Shabbos 108a

שבת ק״ח ע״א

Shabbat 108a

Learn Shabbos 108a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 108a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Detaching a mushroom on שבת; which skins are fit for writing תפילין (bird, fish, kosher animals, נבלות); the story of רב, שמואל and קרנא; the start of the משנה on brine

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ruling: pulling a mushroom off a pitcher handle on שבת makes a person liable for עוקר דבר מגידולו, because that is where a mushroom naturally grows. The גמרא then turns to the משנה's words 'חיה ועוף'. רב הונא rules that תפילין may be written on kosher bird skin, and אביי explains that the feather holes do not disqualify it. רבי זירא and אביי then argue in two versions about whether the verse 'בכנפיו' shows that bird skin counts as real skin. Next, the גמרא explains why fish skin is doubtful for תפילין: the question is whether its foul smell ever goes away. A story follows in which קרנא tests רב with three questions: kosher parchment from 'בפיך', red blood from 'אדומים כדם', and the place of מילה from the word 'ערלתו'. The story ends with שמואל treating רב, and רב's curse on him comes true. The גמרא shows that the source for מילה is an argument between רבי יאשיה and רבי נתן. Then a ברייתא teaches that תפילין may be made from kosher animals, even נבלות and טרפות, and רבי יהושע הגרסי defends this to a ביתוסי. The amud ends with the start of a new משנה forbidding the making of brine on שבת, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. StatementPulling a mushroom off a pitcher handle is liable
2. ChallengeChallenge from the rule of a sealed flowerpot
3. ResolutionNatural growth location makes the difference
4. Statementתפילין may be written on kosher bird skin
5. ChallengeWhat new point is רב הונא teaching?
6. ResolutionThe feather holes do not disqualify the skin
7. ChallengeChallenge from the verse 'by its wings'
8. ResolutionIt is skin, but the Torah included it anyway
9. ProofSecond version: the verse proves bird skin is real skin
10. RejectionNot skin, but needed because the holes make it repulsive
11. QuestionCan תפילין be written on kosher fish skin?
12. ResponseOnly אליהו could decide
13. QuestionWhat exactly is in doubt?
14. ChallengeIt can't be whether a fish has skin
15. ChallengeA משנה shows fish skin counts as skin
16. ResolutionThe doubt is whether the fish smell goes away
17. Statementשמואל senses a great scholar arriving
18. QuestionWhy only kosher animal skin for תפילין?
19. ResponseFrom 'in your mouth': only what you may eat
20. QuestionWhy is the blood the Torah means red?
21. ResponseThe water looked red like blood
22. QuestionHow do we know where מילה is done?
23. Responseערלתו compared to ערלתו of a tree
24. ChallengeWhy not the heart or the ear?
25. ResolutionMatch the full word only to the full word
26. Conclusionרב reacts to קרנא's name
27. Conclusionשמואל treats רב, and רב's curse comes true
28. Statementרבי יאשיה learns the place of מילה from the word ערלתו
29. Statementרבי נתן learns it from the word 'זכר'
30. StatementWhich hides may be used for תפילין
31. StatementHides of non-kosher animals may not be used
32. QuestionA ביתוסי asks for the source
33. ResponseOnly from what is permitted in your mouth
34. ChallengeThen נבלות and טרפות should also be forbidden
35. ResolutionThe parable of the king and the executioner
36. ChallengeThen נבלות should be eaten
37. ResolutionThe Torah itself forbade eating it
38. ConclusionThe ביתוסי agrees: well said
39. StatementNew משנה: No making brine on שבת