Shabbat 276

כילת חתנים מותר לנטותה ומותר לפורקה

A bridal bed may be set up and it may be dismantled.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v. p. 696. n. 6; also T.A. II, p. 457. n. 311, where it is understood as a sedan chair or litter. ');">¹</span>

אמר רב ששת בריה דרב אידי לא אמרן אלא שאין בגגה טפח אבל יש בגגה טפח אסורה וכי אין בגגה טפח נמי לא אמרן אלא שאין בפחות משלשה סמוך לגגה טפח אבל יש בפחות משלשה סמוך לגגה טפח אסור ולא אמרן אלא שאין בשיפועה טפח אבל יש בשיפועה טפח שפועי אהלים כאהלים דמו ולא אמרן אלא דלא נחית מפוריא טפח אבל נחית מפוריא טפח אסור:

R. Shesheth son of R. Idi said: That was said only where its roof is not a handbreadth [in width],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being spread over a very narrow pole. ');">²</span>

ואמר רב ששת בריה דרב אידי האי סיאנא שרי והאיתמר סיאנא אסור לא קשיא הא דאית ביה טפח הא דלית ביה טפח

but if its roof is a handbreadth, it is forbidden. And even if the roof is not a handbreadth, this was said only where there is not [the width of] a handbreadth within three [handbreadths] from the top; but if there is a handbreadth within three from the top. it is forbidden. And this is said only if its slope is less than a handbreadth, but if its slope is a hand breadth, the slopes of tents are as tents.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence it is forbidden. By 'its slope' is meant the distance at the base from the vertical. Obviously such is unfit for use, and Rashi observes that a bridal bed was not for sleeping. This is unsatisfactory, and Tosaf. suggests other interpretations but rejects them too as equally unsatisfactory. V. 'Er. 102a (Sonc. ed., p. 709. n. 15). ');">³</span>

אלא מעתה שרביב בגלימא טפח ה"נ דמיחייב אלא לא קשיא הא דמיהדק הא דלא מיהדק

And it was said only if it does not descend a handbreadth below the bed; but if it descends a handbreadth below the bed, it is forbidden.

שלח ליה רמי בר יחזקאל לרב הונא אימא לן איזי הנך מילי מעלייתא דאמרת לן משמיה דרב תרתי בשבת וחדא בתורה

R. Shesheth son of R. Idi also said: A peaked cap<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jast.: A felt cap with a shade in front. ');">⁴</span>

שלח ליה הא דתניא גוד בכיסנא מותר לנטותה בשבת אמר רב לא שנו אלא בב' בני אדם אבל באדם אחד אסור

is permitted. But it was stated: a peaked cap is forbidden? — There is no difficulty: in the one case it is a handbreadth [in size];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It may not be worn on the Sabbath, as it technically forms a tent. ');">⁵</span>

אמר אביי וכילה אפילו בי' בני אדם אסור אי אפשר דלא מימתחא פורתא

in the other it is not a handbreadth. If so, if one lets his cloak protrude a handbreadth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He winds it about his head so as to protrude this distance. ');">⁶</span>

אידך מאי היא דתניא כירה שנשמטה אחת מירכותיה מותר לטלטלה שתים אסור רב אמר אפילו חד נמי אסור גזירה שמא יתקע

is he too culpable?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Read with Asheri, is it too forbidden'? ');">⁷</span>

תורה דאמר רב עתידה תורה שתשתכח מישראל שנאמר (דברים כח, נט) והפלא ה' את מכותך הפלאה זו איני יודע מהו כשהוא אומר (ישעיהו כט, יד) לכן הנני יוסיף להפליא את העם הזה הפלא ופלא הוי אומר הפלאה זו תורה

— Rather [say] there is no difficulty: here it is tightly fitted [on his head]; there it is not tightly fitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: In the latter case a peaked cap is forbidden, not as a 'tent' but lest the wind blow it off and he come to carry it. ');">⁸</span>

ת"ר כשנכנסו רבותינו לכרם ביבנה אמרו עתידה תורה שתשתכח מישראל שנאמר (עמוס ח, יא) הנה ימים באים נאם ה' אלהים והשלחתי רעב בארץ לא רעב ללחם ולא צמא למים כי אם לשמוע את דברי ה' וכתיב (עמוס ח, יב) ונעו מים עד ים ומצפון ועד מזרח ישוטטו לבקש את דבר ה' ולא ימצאו

Rami b. Ezekiel sent to R. Huna: Tell us, pray. those well-favoured dicta which you told us [formerly] in Rab's name, two about the Sabbath and one about Torah. He sent [back] to him: As to what was taught, It is permitted to stretch the leather bag<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 695. n. 5. ');">⁹</span>

דבר ה' זו הלכה דבר ה' זה הקץ דבר ה' זו נבואה

by its thongs,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The interdict supra a is only where it is unprovided with thongs or straps. ');">¹⁰</span>

ומאי ישוטטו לבקש את דבר ה' אמרו עתידה אשה שתטול ככר של תרומה ותחזור בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות לידע אם טמאה היא ואם טהורה היא ואין מבין

