Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 53a

שבת נ״ג ע״א

Shabbat 53a

Learn Shabbos 53a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 53a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Animals on שבת: going out with a מרדעת or אוכף, placing a מרדעת on a donkey, and the dispute between רב and שמואל about hanging a טרסקל (feeding basket).

Overview

Our משנה said a donkey may go out on שבת with a מרדעת. שמואל adds that this is only allowed if the cloth was tied on from ערב שבת. A later משנה and a ברייתא both support him, and the ברייתא also brings a מחלוקת about going out with an אוכף. Then רב אסי בר נתן asks whether one may even put a מרדעת on a donkey on שבת, and רבי חייא בר רב אשי says yes. רבי זירא explains that this follows רב, who permits hanging a טרסקל (feeding basket) for the animal's pleasure, and so all the more a מרדעת, which prevents suffering. שמואל agrees about the מרדעת but forbids the טרסקל, and a ruling of רבי יוחנן from ארץ ישראל is shown to match שמואל on that point. The גמרא explains why a מרדעת differs from an אוכף: either the saddle can fall off by itself, or, according to רב פפא, warming a donkey meets a real need while cooling it does not. Finally, a ברייתא about foals with feeding baskets is used to challenge שמואל. The גמרא answers that it speaks of small foals, where the basket prevents pain, and a proof from its wording continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

גְּמָ׳

GEMARA:

אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל:

Shmuel said:

וְהוּא שֶׁקְּשׁוּרָה לוֹ

And that is only where it was tied to it

מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת.

from Shabbat eve.

The steps (32)

  1. Statementשמואל's condition: the saddlecloth must be tied on from before שבת
  2. Proofרב נחמן: a later משנה's wording supports שמואל
  3. QuestionWhat case does 'not tied' mean? Not tied at all would be obvious
  4. ConclusionSo it means not tied from before שבת, which proves שמואל right
  5. ProofA ברייתא agrees: saddlecloth tied from before Shabbat is allowed, saddle is not
  6. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל permits the saddle too, with conditions
  7. QuestionMay one put a saddlecloth on a donkey on שבת itself?
  8. ResponseAnswer: it is permitted
  9. ChallengeChallenge: how is this different from a saddle?
  10. ConclusionHe was silent and gives no answer
  11. ChallengeA ברייתא: you may not even remove a saddle by hand
  12. Resolutionרבי זירא: leave him, he follows his teacher
  13. Proofרב permits a feeding basket, and all the more so a saddlecloth
  14. StatementExplaining the קל וחומר: pleasure versus suffering
  15. Statementשמואל: saddlecloth permitted, feeding basket forbidden
  16. Statementרב's ruling is reported to שמואל
  17. Rejectionשמואל sharply rejects רב's ruling
  18. Proofרבי יוחנן also permits a saddlecloth
  19. Conclusionרבי זירא approves; שמואל taught the same in בבל
  20. QuestionWho is אריוך?
  21. Responseאריוך is שמואל
  22. ChallengeBut רב also said the saddlecloth is allowed
  23. ResolutionThe praise was for the ending that forbids the feeding basket
  24. ChallengeWhy is a saddlecloth different from a saddle?
  25. ResolutionThe saddle can fall off by itself
  26. Resolutionרב פפא: warming is needed, cooling is not
  27. ProofFolk saying: a donkey is cold even in summer
  28. ChallengeObjection from a list of things animals may not go out with
  29. ChallengeThe ברייתא continues: what an animal may go out with
  30. ChallengeThe inference: foals with baskets are allowed in a חצר, apparently for pleasure
  31. ResolutionAnswer: small foals, to prevent pain
  32. ProofThe ברייתא's wording supports the answer