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Week 12 - Wednesday - 16 Feb. 2000

ERUVIN: CHAPTER 1: MISHNA 9

They may surround with three ropes, one above the other, provided that there is less than three tefahs between one rope and the other. The measure of the ropes and their thickness is more than a tefah, so that the whole will be ten tefahs.

Kehati

This mishnah continues to discuss the caravan that encamped in a valley. It teaches that the law taught in the preceding mishnah, that if the gaps exceed the structure, it is not considered to be a partition, only applies when a gap is at least three tefahs wide. If, however, the gaps are narrower than three tefahs, this is considered to be a complete partition, even if the gaps exceed the structure, for in the case of gaps less than three tefahs wide, the partition is considered joined together. This is an oral law received at Sinai (see KHA-A). Basing themselves on this law, the Sages permitted the caravan to make an inferior partition of three ropes, as will be explained in the mishnah.

If a caravan encamped in the valley, and wants to fence in the valley, so that it will be permitted to carry there on the Shabbat,

They may surround - it - with three ropes, one above the other - i.e., they drive pegs in the ground around the camp, and stretch the ropes on them, leaving spaces between them, provided that there is less than - a space of - three tefahs between one rope and the other - between the bottom and the middle ropes, and between the middle and the top ropes, as well as the space between the bottom rope and the ground, will be slightly less than three tefahs. This then is considered to be a complete partition, because if there is a space of less than three tefahs, the ropes are considered to be attached to each other. Such a partition is called an "erev [lit., weft, i.e., widthwise] partition."

The measure of the ropes and their thickness - i.e., the measure of the thickness of all three ropes, is more than a tefah - since the total width of the spaces is nine tefahs minus three fractions, the total width of each rope must be one tefah plus a fraction, so that the whole - the ropes together with the spaces between them, will be - a partition - ten tefahs - in height, for if less than ten tefahs high it is not considered to be a partition.

ERUVIN: CHAPTER 1: MISHNA 10

They may surround with reeds, provided that there will not be three tefahs between one reed and the other; they spoke regarding a caravan so Rabbi Yehudah. But the Sages say. They spoke of a caravan only as a current case. Any partition that is not of warp and weft is not a partition so Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Yehudah. But the Sages say. One of two things. They exempted four things in the camp: they may bring wood from any place, and they are exempt from the washing of the hands, and from dernai, and from making an eruv.

Kehati

Having learned in the preceding mishnah that a caravan that encamps in a valley may make a partition from ropes, which is called a "weft partition," the current mishnah teaches that one may also make a partition from reeds alone (based on the principle of lavud), which is called a "sheti [warp] partition."

If a caravan camps in a valley, and wants to surround it, so that one may carry in it on the Shabbat,

They may surround - it - with reeds - i.e., by placing ten tefahs high reeds in the ground all around, provided that there will not be three tefahs between.one reed and the other - the space between one reed and the next shall be less than three tefahs, so that it will be considered as iavud, they spoke - the permission granted by the Sages to use a weft partition (of ropes) or a warp

partition (of reeds) was granted only - regarding a caravan - a "caravan" is defined as a minimum of three people; so Rabbi Yehudah - for according to him, the Sages were lenient regarding the partitions only in the case of a caravan; an individual, however, who surrounds the valley must make a partition of both warp and weft.

But the Sages say: They spoke of a caravan, only as a current case - the mishnah mentions the case of a caravan only because this is a common occurrence, for a caravan normally surrounds the place of its encampment with ropes or with reeds; however, an individual may also make a partition of ropes or of reeds. Any partition that is not of - both - warp and weft is not a partition - and is not permitted, not even for a caravan, so Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Yehudah - i.e. Rabbi Yose disagrees with his father, who permits a caravan to use a partition that is either warp or weft (see above), and he holds that a caravan also requires a partition that is both warp and warp.

but the Sages say. One of two things - it is sufficient to make only a warp partition, such as one made of reeds, or a weft partition, such as one made of ropes. The Gemara explains that the difference between the opinion of the Sages who disagree with Rabbi Yehudah and that of the Sages who disagree with Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Yehudah is the following: according to the former, a partition of either warp or weft was permitted for an individual only while on a journey, similar to the caravan, because he cannot make a proper partition, but not when he is in a settlement. According to the latter, "One of two things" is the rule both for many people and for an individual, whether on a journey or in a settlement. This latter opinion is the law. If, however, an individual makes his Shabbat station in a valley, he may carry within the partition that surrounds him only if the enclosed area is not larger than a bet satayim (the area of a field fit for the sowing of 200 se'ah of seed,) i.e., as the area of the courtyard of the Tabernacle, which was 100 amah long by 50 amah wide (5,000 square amot). This rule applies also to two people who camp in a valley. If, however, three or more people camp in a valley, they constitute a "caravan," and they may carry within any partitioned area in the valley, as needed for their vessels and animals, provided that no vacant space of more than a bet satayim remains within the partition (Erw. 17b; Rambarn, Hil. Shabbat 16:12). They - the Sages, exempted - were lenient regarding, four things in the camp - of soldiers going to war (even to a milhemet reshut), because they are busy Fighting (Rambarn): they may bring wood from any place - and it is not considered stealing; even cut and dried lumber whose owners troubled themselves over it and made it into bundles for their use, was permitted by the Sages; and they are exempt from the - obligatory - washing of the hands - before the meal, i.e., that they are not required to search for water for this purpose. The Gemara states: "They taught (that they are exempt from the washing of the hands) only regarding mayim rishonim (the washing of the hands before the meal), but mayim aharonim (the washing of the hands before reciting Grace after Meals) is obligatory ... because of the presence of the salt of Sodom, which causes blindness," for it was the custom to dip one's Fingers in salt after each dish, as the Sages state, "After each dish, eat salt" (Ber. 40a). The obligation of mayim aharonim had therefore been enacted, because of this danger. Since enactments enjoined to avoid danger are more stringent than prohibitions, they are obligated to observe the requirement of mayim aharonim, even in a military camp. Tosafot, however, state that at present the obligation of mayim aharonim is not in force, because the salt of Sodom does not exist nowadays, or, also, because it is not the custom to dip our Fingers in salt after a meal; and - they are exempt from the taking otma'aser from - demai - produce purchased from common people (see the Introduction to Tractate Demai), for the Sages enacted the law regarding demai only on account of the doubt as to whether it has been tithed, and they were lenient regarding the camp;

and from making an eruv - eruvei hatzerot. After surrounding the camp with a ten-tefah high partition, they may also carry from one tent to another, and from a tent to the camp, without making eruvei hatzerot. They are obligated, however, regarding eruvei tehumin, for there is a Biblical support for the law of the Shabbat bounds (Gemara) and therefore the Sages were stringent regarding it.

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