עירובין 104 — Soncino English Talmud

¹only a piece of material that was three handbreadths by three causes an interposition while one that is less than three handbreadths by three causes no interposition. This is in fact identical with the ruling which Raba cited in the name of R. Hisda. Must it be conceded that this differs from the view of R. Judah son of R. Hiyya? — A bandage is different since it is significant. But according to R. Johanan. instead of being informed about the reed-grass, why were we not informed about a bandage? — We were taught indirectly that reed-grass heals. MISHNAH. SALT MAY BE SCATTERED ON THE ALTAR'S ASCENT THAT THE PRIESTS SHALL NOT SLIP. WATER ALSO MAY BE DRAWN ON THE SABBATH BY MEANS OF A WHEEL FROM THE CISTERN OF THE EXILES AND FROM THE GREAT CISTERN; AND ON A FESTIVAL DAY FROM THE HAKER WELL ALSO. GEMARA. R.Ika of Pashronia pointed out to Raba the following inconsistency. We learned, SALT MAY BE SCATTERED ON THE ALTAR'S ASCENT THAT THE PRIESTS SHALL NOT SLIP. Thus only in the Temple is this permitted but not in the country. But is not this inconsistent with the following: If a courtyard floor was damaged by rainwater one may bring straw and level it? — Straw is different since its owner does not renounce it. Said R. Aha son of Raba to R. Ashi: How are we to understand the case of the SALT? if its owner has renounced it, would not the scattering constitute an addition to the structure? And if he did not renounce it, would it not constitute an unlawful interposition? — This is a case where the salt was scattered when the limbs of sacrifices were carried up the ascent, an act which is not regarded as part of the Temple service. But is it not indeed? Was it not in fact written in Scripture. And the priest shall offer the whole, and make it smoke upon the altar, a text which, a Master explained, refers to the carrying of the limbs up the ascent? — Rather say: This refers [to salt scattered] when the wood is carried to the altar pile which is an act that is no part of the Temple service. Raba discoursed: If a courtyard floor was damaged by rainwater one may bring straw and level it. Said R. Papa to Raba: Was It not taught. When he levels the ground he must not scatter the straw either with a small basket or with a large one but only with the bottom broken from a basket? Raba thereupon appointed an amora and delivered the following discourse: The statement I made to you was an error on my part. But it was this indeed that was reported in the name of R. Eliezer: ‘And When he levels it he must not scatter the straw either with a small basket or with a large one but with the bottom broken from a basket.’ WATER ALSO MAY BE DRAWN . . . FROM THE CISTERN OF THE EXILES. Ulla once happened to visit R. Manasseh when a man came and knocked on the door. ‘Who’, he exclaimed ‘is this person? May his body be desecrated, for he desecrates the Sabbath’. ‘Only a musical sound’, said Rabbah to him, ‘has been forbidden’. Abaye pointed out an objection against him: ‘Liquids may be drawn by means of a siphon, and water may be allowed to drip from the arak, for a sick person on the Sabbath’. Thus only ‘for a sick person’ is this allowed, but not for a healthy one. Now, how are we to imagine the circumstances? Would you not agree that this is a case where the sick man was asleep and it was desired that he should wake up? May it not then be inferred that the Production of any sound is forbidden? — No; this is a case where he was awake and it is desired that he should fall asleep, so that the sound heard is one like a tingling noise. He pointed out to him a further objection: If a man guards his fruit against the birds or his gourds against wild beasts he may proceed on the Sabbath in his usual way, provided he does not clap his hand, beat his chest or stamp his feet as is usually done on weekdays. Now what could be the reason? Is it not that the man produces sound and that the production of any sound is forbidden? — R. Aha b. Jacob replied: This is a preventive measure against the Possibility of his Picking up a pebble. What, however, is the reason for the statement which Rab Judah citing Rab made that women who play with