Shabbat 118 – Three or four meals?

On Shabbat one is obligated to eat three meals, one of Friday evening and two others on the Saturday day. However, Rabbi Chidka says that one needs to eat four. Both opinions are based on the same phrase, “Moses announced, 'Eat it today, for today is God's Sabbath. You will not find [anything] in the field today.” The word “today” is mentioned three times, and this means three meals. And Rabbi Chidka? – He says that these three meals are during the day, and there is also a fourth meal, on Friday night. But we just learned that if there fire breaks out on Friday night, he can only save three meals!? – Rabbi Chidka will answer that he already ate the Friday night meal, and then the fire broke out, so he saves the three meals for the next day, to the total of four. But we learned that Rabbi Yose allows to save three meals under all circumstances!? – True, Rabbi Chidka has nothing to say, and we are forced to conclude that this ruling does not agree with Rabbi Chidka, but he is entitled to his opinion.

One who observes eating three meals on Shabbat is saved from three calamities at the end of days. One who delights in Shabbat is forgiven all the idol worship he did during the week; some say that he is given a boundless heritage. Finally, one who delights in Shabbat is given his heart's wishes.

Art: Gillis Van Tilborch - A couple sitting and having a meal

Shabbat 117 – Saving food

As we learned before, one is allowed to save Torah scrolls from fire on Shabbat by carrying them outside the house, and this includes the tefillin. Moreover, if the tefillin bag has money in it, then – even though normally money cannot be handled on Shabbat – here he is not required to throw it away, but can save the bag with the tefillin and the money inside.

One is also allowed to save food, both for humans and for animals. However, one can only save enough for Shabbat: for example, if the fire broke out of Friday evening, he can save the amount necessary for three meals, but if it started on Shabbat morning, he can only save two meals. Rabbi Yose allows to save three meals under all circumstances, because in his opinion the law is already strict enough, and there is not need to count meals.

The rationale for both opinions is the same: in truth, we are talking about carrying the food into a courtyard, properly fenced from the public area, so carrying any amount of it should be allowed. However, since a person is naturally agitated when his possessions are burning and may start extinguishing the fire, the Sages added prohibitions, so that while observing them he will recall that if he is not allowed to save all the food he wants, then certainly he is not allowed to extinguish the fire.

Art: Carlo Magini - Still life with food and vegetables

Shabbat 116 – Eighty-five letters

What is the smallest book in the Torah? – Rabbi Yehudah the Prince says that it is the phrase “When the Ark went forth, Moses said, 'Arise, O God, and scatter your enemies! Let your foes flee before You!'...'” which contains eighty-five letters. If this phrase is indeed a separate book, then the Book of Numbers contains not one but three books - before this phrase, after it, and the phrase itself, and the total number of the books in the Torah is seven.

Accordingly, Rav Huna asked a question, “A Torah scroll where many letters were erased and only eighty-five letters are intact, can it be saved from fire on Shabbat?” There is no doubt that a worn-out scrolls with even less letters deserves respect and cannot be destroyed directly but has to be “buried” in a clean place, and if it decays, it decays. The question is, can it be saved from fire? Rav Chisda answered that it was not permitted, and they started arguments back and forth.

A related question: the side margins of the Torah scroll, may they be saved from fire? Do we say that the scroll that had letters – once the letters have been erased – looses its sanctity and may not be saved, but the margins, which never had letters, are more sanctified and may be saved? Or the other way around, if the letters once were there, then the sanctity persists, but not if they were never there? Here too the views are divided.

Art: John Dawson Watson - Fireside Thoughts

Shabbat 115 – What can be saved from fire on Shabbat

In general, one is not allowed to extinguish fire on Shabbat, and this extends even to cases where that fire is destroying his possessions. Since one can't extinguish the fire, all he can do is save his possessions from it. Even here, there are limitations: one can only save specific items and in specific amounts. What is the rationale for this view?

A man is naturally nervous when he sees his possessions being destroyed by fire, and he may come to extinguish it, thus violating Shabbat. In order to prevent this, the Sages established a set of rules on how to behave in the face fire on Shabbat. Being mindful of these rules, one will not come to extinguish the fire. According to this, one is permitted less than not in the presence of fire, and we are talking about carrying from his house into a courtyard. On another theory, one is permitted slightly more, and we are talking about carrying into the semi-public street, or a “karmelit”. The rationale though remains the same – to stop a man from violation.

