shabbat 120

building barriers to prevent the spread of fire. just don't use the new pots. they crack.

(although extinguishing a fire is prohibited on shabbat, there is a discussion about permitted ways to use wet hides, or building barriers, or indirect actions that would lead to the fire being put out. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 118: A Story by Sam

This draw yomi chavrutah/other voice is from Samuel Lebens. Sam studies at Yeshivat Har Etzion, holds a PhD in metaphysics and logic from the University of London, and is the chair of the Association for the Philosophy of Judaism. He is also a contributor for Ha'artez, see here for his blogs.

this piece is a response to my response to shabbat 118. where there are many statements about and by R. Yosei on this page. He referred to his wife as 'my house', he never retracted anything he said about anyone. The walls of his house never saw him naked. And there is a question about whether or not he fulfilled his sexual obligations to his wife.

A poem by E. E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
                                                      i fear 

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

A Story by Sam

Once upon a time there was a city full of houses. Each and every house was occupied by a different man; the master of the house – although some men had more than one. And houses were bought, and houses were sold. They were valued for the comfort they could afford to their masters who were searching for domestic bliss. But all of these men were alone. There was a sense in which they could never feel at home. Their houses were beautiful, comfortable and clean. But as the long winter evenings drew in, these men, in this city full of houses, were alone; profoundly alone.

The houses were less than homely; valued merely for their utility; their convenience; their proximity to the centre of town; to the train station. After a long day at work, these men would come home to a home that wasn’t their home. Each and every one of them felt awkward. Awkward in their own homes. They never got naked; never got naked in their own homes – unless, of course they had some bodily need – they needed a shower – and these houses had wonderful showers; they were valued for it; this was a city of en-suite bathrooms galore (The walls of Rabi Yosei’s house never saw him uncover his modesty).

But one day, as if all of a sudden, though it had probably been building up for years, the houses got fed up. We are not objects to be bought and sold. We are not commodities. You treat us no differently to your cars and your computers. You supress the image of God that our architect on high instilled in us.

And God realised that it wasn’t good for man to be alone, so he woke him up from his unforgivable slumber, and blinking into the sunlight, man realised that his house was a woman – a human being just like him.

But now the city of houses had transformed into a city of men and women, and people realised that they had no homes. So Adam promised to be a home to Eve. And Eve promised to be a home to Adam. And these two homes would live inside one another.

I carry your heart with me. I carry it in my heart. Whenever I’m away from you, I’m homesick. And whenever you enter a room, that room becomes my home. You have rooms that comfort me, and panoramic windows that offer me views that take my breath away. And I, in turn, will endeavour to be your home. And both of us will make our home in God, who promised us that one day, He will stop being the master of this house, and instead, He will be our lover.

“And it shall be on that day, said the LORD, that you will call me ishi (literally, my man), and will call me no more my master/husband.” (Hosea 2:18).

shabbat 119

the destruction of jerusalem continues to burn.
and casts a shadow.
even over something that should be delightful.

(discussion about preparation for shabbat, and the importance & reward of honouring shabbat, leads to a statement that where there is desecration of shabbat there is a destructive fire that cannot be put out. this in turn leads to various theories as to why Jerusalem was destroyed. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 118

R. Yosei's wife knew that there was no point in being upset or offended.
he wasn't going to apologise.
that was just how he saw her.

so she never saw him.

(there are many statements about R. Yosei on this page. he referred to his wife as 'my house', he never retracted anything he said about anyone. the walls of his house never saw him naked. and there is a question about whether or not he fulfilled his sexual obligations to his wife. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 117

rescuing food from a fire. but where to take them?

(can rescue food for shabbat from a fire, so there is enough to eat. but earlier in the page, discussion about being permitted to carry a rescued Torah to an alleyway, but not food. also on this page is the origin of having 2 loaves of bread for shabbat meals. for english translation of this page, see here)

shabbat 116

can other libraries be rescued from a fire?

and encouraging donkeys to kick over lamps is one way to start trouble.

