Eruvin 89

Chapter 89

א והתנן ר"א אומר שתים יכנס ג' לא יכנס מאי לאו רבי אליעזר לטעמיה דאמר והוא באמצען

1 but, surely, we learned: R'Eliezer ruled: If a man walked two cubits beyond his Sabbath limit he may re-enter,1 and if he walked three cubits he may not re-enter;2 [from which it is evident] is it not, that R'Eliezer follows his principle on the basis of which he ruled: 'The man3

ב וארבע אמות דיהבו ליה רבנן כמאן דמיבלען דמו וקאמר יכנס אלמא הבלעת תחומין מילתא היא

2 is deemed to be in their center',4 so that the four cubits which the Rabbis have allowed him3 are regarded as overlapping [with that man's former Sabbath limit],5

ג א"ל רבה בר בר חנה לאביי ומדר"א קמותבת ליה למר אמר ליה אין דשמיע לי מיניה דמר עד כאן לא פליגי רבנן עליה דר"א אלא לדבר הרשות אבל לדבר מצוה מודו ליה:

3 and [it is because of this overlapping]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since in the case of a distance of three cubits, where there is no overlapping, R. Eliezer forbids, and in that of two cubits, where there is some overlapping, he permits the man to re-enter his former limit.');">6 that he ruled: 'He may re-enter'. Does not this then clearly prove that the overlapping of Sabbath limits is of significance? - Said Rabbah B'Bar Hana7

ד וכל היוצאין להציל חוזרין למקומן: ואפי' טובא והא אמרת רישא אלפים אמה ותו לא

4 to Abaye: Do you raise an objection against the Master8 from a ruling of R'Eliezer?9 'Yes', the other replied: 'because I heard from the Master himself8

ה אמר רב יהודה אמר רב שחוזרין בכלי זיין למקומן ומאי קושיא דילמא להציל שאני

5 that the Rabbis differed from R'Eliezer only in respect of a secula errand10 but that in respect of a religious one they agree with him'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That overlapping is of significance, As our Mishnah deals with a man who was permitted to go beyond his Sabbath limit, that is, on a religious errand, the Rabbis, like R. Eliezer, would permit him to re-enter his former limit if his new one overlapped with it.');">11 AND12

ו אלא אי קשיא הא קשיא דתנן בראשונה לא היו זזין משם כל היום כולו

6 ALL WHO GO OUT TO SAVE LIFE MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES. Even apparently where the distance was more [than four thousand cubits]. But was it not stated in the first clause,13

ז התקין ר"ג הזקן שיש להן אלפים אמה לכל רוח ולא אלו בלבד אמרו אלא אפי' חכמה הבאה לילד והבא להציל מן הגייס ומן הנהר ומן המפולת ומן הדליקה הרי הן כאנשי העיר ויש להן אלפים אמה לכל רוח

7 TWO THOUSAND CUBITS, and presumably no more? - Rab Judah replied in the name of Rab: The meaning is that they MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES14 with their weapons.15 But what [indeed] was the difficulty16

ח ותו לא והא אמרת כל היוצאין להציל חוזרין למקומן אפילו טובא

8 seeing that it is possible that the case of those who go to save lives17 is different?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From that of those previously mentioned in our MISHNAH: The former might refer to one who went to render evidence on the appearance of a new moon or to summon a midwife. A person in such circumstance may well be forbidden to return home if the distance was more than two thousand cubits. Those, however, who went out to save lives from the violence of an attacking gang might well, as a safeguard of their own lives against possible attack, have been permitted to return to their homes even where the distances were greater.');">18 If a difficulty did at all exist it must have been the following.

