Shabbat

PRIMARY LABOUR.  HE WHO PERFORMS MANY LABOURS BELONGING TO THE SAME CATEGORY OF WORK  IS LIABLE TO ONE SIN-OFFERING ONLY. GEMARA. Why does he [the Tanna] state, A GREAT PRINCIPLE? Shall we say that because he wishes to teach 'another principle',  he [therefore] states here, A GREAT PRINCIPLE?  And in respect to shebi'ith  too, because he wishes to teach another principle, he states, This is a great principle?  But what of tithes, though 'another principle' is taught, he nevertheless does not teach [elsewhere] 'a great principle'?  — Said R. Jose b. Abin: As for the Sabbath and shebi'ith, since they possess both primaries and derivatives,  he teaches GREAT; but in respect to tithes, since there are no primaries and derivatives, he does not teach great'. Then according to Bar Kappara, who did learn 'A great principle' in respect to tithes,  what primaries and what derivatives are there? But surely this must be the reason:  The penal scope of the Sabbath is 'greater' than that of shebi'ith, for whereas [the restriction of] the Sabbath is found in respect of both detached and growing [produce], [the prohibitions of] shebi'ith do not operate in respect of detached, but only in respect of growing [produce].  Again, the penal scope of the seventh year is 'greater' than that of tithes: for whereas [the law of] shebi'ith applies to both human food and animal fodder, [the law of] tithes operates in the case of human food, but not of animal fodder.  And according to Bar Kappara who learned 'a great principle' in connection with tithes, — the penal scope of tithes is greater than that of pe'ah:  for whereas [the law of] tithes operates in figs and vegetables [too], pe'ah does not operate in figs and vegetables.  For we learnt: A general principle was stated in respect to pe'ah: whatever is a foodstuff, is guarded, grows from the earth, is [all] gathered simultaneously,  and is collected for storage,  is liable to pe'ah. 'Foodstuff' excludes the aftergrowth of woad  and madder;  'is guarded' excludes hefker;  'grows from the earth' excludes mushrooms and truffles;  'is [all] gathered simultaneously' excludes the fig-tree;  'and is taken in to be stored' excludes vegetables.  Whereas in respect to tithes we learnt: A general principle was stated in respect to tithes: Whatever is a foodstuff, is guarded, and grows from the earth is subject to tithes; but we did not learn, 'is gathered simultaneously and is collected for storage. Rab and Samuel both maintain: Our Mishnah treats of a child who was taken captive among Gentiles, or a proselyte who became converted in the midst of Gentiles.  But if one knew and subsequently forgot, he is liable [to a sin-offering] for every Sabbath.  We learnt: HE WHO FORGETS THE ESSENTIAL LAW OF THE SABBATH: surely that implies that he knew [it] originally? — No: what is meant by HE WHO FORGETS THE ESSENTIAL LAW OF THE SABBATH? That the very existence of the Sabbath was unknown  to him. But what if he knew and subsequently forgot; he is liable for every Sabbath? Then instead of teaching, HE WHO KNOWS THE ESSENTIAL LAW OF THE SABBATH AND PERFORMS MANY LABOURS ON MANY SABBATHS, INCURS A SIN-OFFERING ON ACCOUNT OF EACH SABBATH: let him teach, He who knew and subsequently forgot, and how much more so this one? — What is meant by, HE WHO KNOWS THE ESSENTIAL LAW OF THE SABBATH? That he who knew the essential law of the Sabbath and forgot it.