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Shabbos 39a

שבת ל״ט ע״א

Shabbat 39a

Learn Shabbos 39a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 39a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Heating food on שבת with indirect heat: sun versus fire, the egg in hot cloths and sand, and the springs of טבריא

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a proof: a ברייתא about rinsing salted fish shows that making food edible with even a little heat counts as cooking. The גמרא then turns to the משנה's argument about wrapping an egg in sun-heated cloths, which the רבנן forbid and רבי יוסי permits. רב נחמן explains that everyone permits using the sun directly and everyone forbids things heated by fire. The argument is only about things heated by the sun (תולדות החמה). Next the גמרא asks why רבי יוסי agrees to forbid burying an egg in sun-heated sand. רבה says it is a גזירה so people will not bury food in hot ashes, while רב יוסף says it is because the person moves earth, and the practical difference between them is loose earth. רב יוסף's reason is then challenged twice, from a hot roof and from the hot springs of טבריא, and both challenges are answered. The amud ends as רב חסדא begins a new statement that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כׇּל שֶׁבָּא בְּחַמִּין מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת —

Anything that came into hot water before Shabbat —

שׁוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ בְּחַמִּין בְּשַׁבָּת,

one may soak it in hot water on Shabbat,

וְכׇל שֶׁלֹּא בָּא בְּחַמִּין מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁבָּת —

and anything that did not come into hot water before Shabbat —

מְדִיחִין אוֹתוֹ בְּחַמִּין בַּשַּׁבָּת.

one may rinse it in hot water on Shabbat.

The steps (16)

  1. ProofProof from salted fish that light cooking counts as full cooking
  2. QuestionDoes the משנה allowing water in the sun follow only רבי יוסי?
  3. Resolutionרב נחמן: the sun is permitted and fire-heated things are forbidden by all
  4. ResolutionThe real argument is about things heated by the sun
  5. ChallengeWhy doesn't רבי יוסי also permit burying an egg in hot sand?
  6. Resolutionרבה: a decree so people won't bury food in hot ashes
  7. Resolutionרב יוסף: burying moves dirt out of its place
  8. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between רבה and רב יוסף?
  9. ResponseThe difference is loose earth
  10. ChallengeA hot rooftop seems to challenge רב יוסף
  11. ResolutionAn ordinary roof has no earth
  12. ChallengeThe pipe of טבריא seems to challenge רב יוסף
  13. ResolutionThe טבריא story belongs to the earlier dispute
  14. ChallengeThe חכמים use טבריא to challenge רבי יוסי
  15. Resolutionרבי יוסי: the springs of טבריא are heated by fire
  16. Statementרב חסדא begins a new statement