Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 140a

שבת ק״מ ע״א

Shabbat 140a

Learn Shabbos 140a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 140a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Preparing foods, drinks and remedies on שבת: mustard, אֲלוּנְטִית, חלתית, and rubbing linen

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an earlier point: an egg put into a mustard strainer on שבת is not בורר, because it is only there for color. Then the גמרא asks how mustard kneaded before שבת may be dissolved on שבת. רב, שמואל, רבי אלעזר and רבי יוחנן disagree about whether the hand, a utensil, both, or neither is allowed. Stories show scholars acting differently, and מר זוטרא rules that both ways are fine if one mixes gently and does not beat. The same rule applies to cress and garlic. Next, a ברייתא allows the spiced wine drink אֵנוֹמֵלִין on שבת but forbids אֲלוּנְטִית, a cooling drink used as a remedy. A new משנה then forbids soaking חלתית as medicine and forbids actively cleaning vetches and straw. The גמרא decides that soaking חלתית is only a rabbinic ban, and that soaking it in cold water is forbidden except when stopping a treatment already begun would be dangerous. The amud ends with stories about rubbing a linen shirt and a scarf on שבת, and רב חסדא begins a new statement that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְפִי שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ

Because one does not do it

אֶלָּא לְגָוֶון.

except for color.

אִיתְּמַר.

It was stated:

חַרְדָּל שֶׁלָּשׁוֹ מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת,

Mustard that one kneaded before Shabbat,

The steps (52)

  1. ResolutionThe egg is only added for color
  2. Statementרב: dissolve kneaded mustard with a utensil, not by hand
  3. Challengeשמואל objects: nobody dissolves mustard by hand on a weekday
  4. Statementשמואל's ruling: by hand yes, with a utensil no
  5. Statementרבי אלעזר and רבי יוחנן: both forbidden or both permitted
  6. Conclusionאביי and רבא: the halacha is not like רבי יוחנן
  7. Statementרבי יוחנן and רבי אלעזר change their positions
  8. Conclusionאביי and רבא rule like רבי יוחנן's later view
  9. Proofאביי would not eat mustard his mother prepared
  10. Proofרב חייא בר אשי also refuses the mustard
  11. ChallengeThe wife points out that his teacher ate it
  12. Proofרבינא ate mustard stirred with garlic
  13. Conclusionמר זוטרא rules: mustard may be mixed gently either way
  14. StatementThe same rule for cress and garlic
  15. QuestionWhat is אמיתא?
  16. Responseאמיתא is mint
  17. Statementאביי learns that mint is good for cress
  18. Statementאֵנוֹמֵלִין is allowed on שבת but אֲלוּנְטִית is not
  19. QuestionWhat are these two drinks?
  20. Responseאֵנוֹמֵלִין is a spiced drink; אֲלוּנְטִית is a cooling drink for after the bathhouse
  21. Statementרב יוסף describes how strong aluntit was
  22. ChallengeBut מר עוקבא drank it every day
  23. Resolutionמר עוקבא was used to it
  24. StatementNew משנה: soaking asafoetida and cleaning vetches
  25. Statementמשנה: sifting straw versus carrying it in a sieve
  26. QuestionWhat if someone already soaked the חלתית?
  27. Responseרב אדא says he must bring a חטאת
  28. Challengeאביי: then soaking meat in water would also make you liable
  29. Responseאביי: it is only a rabbinic ban on weekday behavior
  30. Questionרבי יוחנן asks about soaking חלתית in cold water
  31. Responseרבי ינאי: it is forbidden
  32. Challengeרבי יוחנן: the משנה implies cold water is allowed
  33. Resolutionרבי ינאי: the משנה is a lone opinion
  34. ProofProof from a ברייתא: the חכמים forbid both, רבי יוסי allows cold
  35. QuestionWhat is soaked asafoetida used for?
  36. ResponseIt treats heaviness of the heart
  37. Statementרב אחא בר יוסף's three-day treatment
  38. ResponseDrinking חלתית on שבת is permitted
  39. QuestionThe real question: soaking, not drinking
  40. Responseרב rules: soak in cold water and set in the sun
  41. QuestionDoes רב follow the lenient minority?
  42. ResolutionEven the strict view permits here because of danger
  43. Statementרב אחא is brought to רב ספרא's house
  44. QuestionMay one rub a stiff linen shirt on שבת?
  45. ResponseIt is softening, so it is permitted
  46. QuestionThe nephew asks what was asked
  47. Responseרב אחא reports the question and the permission
  48. QuestionWhy not ask about a scarf too?
  49. ResponseThe scarf was already settled by רב הונא
  50. ChallengeThen learn the shirt from the scarf
  51. ResolutionA shirt looks like whitening, a scarf does not
  52. Statementרב חסדא begins a statement about a linen shirt