Shabbat 263:1

שכן אם עבר זמנה בטלה אלא היינו טעמא דרבי אליעזר דאמר קרא (ויקרא יב, ג) וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו ואפילו בשבת

[they may supersede the Sabbath] because if their time passes they are annulled!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They must be performed at a certain time or not at all. But circumcision, though obligatory for the eighth day from birth, can and must be performed afterwards if not done then. ');">¹</span>

וליכתוב רחמנא במילה וליתו הנך וליגמור מיניה משום דאיכא למיפרך מה למילה שכן נכרתו עליה שלש עשרה בריתות:

Rather this is R. Eliezer s reason: Because Scripture saith, and in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XII, 3. ');">²</span>

ע"כ לא פליגי רבנן עליה אלא במכשירי מילה אבל מילה גופה דברי הכל דוחה שבת מנלן אמר עולא הלכה וכן אמר רבי יצחק הלכה

[implying] even on the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It cannot be to teach that circumcision itself is performed on the Sabbath, because as stated infra that is already known by tradition, hence it must refer to its preliminaries. ');">³</span>

מיתיבי מניין לפיקוח נפש שדוחה את השבת רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר מה מילה שהיא אחת מאיבריו של אדם דוחה את השבת קל וחומר לפיקוח נפש שדוחה את השבת

Then let the Divine Law write it in connection with circumcision, and these [others] can come to be deduced thence? Because one can refute [the analogy]: as for circumcision, that is because thirteen covenants were made in connection therewith.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the passage enjoining circumcision upon Abraham and his descendants (Gen. XVII) 'covenant' is mentioned thirteen times, which shows its great importance. ');">⁴</span>

ואי סלקא דעתך הלכה קל וחומר מהלכה מי אתי והתניא אמר לו רבי אלעזר (בן עזריה) עקיבא עצם כשעורה מטמא הלכה ורביעית דם קל וחומר ואין דנין קל וחומר מהלכה

Now, the Rabbis disagree with R. Eliezer only in respect of the preliminaries of circumcision; but as for circumcision itself, all hold that it supersedes the Sabbath: whence do we know it? Said 'Ulla, It is a traditional law;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: Received from Moses on Sinai. ');">⁵</span>

אלא אמר רבי אלעזר אתיא אות אות

and thus did R. Isaac say, It is a traditional law.

אלא מעתה תפילין דכתיב בהן אות לידחי שבת

An objection is raised: How do we know that the saving of life supersedes the Sabbath? R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah said: If circumcision, which is [performed on but] one of the limbs of man, supersedes the Sabbath, the saving of life, a minori, must supersede the Sabbath. Now if you think that it is a traditional law, can one argue a minori from a traditional law? Surely it was taught, R. Eleazar said to him: Akiba! [That] a bone [of a corpse] the size of a barley grain defiles<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A nazirite by its touch, and he must commence again (cf. Num, VI, 9-12). ');">⁶</span>

אלא אתיא ברית ברית

is a traditional law, whereas [that] a quarter [<i>log</i>] of blood [of a corpse] defies is [deduced by you] a minori,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Akiba deduced a minori from the former that if a nazirite is under the same covering as a quarter log of blood taken from a corpse he is defiled, just as in the first case; v. Naz. 57a. ');">⁷</span>

גדול דכתיב ביה ברית לידחי שבת

and we do not argue a minori from a traditional law! — Rather said R. Eleazar: We learn 'a sign' [written in connection with circumcision from] 'a sign' [written in connection with the Sabbath].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Circumcision: and it shall be a sign of a covenant betwixt me and you (Gen. XVII, 11); Sabbath: for it is a sign between me and you (Ex. XXXI, 13). Since both are so designated, it follows that the former must be performed even on the latter. ');">⁸</span>

אלא אתיא דורות דורות

If so, let Tefillin, in connection with which 'sign'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VI, 8: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand. ');">⁹</span>

ציצית דכתיב ביה דורות לידחי שבת

is written, supersede the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Probably, one should be permitted to carry them on him in the street on the Sabbath]. ');">¹⁰</span>

אלא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק דנין אות ברית ודורות מאות ברית ודורות לאפוקי הנך דחד חד הוא דכתיב בהן

— Rather 'covenant' is learnt from, 'covenant'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. n. 2 for circumcision; Sabbath: therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath...for a perpetual covenant (Ex. XXXI, 16). ');">¹¹</span>

ור' יוחנן אמר אמר קרא ביום ביום אפילו בשבת

Then let [the circumcision of] an adult, in connection with whom 'covenant' is written,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen, XVII, 14: And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin...hath broken my covenant. In Kid. 29a this is referred to an adult whom his father had omitted to circumcise, and it throws the obligation upon himself. ');">¹²</span>

אמר ליה ריש לקיש לרבי יוחנן אלא מעתה מחוסרי כפרה דכתיב בהו ביום הכי נמי דדחו שבת ההוא מיבעי ליה ביום ולא בלילה

supersede the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas it is stated infra that it supersedes the Sabbath only when performed on the eighth day. ');">¹³</span>

האי נמי מיבעי ליה ביום ולא בלילה ההוא מבן שמנת ימים נפקא

— Rather 'generations' is learnt from 'generations'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sabbath: to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations (Ex. XXXI, 16); circumcision: every male throughout your generations (Gen. XVII, 12). ');">¹⁴</span>

האי נמי מביום צוותו נפקא

Then let fringes, in connection with which 'generations' is written,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XV 38: bid them...make them fringes...throughout their generations. ');">¹⁵</span>

אע"ג דנפקא מביום צוותו אצטריכא סד"א הואיל וחס רחמנא עליה לאתויי בדלות בלילה נמי ליתי קמ"ל

supersede the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., let it be permitted to insert them in garments on the Sabbath. ');">¹⁶</span>

מתקיף לה רבינא אלא מעתה יהא זר כשר בהן ויהא אונן כשר בהן הא אהדריה קרא

Rather said R. Nahman b. Isaac: We learn 'sign,' 'covenant' and 'generations' from 'sign,' 'covenant' and 'generations,' thus excluding the others in connection with each of which only one is written.

