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Shabbos 23b

שבת כ״ג ע״ב

Shabbat 23b

Learn Shabbos 23b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 23b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

פאה and חשד, rules and priorities for נר חנוכה, rewards for lighting candles and honoring Torah scholars, and why one may not light with שמן שריפה.

Overview

This amud opens partway through a ברייתא that the גמרא quoted to prove that חז"ל worry about חשד (suspicion). The ברייתא lists four reasons why פאה must be left at the end of the field, and רבא explains that the fourth reason is about cheaters. The גמרא then returns to נר חנוכה and rules on lamps with several wicks: covered, they count for several people, but uncovered they are a bonfire and count for no one. רבא sets an order of priority for a poor person: נר ביתו comes first, and נר חנוכה beats קידוש היום because of פרסומי ניסא. Next come אגדות. רב הונא lists rewards for being careful with מצוות, and stories show that homes with many lights produced great תלמידי חכמים. רב יוסף and an elder teach that שבת candles should be lit neither too early nor too late, and רבא lists rewards for loving, honoring and fearing Torah scholars. Last, the גמרא returns to the משנה's שמן שריפה, impure תרומה oil. רבה and רב חסדא give two different reasons why one may not light with it.

Opening lines

וּמִפְּנֵי בִּיטּוּל עֲנִיִּים —

And because of wasting the time of the poor —

שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ עֲנִיִּים יוֹשְׁבִין וּמְשַׁמְּרִין

so that poor people will not be sitting and watching,

״עַכְשָׁיו מַנִּיחַ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת פֵּאָה״.

thinking, 'Now the owner is leaving פאה.'

וּמִפְּנֵי חֲשָׁד —

And because of suspicion —

The steps (26)

  1. StatementSecond reason for פאה at the field's end: keeping the poor from wasting time
  2. StatementThird reason: avoiding suspicion
  3. StatementFourth reason: the verse 'do not finish off your field'
  4. ChallengeAren't all the reasons really 'do not finish off'?
  5. Resolutionרבא: the fourth reason is about cheaters
  6. StatementA lamp with two spouts counts for two people
  7. StatementA bowl ringed with wicks, covered, counts for several people
  8. StatementUncovered, it is a bonfire and counts for no one
  9. StatementThe שבת house lamp beats both נר חנוכה and קידוש
  10. Questionרבא's question: נר חנוכה or קידוש first?
  11. Responseרבא answers his own question: נר חנוכה wins
  12. Statementרב הונא: rewards for being careful with מצוות
  13. ProofStory: רב הונא and רבי אבין the carpenter
  14. ProofStory: רב חסדא and the family of רב שיזבי
  15. Proofרב יוסף tells his wife not to light late
  16. ConclusionAn elder: not too early and not too late
  17. Statementרבא: rewards for loving, honoring, and fearing Torah scholars
  18. QuestionWhat is burnt oil?
  19. Responseרבה: impure תרומה oil, meant to be burned
  20. QuestionWhy is it forbidden on שבת?
  21. ResponseA decree in case he tilts the lamp
  22. Challengeאביי: then it should be allowed on יום טוב
  23. Resolutionיום טוב is forbidden because of שבת
  24. Statementרב חסדא: the case is יום טוב on Friday
  25. ChallengeBut the משנה lists יום טוב separately
  26. Resolutionרב חנינא מסורא: the later clause gives the reason