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Shabbos 115b

שבת קט״ו ע״ב

Shabbat 115b

Learn Shabbos 115b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 115b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Rescuing sacred writings from a fire on שבת: foreign languages, blessings and amulets, improper ink, and the 85-letter minimum for a worn ספר תורה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a search for which תנאים argue the same way as רב הונא and רב חסדא about rescuing כתבי הקודש written in other languages. The answer is רבי יוסי against the תנא who rules about Coptic writing. A ברייתא then rules that written blessings and amulets are not rescued on שבת, even though they contain God's Name. A story follows in which רבי ישמעאל rebukes a scribe who sank such texts in water. The ריש גלותא asks about writings in לשון הקודש that were written in improper ink. Based on a ברייתא brought by רב אשי, the conclusion is that they are rescued. רב נחמן rules that a worn ספר תורה from which 85 letters cannot be gathered is not rescued, and he defends that ruling against a challenge from the Aramaic phrase יגר שהדותא. רב הונא and רב חסדא then argue about whether the 85 letters must be together or may be scattered. The amud ends by beginning a ברייתא about the special signs around ויהי בנסוע הארון, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אִילֵּימָא תַּנָּא קַמָּא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי —

If you say it is the first Tanna who argues with Rabbi Yosei —

וְדִילְמָא בְּהָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי,

But perhaps they argue about this:

מָר סָבַר: נִיתְּנוּ לִקְרוֹת בָּהֶן,

One Master holds: they were given to be read from,

וּמָר סָבַר: לֹא נִיתְּנוּ לִקְרוֹת בָּהֶן.

and the other Master holds: they were not given to be read from.

The steps (28)

  1. ProofSuggesting the תנא קמא as the one who argues with רבי יוסי
  2. RejectionTheir dispute may be about something else: may these books be read?
  3. ResolutionThe real disputants: רבי יוסי and the תנא of Coptic
  4. StatementWritten blessings and amulets are not rescued from fire
  5. ConclusionWriters of blessings are like burners of Torah
  6. StatementThe scribe in Sidon hides his blessings in water
  7. Conclusionרבי ישמעאל: the second sin is worse than the first
  8. QuestionThe ריש גלותא asks about לשון הקודש writings in improper ink
  9. QuestionThe question applies according to both opinions
  10. QuestionEven the strict view might rescue holy-tongue writings
  11. QuestionEven the lenient view might not rescue writings in poor ink
  12. Responseרבה בר רב הונא: they are not rescued
  13. ChallengeChallenge from רב המנונא's ברייתא
  14. ResolutionIf it was taught, it was taught
  15. QuestionWhich ברייתא is this?
  16. Responseרב אשי: only a מגילה requires ink
  17. QuestionA worn ספר תורה from which 85 letters cannot be gathered
  18. Challengeרב נחמן: why not ask about the section itself?
  19. ResolutionAn incomplete section with God's Names is surely rescued
  20. QuestionThe real question: a worn scroll with too little text
  21. Responseרב נחמן: it is not rescued
  22. ChallengeA Short Aramaic Verse Seems to Be Saved Without 85 Letters
  23. ResolutionThe Aramaic Phrase Only Helps Complete the 85
  24. QuestionMust the 85 Letters Be Together or May They Be Scattered
  25. Responseרב הונא Says Together, רב חסדא Says Even Scattered
  26. ChallengeThe Word 'To Gather' Seems to Refute רב הונא
  27. Resolutionרב חסדא Defends רב הונא: Scattered Whole Words
  28. StatementGod Placed Signs Around the Section of ויהי בנסוע