Eruvin 115

ובלבד שלא יצא חוץ לתחום

PROVIDED HE DOES NOT GO BEYOND THE SABBATH LIMIT. IF HE IS UNABLE TO SPAN IT - IN CONNECTION WITH THIS R'DOSTAI B. JANNAI STATED IN THE NAME OF R'MEIR, I HAVE HEARD THAT HILLS ARE TREATED AS THOUGH THEY WERE PIERCED'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 35b q.v. notes.');">¹</span> <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Whence is this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That in measuring Sabbath limits only A ROPE OF THE LENGTH OF FIFTY CUBITS may be used.');">²</span>

אם אינו יכול להבליעו בזו אמר רבי דוסתאי בר ינאי משום ר' מאיר שמעתי שמקדרין בהרים:

deduced? - Rab Judah citing Rab replied: From Scripture which says. The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty by fifty,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVII, 18. E.V. 'everywhere'.');">³</span> the Torah having thus<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the phrase 'by fifty'.');">⁴</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> מנא הני מילי אמר רב יהודה אמר רב דאמר קרא (שמות כז, יח) ארך החצר מאה באמה ורוחב חמשים בחמשים אמרה תורה בחבל של חמשים אמה מדוד

enjoined: Measure with a rope of the length of fifty cubits. But is not this text required for the ordinance to take away fifty and to surround with them the other fifty?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 23b q.v. notes.');">⁵</span> - If for that purpose only,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'if so'.');">⁶</span>

האי מיבעי ליה ליטול חמשים ולסבב חמשים

Scripture might have said 'fifty, fifty' why then did it say 'fifty by fifty'? Hence both may be deduced.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The deduction supra (v. prev. n.) as well as the ruling in our MISHNAH:');">⁷</span> NEITHER LESS NOR MORE.

א"כ לימא קרא חמשים חמשים מאי חמשים בחמשים שמעת מינה תרתי:

One taught: Neither less because the measurements are increased,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A shorter rope is likely to be stretched and each unit of rope would consequently cover more cubits of ground than the standard number it represents. The Sabbath limits would in consequence be greater than the permitted distance.');">⁸</span> nor more because they are reduced.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A longer rope cannot be so well stretched and each unit of it would cover less ground than the standard number it represents. This would result in a loss in the Sabbath limits.');">⁹</span> R'Assi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Aruk, 'Ammi'.');">¹⁰</span>

לא פחות ולא יותר: תנא לא פחות מפני שמרבה ולא יותר מפני שממעט

ruled: One must measure only with a rope of apeskima.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One (as explained presently) made of the fibers of a particular kind of palm-tree.');">¹¹</span> What is the meaning of apeskima? - R'Abba replied: Nargila. What is Nargila? - R'Jacob replied: A palm-tree which has only one bast.

א"ר אסי אין מודדין אלא בחבל של אפסקימא מאי אפסקימא א"ר אבא נרגילא מאי נרגילא א"ר יעקב דיקלא דחד נברא איכא דאמרי מאי אפסקימא רבי אבא אמר נרגילא רבי יעקב אמר דיקלא דחד נברא

Others read: What is the meaning of apeskima? - R'Abba replied: Nargila; R'Jacob replied: A palm-tree which has only one bast. It was taught: R'Joshua B'Hananiah said: 'You have nothing more suitable for measuring than iron chains, but what can we do in face of what the Torah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The term is here used in its wider signification which includes also the Prophetic writings.');">¹²</span> said: With a measuring line in his hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zech. II. 5.');">¹³</span>

תניא אמר רבי יהושע בן חנניא אין לך שיפה למדידה יותר משלשלאות של ברזל אבל מה נעשה שהרי אמרה (זכריה ב, ה) ובידו חבל מדה

Is it not, however, written: And in the man's hand was a measuring rod?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XL, 5.');">¹⁴</span> - That was used for measuring the gates. R'Joseph learned: There are three kinds of rope.