nuts commit a transgression? Is it not that this produces sound and that the production of any sound is forbidden? — No; the reason is that they might proceed to level the ground. For, were you not to concede this, how would you explain the ruling of Rab Judah that women who play with apples commit a transgression? What sound could be produced there? Consequently it must be conceded that the reason is that they might proceed to level the ground. We learned: WATER MAY BE DRAWN ON THE SABBATH BY MEANS OF A WHEEL FROM THE CISTERN OF THE EXILES AND FROM THE GREAT CISTERN. Thus only in the Temple is this permitted but not in the country. But what could be the reason? Is it not that the revolution of the wheel produces a sound which is forbidden? — No; this is a preventive measure against the possibility of a man's drawing the water for his garden or his ruin. Amemar allowed the drawing of water by means of a wheel at Mahuza; ‘for’, he said, ‘on what ground did the Rabbis enact a preventive measure against such drawing? Only on the ground that a person might also draw water for his garden or his ruin. But in this place there is neither garden nor ruin’. When, however, he observed that they began to^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ^ᵃᵇ^ᵃᶜ^ᵃᵈ^ᵃᵉ^ᵃᶠ^ᵃᵍ^ᵃʰ^ᵃⁱ^ᵃʲ^ᵃᵏ^ᵃˡ^ᵃᵐ^ᵃⁿ^ᵃᵒ^ᵃᵖ^ᵃᵠ^ᵃʳ^ᵃˢ^ᵃᵗ^ᵃᵘ^ᵃᵛ^ᵃʷ^ᵃˣ^ᵃʸ^ᵃᶻ^ᵇᵃ^ᵇᵇ^ᵇᶜ^ᵇᵈ^ᵇᵉ^ᵇᶠ^ᵇᵍ^ᵇʰ^ᵇⁱ^ᵇʲ^ᵇᵏ^ᵇˡ^ᵇᵐ^ᵇⁿ^ᵇᵒ^ᵇᵖ^ᵇᵠ

^ᵃnote:Being regarded as a garment.
^ᵇnote:Since it does not belong to the priest's garments.
^ᶜnote:In consequence of which it cannot be regarded as a garment.
^ᵈnote:v. Supra p. 722, n. 7.
^ᵉnote:Rab's ruling which does not regard a piece of material that was less than three handbreadths by three as an unlawful addition to the priest's garments.
^ᶠnote:v. Supra p. 722, n. 11.
^ᵍnote:From a piece of material of similar size.
^ʰnote:Who allows the use of a bandage as well as that of reed-grass.
^ⁱnote:By our Mishnah.
^ʲnote:From which the permissibility of a bandage cannot be inferred.
^ᵏnote:And the permissibility of reed-grass, which is of less importance, could be deduced a minori ad majus.
^ˡnote:And that, though it helps to heal the wound and its use on the Sabbath is elsewhere forbidden, it may be used in the Temple where its main purpose is to cover up a wound during the performance of the service.
^ᵐnote:On the Sabbath. Lit., ‘(they may) crush (lumps of) salt’.
^ⁿnote:Which had a smooth surface and after a rain was very slippery.
^ᵒnote:Though the use of a wheel for such a purpose on the Sabbath is elsewhere forbidden (v. Gemara infra).
^ᵖnote:‘Golah’, collective noun. One of the cisterns in the Temple court said to have been dug by the exiles after the return from Babylon.
^ᵠnote:Another cistern in the Temple court.
^ʳnote:But not on the Sabbath.
^ˢnote:Explained in the Gemara.
^ᵗnote:Since the altar ascent only was mentioned.
^ᵘnote:Lit., ‘yes’.
^ᵛnote:Or ‘make a path in’. Which shows that even in the country it is permissible to scatter straw on the ground. How then is this to be reconciled with our Mishnah which allows salt to be scattered in the Temple court only?
^ʷnote:From salt.
^ˣnote:But intends to collect it later and to use it as fodder for cattle or to mix it in a mortar. The scattering of materials on the ground on the Sabbath is forbidden as ‘levelling’ which is a form of ‘building’, but since the straw is not to remain on the ground permanently the act of scattering cannot be regarded as ‘building’. Salt, on the other hand, being useless after it has once been scattered on the ground, is presumed to have been renounced by its owner once it has been scattered. The act, therefore, is permitted in the Temple court only but not in the country.
^ʸnote:Of course it would (cf. prev. n.); and this is forbidden even on a weekday since nothing may be added to the Temple structures. Cur. edd. insert in parenthesis, ‘All this (do 1 give thee) in writing, as the Lord hath made me wise by his hand upon me’ (I Chron. XXVIII, 19) from which words it is inferred (cf. Rashi a.l.) that all parts of the Temple, internal as well as external structures, were minutely described by God and nothing was to he added to them. MS.M. omits the Scriptural quotation.
