Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath

Folio 80a

It was taught: Two letters in ink, two letters on a pen, or two letters in an inkstand [involve culpability].¹  Raba asked: What [if one carries out sufficient for] one letter [in the form of] dry ink, one letter on the pen, and one letter in an inkstand?²  The question stands over.

Raba said: If one carries out [ink sufficient for writing] two letters, and writes them whilst walking, he is culpable: the writing is tantamount to depositing.³  Raba also said: If one carries out [ink sufficient for writing] one letter [only] and writes it down. and then again carries out [sufficient for] one letter, and writes it down,⁴  he is not culpable. What is the reason? By the time he carries out the second, the standard of the first is defective.⁵

Raba also said: If one carries out half a dried fig and deposits it,⁶  and then carries out another half of a dried fig and deposits it,⁷  the first is regarded as though caught by a dog or burnt, and he is not culpable. But why so: surely it is lying there! — He means this: But if one anticipates and takes up the first before the depositing of the second, the first is regarded as though caught up by a dog or burnt,⁸  and he is not culpable. Raba also said: If one carries out half of a dried fig and deposits it and then carries out another half of a dried fig over the same route as the first,⁹  he is liable. But why: surely it does not rest [in the street]? E.g., if he carries it within three [handbreadths].¹⁰  But Raba said: [An article brought] within three [handbreadths] must, according to the Rabbis, be deposited upon something of small size [at least]?¹¹  — There is no difficulty. The latter reference is to throwing;¹²  the former is to carrying.¹³

Our Rabbis taught: If one carries out half a dried fig, and then carries out another half of a dried fig in one state of unawareness, he is culpable; in two states of unawareness, he is not culpable. R. Jose said: In one state of unawareness [and] into the same ground he is culpable; into two [different] grounds,¹⁴  he is not culpable. Rabbah said: Providing that there lies between them a domain involving liability to a sin-offering;¹⁵  but a karmelith¹⁶  does not [effect a separation].¹⁷  Abaye said: Even a karmelith [separates them], but not a board.¹⁸  But Raba maintained: Even a board [separates them]. Now Raba is consistent with his ruling [elsewhere]; for Raba said: [The law of] domains in respect to the Sabbath is the same as domains in respect to divorces.¹⁹

STIBIUM, FOR PAINTING ONE EYE: But one eye [alone] is not painted? — Said R. Huna: Because modest women paint [only] one eye.²⁰  An objection is raised: As for stibium, if [carried out] for medicinal use, [the standard is] as much as is required for painting one eye;²¹  if for adornment, [the standard is] two eyes? — Hillel son of R. Samuel b. Nahmani explained it: That was taught in reference to small-towners.²²

PASTE, FOR PUTTING ON THE TOP OF A LIME BOARD. A Tanna taught: As much as is required for putting on the top of a lime board of a hunter's rod.²³

WAX, FOR PUTTING OVER A SMALL HOLE. It was taught: As much as is required for putting over a small wine hole.²⁴

CLAY, FOR MAKING A HOLE IN A GOLD-REFINER'S POT, etc.²⁵  Shall we say that R. Judah's standard is larger? But we know the Rabbis' standard to be larger, for we learnt: R. JUDAH SAID: AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR TAKING THE MEASURE OF A CHILD'S SHOE?²⁶  — Say, as much as is required for plastering [the splits in] the tripod leg of a small stove.²⁷

