Shabbos 54a

שבת נ״ד ע״א

Shabbat 54a

Learn Shabbos 54a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Ewes and goats going out on שבת (כבולות, כבונות, bound udders), and the new משנה on what a camel may not go out with

Overview

This amud finishes explaining the words in the משנה about how ewes may go out on שבת. כבולות means their tails are tied down so the rams cannot mount them. The גמרא proves that כבול means 'unproductive' from ארץ כבול, the name חירם gave to the cities שלמה gave him. רב הונא and רב נחמן בר יצחק each explain why that land was called כבול. כבונות means sheep wrapped from birth to keep their wool clean and fine. On goats with bound udders, the גמרא records the rulings of רב, שמואל and רבי יוחנן in several versions. A new משנה then lists what an animal may not go out with: a camel's מטולטלת, legs bound עקוד or רגול, and camels tied together in a line. The גמרא defines these terms and explains that tying camels together looks like going to market. The rule against twisting the ropes is about שעטנז, and שמואל adds that the rope should not hang a טפח below the hand.

Opening lines

The steps (43)

1. ProofEnd of the verse explaining שחוזות
2. StatementThe משנה: ewes may go out tied
3. QuestionWhat does כבולות mean?
4. ResponseThey tie the tail down so males cannot mount
5. QuestionHow do we know כבול means 'not producing fruit'?
6. ProofProof from ׳ארץ כבול׳ in the story of שלמה and חירם
7. QuestionWhat exactly was ׳ארץ כבול׳?
8. Responseרב הונא: The people were wrapped in silver and gold
9. Challengeרבא: Why would wealth displease חירם?
10. Resolutionרב הונא: Rich, pampered people do not work
11. Responseרב נחמן בר יצחק: It was sandy land
12. ProofFolk saying: ׳מכבלתא׳ land produces no fruit
13. QuestionWhat does כבונות mean?
14. Responseכבונות means wrapped to keep the wool fine
15. ProofSupport from the color of a skin-affliction
16. QuestionWhat counts as 'white wool'?
17. ResponseWhite wool is a wrapped newborn lamb's wool
18. Statementרב and שמואל rule on the bound-udder dispute
19. StatementA second version: the dispute without the משנה
20. StatementA third version: tied to a ברייתא
21. Statementרבי יהודה בן בתירא: no one can tell the difference
22. Conclusionשמואל rules like רבי יהודה בן בתירא
23. Conclusionרבי יוחנן rules like the lenient first opinion
24. StatementNew משנה: things a camel may not go out with
25. Statementמשנה: no tying camels together, but holding ropes is fine
26. Statementתוספתא: saddlecloth on the tail alone versus tail and hump
27. Statementרבה בר רב הונא: saddlecloth tied to the afterbirth is allowed
28. Statementרב יהודה defines עקוד and רגול
29. ChallengeA ברייתא defines עקוד differently from רב יהודה
30. Resolutionרב יהודה follows a different תנא
31. ChallengeThe second ברייתא still does not fully match
32. ResolutionA third ברייתא matches רב יהודה exactly
33. QuestionWhy not tie camels together?
34. ResponseIt looks like going to market
35. Statementרב אשי: the rule against twisting the ropes is about mixtures
36. QuestionWhich kind of mixture is meant?
37. ChallengeIt cannot mean mixing a person with an animal
38. ResolutionRather, it means mixing wool and linen ropes
39. ChallengeBut a single stitch is not a connection
40. ResolutionThe משנה means twisting and then tying
41. Statementשמואל: no more than a טפח of rope may hang below the hand
42. ChallengeBut שמואל's own school taught two טפחים
43. Resolutionאביי explains שמואל's one handbreadth as practical guidance