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Shabbos 123a

שבת קכ״ג ע״א

Shabbat 123a

Learn Shabbos 123a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 123a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Moving tools and objects on שבת: tools used mainly for forbidden work, טלטול מן הצד, broken needles, and straightening a baby's limbs

Overview

This amud opens with רבה's rule: a tool whose main job is forbidden work on שבת may still be moved for a permitted use of the tool itself (לצורך גופו). אביי challenges him from a מדוכה (mortar), and רבה answers that this source follows רבי נחמיה's strict view. אביי challenges again from an עלי (large pestle). רבה answers with רב's teaching that an owner who is careful about a tool gives it a fixed place, so everyone forbids moving it. Next, אמוראים argue over whether the משנה's nut-cracking hammer belongs to a goldsmith or a spice merchant. The גמרא then discusses food buried in straw or coals. רב נחמן rules like רבי אלעזר בן תדאי that it may be speared with a reed, because טלטול מן הצד is not real moving. רב נחמן's opposite ruling about a radish is explained as a ruling he took back. Then רב יוסף, אביי and רבא debate whether a needle missing its eye or point is still a כלי on שבת. Finally, a new מחלוקת begins about straightening a baby's limbs on שבת, and רב נחמן's proof for his view continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דָּבָר שֶׁמְּלַאכְתּוֹ לְאִיסּוּר

An object whose function is for a prohibited use

לְצוֹרֶךְ גּוּפוֹ — מוּתָּר.

for the purpose of the object itself — is permitted.

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי לְרַבָּה:

Abaye raised an objection to Rabba:

מְדוֹכָה, אִם יֵשׁ בָּהּ שׁוּם — מְטַלְטְלִין אוֹתָהּ,

A mortar, if there is garlic in it — one may move it,

The steps (24)

  1. StatementA tool used mainly for forbidden work may be moved for a permitted use of the tool itself
  2. Challengeאביי challenges רבה from the case of the mortar
  3. Resolutionרבה answers that the source follows רבי נחמיה
  4. Challengeאביי challenges again from the pestle used to cut meat
  5. Resolutionרבה first planned to answer like רבי נחמיה
  6. Resolutionרבה's real answer: a tool the owner is careful about gets a fixed place
  7. StatementDispute: which hammer did the משנה allow for cracking nuts
  8. StatementExplaining the logic of each side in the hammer dispute
  9. StatementQuoting the משנה: the reed and the shuttle
  10. StatementA buried fig or cake may be moved only if part of it is showing
  11. Statementרבי אלעזר בן תדאי: Poke It With a Reed
  12. Statementרב נחמן Rules Like רבי אלעזר בן תדאי
  13. ChallengeContradiction From רב נחמן's Radish Ruling
  14. Resolutionרב נחמן Retracted the Radish Ruling
  15. StatementQuoting the משנה: The Hand Needle
  16. QuestionWhat About a Needle Missing Its Eye or Point?
  17. ResponseThe Thorn Doesn't Care About the Eye
  18. ChallengeChallenge from the law of a broken needle in טומאה
  19. Resolutionאביי: טומאה and שבת use different standards
  20. Rejectionרבא: The challenge is correct
  21. ChallengeA ברייתא separates שבת from טומאה
  22. Resolutionאביי explains the ברייתא according to רבא: it is about unfinished needles
  23. Statementרב נחמן and רב ששת argue about straightening a baby's limbs on שבת
  24. Proofרב נחמן begins to bring a source from a משנה