Commentary for Shabbat 305:17

איבעיא להו חרש וקטן מאי אליבא דר"א לא תיבעי לך דתניא ר' יצחק אומר משום ר' אליעזר תרומת חרש

Another, interpretation: 'Let thy garments be always white' — this refers to fringes; 'and let not thy head lack ointment' — to tefillin. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF DARKNESS FALLS UPON A PERSON ON A ROAD,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Sabbath commences. ');">¹⁵</span> HE ENTRUSTS HIS PURSE TO A GENTILE;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 17b. ');">¹⁶</span> BUT IF THERE IS NO GENTILE WITH HIM, HE PLACES IT ON THE ASS. WHEN HE REACHES THE OUTERMOST COURTYARD<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the first town where he arrives. ');">¹⁷</span> HE REMOVES THE OBJECTS WHICH MAY BE HANDLED ON THE SABBATH, WHILST AS FOR THOSE WHICH MAY NOT BE HANDLED ON THE SABBATH, HE UNTIES THE CORDS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereby they are fastened to the saddle. ');">¹⁸</span> AND THE SACKS FALL OFF AUTOMATICALLY. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Why did the Rabbis permit him to entrust his purse to a Gentile?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though that is tantamount to instructing the Gentile to carry it for him, which is forbidden. ');">¹⁹</span> — The Rabbis knew for certain<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was established to the Rabbis'. ');">²⁰</span> that no man will restrain himself where his money is concerned; if you do not permit it to him, he will come to carry it four cubits in public ground. Raba said: His purse only, but not something found. That is obvious, [for] we learnt HIS PURSE? — You might say, The same law applies even to a find, and why does he mention HIS PURSE — as a natural course:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Finds are rare. ');">²¹</span> therefore he informs us [that it is not so]. Yet we said this only where it did not come into his possession [before the Sabbath], but if it came into his possession, it is the same as his purse. Others state, Raba asked: What about a find that came into his possession [before nightfall]? since it came into this possession, it is the same as his purse; or perhaps since he had no trouble over it, it is not the same as his purse? The question stands over. IF THERE IS NO GENTILE WITH HIM, [etc.]. The reason is that there is no Gentile with him, but if there is a Gentile with him he must give it to him:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In preference. ');">²²</span> what is the reason? — As for an ass, you are under an obligation that it should rest;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ex. XX, 10 ');">²³</span> but as for a Gentile, you are under no obligation [to ensure] that he should rest. [If there is] an ass, and a deaf-mute, imbecile, or minor:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These three are frequently linked together as being the same in law. ');">²⁴</span> he must place it on the ass and not give it to the deaf-mute, imbecile or minor. What is the reason? The latter are human beings whereas the former is not. [In the case of] a deaf-mute and an imbecile: [he must give it] to the imbecile; [in the case of] an imbecile and a minor — to the imbecile. The scholars asked: What of a deaf-mute and a minor? On R. Eliezer's view there is no questions for it was taught: R. Isaac said in R. Eliezer's name: The <i>terumah</i> of a deaf-mute<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., separated by him. ');">²⁵</span>

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