Shabbat 120

(משלחין כלים בי"ט בין תפורין בין שאינן תפורין) אבל לא סנדל המסומר ולא מנעל שאינו תפור (בי"ט)

But one may not [send] a nail-studded sandal or an unsewn shoe [on Festivals]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Bez. 14b. These may not be sent because they cannot be used for the Festival. — A sandal ([H]) consists only of a sole and straps, while a shoe ([H]) has uppers in addition, Levi, Worterbuch, s.v. [H]. ');">¹</span>

בשבת מ"ט דאיכא כינופיא בי"ט נמי איכא כינופיא תענית צבור איכא כינופיא ליתסר מעשה כי הוה בכינופיא דאיסורא הכא כינופיא דהתירא הוה

— What is the reason of the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why was it forbidden then? ');">²</span>

ואפילו לר' חנינא בן עקיבא דאמר לא אסרו אלא בירדן ובספינה וכמעשה שהיה הני מילי ירדן דשאני משאר נהרות אבל י"ט ושבת כי הדדי נינהו דתנן אין בין י"ט לשבת אלא אוכל נפש בלבד

Because there is a gathering [of people]. So on Festivals too there is a gathering. But there is a gathering on a public fast day:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ta'an. 15a. ');">³</span>

א"ר יהודה אמר שמואל לא שנו אלא לחזק אבל לנוי מותר וכמה לנוי ר' יוחנן אמר חמש בזה וחמש בזה ור' חנינא אמר שבע בזה ושבע בזה

let it be forbidden [then too]? — The incident happened on a day of assembly when there is an interdict [against work]; but here it is [a day of] assembly when it is permitted [to work]. And even according to R. Hanina b. Akiba who maintained, They enacted a prohibition only in respect of the Jordan and a ship, just as the incident that occurred:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Hag. 23a. It once happened that the purification water (v. Num. XIX, 9 Seq.) was carried in a boat over the Jordan, when a portion of a corpse was found in the bottom of the boat, whereby the water itself was defiled. The Rabbis maintain that it was then enacted that the water of lustration must not be carried over any river, whether in a boat or over a bridge. But R. Hanina disputes this, as quoted. It might therefore be thought that in the matter under discussion he maintains that there was no prohibition in respect to Festivals. ');">⁴</span>

א"ל ר' יוחנן לרב שמן בר אבא אסברא לך לדידי שתים מכאן ושתים מכאן ואחת בתרסיותיו לר' חנינא ג' מכאן וג' מכאן ואחת בתרסיותיו

that applies only to the Jordan, which differs from other rivers;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In breadth, depth, current, etc. ');">⁵</span>

מיתיבי סנדל הנוטה עושה לו שבע דברי רבי נתן ורבי מתיר בי"ג

but Festivals and the Sabbath are alike, for we learnt: There is no difference between Festivals and the Sabbath save in respect of food consumption.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'food for a person', which may be prepared on Festivals (Ex. XII, 16) but not on the Sabbath. ');">⁶</span>

בשלמא לרבי חנינא הוא דאמר כרבי נתן אלא רבי יוחנן דאמר כמאן הוא דאמר כר' נהוראי דתניא ר' נהוראי אומר ה' מותר ושבע אסור

Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: They learnt this only [where the nails are] to strengthen [the sandal], but where they are ornamental, it is permitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To go out wearing the sandal on the Sabbath. Nails are normally put in to strengthen the sandal, and such must have been worn on the occasion of the tragedy; hence the decree was only in respect of same. ');">⁷</span>

א"ל איפה לרבה בר בר חנה אתון תלמידי רבי יוחנן עבידו כר' יוחנן אנן נעביד כרבי חנינא

And how many [nails] constitute an ornament? — R. Johanan said: Five on each; R. Hanina maintained: Seven on each<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But if there are more, their purpose is to strengthen, not ornamental. ');">⁸</span>

בעא מיניה רב הונא מרב אשי חמש מהו א"ל אפילו ז' מותר ט' מאי א"ל אפילו ח' אסור

and one on [each of] the straps; according to R. Hanina, there are three on each side<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the sandal, one at the heel and the other at the toe. ');">⁹</span>

בעא מיניה ההוא רצענא מרבי אמי תפרו מבפנים מהו א"ל מותר ולא ידענא מ"ט

and one in the strapping.