והכתיב (יחזקאל מ, ה) וביד האיש קנה המדה ההוא לתרעי

Those made of megeg,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A certain kind of reed. Aliter: Bast.');">¹⁵</span> of wicker and of flax. The megeg rope<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it is not susceptible to levitical uncleanness.');">¹⁶</span>

תני רב יוסף שלשה חבלים הם של מגג של נצר ושל פשתן

was used for the heifer;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The red heifer (cf. Num. XIX, 2ff) which had to be prepared under conditions of strict levitical cleanness.');">¹⁷</span> for we learned: They bound it with a rope of megeg and put it on its pile.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Parah III, 9.');">¹⁸</span> The wicker rope was used in connection with the test of a faithless wife;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A sotah (v. Glos. and cf. Num. V, 12ff) .');">¹⁹</span>

של מגג לפרה דתנן כפתוה בחבל המגג ונתנוה על גב מערכתה של נצרים לסוטה דתנן ואח"כ מביא חבל המצרי וקושרו למעלה מדדיה של פשתן למדידה:

for we learned: And after that he brings a wicker rope<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hebel ha-mizri, lit,' an Egyptian rope'. Aliter: A common cord. Aliter: A rope of rushes.');">²⁰</span> and binds it above her breasts.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sotah 7b. Cf. Sonc. ed., p. 31, n. 1f.');">²¹</span> The flax rope was used for measuring purposes.

היה מודד והגיע: מדתני חוזר למידתו מכלל דאם אינו יכול להבליעו הולך למקום שיכול להבליעו ומבליעו וצופה כנגד מידתו וחוזר

IF IN THE COURSE OF MEASURING THE SURVEYOR REACHED. Since it was stated: RESUMES HIS MEASURING it may be inferred that if he is unable to span it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The GLEN, the WALL or the HILL where, for instance, the section that along the town is wider than fifty cubits.');">²²</span> he proceeds to a position<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Away from the town.');">²³</span>

תנינא להא דתנו רבנן היה מודד והגיע המידה לגיא אם יכול להבליעו בחבל של חמשים אמה מבליעו ואם לאו הולך למקום שיכול להבליעו ומבליעו וצופה וחוזר למידתו

from where<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The width across being less than fifty cubits.');">²⁴</span> he is able to do so and, after spanning it, he makes the necessary observations<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., , 'and looks'.');">²⁵</span> [whereby he is enabled to locate the point on the far side]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the obstruction that could not be spanned.');">²⁶</span>

אם היה גיא מעוקם מקדיר ועולה מקדיר ויורד הגיע לכותל אין אומרים יקוב הכותל אלא אומדו והולך לו

that is in a straight line with his original line of measuring<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. relevant notes on our Mishnah and first diagram ibid. Lit., 'corresponding to his measure'.');">²⁷</span> and then he resumes [his measurements in a straight line] - Thus we have here learnt what the Rabbis have taught elsewhere: If in the course of measuring the measuring rope reached a glen, the surveyor may span it if he can do so with a rope of fifty cubits, but if not, he proceeds to a position<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Away from the town.');">²³</span> from where<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The width across being less than fifty cubits.');">²⁴</span>

והא אנן תנן מבליעו וחוזר למידתו התם ניחא תשמישתא הכא לא ניחא תשמישתא

he is able to span it and, having spanned it, he makes the necessary observations<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., , 'and looks'.');">²⁵</span> [whereby he is enabled to locate the point on the far sides that is in a straight line with his original line of measuring] and then he resumes his measuring. If the glen was a crooked one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., its narrow section (not exceeding fifty cubits) that could be spanned was not on that side of the town from which the sabbath limit was being measured (v. Rashi) .');">²⁸</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל לא שנו אלא שאין חוט המשקולת יורד כנגדו

it is pierced in an upward, as well as in a downward direction.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The method of piercing is described infra 58b.');">²⁹</span> If it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The measuring line. iht');">³⁰</span> reached a wall we do not say: 'Let the wall be bored through';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. that poles towering above it shall be held up on both its sides and the rope stretched from one to the other (Tosaf. s.v. a.l.) .');">³¹</span> its thickness rather is estimated and the measuring continues.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. 'Er. IV.');">³²</span> Have we not, however, learnt: HE SPANS IT AND RESUMES HIS MEASURING?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why then is a mere estimate allowed in this case?');">³³</span> - There<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In our MISHNAH:');">³⁴</span> it is a case of one that can be conveniently used<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One for instance that rises gently to a height of ten handbreadths in all area of four cubits. Hence it must either be spanned or pierced.');">³⁵</span> but here it is a case of one that cannot conveniently be used.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A wall, for instance, that rose sharply in a perpendicular direction. As its sides are of no use for walking purposes they may be disregarded and only the estimated thickness of the wall need be included in the measurements.');">³⁶</span> Rab Judah citing Samuel stated: This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the method of piercing is admissible.');">³⁷</span> was learned only in the case where a plumb line<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Suspended from the edge of the glen and reaching the bed.');">³⁸</span> does not descend in a straight line<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'corresponding to it'. This is defined infra 58b.');">³⁹</span>