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Shabbos 118a

שבת קי״ח ע״א

Shabbat 118a

Learn Shabbos 118a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 118a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The number of שבת meals (רבנן vs. רבי חידקא) tested against משניות, rinsing dishes on שבת, and the rewards for the שבת meals.

Overview

The amud opens by testing רבי חידקא, who holds that one eats four meals on שבת, against the משנה about saving food from a fire on שבת. Each clause seems to assume only three meals. Each time the גמרא answers that the person already ate a meal. Then רבי יוסי's words in the סיפא, 'always three,' show that the תנא קמא also holds three, so this משנה does not follow רבי חידקא. Next comes the משנה in פאה: someone with food for 14 meals may not take from the קופה. That number fits neither the רבנן (15) nor רבי חידקא (16). The answer for רבי חידקא is rejected because it would make a poor man fast all of Friday. The גמרא concludes that this משנה follows רבי עקיבא: 'Treat your שבת like a weekday rather than depend on other people.' The traveler clause of the same משנה, which gives three שבת meals, can fit רבי חידקא, because the traveler also eats the road meal he brought with him. A ברייתא then teaches when dishes may be rinsed on שבת. The amud ends with אגדה about the great rewards for eating three meals on שבת and for delighting in שבת, and that verse continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדוֹת,

one may rescue food for three meals,

מַאי לָאו — דְּלָא אֲכַל!

What, is it not that he has not eaten?!

לָא, דַּאֲכַל.

No, it is where he already ate.

שַׁחֲרִית מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שְׁתֵּי סְעוּדוֹת,

In the morning, one may rescue food for two meals,

The steps (26)

  1. ChallengeFriday night fire: save food for three meals
  2. ResolutionHe already ate the Friday night meal
  3. ChallengeMorning fire: save food for two meals
  4. ResolutionHe already ate the morning meal
  5. ChallengeAfternoon fire: save food for one meal
  6. ResolutionHe already ate the afternoon meal
  7. Challengeרבי יוסי's 'always three' proves the תנא קמא holds three
  8. ConclusionThis משנה does not follow רבי חידקא
  9. ChallengeThe charity משנה's fourteen meals fits neither view
  10. ResolutionLike the רבנן: eat the Saturday night meal on שבת
  11. QuestionShould we say this משנה follows only the רבנן?
  12. RejectionEven רבי חידקא: eat the Friday meal on Friday night
  13. ChallengeDo we make him fast all of Friday?
  14. ResolutionThe charity משנה follows רבי עקיבא
  15. StatementA second charity משנה about the traveling poor man
  16. QuestionDoes this משנה follow only the רבנן?
  17. RejectionIt can follow רבי חידקא: he already has one meal
  18. ChallengeWill he leave town with nothing?
  19. ResolutionWe send him off with a meal for the road
  20. QuestionWhat are 'lodging needs'?
  21. ResponseA bed and cushions
  22. StatementRinsing bowls between שבת meals
  23. StatementDrinking vessels may be rinsed all day
  24. StatementThree שבת meals save from three punishments
  25. ProofThe word 'day' links שבת to each rescue
  26. StatementDelighting in שבת earns a boundless inheritance