Shabbos 94b

שבת צ״ד ע״ב

Shabbat 94b

Learn Shabbos 94b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבי שמעון's rule on carrying, כבוד הבריות and a corpse in a כרמלית, partial removal of טומאה, and the משנה on removing nails and hair, braiding, and makeup on שבת

Overview

This amud opens with the end of רבי שמעון's ruling that one who carries a corpse out to bury it is exempt. רבא adds that רבי שמעון agrees one is liable for carrying a hoe to dig or a ספר תורה to read, because using the object is enough. Next, רב נחמן בר יצחק allows a body to be moved into a כרמלית on שבת, because כבוד הבריות overrides a rabbinic prohibition. Then רב נחמן and רב ששת argue whether plucking one of three white hairs of צרעת counts, and each explains a משנה about half a כזית of a corpse to fit his view. A new משנה follows about removing nails and hair without a tool, braiding, and makeup: רבי אליעזר says liable, and חכמים forbid it only as a שבות. רבי אלעזר limits the dispute: with a tool everyone says liable, and for someone else's nails everyone says exempt. The גמרא sets the measure for hair at two hairs and gives רבי שמעון בן אלעזר's rule for a mostly torn nail, which is the הלכה. Finally, the גמרא asks which מלאכה braiding, eye shadow, and blush fall under, and רבי אבהו begins a corrected explanation that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. Statementרבי שמעון exempts even carrying a corpse for burial
2. Statementרבא: רבי שמעון agrees that carrying a hoe to dig or a ספר תורה to read is liable
3. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
4. Resolutionרבא's point: no need for a benefit to the object too
5. Statementרב נחמן בר יצחק permits moving a body into a כרמלית
6. ChallengeEven רבי שמעון leaves a rabbinic prohibition
7. ResolutionA כרמלית is only rabbinic, and כבוד הבריות overrides it
8. Statementמשנה: plucking signs of צרעת טומאה is forbidden
9. StatementPlucking one of two hairs versus one of three
10. StatementThe reasoning of each side
11. Proofרב ששת's source: a contradiction about half an olive-bulk
12. ProofResolving the contradiction supports רב ששת
13. Rejectionרב נחמן: the exempt case is a large corpse
14. StatementNew משנה: removing nails and hair, braiding, and makeup
15. Statementרבי אלעזר: the dispute is only by hand; with a tool everyone says liable
16. ChallengeIsn't that obvious from the words 'one with the other'?
17. ResolutionWe might have thought חכמים exempt even with a tool
18. Statementרבי אלעזר: the dispute is only for oneself; for another everyone says exempt
19. ChallengeIsn't that obvious from the words 'his fingernails'?
20. ResolutionWe might have thought רבי אליעזר obligates even for another
21. StatementA ברייתא: removing a scissors-full of hair makes one liable
22. QuestionHow much is a scissors-full?
23. Responseרב יהודה: two hairs
24. ChallengeChallenge: the ברייתא lists 'two' separately for baldness
25. ResolutionRead it as 'and likewise for baldness, two'
26. ProofA ברייתא supports that a scissors-full is two hairs
27. Statementרבי אליעזר says even one hair, and the חכמים agree when picking white hairs
28. StatementPicking white hairs is forbidden for men even on a weekday
29. Statementרבי שמעון בן אלעזר on a mostly torn nail or loose skin
30. ChallengeHow can a tool bring a חטאת while the hand is fully permitted?
31. ResolutionRe-explaining the ברייתא as two separate cases
32. Conclusionרב יהודה rules like רבי שמעון בן אלעזר
33. Statementרבי יוחנן's condition: only when it points upward and hurts
34. QuestionWhich מלאכה is violated by braiding, eye shadow, and blush?
35. ResponseBraiding is like weaving, eye shadow like writing, blush like spinning
36. ChallengeThe רבנן object: that is not the normal way to do these מלאכות
37. Resolutionרבי אבהו begins a corrected explanation from רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא