Shabbos 154b

שבת קנ״ד ע״ב

Shabbat 154b

Learn Shabbos 154b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Unloading an animal on שבת without moving מוקצה, צער בעלי חיים, and whether using the 'sides' (צדדין) of an animal or tree is forbidden

Overview

This passage finishes a question from the previous section: why isn't a person liable for making his animal carry a load on שבת? Even the opinion that gives מלקות for such a לאו learns from the extra word 'אתה' that a person is liable only for his own work, not his animal's. Then the גמרא turns to the משנה about reaching the outer courtyard. רב הונא rules that if the animal carries glass vessels, the owner may put cushions underneath, untie the ropes, and let the bags fall. The גמרא challenges this twice. First, why not simply lift the glass off, since the משנה allows taking movable vessels? Answer: רב הונא means a bloodletter's horns, which are מוקצה. Second, doesn't this make the cushion unusable (מבטל כלי מהיכנו)? Answer: we are dealing with small bundles.

Opening lines

The steps (38)

1. ResolutionEven the view that gives lashes learns from the word 'You' that there is no liability for the animal's work
2. Statementרב הונא: unloading glass vessels onto cushions
3. ChallengeWhy not just lift the glass off, since the משנה allows it?
4. Resolutionרב הונא meant a bloodletter's horns, which are מוקצה
5. ChallengeDoesn't this make the cushion unusable?
6. ResolutionThe case is small bundles
7. ChallengeA ברייתא says to just let the bags fall
8. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about raw glass passages
9. ProofThe wording supports the glass-passages reading
10. QuestionWhy mention that they break?
11. ResponseA small loss is not a reason to permit
12. Statementרבי שמעון בן יוחי: push the grain off with your head
13. StatementThe story of רבן גמליאל's donkey
14. ChallengeBut the משנה allows taking off usable items
15. ResolutionThe honey had spoiled
16. QuestionWhat is spoiled honey good for?
17. ResponseFor camels' wounds
18. ChallengeWhy not just untie the ropes?
19. ResolutionThe jugs would crack
20. ChallengeWhy not put cushions underneath?
21. ResolutionThe cushions would get dirty and become unusable
22. ChallengeBut the animal is suffering!
23. Resolutionרבן גמליאל holds that animal suffering is a rabbinic law
24. Statementרבה slides his son on a donkey's back
25. Challengeאביי objects: you are using an animal on שבת
26. ResolutionUsing the sides was never forbidden
27. ProofProof from our משנה about untying the ropes
28. RejectionNo, the bags were attached in a way that does not use the sides
29. Challengeאביי's challenge from a סוכה built on a tree
30. ResolutionThe tree was bent and used as the roof support
31. ChallengeThe second half of the same משנה permits entering
32. ChallengeThe same question hits אביי's view too
33. ResolutionThe tree only serves as a wall
34. ProofThe משנה's rule supports this reading
35. QuestionMaybe this is an argument among תנאים
36. RejectionEveryone forbids sides; the argument is about sides of sides
37. Statementרבא says the opinions are all-or-nothing
38. Challengeרב משרשיא begins a challenge to רבא