Reference for Shabbat 214:8
הצדן לצורך חייב וכו': מאן תנא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב ר' שמעון היא דאמר מלאכה שאין צריכה לגופה פטור עליה
— Because it is written, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots [habarbarothaw]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XIII, 23. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> What does 'habarbarothaw' mean: shall we say, that it is covered with spots? Then instead of 'and a leopard habarbarothaw,'it should read, 'a leopard gawwanaw [its colours]'? Rather it is parallel to Ethiopian, — just as the skin of an Ethiopian cannot turn, so is a [real] wound one that does not turn [i.e., heal].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On this interpretation namer (E.V. leopard) is derived from mur, to change, and the verse is translated: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or turn (i.e., heal) his wounds? habarbarothaw (E.V. spots) being derived from haburah, a wound. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
Explore reference for Shabbat 214:8. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.