It should be mentioned that if there is any danger to human life, one should by all means extinguish the fire. Also, since in many time periods the neighbors, on seeing a Jewish property burn, might start plundeing it, then any fire became a matter of saving one's life, and any fire is to be extinguished, with the possible exception of a barn far away from people. Still, in the next few pages we will learn the laws as they were formulated in the times of the Talmud.

First, can one save holy scriptures? The answer here is yes, whether it refers to the Torah of the writings of the prophets, and whether one can read them or no. Back then, people did not read the writings of the prophets on Shabbat. That was prohibited because the writing were considered entertaining, and being absorbed in reading them one might have missed a public lecture which was filled with practical laws. Such lecture was very important to the populace, and one was supposed to attend it rather than read the prophets. Nevertheless, even such writings, unusable on Shabbat, could be saved.

Art: Egbert van der Poel - A house on fire at night with peasants coming to rescue

Shabbat 114 – Clean garments

The Kohen performing the first service in the Temple, one of removing a handful of ashes from the Altar, would change his garments to inferior ones, when taking them outside. We learn from his example that one should dress up for Shabbat, prayer, and Torah study.

Torah scholar who wears soiled garments makes people dislike the Torah and is liable to a punishment. So too, it is a disgrace for a Torah scholar to go out in patched shoes. But Rab Acha bar Chanina did go out wearing patched shows!? – We mean, patches on patches, but one level of patches is allowed.

Which Torah scholar can be appointed a leader over a community? – One whom you can ask any question in learning, even in the areas rarely studied. For such a scholar the community has the obligation to provide – but how much? – only for bread but not for luxuries.

Before the calendar was fixed, Yom Kippur could fall on Friday. In this case Rabbi Ishmael permits to fold garments on Yom Kippur in preparation for Shabbat. If Yom Kippur falls on Sunday, one can burn Shabbat offerings in the Temple on the Yom Kippur day, because Yom Kippur has lesser sanctity than Shabbat. However, Rabbi Akiva considers the two days to be of equal strenght, and fordibs preparing on one for the other. Both base their proof on the phrase from the Torah, “Bring Shabbat offering on its own Shabbat,” but understand it differently.

Art: Vincent Van Gogh - A Pair Of Leather Clogs

Shabbat 113 – Clothing

If one needs to lift some water from a well, using a pail, he should not tie this pail with a regular rope, but should rather use a weaver's rope, or some other rope that he values so much that he will not leave it tied to the pail.

Folding garments improves them in some measure, therefore, one may fold his garments multiple times if he plans to use them on the same day, but not if he plans to use them after Shabbat, because then he is preparing on Shabbat for weekdays. Likewise, one may make the beds any number of times during Shabbat, but not when Shabbat will end soon.

In general, on should honor Shabbat by wearing special clothing and by walking and talking in special ways, just as Isaiah said, “If you restrain your feet and business, proclaim Shabbat a delight – then you will delight with God.”

When Naomi instructed Ruth for a night encounter with Boaz, she told her to bathe and anoint herself and don special garments. Which garments were these? – Those of Shabbat. Ruth, however was wise, and the rule is “Give to a wise, and she will become wiser”, so she first went to the place of the meeting, and then prepared herself – so that the people meeting her would not suspect her of being a prostitute. Incidentally, why did Boaz ask the harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?” Boaz was the member of the Sanhedrin, the leading Sage of the generation, and a righteous person, and he did not inquire about every woman who came to glean his field!? – He noticed her wisdom in fulfilling precisely the laws of gleaning (two stalks belong to the poor, three should remain to the field owner) and her modestly in sitting down, not bending to pick up the stalks.

Art: Nicolas Poussin - Ruth and Boaz

Shabbat 112 – And these are the knots...

