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Shabbos 74b

שבת ע״ד ע״ב

Shabbat 74b

Learn Shabbos 74b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 74b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Defining the מלאכות in the משנה's list, from טוחן through קורע, and finding their sources in the משכן

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion of sorting lupines: because they rot if left in place, taking them out counts as removing פסולת from אוכל. The גמרא then goes through the משנה's list of מלאכות. Chopping beets or wood chips finely is טוחן, and cutting to an exact size is also מחתך. The משנה lists אופה instead of cooking dyes because it follows the order of making bread. Heating a wooden peg in an oven and boiling pitch both count as מבשל, even though each item ends up hard. רבא and אביי count how many separate חטאות come from making a clay barrel, an oven, or a reed basket. רבי יוחנן and רב כהנא argue about spinning wool while it is still on an animal, and ריש לקיש explains the three מלאכות involved in working on a feather. The גמרא searches for the משכן source of קושר and מתיר and settles on the חלזון trappers' nets. It explains that sewing two stitches counts only when the thread is tied. Finally, it asks where there was tearing in the משכן, and the answer by רבה and רבי זירא continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דְּשָׁלְקִי לֵיהּ שִׁבְעָא זִימְנֵי,

for they boil it seven times,

וְאִי לָא שָׁקְלִי לֵיהּ מַסְרַח —

and if they do not take it out, it rots —

וְכִפְסוֹלֶת מִתּוֹךְ אוֹכֶל דָּמֵי.

so it is like removing waste from food.

וְהַטּוֹחֵן.

And one who grinds.

The steps (32)

  1. ResolutionWhy sorting lupines counts as removing waste from food
  2. StatementChopping beets finely counts as grinding
  3. StatementChopping wood chips counts as grinding
  4. StatementCutting to an exact size adds liability for cutting
  5. ChallengeWhy does the משנה list baking instead of cooking dyes?
  6. ResolutionThe משנה follows the order of making bread
  7. StatementPutting a wooden peg into an oven counts as cooking
  8. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  9. ResolutionThe wood softens first, then hardens
  10. StatementBoiling pitch counts as cooking
  11. ChallengeIsn't this also obvious?
  12. ResolutionA temporary change still counts as cooking
  13. StatementMaking a barrel or an oven brings many sin-offerings
  14. StatementMaking a reed basket brings eleven or thirteen sin-offerings
  15. StatementSpinning wool while it is still on the animal
  16. Statementרב כהנא: this is not the normal way to do these labors
  17. ChallengeChallenge: in the משכן they spun hair right on the goats
  18. ResolutionExtraordinary skill is different
  19. StatementWorking on a feather brings three sin-offerings
  20. Statementריש לקיש explains the three labors
  21. QuestionWhere was there tying in the משכן?
  22. Responseרבא: they tied the tents to pegs
  23. RejectionRejected: those knots were meant to be untied
  24. Responseאביי: weavers tied torn threads
  25. Challengeרבא: what about untying?
  26. ResolutionA suggested answer: untying one of two nearby knots
  27. RejectionRejected: a knotted curtain is not fit for ה'
  28. ResponseFinal answer: the חלזון trappers tied and untied
  29. ChallengeTwo stitches do not last
  30. ResolutionOnly when he tied the ends
  31. QuestionWas there tearing in the משכן?
  32. Responseרבה and רבי זירא begin their answer