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Shabbos 68a

שבת ס״ח ע״א

Shabbat 68a

Learn Shabbos 68a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The meaning of "כלל גדול" in the משנה, and רב and שמואל on who counts as forgetting the essence of שבת

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה about how many חטאות a person brings for doing מלאכה on שבת. The גמרא then asks why the משנה opened with the words "כלל גדול." A first answer, that "גדול" is used because a second principle comes later, fails because of מעשר. A second answer from רבי יוסי בר אבין, that "גדול" goes with areas of law that have אבות and תולדות, fails because of בר קפרא's version of the משנה. The answer that holds is that "גדול" means wider in scope: שבת covers more than שביעית, and שביעית covers more than מעשר. For בר קפרא, מעשר is also "גדול" because it covers figs and vegetables, which פאה does not, and the גמרא proves this by comparing the conditions for פאה with the conditions for מעשר. Then רב and שמואל explain that the משנה's "one who forgets the essence of שבת" means someone who never knew about שבת, like a captured child or a convert among non-Jews. The גמרא defends their view against two challenges by rereading the words "השוכח" and "היודע."

Opening lines

אַב מְלָאכָה וּמְלָאכָה.

for each and every primary category of labor.

הָעוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכוֹת הַרְבֵּה

One who performs many labors

מֵעֵין מְלָאכָה אַחַת,

that are of the type of one category of labor,

אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב אֶלָּא חַטָּאת אַחַת.

is liable to bring only one sin-offering.

The steps (17)

  1. StatementEnd of the משנה: Many labors of one type bring only one offering
  2. QuestionWhy does the משנה say "a great principle"?
  3. ResponseFirst suggestion: "Great" is used because another principle comes later
  4. ChallengeChallenge from מעשר: Another principle follows, but no "great"
  5. Resolutionרבי יוסי בר אבין: "Great" is used where there are אבות and תולדות
  6. ChallengeChallenge from בר קפרא's version: "Great" appears in מעשר too
  7. ResolutionReal reason: שבת covers more than שביעית
  8. ResolutionSecond link: שביעית covers more than מעשר
  9. ResolutionFor בר קפרא, מעשר is wider than פאה
  10. ProofThe משנה listing the conditions for פאה
  11. StatementWhat each condition of פאה leaves out
  12. ProofThe מעשר rule has only three conditions
  13. Statementרב and שמואל: our משנה means someone who never knew about שבת
  14. ChallengeChallenge: 'forgets' means he once knew
  15. Resolution'Forgets' means שבת was always forgotten from him
  16. ChallengeWhy doesn't the משנה teach the case of someone who knew and then forgot?
  17. Resolution'One who knows' means one who knew and then forgot