In the list of the thirty-nine types of work that are prohibited on Shabbat we mentioned tying and untying a knot. Now the Talmud comes to give examples of which knots are prohibited: the camel driver's knot and the sailor's knot. Both are meant to be remain tied forever, and they are thus considered permanent knots. However, if one ties a knot to these permanent knots, such as a leash to the camel, then this is meant for a week or two, but not for all time, and therefore it is not prohibited by the Torah. However, the Sages prohibited even such knots, because if they were allowed, people might come to tie even permanent knots.

On the other hand, knots that are tied and untied every day are not prohibited at all. For example, a woman may tie the opening of her chemise, string of a hat, or a girdle (a wide belt tied by laces), straps of a shoe or a sandal; additionally, one may tie leather bags of wine and oil, or a pot of meat, where a piece of cloth was sometimes tied to its top.

Since the rule is that any knot that is tied and untied daily is permitted, then why did the Talmud have to give us all of the last examples? – They are all necessary. For example, in the case of a woman's chemise we are talking about a chemise with two straps, where we might have thought that she will tie one of them permanently, and only tie and untie the other ones – the Talmud thus informs us that we are not concerned about this possibility but rather assume that she will tie and untie both daily.

Art: Camille Pissarro - Young Woman Knotting Her Hair

Shabbat 111 – Aches and pains

Even if one has toothache, he should not sip vinegar (slightly spoiled wine). Vinegar strengthens the gums, and therefore sipping it, obviously done for health reasons, is forbidden. However, one can dip bread in vinegar while eating – since it was normal for people to dip their bread in vinegar – and if he is thereby cured, then he is cured.

If one feels pain in his loins, he should not smear them with wine or vinegar. These liquids are not commonly used for anointment, and thus his intention is obvious. However, he can apply oil to his skin, since normal, and not only sick people, do so. He should not use rose oil though unless he is a prince, that is, a son of a prominent or a rich person, because princes use rose oil even on weekdays, and it is not apparent that he is doing this only for therapeutic reason. Rabbi Shimon says that all Israel are considered princes, and thus they all can anoint themselves with rose oil on Shabbat.

Rava said: “The law is like Rabbi Shimon, but not for his reason.” What does he mean? Rava does not agree that all Israel are princes, but he permits using rose all in those locales where it is common – and in Rava's locale it was indeed common, so he allowed everyone to use rose oil on Shabbat.

Art: Jan Matejko - Stanczyk Faking a Toothache

Shabbat 110 – Water left uncovered

In Babylon, where snakes were abundant, there was a danger that water left uncovered might have been drunk by a snake, who could leave there its poison. For this reason, the Sages prohibited drinking any water that was left uncovered for enough time that the snake hiding behind the vessel might have appeared and drunk from. In other times and at other places this law should not apply, but it has mystical connotations, and is discussed often in the Talmud.

What is a cure for a one who drank water left uncovered? – It is made of a tree used for shepherd's staff. If one does not have it, he should take five roses and five cups of beer, and boil them together. A certain man drank uncovered water. The mother of Rav Achadvoi cooked roses in beer and made him drink it in a hot oven, and poison came out of him like a green leaf of a palm branch.

Alternatively, they should bring a sweet etrog, carve out a hole in it, fill it with honey, then cook it in burning coals, and he should eat it. The Talmud then discusses what to do when one swallows a snake, or when a snake enters a woman.

Art: William Oliver - A snake in the grass

Shabbat 109 – Healing on Shabbat

One may not prepare brine (salt water for pickling) in large quantities on Shabbat, because he is in fact preparing for the weekdays after Shabbat. However, one may prepare a small quantity that will be consumed that day. Rabbi Yose challenged this: “Is brine not the same, whether in large or in small quantities? If you have a law like this one, then people will say that a small amount of work on Shabbat is permitted, and only a large amount is forbidden. Rather, all brine is forbidden to be made on Shabbat, unless one first adds oil either to water or to salt – and in this way he makes a distinction and a reminder that it is Shabbat.”

Generally it is prohibited to effect cure of minor diseases on Shabbat. The Sages accepted this decree due to the possibility that one may come to grind medicine on Shabbat, which would definitely be prohibited. However, if he eats foods that have therapeutic effect, but that are generally eaten also by healthy people, then it is not obvious that he does it for healing, and it is allowed.