^ᶻnote:Between the surface of the ascent and the priests’ feet (cf. Zeb. 15b).
^ᵃᵃnote:Which in fact was not renounced, since it could be collected and used for the salting of the skins of the sacrifices.
^ᵃᵇnote:And an interposition does not matter.
^ᵃᶜnote:Lev. I, 13.
^ᵃᵈnote:Since it is the continuation of the text: But the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water (ibid.).
^ᵃᵉnote:How then could it be said that the carrying forms no part of the service?
^ᵃᶠnote:Which is the usual procedure on a weekday.
^ᵃᵍnote:V. p. 724, n. 8.
^ᵃʰnote:And an interposition does not matter.
^ᵃⁱnote:Or ‘make a path in’.
^ᵃʲnote:An objection against Raba who permitted the scattering of straw in any manner.
^ᵃᵏnote:Sc. an assistant who stood at his side during his discourse and expounded it in a louder voice and simpler language to the people assembled.
^ᵃˡnote:Lit., ‘the words which I said before you’.
^ᵃᵐnote:Lit., ‘in my hand’.
^ᵃⁿnote:Old ed., ‘Eleazar’.
^ᵃᵒnote:On a Sabbath.
^ᵃᵖnote:By producing a sound with his knocking.
^ᵃᵠnote:Not a mere knocking.
^ᵃʳnote:To be produced on the Sabbath other than with the mouth.
^ᵃˢnote:Rabbah.
^ᵃᵗnote:‘Deyo-fi’ lit., ‘two mouths’ (Rashi), ‘a popular perversion’ of deyobit, ** (Jast.).
^ᵃᵘnote:A perforated vessel, a sort of clepsydra used in sick rooms (Jast.).
^ᵃᵛnote:Lit., ‘yes’.
^ᵃʷnote:By the production of the sound of the arak which is a mere noise without any musical quality whatever.
^ᵃˣnote:As the answer is presumably in the affirmative.
^ᵃʸnote:Since the instrument mentioned may be used for a sick man only but not for a healthy one.
^ᵃᶻnote:On a Sabbath.
^ᵇᵃnote:Even one that is unmusical.
^ᵇᵇnote:On the Sabbath; an objection against Rabbah.
^ᵇᶜnote:Which lulls the patient to sleep by its musical notes.
^ᵇᵈnote:Rabbah.
^ᵇᵉnote:Why clapping, beating and stamping are forbidden.
^ᵇᶠnote:Even one that is unmusical.
^ᵇᵍnote:To throw it at a bird, and he would thus transfer an object from a private domain into a public domain, which is forbidden.
^ᵇʰnote:Playing with nuts.
^ᵇⁱnote:Why playing with nuts is forbidden on the Sabbath.
^ᵇʲnote:For playing purposes. Lit., grooves’.
^ᵇᵏnote:On the Sabbath.
^ᵇˡnote:Apparently none.
^ᵇᵐnote:Lit., ‘but’.
^ᵇⁿnote:For the game.
^ᵇᵒnote:Lit., ‘yes’.
^ᵇᵖnote:On the Sabbath; an objection against Rabbah.
^ᵇᵠnote:Sc. for secular purposes whereby no religious duty or observance is performed.

