Shabbos 96a

שבת צ״ו ע״א

Shabbat 96a

Learn Shabbos 96a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 96a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The hole size that ends an earthenware vessel's status as a vessel (and so its ability to become impure), the close of פרק המצניע, and the opening משנה of פרק הזורק on throwing between domains on שבת

Overview

This amud finishes the discussion from פרק המצניע about how big a hole must be before a broken כלי חרס stops being a vessel and can no longer become impure. First the גמרא settles a contradiction: large vessels follow one measure, and small vessels follow another. רב אסי then teaches that a regular vessel needs a hole that lets liquid flow in. The tiny 'seeping out' hole is enough only for a shard, because, as מר זוטרא explains, no one patches a shard with another shard. עולא reports two opposite views from ארץ ישראל: the hole must fit a pomegranate, or only a small root. רבי אליעזר gives a middle measure, olives. מר קשישא adds two points in רבי אליעזר's name. Such a vessel is fully pure, like stone vessels. For צמיד פתיל, it keeps working until most of it is broken. After the הדרן, פרק הזורק opens with a משנה. Throwing between a רשות היחיד and a רשות הרבים makes one liable. Throwing from one רשות היחיד to another across a רשות הרבים is a dispute between רבי עקיבא and חכמים. The משנה then compares balconies facing each other with balconies on one level. When the balconies are on one level, passing an object between them is liable but throwing it is not, because the לויים in the משכן handed beams between wagons and never threw them.

Opening lines

The steps (13)

1. ResolutionBig vessels versus small vessels
2. StatementThe standard measure is a hole that lets liquid in
3. QuestionWhy is a shard different?
4. ResponseNo one patches a shard with another shard
5. StatementA dispute in ארץ ישראל: pomegranate or small root
6. StatementA memory aid: one gives more, one gives less
7. StatementA middle measure: the size of olives
8. StatementThe holed vessel is fully pure, but צמיד פתיל lasts longer
9. Conclusionהדרן — Closing פרק המצניע
10. StatementThrowing between domains on שבת
11. StatementTwo balconies facing each other: passing and throwing are both exempt
12. StatementBalconies on the same level: passing is liable, throwing is exempt
13. ProofThe לויים passed the beams between wagons but did not throw them