Art: Gabriel Metsu - The Sick Child

Shabbat 108 – Writing on fish skin

Rav Huna said, “One can write tefillin on the skin of a kosher bird.” Rav asked asked, “What is Rav Huna teaching us? That bird skins qualify as hides? – We know that! One who bruises a bird on Shabbat is liable, and that can only be because birds have hides, under which the blood collects.” His student Abaye told him, “Actually, Rav Huna is teaching us a lot. Since birds skins are perforated with weathers, we might have thought that this makes them invalid for writing a tefillin, and he teaches us otherwise.”

Mar bar Ravina asked of Rav Nachman, “Can one write tefillin on the skin of a kosher fish?” Rav Nachman answered, “When Elijah the prophet comes, he will tell us.” What kind of answer is this? We see ourselves that fish do have skin. Furthermore, we know the teaching that the skin and the bones of a fish accept ritual impurity of a corpse in the house, so of course they have skin! – He meant, is that skin valid. Does the stench completely depart from it, or perhaps it never does? This is one of the unclear facts that Elijah has the authority to reveal, and that's why we must wait for him.

Art: Jacob Toorenvliet - A Fish Seller

Shabbat 107 – Two people catch a deer

If a deer was inside the house, and a person sat in the doorway without completely blocking it, so that the deer can get out, that person is not liable for trapping the deer on Shabbat. However, if a second person sat in that door and made the exit completely blocked, the second one is liable. The first one is not, because he did nothing.

On the other hand, if a person sat in the door and completely blocked it, and then the second one came and sat there also, then, even if the first person leaves and the second one is the one who is blocking the door now – only the first one is liable, because he effected trapping, while the second one again is doing nothing at all.

The eight reptiles mentioned by the Torah are different from other crawling creatures: if one bruises one of them (such as a mouse) on Shabbat, he is liable, but for others (like a snake), he is not. The difference is that a mouse has thicker hide, and a bruise leads to blood accumulation, which is taking away a life, albeit in a small measure. The hide of other reptiles is soft, akin to skin, and the reddening caused by a minor bruise soon dissipates.

One is also liable to trapping one of the eight reptiles, because people do normally catch them, for various reasons.

Art: Rosa Bonheur - Two Deer In A Forest Glade

Eight reptiles

The Torah lists eight special reptiles, such as lizard and snail, and it also includes other small animals in the list, such as weasel and mouse, calling them the collective name of “crawlers,” but we will refer to them for simplicity as reptiles.

The term of such animals that appear to crawl on the ground is "sheretz," literally, "one that crawls." Most reptiles, such as a snake, do not convey ritual impurity when they are dead. The above eight, however, are singled out in that their carcasses do convey impurity. Here is the list of their names with possible translations:

1. Choled - weasel, mole, rat;
2. Achbar - mouse;
3. Tzav - toad, ferret;
4. Anaka - hedgehog, porcupine, beaver;
5. Koach - species of lizard, chameleon;
6. Letaah - lizard;
7. Chomet - snail, slug, chameleon;
8. Tinshemet - mole, type of a lizard.

Shabbat 106 – Traps

Earlier we learned that for doing destructive acts on Shabbat one is not liable. However, Rabbi Shimon finds two exceptions to this: wounding a person or burning something. Here one is liable for Shabbat violation. Why? After all, Rabbi Shimon is the one who permits unintended violations, such as dragging a bench on the ground, even though he may dig a ditch! Rabbi Shimon will tell you that since the Torah had to allow circumcision on Shabbat, this shows us that normally making a wound is prohibited. Then what about our previous learning that ALL destructive acts are not a Torah violation? – That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah. And what is the basis for it? He said that circumcision is a constructive act of rectifying the child.

Trapping an animal constitutes hunting, and that is prohibited on Shabbat. But what is trapping? – If one drives a bird into a cage or a deer into courtyard – in other words, if he makes the animal sufficiently trapped so that he can catch it in one attempt. A swallow bird is an exception: it loves freedom so much that even after being trapped in a small enclosure it will not becomes submissive, but will try to fly away instead. Therefore, a smaller than usual enclosure would make it trapped.