1. Ink, Heb. dyo, is the solid pigment which was dissolved before use (cf. supra 17b and note a.l.). The Baraitha teaches that whether one carries out dry pigment in his hand or the liquid on a pen or in an inkstand, in each case sufficient for writing two letters, he is culpable.
2. Do they combine to involve liability or not? The pen and inkstand do not cause culpability, since they are subsidiary to their contents, which in themselves do not separately cause liability; v. infra 93b.
3. Culpability for carrying from one domain to another is incurred only when the article transported is actually deposited in the second domain; v. supra 2a.
4. Both in the same state of unawareness, so that normally they should rank as one act.
5. The first ink has dried and is now insufficient for the writing of one letter.
6. One fig is the minimum involving liability.
7. V. n. 6.
8. Since the whole fig does not lie in the street.
9. The second actually passing above the first.
10. Of the ground. It is then regarded as actually lying thereon; cf. supra 5a.
11. Though not necessarily upon a place four handbreadths square; v. infra 100a for the general explanation of the passage.
12. Then it must actually come to rest.
13. In the hand. The article itself is then at rest, and if the hand moreover comes within three handbreadths of the ground, it is as though deposited thereon.
14. Both public, but separated from each other.
15. I.e., private ground. Transport between private and public ground imposes liability; hence the private ground here completely separates the two public grounds. and they do not rank as one.
16. V. Glos. and supra 6a.
17. Since by Biblical law one may carry between a karmelith and public (or private) ground, it is insufficient to separate the two.
18. Placed right across the street and thus dividing it.
19. And there a board is sufficient to create separate domains; v. Git. 77b.
20. They go veiled, leaving only one eye visible.
21. Since only one eye may need it.
22. Or, villagers. Temptation not being so great there, it is safe even for modest women to paint both eyes.
23. The paste being to entrap the birds that alight thereon.
24. I.e., a hole through which wine is poured; this is smaller than one made for oil or honey.
25. The translation of these three passages, from PASTE, etc., follows the text as emended by BaH.
26. Which is less than the standard of the Rabbis which precedes it; v. Mishnah supra 75a.
27. This is a smaller standard.

Our Rabbis taught: If one carries out hair, [the standard is] as much as is required for the kneading of clay;¹  [if one carries out] clay, [the standard is] for making a hole in a gold-refiner's pot.

LIME, TO SMEAR THE SMALLEST OF GIRLS. A Tanna taught: As much as is required to smear the little finger of girls.²  Rab Judah said in Rab's name: When maidens of Israel attain puberty before the proper age:³  poor maidens plaster it [the unwanted hair] with lime; rich maidens plaster it with fine flour; whilst royal princesses plaster it with oil of myrrh, as it is said, six months with oil of myrrh.⁴  What is oil of myrrh? — R. Huna b. Hiyya said: Satkath.⁵  R. Jeremiah b. Abba said: Oil of olives less than a third grown.

It was taught: R. Judah said: Anpakkinon is oil of olives less than a third grown, and why does one anoint herself therewith? Because it removes the hair and smoothes the skin.

R. Bibi had a daughter. He treated her limb by limb [with a depilatory] and took four hundred zuz for her.⁶  Now, a certain heathen lived in the vicinity. He [too] had a daughter, and he plastered her [whole body] all at once, whereupon she died. 'R. Bibi has killed my daughter!' he exclaimed. R. Nahman observed: As for R. Bibi who drank strong liquor, his daughter required pasting over; [but] as for us, who do not drink strong liquor, our daughters do not require such treatment.⁷

R. JUDAH SAID: ENOUGH TO PLASTER⁸  A KILKUL.⁹  What is KILKUL and what is ANDIFE? Rab said: The [upper] temple and the lower temple. Shall we say that R. Judah's standard is larger? But we know the standard of the Rabbis to be larger!¹⁰  It is smaller than the Rabbis', but larger than R. Nehemiah's.

An objection is raised: Rabbi said: I approve R. Judah's view in respect of loosely dissolved lime, and R. Nehemiah's view in respect of chalky lime.¹¹  But if you maintain that they mean the [upper] temple and the lower temple, — [surely] both require loose lime?¹²  Rather, said R. Isaac, The School of R. Ammi recited andifa [in the Mishnah].¹³  R. Kahana demurred: Does one destroy [break up] his wealth?¹⁴  Rather, said R. Kahana: It means the teeth-like marks [of a vessel];¹⁵  even as we learnt: The hin-measure had teethlike marks, [to indicate] so far [must it be filled with wine] for a bullock, so far for a ram, so far for a sheep.¹⁶  Alternatively, what is andifa? The lock on the forehead.¹⁷  Even as a certain Galilean chanced to visit Babylon and was requested to lecture on the chariot passage;¹⁸  Said he to them, 'I will lecture to you as R. Nehemiah lectured to his companions.' Thereupon a wasp came out of the wall and stung him on the andifa [forehead] and he died. Said they. 'This [befell] him through his own [fault].'¹⁹

MISHNAH. [IF ONE CARRIES OUT] EARTH [A KIND OF CLAY], [THE STANDARD IS] AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR A SEAL ON PACKING BAGS;²⁰  THIS IS R. AKIBA'S VIEW. BUT THE SAGES SAY; AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR THE SEAL ON LETTERS.²¹  [FOR] MANURE, OR THIN SAND, [THE STANDARD IS] AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR FERTILIZING A CABBAGE STALK; THIS IS R. AKIBA'S VIEW. BUT THE SAGES MAINTAIN: FOR FERTILIZING ONE LEEK PLANT. THICK SAND, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR PUTTING ON A FULL PLASTER TROWEL. A REED, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR MAKING A PEN. BUT IF IT IS THICK OR CRUSHED,²²  [THE STANDARD IS] AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR BOILING THE LIGHTEST OF EGGS BEATEN UP AND PLACED IN A STEW POT.

