Shabbos 116b

שבת קט״ז ע״ב

Shabbat 116b

Learn Shabbos 116b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The end of the bribed-philosopher story, the משנה's ban on reading כתובים on שבת (רב and שמואל), the משנה on rescuing a ספר תורה with its case, and the dispute about skinning the קרבן פסח on שבת.

Overview

This amud has three parts. First, it finishes the story of the philosopher who claimed he never took bribes. אימא שלום gave him a golden lamp and won her case, then רבן גמליאל gave him a donkey and the ruling flipped, exposing him. Next, the גמרא explains the משנה's rule that we do not read כתובים on שבת so people will not miss the בית המדרש. רב and שמואל argue about when and where this applies. The גמרא challenges שמואל from the practice in his own town, נהרדעא. It answers in two ways: one by re-stating the dispute, and one through רב אשי, who links שמואל's statement to רבי נחמיה. Then a new משנה allows rescuing a ספר תורה or תפילין from a fire together with their cases. The גמרא brings a ברייתא on how much of the קרבן פסח may be skinned on שבת. It explains both sides and ends with the חכמים' comparison to the ספר תורה casing, which רב אשי explains is about moving the hide along with the meat.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementThe philosopher's reputation and the plan to expose him
2. StatementThe sister asks for a share of the inheritance and gets it
3. Statementרבן גמליאל cites the תורה, and the philosopher says it was replaced
4. StatementA bigger bribe, and the philosopher reverses himself
5. ConclusionThe lamp and the donkey: the punchline
6. StatementBack to the משנה: רב limits the ban to study hours
7. Statementשמואל: even outside study hours, no reading
8. ChallengeChallenge from the practice in שמואל's own town
9. ResolutionThe corrected version: רב depends on location
10. ResolutionThe corrected version: שמואל depends on time
11. Conclusionשמואל is consistent with the practice in נהרדעא
12. Resolutionרב אשי keeps the original version and links שמואל to רבי נחמיה
13. ProofThe ברייתא: no reading, but studying is allowed
14. Proofרבי נחמיה's reason for the ban
15. Statementמשנה: rescuing the case along with the ספר or the תפילין
16. StatementWhere they may be carried: closed or open alley
17. Statementברייתא: how much of the קרבן פסח may be skinned on שבת
18. QuestionWhat is the Rabbis' reason?
19. ResponseThe verse: everything God made is for His sake
20. QuestionHow is skinning here for His sake?
21. ResponseTwo answers: so it won't spoil, or so it won't be disgraced
22. QuestionWhat is the practical difference?
23. ResponseA golden table, or a cold north-wind day
24. QuestionHow does רבי ישמעאל use the verse?
25. ResponseDo not remove the altar parts before skinning
26. QuestionWhy must skinning come first?
27. ResponseBecause of the hairs
28. QuestionWhat did the group answer רבי ישמעאל son of רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה?
29. ResponseThe comparison to saving a ספר תורה casing
30. ChallengeThe two cases are not alike: moving versus labor
31. Resolutionרב אשי: the dispute has two parts, and the comparison was about moving