ט אמר רב [יהודה אמר רב] שחוזרין בכלי זיין למקומן כדתניא בראשונה היו מניחין כלי זיינן בבית הסמוך לחומה

9 We learned: At first they19 did not stir from there20 all day21

י פעם אחת הכירו בהן אויבים ורדפו אחריהם ונכנסו ליטול כלי זיינן ונכנסו אויבים אחריהן דחקו זה את זה והרגו זה את זה יותר ממה שהרגו אויבים באותה שעה התקינו שיהו חוזרין למקומן בכלי זיינן

10 but R'Gamaliel the Elder enacted that they shall be entitled to move within two thousand cubits in any direction. The enactment, moreover, was not applied to these19 only, but even a midwife who came to assist at a childbirth, or a man who came to rescue from an invading gang, from a river, from a ruin or from a fire is to be regarded as one of the people of the town22

יא רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר ל"ק כאן שנצחו ישראל את אומות העולם כאן שנצחו אומות העולם את עצמן

11 and is entitled to move within two thousand cubits in any direction.23 Now [this evidently implies:] No more;24 but has it not been said: ALL WHO GO OUT TO SAVE LIFE MAY RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL PLACES even impliedly a larger distance?24

יב אמר רב יהודה אמר רב נכרים שצרו על עיירות ישראל אין יוצאין עליהם בכלי זיינן ואין מחללין עליהן את השבת

12 - Rab Judah replied in the name of Rab:25 The meaning Is that they MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES26 with their weapons;27

יג תניא נמי הכי נכרים שצרו וכו' במה דברים אמורים כשבאו על עסקי ממון אבל באו על עסקי נפשות יוצאין עליהן בכלי זיינן ומחללין עליהן את השבת

13 as it was taught: At first they28 used to leave their weapons29 in a house that was nearest to the town wall.

יד ובעיר הסמוכה לספר אפילו לא באו על עסקי נפשות אלא על עסקי תבן וקש יוצאין עליהן בכלי זיינן ומחללין עליהן את השבת

14 Once it happened that the enemies recognized them30 and pursued them, and as these entered the house to take up their weapons the enemies followed them. There was a stampede and the men who killed one another were more than those whom the enemies killed.

טו אמר רב יוסף בר מניומי אמר רב נחמן ובבל כעיר הסמוכה לספר דמיא ותרגומא נהרדעא

15 At that time it was ordained that men in such circumstances shall return to their places with their weapons.31 R'Nahman B'Isaac replied: There is really no contradiction:32 The latter33

טז דרש רבי דוסתאי דמן בירי מאי דכתיב (שמואל א כג, א) ויגידו לדוד לאמר הנה פלשתים נלחמים בקעילה והמה שוסים את הגרנות

16 deals with a case where the Israelites overpowered the heathens34 while the former35 deals with one where the heathens overpowered themselves.36

יז תנא קעילה עיר הסמוכה לספר היתה והם לא באו אלא על עסקי תבן וקש דכתיב והמה שוסים את הגרנות וכתיב (שמואל א כג, ב) וישאל דוד בה' לאמר האלך והכיתי בפלשתים האלה ויאמר ה' אל דוד לך והכית בפלשתים והושעת את קעילה

17 Rab Judah stated in the name of Rab: If foreigners besieged Israelite towns it is not permitted to sally for against them or to desecrate the Sabbath in any other way on their account. So it was also taught: If foreigners besieged etc. This, however, applies only where they came for the sake of money matters, but if they came with the intention of taking lives the people are permitted to sally forth against them with their weapons and to desecrate the Sabbath on their account. Where the attack, however, was made on a town that was close to a frontier,37

יח מאי קמבעיא ליה אילימא אי שרי אי אסור הרי בית דינו של שמואל הרמתי קיים

18 even though they did not come with any intention of taking lives but merely to plunder straw or stubble, the people are permitted to sally forth against them with their weapons and to desecrate the Sabbath on their account.38 Said R'Joseph B'Manyumi in the name of R'Nahman: Babylon is regarded as a frontier town and by this39 he meant Nehardea.40

יט אלא אי מצלח אי לא מצלח דיקא נמי דכתיב לך והכית בפלשתים והושעת את קעילה ש"מ:

19 R'Dostai of Biri41 made the following exposition: What is the significance of the Scriptural text: And they told David saying: 'Behold the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors'?42 A Tanna taught: Keilah was a frontier town and they only came for the sake of plundering straw or stubble, for it is written: 'And they rob the threshingfloors' and yet it is written: Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying: 'Shall I go and smite these Philistines? ' And the Lord said unto David: 'Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah'.43

כ <big>מתני׳</big> מי שישב בדרך ועמד וראה הרי (זה) הוא סמוך לעיר [הואיל] ולא היתה כוונתו לכך לא יכנס דברי רבי מאיר

