf or a child only in connection with a corpse.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 30b. ');">¹⁸</span> Abaye placed a ladle on a pile of sheaves;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To handle the latter in virtue of the former. ');">¹⁹</span> Raba placed a knife on a young dove<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Killed, raw and unsalted. ');">²⁰</span> and handled it. Said R. Joseph: How keen are the rulings of children!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Said sarcastically. ');">²¹</span> assume that the Rabbis ruled thus when one forgets: but was it said [that it is permitted] at the very outset? Abaye retorted: But that I am a person of importance,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who sets an example. ');">²²</span> would I need a ladle on sheaves: surely they are fit for reclining thereon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence I may hand]e them in any case, and I place the ladle there merely because I do not wish to encourage laxity of observance. ');">²³</span> Raba retorted: But that I am a person of importance, would I need a knife on a young dove? surely it is fit for me as raw meat.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which used to be eaten in his days. ');">²⁴</span> Thus the reason is because it is fit as raw meat; but if it were not fit as raw meat it might not [be handled]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though it would still be fit for dogs; thus fitness for dogs does not permit handling by humans. ');">²⁵</span> shall we say that Raba agrees with R. Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who holds the view expressed in the preceding note; v. Bez. 6b. ');">²⁶</span> But surely Raba said to his servant, Roast me a duck<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was a festival. ');">²⁷</span> and throw its entrails to a cat?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus he permitted him to handle it, though unfit for human beings just then, entrails not being eaten on Festivals: nevertheless on the previous day, before the festival commenced, they would have been fit for human beings too. ');">²⁸</span>

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