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Week 7 - Thursday - 13 Jan. 2000

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 13: MISHNA 4

The measure of bleachers and beaters and dyers and spinners - is the full double width of a sit. And for weaving two threads - the measure is the same as for the full sit.

Kehati

The measure of bleachers - of wool, and beaters of it, and dyers of it, and spinners - of threads from it, which incurs liability for performing any of these main classes of activity forbidden on Shabbat as taught in 7:2 above, is as much as to spin from this wool one thread, whose length is the fall double width of a sit - I.e., the distance between the tip of the outspread thumb and the index finger (see Orlah 3:2, where we have explained that "the full sit" is the distance between the index finger and the middle finger, whilst the distance between the thumb and the index finger is called "the full double width of a sit" because this measure is double the distance between the index finger and middle finger). Rambarn writes: 'A full double width of a sit' is a length of four handbreadths (Hil. Shabbat 9:10).

And for weaving two threads - Bringing two weft threads into the warp, the measure - of the width of the woven material to incur liability, is the same as for the full sit - Even though he did not weave them the entire width of the material, but only the width as the distance between the index finger and the middle finger (which is two handbreadths according to Rambarn), he is liable.

SHABBAT: CHAPTER 13: MISHNA 5

Rabbi Yehudah says: One who traps a bird into a tower or a deer into a house is liable. And the Sages say, A bird into a tower or a deer into a house and to a courtyard and to a vivarium. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Not all vivaria are alike. This is the general rule: Requiring trapping he is exempt; and that which does not require trapping he is liable.

Kehati

The remainder of this chapter teaches the laws of trapping.

Rabbi Yehudah says: One who traps a bird into a tower - He chased it on Shabbat, causing it to enter a tower (i.e., a tower-shaped closet) in which a bird is considered trapped, or a deer into a house - Or if he pursued a deer until it entered a house and he locked it in, he is liable - on account of trapping on Shabbat. If, however, he chased the bird into a house he is exempt, because the bird is still not under control, since it is difficult to catch it in a house. It might escape through open windows, or in some other way. Similarly, if he caused a deer to enter a garden or a courtyard, this is not trapping, and he is exempt.

And the Sages say, A bird into a tower or a deer into a house and to the courtyard and to a vivarium - As far as the bird is concerned, the Sages agree with Rabbi Yehudah that the trapper is liable only if he hunts it into a closet. But in the case of a deer, however, they hold that even if he caused it to enter a courtyard or a vivarium he is liable.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says, Not all vivaria are alike - There are large vivaria, in which the deer is not under control. This is the general rule: Requiring trapping - If the place into which he drove the deer is large, and it is still difficult to catch it there, he is exempt - on account of trapping on Shabbat; and that which does not require trapping - If he drove the deer into a place in which it is easy to catch it, he is liable - to bring a sin-offering if committed unintentionally, or the death penalty if committed intentionally. The halakhah follows Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, who does not express an independent opinion, but merely interprets the position of the Sages (Rambarn, Bartenura).

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