Rab said: They learnt this only of two men; but [if done] by one man, it is forbidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: two men do not stretch it well; but one person is forced to tie one end to a stake, stretch it, and then tie the other end to another stake, whereby it becomes a tent. Rashi however is dissatisfied with this explanation and states that he does not understand it, nor are other commentators more satisfactory. ');">¹¹</span>

אם טהורה היא ואם טמאה היא בהדיא כתיב ביה (ויקרא יא, לד) מכל האוכל אשר יאכל אלא לידע אם ראשונה היא ואם שניה היא ואין מבין

Abaye said: But a canopy. even [if stretched] by ten men, is forbidden, [for] it is impossible that it shall not be somewhat stretched.

הא נמי מתניתין היא כדתנן השרץ שנמצא בתנור הפת שבתוכו שניה שהתנור תחילה

What is the other [dictum]? If one of the shafts of a stove falls off, it [the stove] may be handled; if both [fall off], it may not be handled,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The shafts are the four feet upon which it stands. ');">¹²</span>

מסתפקא להו הא דאמר ליה רב אדא בר אהבה לרבא ליחזייה האי תנורא כמאן דמלי טומאה ותיהוי פת ראשונה

Rab said: Even if one [falls out] it is forbidden, lest he [re]fix it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is labour. But the first view is that it can stand well enough with one shaft missing to make this fear unlikely. ');">¹³</span>

א"ל לא אמרינן ליחזייה האי תנורא כמאן דמלי טומאה דתניא יכול יהו כל הכלים מיטמאין באויר כלי חרס ת"ל כל אשר בתוכו יטמא מכל האוכל אשר יאכל אוכלין מטמאין באויר כלי חרס ואין כלים מטמאין באויר כלי חרס

'[And one about] Torah': for Rab said: The Torah is destined to be forgotten in Israel, because it is said, Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVIII, 59. ');">¹⁴</span>

תניא רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר חס ושלום שתשתכח תורה מישראל שנאמר (דברים לא, כא) כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו אלא מה אני מקיים ישוטטו לבקש את דבר ה' ולא ימצאו שלא ימצאו

now, I do not know what this wonder is, but when it is said, Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a wonderful work among this people, even a wonderful work and a wonder [and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXIX, 14. ');">¹⁵</span> it follows that this wonder refers to Torah. Our Rabbis taught: When our Masters entered the vineyard at Yabneh,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whither R. Johanan b. Zakkai transported or founded an academy after the destruction of the second Temple. Vineyard' is a metaphor for the academy, because the scholars sat in rows like vines, J. Ber. IV, 1. The time referred to here is probably that of the Hadrianic persecutions. ');">¹⁶</span> they said, The Torah is destined to be forgotten in Israel, as it is said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And it is said, And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amos VIII, 11f ');">¹⁷</span> 'The word of the Lord' means <i>halachah</i>,' 'the word of the Lord' means 'The End';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The designated time of redemption, when the Messiah will appear. Tosaf. finds the analogy for this interpretation in Ezra I. ');">¹⁸</span> 'the word of the Lord' means prophecy. And what does 'they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord' mean? Said they, A woman is destined to take a loaf of <i>terumah</i> and go about in the synagogues and academies to know whether it is unclean or clean, and none will know<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'understand'. ');">¹⁹</span> whether it is clean or unclean. But that is explicitly stated, All food which may be eaten [...shall be unclean]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XI, 34. Surely the Written Law will be available. ');">²⁰</span> Rather to know whether it is a first degree or a second degree [of uncleanness],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 55. n. 6. ');">²¹</span> and none will know. But that too is a Mishnah. For we learnt: If a [dead] creeping thing<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sherez, which defiles utensils and food. ');">²²</span> is found in an oven, the bread within it is a second, because the oven is a first?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sherez touches the oven, which in turn touches the bread, The Rabbis could not imagine complete forgetfulness even of the Mishnah. ');">²³</span> — They will be in doubt over what R. Adda b. Ahabah asked Raba: Let us regard this oven as though it were filled with uncleanness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For immediately the sherez enters the air space of the oven, even before it actually touches it, it defiles, hence one should regard the sherez as though completely filling it. ');">²⁴</span> and let the bread be a first? He replied, We do not say. Let us regard this oven as though it were filled with uncleanness. For it was taught: You might think that all utensils become unclean in the air space of an earthen vessel: therefore it is stated, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean … all food therein which may be eaten: food and liquids become unclean in the air space of an earthen vessel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But if the sherez were regarded as completely filling the oven, utensils therein too should be unclean, as though they touched the sherez, for direct contact therewith does defile them. Thus in the future it will be doubtful whose view, R. Adda b. Ahabah's or Raba's, is correct. ');">²⁵</span> It was taught. R. Simeon b. Yohai said: Heaven forfend that the Torah be forgotten in Israel, for it is said, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXI, 21. ');">²⁶</span> Then how do I interpret, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it? They will not find