²soak flax in it he forbade it to them. AND FROM THE HAKER WELL. What was the ‘haker well’? — Samuel replied: A cistern concerning which arguments welled forth and its use [on a Festival] was declared to be permitted. An objection was raised: Not all the haker cisterns but only this one, did they permit. Now if you explain it to mean that concerning it arguments welled forth, what could be the meaning of ‘only this one’? — Rather, said R. Nahman b. Isaac: A well of living water, as it is said in Scripture: As a cistern welleth with her water etc. [To turn to] the main text. Not all the haker cisterns, but only this one, did they permit. And when the exiles returned they encamped by it, and the prophets among then, permitted them to use it [on Festivals]; and not only the prophets among them did this but it was a practice of their forefathers that they upheld. MISHNAH. IF A [DEAD] CREEPING THING WAS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE, A PRIEST SHOULD CARRY IT OUT IN HIS GIRDLE TO AVOID KEEPING THE UNCLEANNESS THERE ANY LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY; SO R.JOHANAN B. BEROKA. R. JUDAH RULED: [IT SHOULD BE REMOVED] WITH WOODEN TONGS IN ORDER THAT THE UNCLEANNESS SHALL NOT INCREASE. WHENCE MUST IT BE REMOVED? FROM THE HEKAL, FROM THE ULAM, AND FROM BETWEEN THE ULAM AND THE ALTAR; SO R. SIMEON B. NANUS. R. AKIBA RULED: FROM ANY PLACE WHERE KARETH IS INCURRED FOR ENTERING PRESUMPTUOUSLY AND A SIN-OFFERING FOR ENTERING IT IN ERROR IT MUST BE REMOVED. IN ANY OTHER PLACES, HOWEVER A PSYKTER IS TO BE PUT OVER IT. R. SIMEON SAID: WHEREVER THE SAGES HAVE PERMITTED YOU ANYTHING THEY HAVE ONLY GIVEN YOU WHAT IS REALLY YOURS, SINCE THEY HAVE ONLY PERMITTED YOU THAT WHICH IS FORBIDDEN AS SHEBUTH. GEMARA. R. Tobi b. Kisna citing Samuel ruled: One who brings into the Temple all object that was defiled by a creeping thing incurs guilt, but if one brings in the creeping thing itself one is exempt. What is the reason? — Scripture said: Both male and female shall ye put out, from which it is inferred that only that which may attain cleanness in a ritual bath is subject to the prohibition, a creeping thing, however, is excluded since it can never attain cleanness. May it be suggested that the following provides support for this view? Both male and female shall ye put out excludes an earthen vessel; so R. Jose the Galilean. Now what could be the reason? Is it not because it cannot attain cleanness through a ritual bath? — No; only that which may become a primary source of uncleanness is subject to the prohibition, an earthen vessel, however, is excluded since it can never become a primary source of uncleanness. Must it be conceded that on this question there is a divergence of opinion between the following Tannas: IF A CREEPING THING WAS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE A PRIEST SHOULD CARRY IT OUT IN HIS GIRDLE TO AVOID KEEPING THE UNCLEANNESS THERE ANY LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY; SO R. JOHANAN B. BEROKA. R. JUDAH RULED: IT SHOULD BE REMOVED WITH WOODEN TONGS IN ORDER THAT THE UNCLEANNESS SHALL NOT INCREASE. Now do they not differ on this point: That he who said: TO AVOID KEEPING, holds the opinion that one who takes a creeping thing into the Temple incurs guilt, while he who said: IN ORDER THAT . . . SHALL NOT INCREASE holds the opinion that one who takes a creeping thing into the Temple is exempt? — No, all may agree that guilt is incurred, but the point at Issue here is the following: One Master holds that it is preferable to keep an unclean object a little longer while the other Master holds that it is preferable to increase the uncleanness. The point at issue is rather the same as that between the following Tannas. We learned: WHENCE MUST IT BE REMOVED etc. Now do they not differ on this point: That he who ruled that from the Temple court it may not be removed is of the opinion that one who takes a creeping thing into the Temple is exempt, while he who holds that it must be removed from any part of the court is of the opinion that guilt is incurred?^ᵇʳ^ᵇˢ^ᵇᵗ^ᵇᵘ^ᵇᵛ^ᵇʷ^ᵇˣ^ᵇʸ^ᵇᶻ^ᶜᵃ^ᶜᵇ^ᶜᶜ^ᶜᵈ^ᶜᵉ^ᶜᶠ^ᶜᵍ^ᶜʰ^ᶜⁱ^ᶜʲ^ᶜᵏ^ᶜˡ^ᶜᵐ^ᶜⁿ^ᶜᵒ^ᶜᵖ^ᶜᵠ^ᶜʳ^ᶜˢ^ᶜᵗ^ᶜᵘ^ᶜᵛ^ᶜʷ^ᶜˣ^ᶜʸ^ᶜᶻ^ᵈᵃ^ᵈᵇ^ᵈᶜ^ᵈᵈ^ᵈᵉ^ᵈᶠ^ᵈᵍ^ᵈʰ^ᵈⁱ

^ᵇʳnote:The water they drew on the Sabbath by means of the wheel.
^ᵇˢnote:Shehekeru, ‘haker’ being the Hif. of the rt. rre
^ᵇᵗnote:V. infra.
^ᵇᵘnote:The haker well.
^ᵇᵛnote:Since no arguments ‘welled forth’ in connection with any other cistern.