רב אחא בר יעקב אמר אמר קרא שמיני שמיני אפילו בשבת

R. Johanan said: Scripture saith, in the [eighth] day, 'in the day' [implying] even on the Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is according to the Rabbis. R. Eliezer, as stated supra, utilizes this in respect of the preliminaries. Hence he holds that circumcision itself is a traditional law, whilst he learns that life saving is permitted from a Scriptural verse (Yoma 85b). ');">¹⁷</span>

האי שמיני מיבעי ליה למעוטי שביעי שביעי מבן שמנת ימים נפקא

Resh Lakish objected to R. Johanan: If so, those who lack atonement,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the technical designation of all unclean persons who must offer a sacrifice as part of their purification rites, viz., a zab and a zabah, a leper, and a woman after childbirth. ');">¹⁸</span>

ואכתי מיבעי ליה חד למעוטי שביעי וחד למעוטי תשיעי דאי מחד הוה אמינא שביעי הוא דלא מטא זמניה אבל משמיני ואילך זמניה הוא אלא מחוורתא כדרבי יוחנן

in connection with whom 'in the day' is written,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., this shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing (Lev. XIV, 2); similarly the rest. ');">¹⁹</span>

תניא כוותיה דרבי יוחנן ודלא כרב אחא בר יעקב שמיני ימול אפילו בשבת ומה אני מקיים (שמות לא, יד) מחלליה מות יומת בשאר מלאכות חוץ ממילה או אינו אלא אפי' מילה ומה אני מקיים שמיני ימול חוץ משבת ת"ל ביום אפילו בשבת

do they too supersede the Sabbath?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They are surely not permitted to bring their offerings on the Sabbath, for only public sacrifices were permitted on them. ');">²⁰</span>

אמר רבא האי תנא מעיקרא מאי קא ניחא ליה ולבסוף מאי קא קשיא ליה

— That is required [for teaching], by day but not by night.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sacrifices may not be offered up at night. ');">²¹</span>

הכי קאמר שמיני ימול אפילו בשבת ומה אני מקיים מחלליה מות יומת בשאר מלאכו' חוץ ממילה אבל מילה דחיא

But this too<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Day' written in connection with circumcision. ');">²²</span>

מ"ט ק"ו הוא ומה צרע' שדוחה את העבודה

is required [for teaching], by day but not by night? That is deduced from, and he that is eight days old.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XVII. 12. ');">²³</span> But this too can be derived from, in the day that he commanded [the children of Israel to offer their oblations, etc.]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. VII, 38. ');">²⁴</span> — Though it may be derived from, in the day that he commanded, [etc.]', yet it [the other verse] is necessary: you might argue, Since the Merciful One had compassion upon him, [permitting him] to bring [a lesser sacrifice] in poverty, he may bring [it] at night too: hence we are informed [otherwise]. Rabina demurred: If so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the leniency shown in poverty might be regarded as permitting other things which normally invalidate the sacrifice. ');">²⁵</span> let a zar and an onen<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. for both. ');">²⁶</span> be eligible for them?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. to offer these sacrifices. A zar may kill the sacrifice, but cannot perform any of the other services in connection therewith. ');">²⁷</span> Surely Scripture brought him back.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In fact we see that this leniency was not extended to permission to offer at night: thus in all other respects the poor are governed by the same rules as the rich. ');">²⁸</span> R. Aha b. Jacob said, Scripture saith, 'the eighth', [intimating] the eighth, even if it is the Sabbath. But this 'eighth' is required to exclude the seventh? — That follows from, 'and the that is eight days old'. Yet they are still required, one to exclude the seventh and the other to exclude the ninth, for if [we deduced] from one [verse only] I might say, only the seventh is excluded, since its time [for circumcision] has not [yet] arrived, but from the eighth onward that is the [right] time? Hence it is clear [that it must be explained] as R. Johanan. It was taught in accordance with R. Johanan and not as R. Aha b. Jacob: '[And in] the eighth [day the flesh of his foreskin] shall be circumcised': even on the Sabbath. Then to what do I apply, every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXI, 14. ');">²⁹</span> To labours other than circumcision. Yet perhaps it is not so, but [it includes] even circumcision, whilst to what do I apply 'in the eighth... shall be circumcised': [To all days] except the Sabbath? Therefore 'in the day' is stated, [teaching], even on the Sabbath. Raba observed: Why was this Tanna content at first, and what was his difficulty eventually?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why does he assume at first that the eighth naturally supersedes the Sabbath, whereas subsequently he finds a difficulty in this assumption and proposes to reverse it? ');">³⁰</span> — He argues thus: '[in] the eighth shall be circumcised': even on the Sabbath. Then to what do I apply, every one that profaneth it shall be put to death'? To labours other than circumcision, but circumcision supersedes it. What is the reason? It [follows] a minori. If leprosy, which suspends the sacrificial service,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is stated infra b that one may not cut away a leprous bright spot in order to be clean, and this holds good even on Passover: individuals may not do so in order to bring the Passover sacrifice, nor may Priests to enable them to perform the sacrificial service. ');">³¹</span>