שבת 78:2 — Soncino English Talmud

ERASED PAPER, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED TO WRAP ROUND A SMALL PHIAL OF SPIKENARD OIL; SKIN, FOR MAKING AN AMULET; PARCHMENT, FOR WRITING THEREON THE SHORTEST PASSAGE OF THE TEFILLIN, WHICH IS 'HEAR O ISRAEL,': INK, FOR WRITING TWO LETTERS; STIBIUM, FOR PAINTING ONE EYE; PASTE, FOR PUTTING ON THE TOP OF A LIME BOARD [SHAFSHAF]; PITCH AND SULPHUR, FOR MAKING A PERFORATION [THEREIN]; WAX, FOR PUTTING OVER A SMALL HOLE; CLAY, FOR MAKING A HOLE IN A GOLD REFINER'S POT. R. JUDAH SAID: FOR MAKING A [TRIPOD'S] PEG. BRAN, FOR PUTTING ON THE MOUTH OF A GOLD REFINER'S POT; LIME, FOR SMEARING THE SMALLEST OF GIRLS. R. JUDAH SAID: ENOUGH TO PRODUCE A HAIR-CROWN [KALKAL]. R. NEHEMIAH SAID: ENOUGH FOR MAKING SIDE-CURLS [ONDAFE]. GEMARA. For a cord too, let one be culpable on account of as much as is required to make a hanger for a sieve or a basketsieve? — Since it chafes the utensil, people do not make it [thus]. Our Rabbis taught: As for palm leaves, the standard is as much as is required for making a handle for a basket, an Egyptian basket. As for bast; Others say: as much as is required for putting on the opening of a small funnel for straining wine. Fat; as much as is required for greasing under a small cake. And what size is that? — As [large as] a sela'. But it was taught, As [large as] a dried fig? Both are the same standard. Soft rags, as much as is required for making a small ball. Anti what size is that? As [large as] a nut. PAPER, LARGE ENOUGH TO WRITE A TAX-COLLECTOR'S RECEIPT ON IT. It was taught: How much is a tax-collector's receipt? Two letters. But the following contradicts this: If one carries out smooth [blank] paper. if large enough for writing two letters thereon, he is culpable; if not, he is not culpable? — Said R. Shesheth: What is meant by 'two letters'? Two letters of a tax-collector's receipt. Raba said: [It means] two letters of ours, together with a margin for holding which is the equivalent of a tax-collector's receipt. An objection is raised: If one carries out erased paper or a receipted note; if its blank portion is large enough for two letters to be written thereon, or if the whole is sufficient for wrapping round the mouth of a small phial of spikenard oil, he is culpable; but if not, he is not culpable. As for R. Shesheth, who explained, What is meant by 'two letters'? two letters of a tax-collector's receipt, it is well. But according to Raba, who said that it means two letters of ours together with a margin for holding, which is the equivalent of a tax-collector's receipt — surely here no margin for holding is required? This is a difficulty. Our Rabbis taught: If one carries out a tax-collector's receipt before having shown it to the collector, he is culpable; after having shewn it to the collector, he is not culpable. R. Judah said: Even after showing it to the collector, he is culpable, because he still needs it. Wherein do they differ? Abaye said: They differ in respect to collectors' runners. Raba said: They differ in respect to the higher and the lesser collectors. R. Ashi said: They [even] differ in respect of one tax-collector, because he needs it [the document] for showing to the second, so that he can say to him, 'See, I am a man [exempted] by the collector.' Our Rabbis taught: If one carries out a note of debt, if before it has been settled, he is culpable; if after it has been settled, he is not culpable. R. Judah said: Even after settlement he is culpable, because he needs it. Wherein do they differ? R. Joseph said: They differ as to whether it is forbidden to keep a settled note. The Rabbis maintain: It is forbidden to keep a settled note; while R. Judah holds: One may keep a settled note. Abaye said: All hold that a settled note may not be kept; but here they differ as to whether a note requires confirmation [even] when he [the debtor] admits that it was [validly] written. The first Tanna holds: Even when [the debtor] admits that a note [was validly] written, it must be confirmed. R. Judah holds: When [the debtor] admits that a note was [validly] written, it need not be confirmed. And what is the meaning of 'if before it has been settled' and 'if after it has been settled'? ^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

^ᵃnote:Palimpsest paper from which writing has been erased, and which cannot be written upon again.
^ᵇnote:Deut. VI, 4-9. The Tefillin (v. Glos.) contain four Biblical passages.
^ᶜnote:Used for painting the eyes.
^ᵈnote:For catching birds; v. infra 80a.
^ᵉnote:Rashi: The phial in which mercury is kept is closed with a perforated stopper of pitch or sulphur.
^ᶠnote:As a plug.
^ᵍnote:Through which he inserts his bellows.
^ʰnote:A leg of the tripod which supports the refiner's pot.
^ⁱnote:Used as a depilatory.
^ʲnote:V. Gemara.
^ᵏnote:Formed by the depilation of the undergrowth of hair.
^ˡnote:Var. lec. Andife, v. Gemara.
^ᵐnote:Culpability is incurred only when the article transported can be used in its normal manner.
^ⁿnote:'Others' frequently refers to R. Meir, Hor. 13a.
^ᵒnote:'Aruk reads: two Greek letters — which are larger than Hebrew letters.
^ᵖnote:'Two letters' implies of normal size, which is smaller than tax-collector's letters; v. also preceding note.
^ᵠnote:The same explanation holds good here too.
^ʳnote:It can be held by the erased or the written portion.
^ˢnote:Since he still needs it.
^ᵗnote:The receipt of tax-exemption was issued by a higher authority and then shown to the actual collector. Once shown, he has no further use for it, and is therefore not liable for carrying it out.
^ᵘnote:The police, who stop people and demand toll. R. Judah argues that the receipt must he shown to these; while the Rabbis hold that the person stopped could refer him to the collector or superintendent.
^ᵛnote:Cf. n. 4. R. Judah maintains that for this reason the document is always required, while the Rabbis hold that a secret password was used as a proof of exemption.
^ʷnote:E.g., if the exemption is in respect of a toll-bridge. Even if there is always one man only on duty at one end, the document may be required for the man at the other end. V. T.A. II, p. 375.
^ˣnote:Therefore it is of no value either to the creditor or to the debtor; consequently no culpability is entailed in carrying it out. — The reason of the prohibition is that one may demand payment afresh.
^ʸnote:Hence the paper itself is of value.
^ᶻnote:By its signatories attesting their signatures (Rashi in Keth. 19a, B.M. 7a and 72b). Otherwise the debtor can plead that it has been settled. For without the confirmation of the signatories he could successfully plead that it is a forgery, hence he is also believed in his plea of repayment, since the validity of the note rests on his word. Consequently if the debtor pleads that he has repaid the loan — this is now the meaning of 'if after it has been settled' — the note is valueless.