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Week 8 - Tuesday - 18 Jan. 2000

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 15: MISHNA 3

One may fold articles, even four and five times, and one may arrange the beds from Shabbat (Friday) night for the Shabbat, but not from Shabbat for the nights following Shabbat. Rabbi Yishmael says: One may fold articles and arrange the beds from Yom Kippur for Shabbat, and the pieces of fat ofShabbat may be offered on Yom Kippur. Rabbi Akiva says: One may not offer that of Shabbat on Yom Kippur, and one may not offer that of Yom Kippur on Shabbat.

Kehati

Since the preceding miahnah taught, "A woman may tie the opening of her dress, and cords of a net, and of a belt," which are actions connected with the arrangement of clothing, this mishnah, which also deals with actions connected with the arrangement of clothing, is taught here.

One may fold articles - garments. When one takes off his garments on Shabbat he may fold them, so that they will not become creased, even four and five times - I.e., if the garments have not been folded properly, he may again fold them, several times, until they are folded as he wants (Hameiri). When may he fold them? If he intends to wear them again on the same day, on that Shabbat, or if he took them off on Friday night, and he intends to wear them again on Shabbat during the day. If, however, he intends to wear them again on the night following Shabbat, it is prohibited to fold them (see below). The Gemara states that the folding of garments is permitted only if all four of the following conditions are fulfilled: (1) That one person folds the garment, and not two people, because they would appear to be repairing the garments. (2) The garments are new and have few creases, which is not the case regarding old clothes, the folding of which has the appearance of a complete repair. (3) The garments are white. It is prohibited to fold colored garments, for folding them closely resembles repairing. (4) He has no other change of clothing; if he has another change of clothing which is suitable for the honor of Shabbat, he may not fold the garments; and one may arrange the beds - spreading sheets on the beds and arranging them for sleeping, from Shabbat (Friday) night for the Shabbat - I.e., for the needs of Shabbat itself, but not from Shabbat for the nights following Shabbat - For it is prohibited to prepare from Shabbat to the weekday.

Rabbi Yishmael says: If Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat eve [i.e., on Thursday night and Friday], One may fold articles and arrange the beds from Yom Kippur for - the needs of Shabbat - Because the status of Yom Kippur is less stringent than that of Shabbat, and the pieces of fat of Shabbat - I.e., the parts of the afternoon continual offering of Shabbat, that remained until Saturday night, may be offered on - the night of Yom Kippur - which begins on that Saturday night. The pieces of fat of Yom Kippur, however, may not be offered on the Friday night following Yom Kippur, if Yom Kippur falls on Friday. This is because the status of Shabbat is more stringent than that of Yom Kippur, for thedeliberate violation of Shabbat is punished by stoning, while the violation of Yom Kippur is punished by excision. Just as it is prohibited to offer the weekday burnt-offering on Shabbat, so too it is prohibited to offer the Yom Kippur burnt-offering on Shabbat.

Rabbi Akiva says: One may not offer that of Shabbat on Yom Kippur, and one may not offer that of Yom Kippur on Shabbat - For in this regard both have equal sanctity, and the sacrifice of one may not be offered on the other. Still more so, one may not fold garments or arrange the beds on one for the other, because these actions are for non-sacred purposes. The halakhah follows Rabbi Akiva.

According to the fixed calendar which we follow, Yom Kippur can fall neither on Friday or on Sunday. During the time of the Mishnah, however, when the new month was decreed on the basis of the testi- mony of eyewitnesses who had seen the new moon, it was possible for Yom Kippur to fall on Thursday night and Friday or on Saturday night and Sunday (see Tosefot Yom Tov).

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 16: MISHNA 1

All the Holy Scriptures, one may save them from a fire, whether they read from them or whether they do not read from them. And even though they are written in any language, they must be reposited. And why do we not read from them? Because of the neglect of the House of Study. One saves the casing of the scroll together with the scroll, and the bag of the tefillin together with the tefillin, and even though there is money within them. And whither do they save them? To an alley that is not open. Ben Beteira says: Even to the open.

Kehati

This chapter deals with a fire that breaks out on Shabbat. The Gemara states that the Sages prohibited saving from a fire on the Shabbat, lest one becomes agitated about his property and forgets that it is Shabbat and extinguishes the fire (Shah. 117b). There are objects, however, which the Sages permitted to be saved. This chapter teaches what a person may save, and how.

All the Holy Scriptures - Torah, Prophets, and Writings, which are written in Hebrew. If a fire broke out on Shabbat in a private domain such as a house or a courtyard, and there were Holy Scriptures there which had not yet been set ablaze, one may save them from the fire and remove them from the house or from the courtyard, whether they read from them Whether they are Holy Scriptures which are read in public on Shabbat, e.g., Torah or Prophets, or whether they do not read from them - e.g., the Writings, which are not read on Shabbat, not even by individuals (as will be explained below).

And even though they are written in any language - and not in Hebrew. According to the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel (which is the halakhah), it is prohibited to read from Holy Scriptures transliterated into the letters of other languages even on weekdays, and they are not saved from the Fire (Meg. 1:8), nevertheless, they must be reposited - and may not be set down in an ownerless place.

And why do we not read from them - the Writings, on Shabbat?

Because of the neglect of the House of Study - For on Shabbat the Sages used to deliver sermons to the people in the House of Study, teaching what may be done and what may not be done, and rebuking them for the sins they committed. If it were permitted to read from the Writings on Shabbat, people would refrain from listening to the sermon in the House of Study, and they would read from the Writings, because they are interesting. The Sages therefore prohibited reading from the Writings on Shabbat, so that the sermon in the House of Study would not be neglected. This halakhah applies only during the actual time of the sermon, at other times it is permitted to read from them (Gemara). When they save a Torah scroll from the fire, one saves the casing of the scroll - in which the scroll is placed, together with the scroll, and - similarly, it is permitted to save the bag of the tefillin together with the tefillin - that is within it, and even though there is money - present - within them - the casing or the bag, it is permitted to save everything. And whither do they save them - Everything which has been mentioned in the mishnah that may be saved from the fire?

To an alley that is not open - The Gemara explains that this is an alley which is closed on three sides, and in whose fourth side which opens onto the public domain a thin board is fixed. Since it is suitable for shared ownership [and an eruv could be erected], even though no one did become a partner in it, one may save by removing them from the private domain into this type of domain.

Ben Beteira says: It is permitted to save Even to the open - the open alley, i.e., one which does not have a thin board on its fourth side but is completely open. The halakhah does not follow Ben Beteira.

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