אמר רב אשי ולא ידע מר מ"ט כיון דתפרו מבפנים הוי ליה מנעל בסנדל גזרו ביה רבנן במנעל לא גזרו ביה רבנן

An objection is raised: For an inclining sandal<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sole of which is thicker at one side than at the other. It is leveled by nails inserted at the thin end. ');">¹⁰</span>

בעא מיניה ר' אבא בר זבדא מר' אבא בר אבינא עשאו כמין כלבוס מהו א"ל מותר איתמר נמי אמר רבי יוסי בר' חנינא עשאו כמין כלבוס מותר

one inserts seven [nails]; this is R. Nathan's view. But Rabbi permits thirteen.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These too are ornamental, not for strength. But if there are more, the sandal may not be worn on the Sabbath, as above. ');">¹¹</span>

א"ר ששת חיפהו כולו במסמרות כדי שלא תהא קרקע אוכלתו מותר

As for R. Hanina, It Is well: he rules as R. Nathan. But whose view does R. Johanan state? — He rules as R. Nehorai. For it was taught, R. Nehorai said: Five are permitted, but seven are forbidden. Efah said to Rabbah b. Bar Hanah: You, as disciples of R. Johanan, should act as R. Johanan; but we will act as R. Hanina.

תניא כוותיה דרב ששת לא יצא האיש בסנדל המסומר ולא יטייל מבית לבית אפילו ממטה למטה אבל מטלטלין אותו לכסות בו את הכלי ולסמוך בו כרעי המטה ור' אלעזר בר' שמעון אוסר נשרו רוב ממסמרותיו ונשתייר בו ד' או ה' מותר ורבי מתיר עד שבע חיפהו בעור מלמטה וקבע לו מסמרות מלמעלה מותר עשאו כמין כלבוס או כמין טס או כמין יתד או שחיפהו כולו במסמרות כדי שלא תהא קרקע אוכלתו מותר

R. Huna asked R. Ashi: What of five [nails]? — Even seven are permitted, he answered him. What of nine? Even eight are forbidden, was his reply. A certain shoe-maker asked R. Ammi: What if it is sewn from within?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi. i.e., a leather shoe was placed inside a sandal and sewn thereto. ');">¹²</span>

הא גופה קשיא אמרת נשרו רוב מסמרותיו אע"ג דנשתיירו ביה טובא והדר תני ארבע או חמש אין טפי לא

It is permitted, replied he, but I do not know what is the reason.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He had heard this ruling, but did not know why. ');">¹³</span>

א"ר ששת לא קשיא כאן שנגממו כאן שנעקרו:

Said R. Ashi, And does not the Master know what is the reason?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [MS.M. omits 'but I do not know' and 'does not the Master … reason'. This reading is preferable as R. Ashi and R. Ammi were not contemporaries]. ');">¹⁴</span>

ארבע או חמש מותר: השתא חמש שרי ארבע מיבעיא א"ר חסדא ארבע מסנדל קטן וחמש מסנדל גדול:

Since it was sewn from within, it becomes a shoe:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A sandal ([H]) is merely a sole, while a shoe ([H]) has uppers too. ');">¹⁵</span>

ורבי מתיר עד שבע: והתניא רבי מתיר עד שלש עשרה נוטה שאני

the Rabbis enacted a decree in respect to a sandal, but in respect of a shoe they did not enact any decree.