Art: Christian Krohg - Young Woman on a Bench

Shabbat 105 – Abbreviations

Abbreviations are used in many places in the text of the Torah. For example, in the First Commandment, “I am God your Lord” the word “I” has a somewhat unusual long form, “Anochi”. This stands for “Ana nafshi ketivat yahavit” and means “I Myself wrote and gave the Torah.”

If one tears his clothing in anger or for a dead, he is acting destructively, and for destructive acts one is not liable for Shabbat violation. But if he destroys in order to repair, then he is indeed liable. What is the minimal measure of destruction in this case? – The same as would be for repair.

However, we learned in another place that one is liable for tearing on Shabbat!? – This is talking about his own dead, for whom he is obligated to rend his clothes. This is also true if a Sage dies, for them everybody is obligated to mourn.

Rav Avin said that if he tears to cool his anger, then he has achieved a constructive purpose and should be liable for it on Shabbat. But is such behavior even allowed? One should never get angry, and freely venting one's anger is tantamount to subjugating oneself to its power, where one's soul burns out!? – True! What Rav Avin meant is that one only pretends to be angry, to show his displeasure with specific people.

Art: Francisco De Zurbaran - Hercules Tearing the Burning Robe

Shabbat 104 – Nonpunishable Shabbat writing

The Sages told to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi that young students came to the study hall and are expounding the secrets of the alphabet. And what was their wisdom? They said that “aleph”, “beth” means “alaph binah” - learn insight. “Gimel,” “dalet” stands for “Gemol dalim” – aid the needy. They continued to expound the shape of every letter, and of every letter pair, going forward, and backward, and even combing the letter by using the “first letter – last letter method.” Why do letters of “falsehood,” “sheker” are close together in the alphabet? – Because falsehoods are common. And why the letters of “truth” - “emet” are far apart? – Because truth is rare. Why the letters of “emet – truth” stand on a solid foundation? Because in end truth will stand. Correspondingly, the letters of “falsehood – sheker” all stand on one leg (one point touching the foundation) to indicate that in the end falsehood will not endure.

When is one not liable for writing on Shabbat? – When his writing will not endure. For example, if he wrote with fruit juice, which will dry out, or he wrote in the mud or on dust. He is also not liable if he wrote in an unusual way: by turning his hand backward, by holding the pen with his mouth or with his elbow – because people don't normally write this way.

Art: Alexei Kondratyevich Savrasov - Sea of Mud

Shabbat 103 – One writes two letters

When one plows on Shabbat, he is liable for any amount of plowing. Although with sowing there are amounts required for violation, such as two seeds – this is because people usually won't trouble themselves to sow one seed. However, with plowing, any amount of preparing the earth is significant.

If one is cutting branches from a live tree, then if he is doing it to improve the tree – any amount of cutting is significant. However, if his purpose is to collect firewood, he is liable once he collects enough to cook a “light egg” – that is, an egg of a chicken, which is the easiest to cook.

If one writes two letters, whether with his right hand or left hand, in any language, he is liable. Rabbi Yose say that the prohibition extends even further, and that any two useful marks, not letters, already make one liable. Others say that on the contrary, the two letters must be part of a word. Another question arises when one intended to write a long word, like Daniel, and stopped after writing the first two letters, dalet and nun, thus forming the word “Dan.” Even though he did not complete his intent (the usual condition in Shabbat violations) , Rabbi Yehudah holds him liable.

Art: Gerard Ter Borch - Lady Reading a Letter

Shabbat 102 – Building

If one threw an object on Shabbat but, while the object was still in the air, remembered that it was in fact Shabbat, and the dog ate it in mid-flight, he does not bring a sacrifice – because the sacrifice is only brought when the violation is done while forgetting about Shabbat, from the beginning to the end.

This rule seems to have two cases mixed up! – Rav Ashi explained that indeed, there is a missing part in this ruling, and in the corrected version there are three cases: throwing the object that a dog ate (no sacrifice), remembering about Shabbat in midair (no sacrifice), and immediately forgetting about Shabbat (there is a sacrifice and it helps).

If so, why still teach the old ruling and not the corrected one? That is because each such ruling has a spiritual secret in it, and it also has a practical application. The spiritual secret is the more important one, so when they come into conflict, the ruling is taught according to it, at the expense of the practical application, which has then to be amended.

