Shabbos 125a

שבת קכ״ה ע״א

Shabbat 125a

Learn Shabbos 125a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

מוקצה of broken and leftover items on שבת, the מחלוקת about old oven shards, and a new משנה about a stone in a water gourd

Overview

This amud finishes a ruling about a broken jug seal (מגופה): if it was thrown in the garbage before שבת, it becomes מוקצה. It then asks whether leftover pieces of objects may be moved on שבת. The basic test is whether the pieces are still good for some use. Mat shreds are permitted because they can cover filth, just as the mat covers dirt. Tiny cloak rags smaller than three by three are forbidden, because nobody uses them. Pieces of an old oven are a מחלוקת between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה. אביי, רבא, and רב אשי each explain the root of that argument; in the end, רב אשי says it is about shards used as a baking tile (טפקא). רבינא shows that the custom of moving oven covers without handles follows רבי אליעזר בן יעקב. Finally, a new משנה begins about a stone inside a water gourd: the gourd may be used on שבת only if the stone does not fall out.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. StatementA seal thrown in the garbage before שבת is forbidden
2. StatementShreds of a mat may be moved on שבת
3. QuestionWhy are mat shreds permitted?
4. ResponseThe shreds do the same job as the mat
5. StatementLeftover pieces of cloaks may not be moved
6. Statementאביי limits the ruling to tiny rags
7. Statementרבי מאיר: pieces of an old oven may be moved
8. Statementרבי יהודה: they may not be moved
9. Statementרבי יוסי's testimony supporting the lenient view
10. QuestionWhat is the argument really about?
11. Responseאביי: it depends on what kind of use the pieces have
12. Challengeרבא: then why mention an oven at all?
13. Resolutionרבא: they argue about one particular kind of oven
14. ProofThe משנה about an oven set over a pit
15. QuestionWhat is the root of the oven-over-a-pit argument?
16. ResponseThe argument comes from how they read the פסוק
17. ChallengeWhat do חכמים do with the word יותץ?
18. Resolutionחכמים use it the other way: an attached oven is still impure
19. ChallengeWhat does רבי יהודה do with 'they shall be impure to you'?
20. Resolutionשמואל's rule: the argument is only about the first firing
21. Statementעולא: for חכמים even the first firing makes it impure anywhere
22. Challengeרב אשי: why argue about the pieces and not the oven itself?
23. Resolutionרב אשי returns to the original explanation: the shards are used as a baking tile
24. Rejectionרבי יהודה: a baking tile is not like an oven
25. StatementTestimony that old oven shards and handle-less covers may be moved
26. Questionרבינא asks whose view the מתא מחסיא practice follows
27. ResponseThe practice follows רבי אליעזר בן יעקב
28. StatementNew משנה: a stone inside a water gourd