Eruvin

but, surely, we learned: R. Eliezer ruled: If a man walked two cubits beyond his Sabbath limit he may re-enter,1 and if he walked three cubits he may not re-enter;2 [from which it is evident] is it not, that R. Eliezer follows his principle on the basis of which he ruled: ‘The man3 is deemed to be in their center’,4 so that the four cubits which the Rabbis have allowed him3 are regarded as overlapping [with that man's former Sabbath limit],5 and [it is because of this overlapping]6 that he ruled: ‘He may re-enter’. Does not this then clearly prove that the overlapping of Sabbath limits is of significance? — Said Rabbah b. Bar Hana7 to Abaye: Do you raise an objection against the Master8 from a ruling of R. Eliezer?9 ‘Yes’, the other replied: ‘because I heard from the Master himself8 that the Rabbis differed from R. Eliezer only in respect of a secular errand10 but that in respect of a religious one they agree with him’.11 AND12 ALL WHO GO OUT TO SAVE LIFE MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES. Even apparently where the distance was more [than four thousand cubits]. But was it not stated in the first clause,13 TWO THOUSAND CUBITS, and presumably no more? — Rab Judah replied in the name of Rab: The meaning is that they MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES14 with their weapons.15 But what [indeed] was the difficulty16 seeing that it is possible that the case of those who go to save lives17 is different?18 If a difficulty did at all exist it must have been the following. We learned: At first they19 did not stir from there20 all day21 but R. Gamaliel the Elder enacted that they shall be entitled to move within two thousand cubits in any direction. The enactment, moreover, was not applied to these19 only, but even a midwife who came to assist at a childbirth, or a man who came to rescue from an invading gang, from a river, from a ruin or from a fire is to be regarded as one of the people of the town22 and is entitled to move within two thousand cubits in any direction.23 Now [this evidently implies:] No more;24 but has it not been said: ALL WHO GO OUT TO SAVE LIFE MAY RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL PLACES even impliedly a larger distance?24 — Rab Judah replied in the name of Rab:25 The meaning Is that they MAY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES26 with their weapons;27 as it was taught: At first they28 used to leave their weapons29 in a house that was nearest to the town wall. Once it happened that the enemies recognized them30 and pursued them, and as these entered the house to take up their weapons the enemies followed them. There was a stampede and the men who killed one another were more than those whom the enemies killed. At that time it was ordained that men in such circumstances shall return to their places with their weapons. 31 R. Nahman b. Isaac replied: There is really no contradiction: 32 The latter33 deals with a case where the Israelites overpowered the heathens34 while the former35 deals with one where the heathens overpowered themselves.36 Rab Judah stated in the name of Rab: If foreigners besieged Israelite towns it is not permitted to sally forth against them or to desecrate the Sabbath in any other way on their account. So it was also taught: If foreigners besieged etc. This, however, applies only where they came for the sake of money matters, but if they came with the intention of taking lives the people are permitted to sally forth against them with their weapons and to desecrate the Sabbath on their account. Where the attack, however, was made on a town that was close to a frontier,37 even though they did not come with any intention of taking lives but merely to plunder straw or stubble, the people are permitted to sally forth against them with their weapons and to desecrate the Sabbath on their account. 38 Said R. Joseph b. Manyumi in the name of R. Nahman: Babylon is regarded as a frontier town and by this39 he meant Nehardea.40 R. Dostai of Biri41 made the following exposition: What is the significance of the Scriptural text: And they told David saying: ‘Behold the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors’?42 A Tanna taught: Keilah was a frontier town and they only came for the sake of plundering straw or stubble, for it is written: ‘And they rob the threshingfloors’ and yet it is written: Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying: ‘Shall I go and smite these Philistines?’ And the Lord said unto David: ‘Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah’.43 What was it that he inquired about? If it be suggested: ‘Whether44 it was permitted or forbidden to repulse the attack’, surely, it could be retorted, the Beth din of Samuel the Ramathite was then in existence.45 Rather, he inquired whether he would be successful or not.46 The inference from the wording of the text also supports this view. For it says: ‘Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah’. 47 This is conclusive. MISHNAH. IF A MAN SAT DOWN48 BY THE WAY49 AND WHEN HE ROSE UP50 HE OBSERVER THAT HE WAS NEAR A TOWN51 HE MAY NOT ENTER IT,52 SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN HIS INTENTION53 TO DO SO;54 SO R. MEIR. R. JUDAH RULED: HE MAY ENTER IT.55 SAID R. JUDAH, IT ONCE ACTUALLY HAPPENED THAT R. TARFON ENTERED A TOWN56 THOUGH57 THIS WAS NOT HIS INTENTION [WHEN THE SABBATH HAD BEGUN]. GEMARA. It was taught: R. Judah related: It once happened that R. Tarfon was on a journey when dusk fell and he spent the night on the outskirts of a town. In the morning he was discovered by some herdsmen who said to him, ‘Master, behold the town is just in front of you; come in. He, thereupon, entered and sat down in the house of study, and delivered discourses all that day. Said R. Akiba58 to him:59 Is that incident any proof?60 Is it not possible that he53 had the town in his mind61 or that the house of study was actually62 within his Sabbath limit?63 MISHNAH. IF A MAN SLEPT BY THE WAY64 AND WAS UNAWARE THAT NIGHT HAD FALLEN,65 HE IS ENTITLED TO MOVE WITHIN TWO THOUSAND CUBITS IN ANY DIRECTION; SO R. JOHANAN B. NURI. THE SAGES, HOWEVER, RULED: HE66 HAS ONLY FOUR CUBITS WITHIN WHICH TO MOVE. R. ELIEZER RULED: AND THE MAN IS DEEMED TO BE IN THEIR CENTER.67 R. JUDAH RULED: HE MAY MOVE68 IN ANY DIRECTION HE DESIRES. R. JUDAH, HOWEVER, AGREES THAT IF HE HAS ONCE CHOSEN HIS DIRECTION HE MAY NOT GO BACK ON IT.69 IF THERE WERE TWO MEN AND A PART OF THE PRESCRIBED NUMBER OF CUBITS OF THE ONE OVERLAPPED WITH THAT OF THE OTHER,70 THEY MAY BRING THEIR MEALS AND EAT THEM IN THE MIDDLE,71 cubits in the various directions. cubits, where there is some overlapping, he permits the man to re-enter his former limit. cubit beyond it. limit, that is, on a religious errand, the Rabbis, like R. Eliezer, would permit him to re-enter his former limit if his new one overlapped with it. favour of those WHO GO OUT TO SAVE LIFE. evidence on the appearance of a new moon or to summon a midwife. A person in such circumstance may well be forbidden to return home if the distance was more than two thousand cubits. Those, however, who went out to save lives from the violence of an attacking gang might well, as a safeguard of their own lives against possible attack, have been permitted to return to their homes even where the distances were greater. four cubits. life. go beyond two thousand cubits. same day. to seek the shelter of their own town. ed. P 471). been no point in adding the last three words. [The encouragement which he received to wage war indicates the importance of the issue for which, consequently, the Sabbath may be desecrated, v. Tosaf.]. commenced. within two thousand cubits distance, measured by moderate steps; but not further, though his Sabbath limit in the direction of the town terminated in the heart of the town. R. Judah. two (not four) cubits in any direction. common to both men.