GEMARA. ON A FULL PLASTER TROWEL. A Tanna taught: As much as is required for putting on the top of a plasterer's trowel. Which Tanna holds that sand improves plaster? — Said R. Hisda: R. Judah. For it was taught: One must not plaster his house with lime unless he mixed it with straw or sand.²³  R. Judah said: Straw is permitted, but sand is forbidden, because it becomes cement.²⁴  Raba said, You may say that it agrees even the Rabbis: The spoiling thereof makes it fit.²⁵

A REED, AS MUCH AS IS REQUIRED FOR MAKING A PEN. It was taught: A pen which reaches one's finger joints. R. Ashi asked: The upper joint or the lower? The question stands over.

BUT IF IT IS THICK, etc. A Tanna taught: Beaten up with oil and placed in a stew pot. Mar, son of Rabina, said to his son: Have you heard what a light egg is? — He replied: An egg of a turtle dove. What is the reason? Because it is small! Then say [the egg of a zipparta?²⁶  He was silent. Have you then heard anything on this? he²⁷  asked him. Said he to him, Thus did R. Shesheth say: It is a fowl's egg, and why is it called a light egg? The Sages estimated, You have no egg quicker [lighter] to boil than a fowl's egg. And wherefore [he²⁷  asked] are all the [food-]standards of the Sabbath the size of a dried fig, whereas here it is an egg? Said he to him, Thus did R. Nahman say: [It means] as much as [is required to boil the size of] a dried fig of a light egg.

1. Sc. as much clay as is made with a quarter log of waste water (Tosaf.). Hair too was used in the kneading.
2. To redden it (Rashi). [H] may be rendered either the smallest of girls, or the little (finger) of girls.
3. Lit., 'and do not attain their years' — i.e., they have the hairy growth. which is the evidence of puberty. before time, and wish to remove it.
4. Esth. II, 12 q.v.
5. Jast.: oil of myrrh or cinnamon (a corruption of [G])
6. As a dowry. This would appear to be a reversion to the very ancient practice of giving a dowry for a bride. Cf. Jacob giving his labour as a dowry for Rachel, and Shechem offering a dowry for Dinah (Gen. XXIX, 18; XXXIV, 12).
7. Their skin being white and smooth in any case — a strong argument in favour of teetotalism!
8. Sic. The reading in the Mishnah is, produce, make.
9. Mishnah: KALKAL.
10. V. Mishnah 78a.
11. I.e.. thick lime.
12. Then why this distinction?
13. Instead of andife. Rashi: andifa is an earthen vessel with two spouts, one above and one below. When one wishes to fill it with wine he closes the lower spout with lime, and it is to this that R. Nehemiah refers in the Mishnah. Jast. translates quite differently.
14. By keeping wine in such a vessel. The wine will gradually dissolve the lime and then run out.
15. A vessel for measuring. Notches were made to indicate the measure, e.g., log. hin, etc., and these were plastered over with lime. To this R. Nehemiah refers.
16. Sacrifices were accompanied by libations wine, the measure of which depended upon the animal sacrificed, v. Num. XXVIII, 14.
17. Jast. Rashi: The forehead where hair does not grow. This was reddened with lime.
18. Ezek. ch. 1, which treats of the Heavenly Chariot.
19. Through wishing to lecture publicly on the Chariot. This was regarded as esoteric learning, and was to be confined to the initiated only; cf. Hag. 11b, 13a and 14b.
20. Large bags in which ships' cargoes were carried.
21. This is a smaller standard.
22. And unfit for a pen.
23. To darken it as a sign of mourning. This was after the destruction of the Temple. v. B.B. 60b.
24. And is an improvement.
25. Rashi: since it may not be used without darkening, this spoiling makes it fit for use, and hence is adopted as a standard. Others (with whom Rashi disagrees): the spoiling of the colour is nevertheless an improvement, for the sand strengthens it.
26. Jast.: a small bird, supposed to be the humming bird.
27. The son.