Halakhah for Shabbat 313:13

שפקקו את המאור בטפיח וקשרו את המקידה בגמי: אמר רב יהודה אמר רב הילקטי קטנה היתה בין שני בתים [וטומאה היתה שם]

FOR VOWS WHEN THESE ARE NECESSARY FOR THE SABBATH. A SKYLIGHT MAY BE CLOSED UP,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra 125b. ');">¹³</span> AND A RAG MAY BE MEASURED,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whether it is large enough to be defiled; v. supra 26b. E.g., if it came into contact with a sherez (q.v. Glos.) and then touched food. ');">¹⁴</span> AND A MIKWEH MAY BE MEASURED.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To see whether it has the minimum size for validity, i.e., one cubit square by three in breadth or its cubic equivalent. ');">¹⁵</span> AND IT ONCE HAPPENED IN THE DAYS OF R. ZADOK'S FATHER AND THE DAYS OF ABBA SAUL THE SON OF BOTNITH THAT THEY CLOSED UP THE WINDOW WITH A PITCHER AND TIED AN [EARTHENWARE] POT TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE WAS THE OPENING OF A HANDBREADTH OR NOT IN THE BARREL.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is discussed infra. ');">¹⁶</span> AND FROM THEIR WORDS WE LEARN THAT WE MAY CLOSE [A SKYLIGHT] AND MEASURE AND TIE ON THE SABBATH. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. The scholars asked: Is annulment [permitted] whether it is required [for the Sabbath] or not, whereas absolution [may be granted] only when it is necessary, but not otherwise, and for that reason they are divided from each other;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the Mishnah, instead of stating. Vows may be annulled and absolution granted. etc. ');">¹⁷</span> or perhaps annulment too [is permitted] only when it is necessary [for the Sabbath] but not otherwise; the reason that they are divided being that annulment does not require a <i>Beth din</i>, whereas absolution requires a <i>Beth din</i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A husband annuls his wife's vows and a father his daughter's, while a Sage or Beth din of three laymen can grant absolution to all. ');">¹⁸</span> — Come and hear: For Zuti, of the School of R. Papa, recited: Vows may be annulled on the Sabbath when they are required for the Sabbath: thus, only when required for the Sabbath, but not otherwise. Another version: The scholars asked: Does WHEN THESE ARE NECESSARY relate to both, but not when they are unnecessary. which proves that [for] the annulment of vows a period of twenty-four hours is given; or perhaps WHEN THESE ARE NECESSARY is stated in reference to absolution only, but the annulment of vows [is permitted] even when it is unnecessary, which proves that [for] the annulment of vows the whole day [only] is given?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A husband or a father can annul vows only on the day he hears them (Num. XXX, 5, 8, q.v.); and the question is whether 'day' means a calendar day, i.e., until the evening only, no matter when the vow is made, or full twenty-four hours? Now, where he hears of her vow first on Sabbath day, if annulment is permitted on the Sabbath only when it is necessary, it follows that full twenty-four hours are allowed so that he can annul after the termination of the Sabbath; for otherwise we deprive him of the right to annul at all. ');">¹⁹</span> — Come and hear: For Zuti of the School of R. Papa recited: Vows may be annulled on the Sabbath when they are required for the Sabbath — Only 'when required for the Sabbath', but not otherwise, which proves that [for] the annulment of vows a period of twenty-four hours is given. Said R. Ashi, But we learnt: [The period allowed for] annulment of vows is the whole day: this may result in greater stringency or greater leniency.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By fixing a calender day, i.e., a night and a day, the period may be shorter or longer, as the case may be. ');">²⁰</span> E.g., if she vows on Sabbath eve [Friday night], he can annul on the Sabbath eve and the Sabbath day; if she vows just before nightfall, he can annul only until the night, for if darkness falls and he has not annulled it, he can no longer do so? — It is dependent on Tannaim: [The period for] the annulling of vows is all day; R. Jose son of R. Judah and R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon maintain: Twenty-four hours. AND ABSOLUTION MAY BE GRANTED FOR VOWS, etc. The scholars asked: Is that only if one had no time [before the Sabbath to seek absolution], or perhaps it holds good even if one had time? — Come and hear: For the Rabbis gave a hearing to R. Zutra b. R. Zera and absolved him of his vow, though he did have time. THEY CLOSED UP THE WINDOW WITH A PITCHER AND TIED A POT WITH A REED ROPE. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: There was a small passage between two houses and an unclean object lay there,

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