^ᵇʷnote:The same expression occurs in Gen. XXVI, 19.
^ᵇˣnote:‘Ke-haker’.
^ᵇʸnote:Jer. VI, 7.
^ᵇᶻnote:Lit., ‘went up’.
^ᶜᵃnote:Lit., ‘in their hands’.
^ᶜᵇnote:On the Sabbath, when it is forbidden under the laws of shebuth to handle a dead creeping thing.
^ᶜᶜnote:But not with his bare hand, in order to avoid direct contact with the creeping thing and the latter's consequent conveyance of levitical uncleanness to the priest's body. Carrying alone, in the absence of direct contact, does not cause uncleanness and the girdle, though it contracts a certain degree of uncleanness (first grade) from the creeping thing, cannot carry any uncleanness to the priest's body since no degree lower than that of primary uncleanness can affect the levitical cleanness of a human being.
^ᶜᵈnote:This is a reason why the author of this ruling does not require its removal, as does R. Judah presently, to be effected by means of an instrument that is not susceptible to levitical uncleanness.
^ᶜᵉnote:Which are unsusceptible to levitical uncleanness.
^ᶜᶠnote:By its spread to the girdle. In R. Judah's view it is preferable to allow the offending object to remain in the Temple a little longer until wooden tongs can be obtained and thus to limit the extent of the uncleanness, rather than to remove it sooner and thereby cause the uncleanness to spread to another object.
^ᶜᵍnote:On the Sabbath.
^ᶜʰnote:Or the ‘Holy’ which contained the candlestick, the table for the shewbread and the golden altar.
^ᶜⁱnote:The Temple porch in front of the Hekal.
^ᶜʲnote:Sc. the brazen altar that stood in the Temple court in front of the Ulam. If the offending object was found in any other part of the Temple court it could not be removed on the Sabbath (until after nightfall) on account of the prohibition against moving objects from a private into a public domain.
^ᶜᵏnote:In a state of levitical uncleanness.
^ᶜˡnote:Sc. the entire Temple court.
^ᶜᵐnote:Forthwith, even on the Sabbath.
^ᶜⁿnote:The side chambers (according to R. Akiba) or the part of the court beyond the space BETWEEN THE ULAM AND THE ALTAR (according to Ben Nanus).
^ᶜᵒnote:Gr. ** (wine cooler), a large brass pot.
^ᶜᵖnote:To keep it covered during the Sabbath. After dusk it is removed.
^ᶜᵠnote:The point of this statement is discussed infra.
^ᶜʳnote:In the Temple.
^ᶜˢnote:But nothing that is Pentateuchally forbidden.
^ᶜᵗnote:And must suffer the consequence (cf. Rashi a.l. and Elijah Wilna glosses).
^ᶜᵘnote:Num. V, 3 which is applied to the Temple precincts. Cf. In the midst whereof I dwell (ibid).
^ᶜᵛnote:As ‘a male and female’ may.
^ᶜʷnote:Of entering the Temple.
^ᶜˣnote:Sc. no guilt is incurred for bringing unclean earthenware into the Temple.
^ᶜʸnote:For R. Jose's ruling.
^ᶜᶻnote:Any earthenware.
^ᵈᵃnote:Since it must he broken (cf. Lev. XI,33).
^ᵈᵇnote:The only primary source of uncleanness which a vessel can contract is that of Midras defilement (v. Glos.), to which all earthenware vessel is not susceptible, v. Shab. 84b. For bringing in a creeping thing, however, since it is a primary source of uncleanness, one does incur guilt, contrary to the view of Samuel.
^ᵈᶜnote:Whether guilt is incurred for taking a creeping thing into the Temple.
^ᵈᵈnote:Pentateuchally. Hence it is preferable to extend uncleanness to the girdle rather than to continue a transgression against a Pentateuchal prohibition.
^ᵈᵉnote:Rather than increase uncleanness by imparting it to the sacred girdle.
^ᵈᶠnote:Rather than keeping an unclean object in the Temple even only one minute longer than is absolutely necessary.
^ᵈᵍnote:Whether guilt is incurred for taking a creeping thing into the Temple.
^ᵈʰnote:On the Sabbath.
^ᵈⁱnote:Pentateuchally. The Rabbis, therefore, enforced their Shebuth throughout the Temple, except in the case of the Hekal and Ulam and between the latter and the altar on account of their high degree of holiness.