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Shabbos 60a

שבת ס׳ ע״א

Shabbat 60a

Learn Shabbos 60a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 60a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The sealed-ring and hole-less-needle rules for women, and the ban on a man going out on שבת in a spiked sandal (סנדל המסומר).

Overview

This amud joins the sugya in the middle of a contradiction about a woman's ring with a seal. The ברייתא of רבי נחמיה finishes: he judges a vessel by its working part, while the חכמים judge it by its supporting structure (הַמַּעֲמִיד). רבא and then רב נחמן בר יצחק give two more ways to settle the contradiction. רבא says a sealed ring is a man's ornament and a plain ring is a woman's ornament. רב נחמן בר יצחק says טומאה and שבת use different tests: 'working vessel' for one, and ornament versus משוי for the other. Next the גמרא asks what a needle without a hole is used for. רב יוסף's answer, that it gathers the hair, is challenged by אביי, so רב אדא explains that it parts the hair, and רבא adds that on שבת it is worn as jewelry with a gold plate. A new משנה then lists items a man may not go out with on שבת, starting with a spiked sandal (סנדל המסומר). The גמרא explains that ban through stories of a deadly panic that spiked sandals caused, and it says the decree is limited to שבת because the tragedy happened on שבת. It then asks why יום טוב is not permitted as well, and the משנה it quotes continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

בְּקוֹלָב הַלֵּךְ אַחַר מַסְמְרוֹתָיו.

With a hanging board, follow its nails.

בְּסוּלָּם הַלֵּךְ אַחַר שְׁלִיבוֹתָיו.

With a ladder, follow its rungs.

בְּעַרְסָא הַלֵּךְ אַחַר שַׁלְשְׁלוֹתָיו.

With a large scale, follow its chains.

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים:

And the Sages say:

The steps (20)

  1. Proofרבי נחמיה: a vessel's status follows its working part
  2. StatementThe חכמים: everything follows the supporting structure
  3. Resolutionרבא: each ring is an ornament for a different person
  4. Resolutionרב נחמן בר יצחק: טומאה and שבת use different tests
  5. StatementNext item in the משנה: a needle without a hole
  6. QuestionWhat is a hole-less needle used for?
  7. Responseרב יוסף: a woman uses it to hold her hair
  8. Challengeאביי challenges רב יוסף with the pure garter
  9. Resolutionרב אדא gives a new reason: the needle parts her hair
  10. QuestionWhat use is the needle on שבת?
  11. Responseרבא: the needle has a gold plate worn as an ornament
  12. StatementNew משנה: items a man may not go out with on שבת
  13. QuestionWhy is the spiked sandal forbidden?
  14. Responseשמואל: A reversed spiked sandal caused a deadly panic in a cave
  15. Responseרבי אילעאי בן אלעזר: They heard the sandal's sound above the cave
  16. Responseרמי בר יחזקאל: They heard the sound behind a בית הכנסת
  17. ConclusionThe decree that came out of the tragedy
  18. ChallengeThen why not ban it on weekdays too?
  19. ResolutionThe tragedy happened on שבת
  20. ChallengeThen יום טוב should be permitted