How much does one have to build on Shabbat to be liable? – Any amount. How can any amount of building be useful? – A poor may build a small hole to keep is money in it. Corresponding to this, they would store needles in the Temple's curtain. – No, that's a bad example, because we have a Temple rule: “There is no show of poverty in the place of opulence." Rather, a poor may want to fix a very small hole. And what would be a similar labor in the Temple? – They would fix a small hole in a beam that a worm has eaten – because all prohibited Shabbat work has its source in the building of the Temple.

Art: Winslow Homer - Dog on a Log

Shabbat 101 – Ships in a sea

If on Shabbat on throws an object from the sea to the dry land or from the dry land to the sea, he is exempt from bringing a sacrifice. As usual, “exempt” means that the Sages prohibited it, to put him farther away from a transgression, but this is not a real violation. But why would this be prohibited? The sea is not a public area where many people walk!? – Nevertheless, it is similar to a public area in the vastness of its expanse. Such areas are called “karmelit,” as we discussed before, and carrying there is prohibited.

Likewise, he is prohibited from carrying from a ship to the land, and even from a ship to a ship. However, if two ships are tied together, then carrying between them on Shabbat is permitted, because both represent private areas. If they become untied, then carrying between them is again prohibited, even if they are still together – because it is very likely that in the near future that will separate.

Art: Andries Van Eertvelt - Two Ships at Anchor

Shabbat 90 – Taking out food on Shabbat

How much food must one carry in a public area on Shabbat to transgress and be liable for a sacrifice? Seasonings - enough to season a chicken egg; various spices combine with one another to complete his liability.

Food colorings, such as nut husks, pomegranate peels, and safflower, are enough to dye a small cloth on a woman's hat. Incidentally, if he takes out any of the seven cleansing agents used to wash away the blood – enough to launder a small cloth on a woman's hat. However, Rabbi Yehudah finds a use for a smaller amount and says - enough to remove a blood stain.

Pepper and tar – any amount. However, this is not our common pepper, for that would be a spice, which we already discussed. This pepper - we don't know its identity. Metal, too, is considered useful in any amount since even the smallest amount can be used to fashion an instrument dangerous to life. Stones from the Altar are also important in any amount, and one violates Shabbat by carrying them. The same applies to idols' accoutrements, since they are all prohibited.

Art: Still Life with Eggs by Thoman H. Hope

Shabbat 89 – What is Mount Sinai?

They asked Rav Kahana, “Have you heard the meaning of Mount Sinai?” He ventured, “The mountain where miracles ('nisim') happened to the Jewish people – they died and were revived.” They answered, “If so, it should be Nisai!” He tried again, “The mountain that became a good omen ('siman').” They said, “Then it should be Simanai!” They told him, “Why don't you come to the lectures of Rav Chisda and Rav Huna, who explain the meaning of things? This is the mountain where God's hatred ('sinah') to idolaters was shown. Conversely, because of this the idolaters hate the Jews.”

On Yom Kippur, they would tie a scarlet strip of wool to the goat's head, and the wool would turn white, to symbolize forgiveness. This is connected to the phrase is Isaiah, “Go and lets us reason, God will say, if your sins are like scarlet, they will whiten like snow.” What does it mean? In the future God will say to the Jews, “Go to your fathers and let them rebuke you.” The Jews will say, “No! Abraham was foretold the exile, Jacob was foretold more exiles, and they did not pray for us, and Isaac blessed Esau.” God will say, “Since you rely only on Me, your sins will become white as snow.”

Art: David Roberts - Mount Sinai

Shabbat 88 – The “marriage” between God and the people of Israel

Why, while receiving the Torah, the Jews “stood under the mountain”? – Because God overturned the mountain as a vat and told them, “If you accept the Torah, all is well, but if not – this will be your grave.” Rav Acha said, “This is a great argument of compulsion under duress for one who does not observe the Torah.” However, Rava took the argument away by mentioning that at Purim time the Jews accepted the Torah again, this time without coercion.

