Shabbat

in the case of a rack,  go after its nails;  in the case of a ladder, go after its rungs; in the case of a weighing machine, go after its chains.  But the Sages maintain: Everything depends on the support. Raba said: It is taught disjunctively:  if it has a signet, it is a man's ornament; if it has no signet, it is a woman's ornament. R. Nahman b. Isaac answered: Do you oppose uncleanness to the Sabbath!  [In respect to] uncleanness, the Divine Law said, utensils [fit] for work,  and this [a signet ring] is a utensil. But the Sabbath [interdiction] was imposed by the Divine Law on account of the burden: if it has no signet, it is an ornament; if it has a signet, it is a burden. NOR WITH A NEEDLE WHICH IS UNPIERCED. What is it fit for?  — Said R. Joseph: Since a woman tidies  her hair with it [it is therefore ornamental]. Said Abaye objected: Let it be as a garter, which is clean, and hence permitted?  But R. Adda of Naresh  interpreted it before R. Joseph: Since a woman parts her hair with it, [it is ornamental]. What is it fit for on the Sabbath?  — Said Raba: It has a golden plaque at the end thereof:  on weekdays she parts her hair therewith, [while] on the Sabbath she lets it lie against her forehead. MISHNAH. A MAN MAY NOT GO OUT WITH A NAIL-STUDDED SANDAL, NOR WITH A SINGLE [SANDAL]. IF HE HAS NO WOUND ON HIS FOOT;  NOR WITH TEFILLIN, NOR WITH AN AMULET, IF IT IS NOT FROM AN EXPERT, NOR WITH A COAT OF MAIL [SHIRYON], NOR WITH A CASQUE [KASDA], NOR WITH GREAVES [MEGAFAYYIM]. YET IF HE GOES OUT, HE DOES NOT INCUR A SIN-OFFERING. GEMARA. A NAIL-STUDDED SANDAL: What is the reason? — Said Samuel: It was at the end of the period of persecution.  and they [some fugitives] were hiding in a cave. They proclaimed, 'He who would enter, let him enter,  but he who would go out, let him not go out.'  Now, the sandal of one of them became reversed, so that they thought that one of them had gone out and been seen by the enemies, who would now fall upon them. Thereupon they pressed against each other,  and they killed of each other more than their enemies slew of them. R. Ila'i b. Eleazar said: They were stationed in a cave when they heard a sound [proceeding] from above the cave. Thinking that the enemy was coming upon them, they pressed against each other and slew amongst themselves more than the enemy had slain of them. Rami b. Ezekiel said: They were stationed in a Synagogue, when they heard a sound from behind the synagogue. Thinking that the enemy was coming upon them, they pressed against each other and slew amongst themselves more than the enemy had slain of them. In that hour it was enacted: A man must not go out with a nail-studded sandal.  If so, it should be forbidden on weekdays too? — The incident happened on the Sabbath.  Then let it be permitted on Festivals! Why did we learn: