Shabbat 118

כדעבד ליה רבי עקיבא לדביתהו

such as R. Akiba made for his wife.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ned. 50a. ');">¹</span>

ת"ר לא תצא אשה בעיר של זהב ואם יצתה חייבת חטאת דברי רבי מאיר וחכמים אומרים לא תצא ואם יצתה פטורה רבי אליעזר אומר יוצאה אשה בעיר של זהב לכתחלה

Our Rabbis taught: A woman must not go out with a golden city, and if she does, she incurs a sin-offering: this is R. Meir's view. The Sages maintain: She may not go out [therewith], but if she does, she is not liable. R. Eliezer ruled: A woman may go out with a golden city at the very outset. Wherein do they differ? — R. Meir holds that it is a burden; while the Rabbis hold that it is an ornament, [and it is forbidden only] lest she remove it to show [to a friend], and thus come to carry it [in the street];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus it is only Rabbinically forbidden, and involves no sacrifice. ');">²</span>

במאי קמיפלגי ר"מ סבר משוי הוא ורבנן סברי תכשיט הוא דילמא שלפא ומחויא ליה ואתיא לאתויי ור"א סבר מאן דרכה למיפק בעיר של זהב אשה חשובה ואשה חשובה לא משלפא ומחויא

but R. Eliezer reasons: Whose practice is it to go out with a golden city? [That of] a woman of rank; and such will not remove it for display.

כלילא רב אסר ושמואל שרי

As for a coronet,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A wreath or chaplet worn on the forehead. Some were entirely of gold or silver; others of silk shot through with gold or silver. ');">³</span>

דאניסכא כולי עלמא לא פליגי דאסור כי פליגי דארוקתא מר סבר אניסכא עיקר ומר סבר ארוקתא עיקר

Rab forbids it;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To be worn by a woman in the street on the Sabbath. ');">⁴</span>

רב אשי מתני לקולא דארוקתא דכולי עלמא לא פליגי דשרי כי פליגי דאניסכא מר סבר דילמא שלפא ומחויא ואתי לאתויי ומר סבר מאן דרכה למיפק בכלילא אשה חשובה ואשה חשובה לא שלפא ומחויא

Samuel permits it. Where it is made of cast metal, all agree that it is forbidden;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This being very costly, a woman is more likely to remove it to show to her friends. ');">⁵</span>

א"ל רב שמואל בר בר חנה לרב יוסף בפירוש אמרת לן משמיה דרב כלילא שרי

they differ about an embroidered stuff:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where the chaplet or coronet is of a stuff with gold or silver embroidery, which would contain pieces of cast metal too. ');">⁶</span>

אמרו ליה לרב אתא גברא רבה אריכא לנהרדעא ומטלע ודרש כלילא שרי אמר מאן גברא רבה אריכא [דאיטלע] לוי ש"מ נח נפשיה דרבי אפס ויתיב ר' חנינא ברישא ולא הוה ליה איניש ללוי למיתב גביה וקאתי להכא

one Master holds that the cast metal [sewn on to it] is the chief part;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore a woman may be tempted to remove and show it. ');">⁷</span>

ודילמא נח נפשיה דרבי חנינא ור' אפס כדקאי קאי ולא הוה ליה איניש ללוי למיתב גביה וקאתי להכא אם איתא דרבי חנינא שכיב לוי לר' אפס מיכף הוה כייף ליה ותו דרבי חנינא לא סגי דלא מליך דכי הוה קא ניחא נפשיה דרבי אמר חנינא בר' חמא יתיב בראש וכתיב בהו בצדיקים (איוב כב, כח) ותגזר אומר ויקם לך וגו'

while the other Master holds that the embroidered stuff is the chief part.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And that is not worth showing. The translation follows what seems to be Rashi's interpretation. Jast.: they differ in respect of what is made of beaten, wrought metal, opp. to cast metal. One Master holds that what is made of cast metal is original (or perhaps, reading [H], v. MS.M., more precious), while the other holds the reverse. ');">⁸</span>

דרש לוי בנהרדעא כלילא שרי נפיק עשרין וארבע כלילי מכולה נהרדעא דרש רבה בר אבוה במחוזא כלילא שרי ונפקו תמני סרי כלילי מחדא מבואה

R. Ashi learnt it in the direction of leniency. As for an embroidered stuff, all agree that it is permitted. They differ only about what is made of cast metal: one Master holds [that it is forbidden] lest she remove it in order to show, and [thus] come to carry it; while the other Master holds: Whose practice is it to go out with a coronet? That of a woman of rank; and such will not remove it for display.

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב שמואל קמרא שרי איכא דאמרי דארוקתא ואמר רב ספרא מידי דהוה אטלית מוזהבת

R. Samuel b. Bar Hanah said to R. Joseph: You explicitly told us in Rab's name that a coronet is permitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence R. Ashi's version must be correct, for on the other version there is no case where Rab permits it. ');">⁹</span>

ואיכא דאמרי דאניסכא ואמר רב ספרא מידי דהוה אאבנט של מלכים

Rab was told: A great, tall, and lame man has come to Nehardea, and has lectured: A coronet is permitted. Said he: Who is a great tall man who is lame? Levi. This proves that R. Afes is dead<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'his soul has gone to rest'. ');">¹⁰</span>

