Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath

Folio 36a

Then in the case of a community['s] too, it is fit for giving a drink to a poor child?¹  Moreover, as to what was taught: 'Just as a shofar may be moved, so may a trumpet be moved': with whom does that agree? — Rather [reply thus]; there is no difficulty: one agrees with R. Judah, one with R. Simeon, and one with R. Nehemiah;²  and what indeed is meant by 'shofar', a trumpet,³  in accordance with R. Hisda. For R. Hisda said: The following three things reversed their designations after the destruction of the Temple: [i] trumpet [changed to] shofar, and shofar to trumpet. What is the practical bearing thereof? in respect of the shofar [blown] on New Year.⁴  [ii] 'Arabah [willow] [changed to] zafzafah and zafzafah to 'Arabah. What is the practical bearing thereof? — In respect of the lulab⁵  [iii] Pathora⁶  [changed to] pathorta⁷  and pathorta to Pathora. What is the practical bearing thereof? — In respect of buying and selling.⁸  Abaye observed: We too can state: Hoblila [changed to] be kasse and be kasse to hoblila.⁹  What is the practical bearing thereof? In respect of a needle which is found in the thickness of the beth hakosoth,¹⁰  which if [found] on one side, it [the animal] is fit [for food]; if through both sides,¹¹  it [the animal] is terefah.¹²  R. Ashi said, We too will state: Babylon [changed to] Borsif and Borsif to Babylon.¹³

1. The community has to look after him, and therefore the community's shofar may be used for this purpose.
2. (i) R. Judah holds that a shofar may be moved, since it can be put to a permitted use, but not a trumpet. This can be used only in a way that is forbidden on the Sabbath, sc. drawing a blast, and is therefore mukzeh (q.v. Glos.), the handling of which R. Judah prohibits on the Sabbath, (ii) R. Simeon holds that mukzeh may be handled, hence both may be moved. (iii) R. Nehemiah holds that a utensil may be handled only for its normal use: hence both are forbidden:
3. In the first Baraitha, once it is stated that a shofar may not be moved, though it can be put to a permitted use, a trumpet need not be mentioned. Hence it is stated that the language changed in the course of time, 'shofar' and 'trumpet' reversing their meaning. Thus the first Baraitha first states that a trumpet may not be handled, and then adds that the same applies even to a shofar.
4. V. Lev. XXIII, 24; Num. XXIX, 1. This must be blown on what is popularly called a trumpet, which is really a shofar (ram's horn).
5. The palm-branch; V. Lev. XXIII, 40. For the willow (Heb. 'arabah), what is now called zafzafah must be taken.
6. A small money-changer's table, counter.
7. A large table.
8. If one orders a pathora it now means a large table.
9. Hoblila is the second stomach in ruminants; be kasse the first. But nowadays the terms have reversed their meanings.
10. I.e., the be kasse.
11. I.e., penetrating both sides of the wall.
12. Unfit for food. Abaye states that this law applies only to what is now called hoblila.
13. The town Babylon is on the Euphrates, and Borsipha is on an arm of the Euphrates. V. Obermeyer, P. 314 and map.

What is the practical difference? — In respect of women's bills of divorce.¹

CHAPTER III

MISHNAH. IF A [DOUBLE]²  STOVE IS HEATED WITH STUBBLE OR RAKINGS, A POT MAY BE PLACED THEREON;³  WITH PEAT OR WOOD, ONE MAY NOT PLACE [A POT THERE] UNTIL, HE SWEEPS IT⁴  OR COVERS IT WITH ASHES.⁵  BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: HOT WATER, BUT NOT A DISH;⁶  BUT BETH HILLEL RULE; BOTH HOT WATER AND A DISH. BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: ONE MAY REMOVE [IT], BUT NOT PUT [IT] BACK; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: ONE MAY PUT [IT] BACK TOO.

GEMARA. The scholars propounded: Does this, ONE MAY NOT PLACE, mean one must not put [it] back,⁷  yet it is permitted to keep [it there],⁸  even if it [the stove] is neither swept nor covered with ashes: and who is the authority thereof? Hananiah. For it was taught, Hananiah said: 'Whatever is as the food of the son of Derusai⁹  may be kept on the stove, even if it is neither swept nor covered with ashes'?¹⁰  Or perhaps we learnt about keeping [it there], and that is [permitted] only if it is swept or covered with ashes, but not otherwise: how much more so with respect to putting it back!-Come and hear! For two clauses are taught in our Mishnah: BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: HOT WATER, BUT NOT A DISH; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: BOTH HOT WATER AND A DISH. BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: ONE MAY REMOVE [IT], BUT NOT PUT[IT] BACK; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: ONE MAY PUT [IT] BACK TOO. Now, if you say that we learnt about keeping [it there], it is well, for this is what he [the Tanna] teaches: IF A STOVE IS HEATED WITH STUBBLE OR RAKINGS, a pot may be kept thereon; WITH PEAT OR WOOD, one may not keep [a pot] there UNTIL, HE SWEEPS IT OR COVERS IT WITH ASHES. And what may be kept there? BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: HOT WATER, BUT NOT A DISH; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: BOTH HOT WATER AND A DISH. And just as they differ in respect to keeping it there, so do they differ in respect to putting it back, where BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: ONE MAY REMOVE [IT], BUT NOT PUT [IT] BACK; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: ONE MAY PUT [IT] BACK TOO. But if you say that we learnt about putting it back, then this is what he teaches: IF A STOVE IS HEATED WITH STUBBLE OR RAKINGS, A POT MAY BE PUT BACK THEREON; WITH PEAT OR WOOD, one must not put it back UNTIL, HE SWEEPS IT OR COVERS IT WITH ASHES. And what may be put back? BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: HOT WATER, BUT NOT A DISH; BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: BOTH HOT WATER AND A DISH. BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: ONE MAY REMOVE [IT], BUT NOT PUT [IT] BACK;¹¹  BUT BETH HILLEL RULE: ONE MAY PUT [IT] BACK TOO. Then what is the purpose of this addition?¹²  —

1. The name of the towns in which the husband and wife are residing must be written in divorces. With respect to Babylon and Borsipha, the names as after the change must be written.
2. A stove which held two pots.
3. On the eve of the Sabbath, the reference being to a cooked dish.
4. Clear of burning pieces.
5. Otherwise it adds heat, which is forbidden; v. supra 34a.
6. Only the former may be placed there after it is swept; but not the latter, because he may wish it to boil more, forget himself, and rake the coals or logs.
7. After the commencement of the Sabbath.
8. From the eve of the Sabbath.
9. A third cooked.
10. V. supra 20a, q.v. notes.
11. Presumably referring to a dish, since Beth Shammai permit the replacing of hot water.
12. It has already been stated in the previous clause, 'BUT NOT A DISH'.