20 What was it that he inquired about? If it be suggested: 'Whether44 it was permitted or forbidden to repulse the attack', surely, it could be retorted, the Beth din of Samuel the Ramathite was then in existence.45

כא ר' יהודה אומר יכנס א"ר יהודה מעשה היה ונכנס רבי טרפון בלא מתכוין:

21 Rather, he inquired whether he would be successful or not.46 The inference from the wording of the text also supports this view. For it says: 'Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the inquiry had been merely regarding the legal permissibility of the engagement on Sabbath there would have been no point in adding the last three words. [The encouragement which he received to wage war indicates the importance of the issue for which, consequently, the Sabbath may be desecrated, v. Tosaf.].');">47

כב <big>גמ׳</big> תניא א"ר יהודה מעשה ברבי טרפון שהיה מהלך בדרך וחשכה לו ולן חוץ לעיר לשחרית מצאוהו רועי בקר אמרו לו רבי הרי העיר לפניך הכנס נכנס וישב בבית המדרש ודרש כל היום כולו

22 This is conclusive. <big>MISHNAH: </big>IF A MAN SAT DOWN48 BY THE WAY49

כג (אמרו לו) משם ראייה שמא בלבו היתה או בית המדרש מובלע בתוך תחומו היה:

23 AND WHEN HE ROSE UP50 HE OBSERVER THAT HE WAS NEAR A TOWN51 HE MAY NOT ENTER IT,52

כד <big>מתני׳</big> מי שישן בדרך ולא ידע שחשיכה יש לו אלפים אמה לכל רוח דברי ר' יוחנן בן נורי

24 SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN HIS INTENTION53 TO DO SO;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He is in consequence entitled to move from the spot where he sit down in any direction, including that of the town, within two thousand cubits distance, measured by moderate steps; but not further, though his Sabbath limit in the direction of the town terminated in the heart of the town.');">54 SO R'MEIR'R'JUDAH RULED: HE MAY ENTER IT.55

כה וחכמים אומרים אין לו אלא ארבע אמות ר"א אומר והוא באמצען

25 SAID R'JUDAH, IT ONCE ACTUALLY HAPPENED THAT R'TARFON ENTERED A TOWN56 THOUGH57 THIS WAS NOT HIS INTENTION [WHEN THE SABBATH HAD BEGUN].

כו ר' יהודה אומר לאיזה רוח שירצה ילך ומודה ר' יהודה שאם בירר לו שאינו יכול לחזור בו

26 <big>GEMARA: </big>It was taught: R'Judah related: It once happened that R'Tarfon was on a journey when dusk fell and he spent the night on the outskirts of a town. In the morning he was discovered by some herdsmen who said to him, 'Master, behold the town is just in front of you; come in. He, thereupon, entered and sat down in the house of study, and delivered discourses all that day.

כז היו שנים מקצת אמותיו של זה בתוך אמותיו של זה מביאין ואוכלין באמצע

27 Said R'Akiba58 to him:59 Is that incident any proof?60 Is it not possible that he53 had the town in his mind61 or that the house of study was actually62 within his Sabbath limit?63 <big>MISHNAH: </big>IF A MAN SLEPT BY THE WAY64 AND WAS UNAWARE THAT NIGHT HAD FALLEN,65 HE IS ENTITLED TO MOVE WITHIN TWO THOUSAND CUBITS IN ANY DIRECTION; SO R'JOHANAN B. NURI. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, RULED: HE66 HAS ONLY FOUR CUBITS WITHIN WHICH TO MOVE. R'ELIEZER RULED: AND THE MAN IS DEEMED TO BE IN THEIR CENTER.67 R'JUDAH RULED: HE MAY MOVE68 IN ANY DIRECTION HE DESIRES. R'JUDAH, HOWEVER, AGREES THAT IF HE HAS ONCE CHOSEN HIS DIRECTION HE MAY NOT GO BACK ON IT.69 IF THERE WERE TWO MEN AND A PART OF THE PRESCRIBED NUMBER OF CUBITS OF THE ONE OVERLAPPED WITH THAT OF THE OTHER,70 THEY MAY BRING THEIR MEALS AND EAT THEM IN THE MIDDLE,71

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