Shabbos 46a

שבת מ״ו ע״א

Shabbat 46a

Learn Shabbos 46a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Moving a מנורה and a נר on שבת: רבי יוחנן's rulings on מוקצה, rabbis' practice with lamps, and the נפטא lamp

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a ברייתא showing that assembling an object on שבת is not בונה. That knocks down one explanation of why רבי יוחנן forbids moving a מנורה. אביי explains that the case is a מנורה of חוליות. The גמרא then clarifies that this means grooves that only look like sections, and sorts out where רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש argue. Next the גמרא asks how רבי יוחנן can rule like רבי יהודה on מוקצה when an unattributed משנה about a wagon's מוכני seems to follow רבי שמעון. רבי זירא reads that משנה narrowly. A report about רבי's ruling in Deyosfera remains תיקו. Stories show rabbis who held like רבי שמעון but refrained from moving a lamp in the town of a rabbi who forbade it, out of respect. Finally, רב יהודה forbids moving a נפטא lamp while רבה and רב יוסף permit it, and רב אויא defends their reason to רבא: a lamp has תורת כלי and pebbles do not. He begins quoting a supporting ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. ChallengeEnd of a ברייתא that permits assembling and taking apart on שבת
2. Resolutionאביי: the case is a מנורה made of separate sections
3. ChallengeThen why would ריש לקיש permit it?
4. Resolution'Sections' means grooves that look like sections
5. ConclusionSummary: which מנורות are forbidden and where the argument lies
6. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really rule that way, given his rule about unattributed משניות?
7. ProofThe משנה about a wagon's detachable base
8. ChallengeInference: once the money is gone, the wagon may be moved
9. Resolutionרבי זירא: the משנה means no money was there all of twilight
10. Statementרבי's ruling in Deyosfera
11. QuestionWhat exactly did רבי rule?
12. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
13. StatementGuests moved a lamp and their hosts were upset
14. Statementרבי אבהו acted differently in different towns
15. ChallengeWhich view did רבי אבהו hold?
16. ResolutionHe held like רבי שמעון but honored רבי יוחנן
17. Statementרב יהודה: an oil lamp may be moved, a נפטא lamp may not
18. Statementרבה and רב יוסף permit a נפטא lamp too
19. Statementרב אויא dirties רבא's bed
20. Questionרבא asks the reason for permitting a נפטא lamp
21. ResponseBecause it can cover a vessel
22. ChallengeThen pebbles should be movable too
23. ResolutionA lamp is a כלי, pebbles are not
24. Proofרב אויא begins bringing a ברייתא as proof