The residence area for Shabbat (techum) extends two thousands steps from the border of the city. What is considered border for this purpose? If the corner houses are not in a straight line, they measure the techum from those houses that are farther away from the center. Any additional ruins, bridges or tombs also extend the techum.
The word “extends” can be spelled with an aleph (מאברין), meaning “a limb,” or with an ayin (מעברין), meaning “pregnant”. Rav holds one view on this, while Shmuel – the other. The Talmud lists other differences between Rav and Shmuel: (a) was the “new king of Egypt” really new, or did he just take new measures to oppress the Jews; (b) was the grave of the patriarchs called “double” (machpelah) because it had two stories or because it had multiple couples buried there, and (c) was Nimrod the real name of the king and was he called Amraphel (which means “said and threw”) because he commanded to throw Abraham into the fire, or was his real name Amraphel, and he was called Nimrod (rebel) because he caused people to rebel against God.
The Talmud then finds multiple examples where using precise language is very important, and ends up with the story of Rabbi Yehoshua, who asked a boy sitting at a crossroad, “Which is a good road to town?” The boy said that one road was short but long, and the other – long but short. Rabbi Yehoshua chose the short road, but near the town he was met with gardens and fences, which made it very hard to pass. He came back and asked the boy about his advice. The boy said, “Didn't I tell you, it was short but long?” Rabbi Yehoshua then chose the long but short road and eventually got there.
Art: Koloman Moser - Blooming Flowers with Garden Fence
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