When the Jews promised first to “do” and after to “hear what to do,” God asked, “Who revealed to them the secret of the angels, who also fulfill My word, and then listen to My voice?” To illustrate, Rava was once studying the Talmud without noticing that his foot was stomping on his fingers so that they were bleeding. A certain Sadducee told him, “You were impulsive you and you are still that way! You promised to observe the Torah, and only later found it what it was, and you are still studying the Talmud like this. How do you know there is something there?” Rava answered, “We trust God as one who would out of love, not like you, whose distrust will be your undoing.” About us it says “You have captured My heart, My sister, O bride!”

Ulla said, “How shameless is the bride who is unfaithful while still in her bridal chamber,” talking to Jews worshiping the Golden Calf while still at Mount Sinai. What is the connection? “While the King was still at His banquet, my perfume gave out its fragrance.”

By association, another teaching about the word “shame”: Those who are shamed but do not respond, hear their disgrace but not do reply, who perform God's will out of love and are happy even in their suffering, to them applies the phrase “But they who love God shall go as the sun in its strength.”

Art: William Henry Midwood - In disgrace

Shabbat 87 – When was the Torah given?

The Torah was given on the sixth of the month Sivan; this, therefore, is when Shavuot, marking the giving of the Torah, is celebrated. However, Rabbi Yose says that this happened on the seventh of Sivan.

Rava put their disagreement in perspective: all agree that the Jews arrived to Sinai on the first of the month. How do we know? Because in Egypt God said, “This month (Nissan) will be for you the first of the months,” on at Sinai it says “On this day they arrived.” The word “this” connects the two and teaches us that both were the first of the month.

Furthermore, all agree that the Torah was given on Shabbat. And why is that? – Because part of the giving of the Torah was “Remember Shabbat,” so this must have happened on Shabbat itself, just as in Egypt, where it says “Remember this day,” and it was said on this very day.

If so, where do they disagree? – They disagree about on what day was the first of the month. Then what does Rabbi Yose do with the extra day in his count? – He says that Moses added an extra day of preparation, but God later agreed with him. Actually, Moses did three things on his own, to all of which God later agreed. The first is the one we just mentioned, the second is when he separated from his wife, so that he could be ready to experience Divine presence at any time, and third is when he broke the tablets. How do we know that God agreed? – From the last words of the Torah, “Which Moses broke in front of everyone.” God said, “Well done!” with no trace of displeasure.

Art: Claude Vignon - Moses with the Tablets of the Law

Shabbat 86 – Three days before the giving of the Torah

Next in the list of “from where do we know” is “From where do we know that a woman who emits semen on the third day after an intercourse becomes ritually impure?” – From the Torah phrase, “Moses said to the people, 'Keep yourself in readiness for three days. Do not come near a woman.'”

The Torah had to be given to people who are ritually pure. All other sources of impurity can be eliminated by going to a mikveh, after which the person becomes ritually pure. Therefore, the only reason for the three-day waiting period was the potential for semen – if it is viable – to be expelled later, and the semen is considered viable for three days. The Talmud also discusses other opinions on how long this period can be.

Actually, a person right out of the mikveh is considered pure, with a tinge of impurity until sunset. Still, it could have been enough for giving the Torah. Why, for example, was the Torah not given on Friday, right after everyone went to a mikveh? – Because God did not want to do it in secret at night. Then why was the mikveh time not set for Saturday morning, with the Torah given right after that? – Because then some would be returning from the mikveh, with others just going there, and the Jewish people needed a complete unity.

Art: German School - Purity

Shabbat 85 – Seeds in a garden patch

Another one in the list of allusions and implications is drawn from the phrase in Isaiah, “Like the earth gives forth its plant, and like a garden causes its seeds to sprout...” The prophet describes the salvation of the Jewish people which will blossom gloriously at the end of days, but he also hints to the laws of planting. In general, it is forbidden to plant different species together, and here we can derive that on a garden patch of six by six hand-breadths one can plant five types of seeds but no more. How do we know that?

“Gives forth” denotes one species, “its plant” is another, “its seeds” implies two, for the total of four, and “to sprout” is the fifth. The Talmud gives multiple possible layouts for seed planting, as well as derives that the size of the patch is indeed six by six hand-breadths, and that it is situated in a barren area, for otherwise other seeds would impede the planting of the five species inside.

