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Shabbos 127a

שבת קכ״ז ע״א

Shabbat 127a

Learn Shabbos 127a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 127a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Clearing space on שבת for guests and Torah study: the storeroom rules, piled grain and מוקצה, the limits on clearing, and the greatness of הכנסת אורחין

Overview

This amud finishes explaining the משנה about clearing baskets of produce on שבת to make room for guests or for a בית המדרש. The גמרא says 'four or five' is loose speech. It also says 'not the storeroom' means you may not empty the whole storeroom, in case you fill in holes in the floor. The משנה follows רבי שמעון, who has no מוקצה prohibition. Two ברייתות follow. The first is about starting a storeroom and making a path with one's feet. The second is about piled grain, where the names are swapped so that רבי שמעון is the lenient one. Piled grain is defined as a לתך. Next come two איבעיות. The first asks whether the limit is about fewer trips or lighter loads, and the answer is fewer trips. The second asks whether the amount grows with the number of guests: stories about רבי and רבי חייא clearing a whole field show that it does. A proof that one man may clear for everyone is pushed off. The amud closes with praise of הכנסת אורחין, which is compared to the בית המדרש and even to greeting the שכינה. It also gives רבי יוחנן's list of six מצוות whose fruits are eaten in this world. A challenge to that list from a משנה is answered on the next amud.

Opening lines

כִּדְאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי,

as people say,

וְאִי בָּעֵי אֲפִילּוּ טוּבָא נָמֵי מְפַנִּין.

and if he wants, he may clear even many.

וּמַאי ״אֲבָל לֹא אֶת הָאוֹצָר״ —

And what is 'but not the storeroom'?

שֶׁלֹּא יִגְמוֹר כּוּלּוֹ,

that he should not finish all of it,

The steps (29)

  1. ResolutionFour or five is just a loose expression
  2. QuestionWhat does 'but not the storeroom' mean?
  3. ResponseYou may start the storeroom but not finish it
  4. ConclusionThe משנה follows רבי שמעון, who has no מוקצה
  5. StatementA ברייתא: do not start a storeroom, but make a path
  6. ChallengeMaking a path contradicts 'not beginning'
  7. ResolutionThe path is made with the feet
  8. StatementA ברייתא on piled grain: started before שבת or not
  9. ChallengeThe opposite: רבי שמעון is the lenient one
  10. ResolutionSwap the names: רבי אחא is strict, רבי שמעון permits
  11. StatementHow big is 'piled grain'? A לתך
  12. Questionרב נחומי בר זכריה asks אביי the size
  13. Responseאביי answers: they already said a לתך
  14. QuestionIs the limit about fewer trips or lighter loads?
  15. ProofTrying to prove it from two ברייתות that give different numbers
  16. RejectionRejected: the larger numbers count jugs, not baskets
  17. QuestionDoes the limit grow when there are more guests?
  18. QuestionIf it depends on the guests, who does the clearing?
  19. Proofרבי cleared a whole field for his students
  20. ProofSecond version: רבי חייא cleared the field
  21. QuestionWho does the clearing: one person or each guest?
  22. ProofProof from the words 'רבי cleared'
  23. Rejectionרבי gave the order; each person cleared for himself
  24. StatementWelcoming guests equals coming early to the study hall
  25. StatementWelcoming guests is even greater than the study hall
  26. StatementWelcoming guests is greater than greeting the Divine Presence
  27. StatementGod's way is unlike the way of human beings
  28. StatementSix מצוות whose fruits are eaten in this world
  29. ChallengeChallenge from a משנה with a different list