Responsa for Shabbat 162:3

גופא אמר ר"ל צרור שעלו בו עשבים מותר לקנח בה והתולש ממנה בשבת חייב חטאת אמר רב פפי ש"מ מדר"ל האי פרפיסא שרי לטלטולי מתקיף לה רב כהנא אם אמרו לצורך יאמרו שלא לצורך אמר אביי פרפיסא הואיל ואתא לידן לימא ביה מילתא היה מונח על גבי קרקע והניחו על גבי יתידות מיחייב משום תולש היה מונח על גבי יתידות והניחו על גבי קרקע חייב משום נוטע

— surely Resh Lakish said: One may cleanse himself with a pebble whereon grass has sprouted, but if one detaches [the grass] thereof on the Sabbath, he incurs a sin-offering? Rather [the reason is] lest he take [a clod] from an upper level<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g.. a mound or any other protuberance. ');">⁹</span> and throw it below,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Into a depression; he thus levels them. ');">¹⁰</span> and he is then liable on account of Rabbah's [dictum], for Rabbah said: If one has a depression and fills it up, — if in the house, he is culpable on account of building; if in the field, he is culpable on account of ploughing. [To revert to] the main text: Resh Lakish said: One may cleanse himself with a pebble whereon 'grass has sprouted; but if one detaches [the grass] thereof on the Sabbath, he incurs a sin-offering. R. Pappi said: From Resh Lakish you may infer that one may take up a parpisa.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: a perforated pot. Though the earth in it might be regarded as attached to the ground in virtue of the perforation which permits the sap or moisture to mount from the one to the other, yet just as Resh Lakish rules that the pebble is treated as detached in spite of the grass which has grown on it, which is only possible through its lying on the soil, so is this pot too regarded thus. Jast.: a lump of earth in a bag of palm-leaves (v. Rashi in name of [H]). ');">¹¹</span>

Explore responsa for Shabbat 162:3. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.