Parallel
עירובין 77:2
Soncino English Talmud · Berean Standard Bible
some of the leaves uncovered, he need not fear the possible transgression of the laws of kil'ayim or of tithe or of the Sabbatical year, and they may be removed on the Sabbath? — This was required in that case only where a hoe or pickaxe is necessary. An Egyptian ladder effects no reduction but a Tyrian ladder does. What is to be understood by an ‘Egyptian ladder’? — At the school of R. Jannai it was explained: One that has less than four rungs. R. Aha son of Raba asked R. Ashi: What is the reason why an Egyptian ladder effects no reduction? — Did you not hear, the other replied, what R. Aha b. Adda stated in the name of R. Hamnuna who had it from Rab: Because it is an object that may be moved about on the Sabbath and which, like all such objects, causes no reduction? — If so, should not the same ruling apply to a Tyrian ladder also? — In the latter case it is its weight that imparts to it a permanency of position. Abaye ruled: If a wall between two courtyards was ten handbreadths high, and one ladder four handbreadths wide was placed on the one side and another of the same width was placed on the other side, and there is less than a distance of three handbreadths between them, a valid reduction is effected, but if there was a distance of three handbreadths between them, no valid reduction is effected. This, however, applies only where the wall was less than four handbreadths thick but if it was four handbreadths thick the reduction is valid even if the ladders were far removed from one another. R. Bebai b. Abaye ruled: If one balcony was built above another balcony a valid reduction is thereby effected if either the lower one had an area of four handbreadths [by four handbreadths] or, where it was smaller, if the upper one had an area of four handbreadths and there was no space of three handbreadths between them. Similarly R. Nahman citing Rabbah b. Abbuha ruled: A step-ladder effects a reduction if the length of the lower rung was four handbreadths or, where it was shorter, if the upper one was four handbreadths long and there was no space of three handbreadths between them. R. Nahman further stated in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha:
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