א"ל רבינא לרב אשי קמרא עילוי המיינא מאי א"ל תרי המייני קאמרת

and R. Hanina [now] sits at the head [of the Academy], so that Levi has none for a companion,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to be by his side'. On R. Afes' accession as head of the Academy R. Hanina, who would not recognize him as his superior, pursued his studies outside, where he was joined by Levi; v. Keth. 103b. ');">¹¹</span>

אמר רב אשי האי רסוקא אי אית ליה מפרחייתא שרי ואי לא אסיר:

and therefore he has come hither.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Levi being in no way inferior to R. Hanina, he could not accept him as a head, and so he has come hither. Zuri, I. S. Toledoth, First Series, Bk. 2 pp. 137-139 observes that Levi was probably born in Babylon, whither he was now returning to resettle. ');">¹²</span>

ולא בקטלא: מאי קטלא מנקטא פארי: נזמים: נזמי האף:

But perhaps R. Hanina had died, R. Afes remaining as before, and since Levi [now] had no companion he had come hither? — Had R. Hanina died, Levi would indeed have subordinated himself to R. Afes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who was his senior. ');">¹³</span>

ולא בטבעת שאין עליה חותם: הא יש עליה חותם חייבת אלמא לאו תכשיט הוא

Moreover, it could not be that R. Hanina should not rule.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As head of the academy. Lit., 'there is no way or path that R. Hanina' etc.: i.e., it is impossible. ');">¹⁴</span>

ורמינהו תכשיטי נשים טמאים ואלו הן תכשיטי נשים קטלאות נזמים וטבעות וטבעת בין שיש עליה חותם בין שאין עליה חותם ונזמי האף

For when Rabbi was dying he ordered, 'Let Hanina son of R. Hama sit at the head.' And of the righteous men it is written, Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXII, 28. ');">¹⁵</span>

ואמר רבי זירא לא קשיא הא ר' נחמיה הא רבנן)

Levi lectured in Nehardea: A coronet is permitted; [whereupon] there went forth twenty-four coronets from the whole of Nehardea. Rabbah b. Abbuha lectured in Mahoza:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The famous town on the Tigris where Raba had his great academy; v. Obermeyer, pp. 161-186, ');">¹⁶</span>

דתניא. היא של מתכת וחותמה של אלמוג טמאה היא של אלמוג וחותמה של מתכת טהורה ורבי נחמיה מטמא שהיה ר' נחמיה אומר בטבעת הלך אחר חותמה בעול הלך אחר סמלוניו

A coronet is permitted: [whereupon] there went forth eighteen coronets from a single alley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. I. S. Zuri, op. cit., Part I, Bk. 3, pp. 19-27 on the significance of numbers. He maintains that eighteen is often used symbolically to denote a large number. — Mahoza was a very wealthy town, owing to its central position and the great caravan and shipping trade that passed through it; this is reflected in the present statement. Obermeyer, p. 173. ');">¹⁷</span> Rab Judah said in the name of R. Samuel:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec.: Mar Judah in the name of R. Shesheth, v. D.S. ');">¹⁸</span> A girdle [kamra] is permitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kamra was a costly girdle, made either of solid gold or of cloth adorned with gold and precious stones (Rashi). ');">¹⁹</span> Some say, That means of embroidered stuff,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 276, n. 7. ');">²⁰</span> and R. Safra said: It may be compared to a robe shot through with gold.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no fear of either being removed. ');">²¹</span> Others say, It means of cast metal; whereon R. Safra observed: It may be compared to a royal girdle.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was likewise made of beaten gold. Rashi: all Israel are princes, and worthy to wear such belts. ');">²²</span> Rabina asked R. Ashi: What about wearing a kamra over a [plain] girdle [HEMYANA]? — You ask about two girdles! he replied.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: That is certainly forbidden, for one is superfluous and a burden. Rashi quotes another interpretation to the effect that it is permitted, but prefers the first. ');">²³</span> R. Ashi said: As for a piece of a garment, if it has fringes, it is permitted;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For by their means it can be firmly tied to the wearer, so that it will not fall off and necessitate its being carried in the street. ');">²⁴</span> if not, it is forbidden. NOR WITH A KATLA. What is a KATLA? — A trinket holder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A band or necklace on which beads, trinkets, etc., are suspended. ');">²⁵</span> NEZAMIM. [That is] ear-rings. NOR WITH A FINGER-RING THAT HAS NO SIGNET. This [implies that] if it has a signet, she is liable;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The deduction is from the end of the Mishnah. ');">²⁶</span> hence it proves that it is not an ornament. But the following contradicts this: Women's ornaments are unclean.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., susceptible to defilement. ');">²⁷</span> And these are women's ornaments: Necklaces, ear-rings and finger-rings, and a finger-ring, whether it has a signet or has no signet, and nose-rings? — Said R. Zera, There is no difficulty: one agrees with R. Nehemiah; the other with the Rabbis. For it was taught: If it [the ring] is of metal and its signet is of coral, it is unclean; if it is of coral while the signet is of metal, it is clean.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 52b for notes. ');">²⁸</span> But R. Nehemiah declares it unclean. For R. Nehemiah maintained: In the case of a ring, follow its signet; in the case of a yoke, go by its carved ends;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jast. Rashi: Two rods fitted into the yoke the breadth of an ox's shoulder apart. Jast.: if they are broken off, the yoke ceases to be susceptible to defilement. Rashi: if they are of metal, the yoke is susceptible to defilement. The yoke itself is a straight piece of wood, and wood utensils are not subject to uncleanness unless they possess a cavity which, e.g., can hold water. ');">²⁹</span>