Art: Carl Larsson - The seeds

Shabbat 84 – Allusions

Continuing with the list of comparisons and allusions, what did King Solomon mean when said that “Four things are incomprehensible to me... the path of a ship in the heart of the sea once it passed?” By comparing the ship to the sea, Solomon hints at the law that a ship, even a small one, is always ritually pure – just as the sea is ritually pure. A ship is unique in this respect. Other objects, for example, boxes small enough to be carried, do accept spiritual impurity. The law itself was known to Solomon, but he could not understand its reason.

Another allusion: the Torah writes, “When a man dies in a tent... all utensils under the tent will be impure.” Rabbi Yochanan explained, this teaches that a man should never leave the tent of study,  until the day of his death. Resh Lakish said, “Moreover, he will remember his learning only if he literally kills himself for its sake” – just as the Torah said, “When a man dies in a tent”.

Art: Gerbrand Van Den Eeckhout - Scholar with his Books

Shabbat 83 – Idol assembly

Earlier we learned that pieces of an idol that are broken off cease to convey ritual impurity. However, this is talking about pieces, about which the idolater reasons, “The idol could not protect itself, surely it is not going to protect me.”

Rav Chama asked a related question, “If one uses an idol that is assembled from parts, does it still convey impurity when disassembled? When a layman can reassemble the idol,” - he added - “I don't even need to ask, since this is considered as if it was intact. My only question is when only an expert can reassemble it. Do we say that this is better than a broken one, and the impurity is back, or do we say that right now the idol is unusable, and it conveys no impurity?”

Others presented his question in a different way: where a layman cannot assemble it, there is no need to ask, since it is as good as broken. The only question is when a layman can in fact assemble it back. Do we say that it is considered as whole, or do way say that on the contrary, right now it is pulled apart and dismantled, and is therefore unusable, and carries no impurity? – Which? This question remained unresolved.

Art: Rombout Van Troyen - Grotto with Statues and Numerous Figures Worshipping Idols

Shabbat 82 – Hints

There is a rule that when the Sages established their additional safeguards (out of the need to distance people from Torah violations), they used the same law structures as those found in the Torah, whenever possible. The result is that we can reason about their laws using the same deductions as in the Torah.

For example, there are a few cases in the Torah where one who carries an item indirectly, without touching it, nevertheless becomes ritually impure, such as meat of a non-kosher animal or a kosher one that was killed but not by slaughter. How do we know that the Sages applied the same law to one who carries an idol? – Explains Rabbi Akiva, since Isaiah says that in the future the Jews will “Cast the idols away as other objects that engender impurity, and you will say to them – Go!” – therefore we know that the Sages established ritual impurity for one who carries an idol.

What else can we learn from the comparison of an idol to, for example, a “zav” – man who had a special type of emission? – That just as his impurity does not apply to separate members of his body, so too it does not apply to pieces of an idol.

Art: Winslow Homer - Guide Carrying a Deer

Shabbat 81 – Using a bathroom

Of the amounts carrying which entails a Shabbat violation, here are the last items. Clay – enough for sealing cargo sacks – says Rabbi Akiva, but the Sages say – enough to seal a letter. Fertilizer – enough for a cabbage – that is Rabbi Akiva, and the Sages say – enough for a leek. A reed – enough for a small pen, and if unusable for a pen – enough to cook an egg on a skillet; and which egg cooks the fastest? – that of a chicken.

At that time, they used stones to wipe after relieving themselves. Zonin came to the study hall and asked, “My teachers! How many stones can one take to the bathroom?” Normally, stones are not prepared for Shabbat use and are therefore muktzeh, not to be handled. Additionally, one should not carry them – unless he goes less than four steps at a time and then stops, thus staying below the prohibited distance.

The Sages told him, “He can use the same sizes that he uses on weekdays: the first the size of an olive, the second the size of the nut, and the third the size of an egg.” They thus told him that the Shabbat prohibitions are relaxed to accommodate the unavoidable needs of people. Still, Zonin insisted, “Shall he bring a balance scale with him, to ascertain the weight?” After discussion, they voted to allow a handful of stones.

Art: Vincent Van Gogh - Still Life With Cabbage And Clogs