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Shabbos 157b

שבת קנ״ז ע״ב

Shabbat 157b

Learn Shabbos 157b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 157b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

End of מסכת שבת: the story of the cracked roof over a טומאת מת, the rule that one may seal, measure and tie on שבת, and עולא's challenge to רבה בר רב הונא about measuring that is not for a מצוה.

Overview

This amud finishes the last משנה of מסכת שבת, a story about a cracked roof over a case of טומאת מת. To keep the טומאה from spreading on שבת, the people sealed a window with a clay vessel. They also tied a clay shard to a reed to check whether the crack in the roof was a full טפח. From what they did, the משנה learns that on שבת one may seal, measure and tie. The גמרא then tells a story. עולא saw רבה בר רב הונא measuring in a tub of water. עולא challenged him: the רבנן allowed measuring only when it is for a מצוה. רבה בר רב הונא answered that he was only a מתעסק, acting with no intent to measure, so it does not count as measuring. The amud ends with the הדרן for פרק מי שהחשיך, and with it all of מסכת שבת is complete.

Opening lines

וְגִיגִית סְדוּקָה מוּנַּחַת עַל גַּבָּן.

and a cracked roofing was placed on top of them.

וּפָקְקוּ אֶת הַמָּאוֹר בַּטָּפִיחַ,

And they sealed the window with an earthenware vessel,

וְקָשְׁרוּ אֶת הַמְּקִידָּה בְּגֶמִי

and they tied the earthenware shard with reed-grass

לֵידַע אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם בְּגִיגִית

to know whether there is there, in the roofing,

The steps (6)

  1. StatementSealing the window and measuring the crack in the roof
  2. ConclusionThe lesson: sealing, measuring and tying are allowed on שבת
  3. Statementעולא sees רבה בר רב הונא measuring in a tub
  4. Challengeעולא objects: measuring is allowed only for a מצוה
  5. Resolutionרבה בר רב הונא answers: I am only acting without intent
  6. Conclusionהדרן — Closing מי שהחשיך and completing מסכת שבת