Shabbos 74a
שבת ע״ד ע״א
Shabbat 74a
Learn Shabbos 74a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.
Open Shabbos 74a in Gemara Clarity
Topic
Why כותש is not a listed מלאכה, and the rules of בורר on שבת
Overview
The גמרא first explains why כותש (pounding) is not on the list of מלאכות, even though look-alike labors are listed. אביי says poor people skip pounding, so it is not an essential step. רבא's answer about the fixed number 39 is pushed off, and the גמרא settles on אביי. Next comes a ברייתא about בורר that seems to both allow and forbid selecting. עולא, רב חסדא, רב יוסף and רב המנונא each explain it, and each explanation is challenged. Finally אביי explains that selecting for immediate use is allowed, while selecting for later counts as storage, and רבא praises him. The גמרא then discusses sorting two kinds of food, where a basket or plate is פטור but a sieve or sifter is חייב. It brings רב דימי's story about רב ביבי's unsorted fruit basket, which proves nothing. Last comes חזקיה's ruling that sorting lupines from their waste is חייב. The גמרא says lupines are different, and the reason comes on the next amud.
Opening lines
אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיכָּא דְּדָמְיָא לַהּ
even though there is one that is similar to it
— חָשֵׁיב לַהּ.
he counts it.
וְלִיחְשֹׁב נָמֵי כּוֹתֵשׁ!
Then let him also count pounding!
אָמַר אַבָּיֵי:
Abaye said:
The steps (26)
- ResolutionEven similar labors are counted
- ChallengeWhy is pounding not listed?
- Resolutionאביי: poor people skip pounding
- Resolutionרבא: the list is fixed at 39
- ChallengeSwap one labor for pounding
- Conclusionאביי's answer is the clear one
- Statementברייתא on selecting foods
- QuestionWhat is the ברייתא saying?
- Responseעולא: today versus tomorrow
- Challengeרב חסדא: baking for today is forbidden
- Responseרב חסדא: less than the measure
- Challengeרב יוסף: a small amount is still forbidden
- Responseרב יוסף: it depends on the tool
- Challengeרב המנונא: the ברייתא never mentions tools
- Responseרב המנונא: food from waste versus waste from food
- Challengeאביי: the ברייתא never mentions food from waste
- Responseאביי: immediate use versus later
- Conclusionרבא praises אביי
- StatementTwo kinds of food sorted: exempt or liable?
- ChallengeHow can רב אשי say exempt when the ruling says liable?
- ResolutionBasket or plate versus sieve or sifter
- Proofרב ביבי served an unsorted basket of fruit
- RejectionThe story proves nothing: maybe it was generosity
- Statementחזקיה: sorting lupines from their waste makes one liable
- ProofDoes חזקיה forbid taking food out of waste?
- RejectionLupines are a special case