Torah Community Connections

Week 11 - Sunday - 6 Feb. 2000

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 22: MISHNA 5

If one washed in the water of a cave and in the water of Tiberias and he wipes, even with ten towels, he may not bring them in his hand. But if ten people wipe with one towel their faces, their hands, and their feet, then they may bring it in their hand.

Kahati

This mishnah, and the following one, deal with the practice in a bathhouse.

If one washed - on Shabbat, in the water of a cave and - or, in the water of Tiberias - The Gemara explains that the mishnah used the phrase "in the water of Tiberias" to teach that the law applies even "in the water of a cave," i.e., in warm water similar to the water of Tiberias; in a case in which the water of the cave had been heated by a Fire before Shabbat (Tosafot, Rosh, Ran). Even though it is permitted, ab initio, to wash on Shabbat in the hot waters of Tiberias, the mishnah nevertheless used the a posteriori phrase, "If one washed" because of cave-water, for it is prohibited, ab initio, from washing on Shabbat in warm water in a cave, because of the prohibition applying to a bathhouse. The Sages prohibited entering a bathhouse on Shabbat, on account of bathing masters who used to heat the water on Shabbat, but would say that the water had been heated before Shabbat (Shab. 40a), and if one did wash on Shabbat,

and he wipes - his body, even with ten towels - one after the other, he may not bring them in his hand - to his house, not even in a place where carrying is permitted, lest he come to wring. Even though the last towels contain only a small amount of water, and there is no need to wring them, the Sages nevertheless prohibited the bringing of them all;

but if ten people wipe with one towel their faces, their hands, and their feet - the same law applies if they wipe their entire bodies; but the mishnah used this phraseology because this is the normal procedure: many people do not use one towel to wipe their entire bodies, but only to wipe their faces, hands, and feet,

then they may bring it in their hand - to their house. Even though the towel is extremely wet, one may bring it, and we do not fear that one will wring it, for since there are many, they will remind each other that it is prohibited to wring. The Gemara states that the halakhah does not follow this mishnah, but rather even one person may bring in his hand the towel with which he wiped his body on Shabbat, and we do not anticipate that he will wring it.

We have interpreted "in the water of a cave" as referring to hot water which was heated before Shabbat. According to another interpretation, however, this refers to the hot waters of Tiberias within a cave (R. Yitzhak Alfasi, Rambarn). The mishnah used the a posteriori wording of "If one washed" because the cave is very hot, and the person who washes in it will perspire, and this resembles washing in a bathhouse; therefore, it is prohibited, ab initio, from washing in it on Shabbat. A baraita records a disagreement between Tannaim as to whether one may rinse his entire body on Shabbat (i.e., pour water over his body, not in the usual way in which one washes): "One may not rinse, neither with hot water that was heated before Shabbat, nor with cold water; so Rabbbi Meir. But Rabbi Shimon permits whether with hot water or whether with cold water. Rabbi Yehudah says, It is prohibited with hot water, and permitted with cold water" (Shab. 39b; 147b; Tosefta 4:3). The halakhah follows Rabbi Yehudah.

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 22: MISHNA 6

One may anoint and rub the stomach, but one may not knead nor scrape. One may not go down to Kordima, nor use [apiktevizin], and one may not manipulate a child, nor set a fracture. If anyone's hand and his foot were dislocated, he may not dash cold water on them; but he may wash in the normal manner, and if he is healed he is healed.

Kehati

One may anoint - the body with oil on Shabbat, and rub the stomach - the reading cited by most commentators omits "stomach," and reads only "and rub," i.e., when they anoint, they may gently rub with the hand over the entire body for enjoyment,

but one may not knead - on Shabbat, i.e., one may not rub the body vigorously (Rashi). Rambarn, however, has the reading we have quoted here: "One may anoint and rub the stomach," for this is the reading given in a baraita quoted in the Gemara. Our mishnah refers to the practice of anointing the body with oil, and then rubbing the stomach (a sort of massage), or First rubbing the stomach, and then anointing. The mishnah teaches that even on Shabbat it is permitted to anoint and to rub the stomach, provided that this is done with a change, i.e., the person anoints and rubs at the same time (according to the opinion of Rabbi Yohanan in the Gemara), so that he will not act on Shabbat in the weekday manner. Rambarn interprets "but they may not knead [mitamlin]" as follows: "Who is a mitamel" Somebody whose body is forcefully pressed until he becomes tired and perspires, or he walks about until he becomes tired and perspires, and one may not tire himself on Shabbat in order to perspire because this is a remedy" (HU. Shabbat 21:28). It follows from this that Rambarn holds that it is permitted to anoint and rub, even forcefully, on Shabbat, as long as there is no intention to cause perspiration (Shiltei Giborim). Rabbeinu Hananelabo interprets this as does Rambarn: "but one may not mitalmiri" i.e., they stretch out and bend their arms before them and behind them, and similarly their legs on their thighs [i.e., physical exercises], and they warm up and perspire, and this is like an act of healing, and it is prohibited on Shabbat; nor scrape - with a strigil (or brush) on Shabbat because this is a weekday action. If, however, one's hands are soiled with clay or excrement, he may scrape in the normal way, without apprehension (Tosefla 17:12; Rambarn, Hil. Shabbat 28:29), for since he does this out of necessity, it does not appear to be a weekday action.

One may not go down to Kordima - the name of a river, which has a bottom of smooth clay, and if one goes down there he is liable to slip and wet his clothes, and will come to wring them (Rashi). Rambarn interprets as follows: "A well of water, which is hot, because water is gathered in it; one who enters it will perspire, and [delibrately to] perspire on Shabbat day is prohibited" (Rambarn, commentary to the Mishnah). Another reading is: "one may not go down to the clay ground," meaning a valley in which there is water, at the bottom of which there is viscid clay. One who goes down there is liable to sink into this clay, and will not be able to come out unless he calls others to come to his rescue. According to another interpretation, the person who washes in this valley will catch cold, and this water causes diarrhoea (R. YitzhakAlfasi, i.e., this will spoil his enjoyment of Shabbat (Hameiri, Rambarn);

nor use apiktevizin - a potion which causes food to be vomited, an emetic. I.e., it is prohibited to drink it on Shabbat because it resembles a medication, and the Sages prohibited it lest one come to pound ingredients. It is permitted, however, to put a finger in the throat to induce vomiting (in a case of need). According to Rambarn, the word [apiktevizin] is a composite word formed from the Aramaic afik tevizin, which mean the taking out of food from the cooking, i.e., he vomits the food and he takes it from the stomach before it is digested;

and one may not manipulate a child - One may not correct and straighten the bones and the spinal vertebrae on Shabbat because this is like building. It is permitted, however, to enwrap a child in swaddling clothes or to tie him with a wide belt in order to straighten his soft joints;

nor set a fracture - for according to this mishnah, a broken bone may not be set on Shabbat. The Gemara states that the halakhah does not follow this mishnah, but one may set a fracture on Shabbat.

If anyone's hand and - or his foot were dislocated, since this is not dangerous, he may not dash cold water on them - at the place of the dislocation on Shabbat, for everyone sees that he is effecting a cure;

but he may wash - his hands and his feet - in the normal manner, and if he is healed - he is healed - for whatever does not appear to be intended as a remedy is permitted (see 14:4, above).

Return to Mishna Yomit Index

Visit the Mishna Yomit Archives