השתא דאתית להכי לרבי יוחנן נמי לא קשיא נוטה שאני

R. Abba b. Zabda asked R. Abba b. Abina: What if he arranged them [the nails] zigzag-shape?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kalbus is a tongs or pinchers, which presumably opened X-wise. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר רב מתנה ואמרי לה אמר רב אחדבוי בר מתנה אמר רב מתנה אין הלכה כר' אלעזר בר' שמעון פשיטא יחיד ורבים הלכה כרבים מהו דתימא מסתברא טעמא דרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון בהא קמ"ל

— It is permitted, he answered him. It was stated likewise: R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: If they are arranged zigzag-shape, it is permitted.

אמר רבי חייא אי לאו דקרו לי בבלאי שרי איסורי שרינא ביה טובא וכמה בפומבדיתא אמרין עשרין וארבע בסורא אמרין עשרין ותרתין אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק וסימניך עד דאתא מפומבדיתא לסורא חסר תרתי:

R. Shesheth said: If the whole of it [the sole] is covered with nails [underneath] so that the ground should not wear it away. it is permitted. It was taught in accordance with R. Shesheth, A man may not go out wearing a nail-studded sandal, nor may he stroll [in it] from house to house,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Probably from room to room in the same house, where each room has a separate occupant. ');">¹⁷</span>

ולא ביחיד בזמן שאין ברגלו מכה:

and even from bed to bed. But it may be handled in order to cover a utensil or support the legs of a bed therewith;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it ranks as a utensil; v. Supra 46a, p. 211. ');">¹⁸</span> but R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon forbids this.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lest he put it on. ');">¹⁹</span> If most of its nails are fallen out, but four or five are left, it is permitted; while Rabbi permits it up to seven. If one covers it with leather underneath and drives nails into it on top, it is permitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the sandal is not exactly similar to that which caused the disaster. ');">²⁰</span> If one arranges them [the nails] zigzag-fashion,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' BaH deletes this. ');">²¹</span> or flattens [them] out, or points [them],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These refer to the tops of the nails (Rashi). ');">²²</span> or covers the whole of it with nails so that the ground should not wear it out, it is permitted. Now, this is self-contradictory: You say, if most of the nails are fallen out, [implying], even if many are left [it may be worn]; then it is taught, only four or five, but not more? — Said R. Shesheth, There is no difficulty: in the one case they are scooped out; in the other they are pulled out.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If they are levelled down, leaving marks of nails on the sole, then even if more than four or five are left it is permissible, since the sandal was obviously not made like this originally. But if they are clean pulled out, leaving no mark on the wood of the sole, the sandal may appear to have been originally manufactured thus, and therefore not more than five are permitted. Others reverse the translation, but the sense remains the same. ');">²³</span> '[If] four or five [are left], it is permitted.' Seeing that it is permitted [with] five, need four be stated? — Said R. Hisda: [It means] four in a small sandal and five in a large sandal. 'While Rabbi permits it up to seven.' But it was taught: Rabbi permits it up to thirteen? An inclining [sandal] is different.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All are necessary to level it up, and none are for strength. ');">²⁴</span> Now that you have arrived at this [distinction], on R. Johanan's view too there is no difficulty: an inclining [sandal] is different.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra. ');">²⁵</span> R. Mattenah — others state, R. Ahadboi b. Mattenah in R. Mattenah's name — said: The <i>halachah</i> is not as R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon. But that is obvious: [where] one disagrees with many, the <i>halachah</i> is as the majority? — You might argue, R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon's view is logical here;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 283, n. 4. ');">²⁶</span> hence we are informed [that we do not follow him]. R. Hiyya said: But that I would be dubbed a Babylonian who permits forbidden things,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He was a Babylonian who went to study in Palestine; Suk. 20a. This may indicate that the Palestinians on the whole were stricter. ');">²⁷</span> I would permit more. And how many, — In Pumbeditha they say, Twenty-four; in Sura, twenty-two. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: And your sign [to remember this is]: by the time he [R. Hiyya] travelled from Pumbeditha to Sura<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On his way to Palestine. ');">²⁸</span> two [nails] were missing [from his sandals]. NOR WITH A SINGLE [SANDAL], IF HE HAS NO WOUND [or, BRUISE] ON HIS FOOT.