Menachot

provided they are not cut.1 You may well infer from this, may you not, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [for insertion] into another garment?2 — Perhaps [it is permitted] only when the first garment was worn out.3 Our Rabbis taught: In a garment that is entirely blue [threads of] any colour fulfil [the precept of zizith], except imitation blue.4 An objection was raised: Only threads of the same colour as the garment fulfil the precept; but in a garment that is entirely blue one should insert blue threads and threads of some other colour, except threads of imitation blue;5 if, however, these were inserted, it is, nevertheless, valid!6 — R. Nahman b. Isaac said, This is no difficulty, for in the one case the garment had fringes, each consisting of four threads, and in the other it had fringes each consisting of eight threads.7 You may well infer from this, may you not, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [for insertion] into another garment?8 — Perhaps it had been done [in contravention of the law].9 It was stated: Rab said, One may not detach [the fringes] from one garment [and insert them] into another; but Samuel said, One may do so. Rab said, One may not kindle one light10 from another light; but Samuel said, One may do so. Rab said, The halachah is not in accordance with R. Simeon's view concerning the dragging [of an object on the Sabbath]; but Samuel said, It is. Abaye said, In every case my Master [Rabbah] followed Rab's ruling, save in the above three cases in which he followed Samuel's ruling, namely, that one may detach the fringes from one garment [and insert them] into another, that one may kindle one light from another light, and that the halachah is in accordance with R. Simeon's view concerning the dragging [of an object on the Sabbath], for it was taught: R. Simeon says, A man may drag a bed, a chair or a bench on the Sabbath, provided he has no intention of making a groove.11 Rab Judah used to send [his garment with the fringes] to the fuller.12 R. Hanina used to roll up the fringes into a ball.13 Rabina used to sew them up. Our Rabbis taught: How many threads must one insert? Beth Shammai say, Four;14 but Beth Hillel say. Three. And how far must they hang down?15 Beth Shammai say, Four [fingerbreadths]; but Beth Hillel say, Three. And as for the three [fingerbreadths] stated by Beth Hillel each must measure one fourth part of the handbreadth of an ordinary person. R. Papa said, The handbreadth of the Torah is equal to four times the width of the thumb, or six times the width of the little finger, or five times the width of the middle finger.16 R. Huna said, Four [threads] must be [inserted in the garment] within [the distance of] four [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for four [fingerbreadths]. Rab Judah said, Three [threads] must be inserted within three [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for three [fingerbreadths]. R. Papa said, The law is: Four [threads] must be inserted within three [fingerbreadths from the corner], and they must hang down for four [fingerbreadths]. Do we then hold that the fringes have a prescribed length, but I can point out a contradiction. It was taught: Zizith:17 the word zizith means nothing else than something which hangs over; moreover zizith signifies any length whatsoever. And [this was established] long ago when the elders of Beth Shammai and of Beth Hillel went up into the upper chamber of Johanan b. Bathyra and decided that there was no prescribed length for the zizith; and so, too, that there was no prescribed length for the lulab.18 Now this means, does it not, that there is no prescribed length at all for it? — No, suggest a satisfactory explanation. garment, for this would be a disparagement of the precept. is not permitted to have a fringe of real blue and imitation blue since they are both the one colour. blue and two of some other colour, and it was desired to insert four more threads of imitation blue. Now this is not permitted in the first instance (though if one did so it is valid), for this garment might be sold and the buyer, believing that all the blue threads are genuine, might remove two of the imitation blue threads and insert them into another garment, relying upon them as genuine blue threads, thus involving the transgression of the law of diverse kinds. (Second interpretation of Rashi.) prec. note), it is obvious that it is permitted to do so. that one might do so and in the circumstances of this case there might arise therefrom the transgression of a grave law. on the Sabbath, R. Simeon permits it as long as there was no intention of making the groove. V. Shab. 22a. eight threads hang down. established that the loose threads, called the kh,p or ;bg, must be twice as long as the chain-like portion, called the khsd. The dispute between Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel is, according to Rashi, in respect of the length of the kh,p, and according to R. Tam, in respect of the length of the khsd.