(while discussing rescuing sacred scrolls from a fire, and not the scrolls written by heretics, the talmud mentions the books of Abidon, a library where ideas and knowledge was debated. can scrolls be rescued from there in case of fire on shabbat? later on the page is a story of Imma Shalom setting up a Christian official who claimed didn't accept bribes. she gave him a lamp, and then asked him to rule if daughters could inherit. He ruled yes, the old rule of property only going to sons was now obsolute. Her brother, R. Gamliel, brought a donkey that kicked the lamp, and thus revealing his bias. it is an odd story. using a woman to prove that inheritance should only go to the males..... the law is an ass...
for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 115

 it is better for an amulet to be destroyed in fire than dissolved in water.

(in discussion about rescuing sacred scrolls from a fire on shabbat, the text quotes a baraita that rules that one does not rescue amulets, even those with God's name written on them. This leads to those who write amulets being seen as burners of Torah scrolls. R. Yishmael was informed of someone who was writing amulets, he investigated and the scribe destroyed the amulets in water. actively destroying God's name. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 114

who wears the spotless clothing?

R. Yohanan: the ones who deal with the letter of fire. the torah scholars
Reish Lakish: the ones who deal with water: the bath attendants

fire and water divide them again.

(following R Yochanan statement that clothing = honour, there is a discussion about torah scholars should be well dressed, without stains or patches. R. Yohanan interprets the word 'builders' to be Torah scholars - Torah is said to be written in black fire on white fire, and the hebrew lettering is called 'the flame alphabet.' Reish Lakish interprets the word 'builders' to be the bath attendants, as they are meticulous in their clothing. This pair, who met while R. Yohanan was bathing, and R. Yohanan turned Reish Lakish into a torah scholar, fatally argued over a knife, was it completed in fire or water. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 113

the honour that cannot be burned

(in the discussion about preparing garments on shabbat.  and wearing special clothes for shabbat.  R. Yochanan is quoted as calling his clothing his honour. this equating clothing with honour is read into the verse in Isaiah where there is burning under honour - the body would burn but the garments would remain untouched. for english translation of this page of talmud, see here)

shabbat 112

the angelic man who understands the purity of shoes.

(this page discusses the prohibition of tying and untying knots and if they apply to shoes. or just the type of knot that a professional shoemaker would use in the actual making of the shoe, that is not designed to be undone by an ordinary person. so, a drawing of a maolo blahnick shoe with a knot as an integral part of the design. When discussing sandals, there is a debate about different types of broken straps on a sandal, if they make it an unusable object, and therefore cannot become ritually impure and is therefore considered pure. Hizkiya is so impressed with his student, R. Yochanan's reasoning that he considers him like an angel, or the ideal man. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 111

tying and untying

some things are easy to untie, but not everything is reversible.

some cures are hazardous to future life. so, only give it to old women

(the prohibition on tying, and untying, permanent knots on the sabbath. but ones that can be untied with one hand are ok. earlier in the page is a discussion about a cure for jaundice that has the side-effect of sterility. as castration is prohibited, this cure is considered only suitable for old people who are no longer fertile. but old men have been known to have their youth restored. just for old women then. for english translation of the full talmud page, see here)

shabbat 110

snakes and women's bodies

how many times would a woman have to be shouted at, in an attempt to heal her, before she prefers the company of snakes?

(on this talmud page snakes seem to be sexually aggressive to women, her alternative sexual partner. and described is a the cure for how to lure out a snake that has entered a woman. also on this page are the many many alternative cures for a zavah, a woman who is having a non-menstrual bloody discharge. part of some of the cures, including drinking various potions, is frightening her and shouting "Stop your discharge!" ...because yelling is always going to help.... for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

some days I really enjoy learning talmud. and some days I don't. today is one of the latter...

shabbat 109

removing evil spirits and harm

the evil spirit on the hands that can be removed with careful washing,
eye-shadow that cause the Daughter of the King to pass by
and
a log of 40+day old urine will keep witchcraft (and everyone else) at bay.

and all these harmful evil spirits are female...

(this page of the talmud discusses various remedies and cures. taking medicine for non-fatal aliments is not permitted on the sabbath. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 108

water & healing

the rises to greet the man with a stomach-ache

no one drowns in the Dead Sea

but what is better for the eye, salt water, wine, saliva or just cutting off the hand to prevent infection

(for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 107

SKIN
above and below the skin
piercing the skin to let the pus out and wounds where the blood stays beneath, and never breaks through the skin

and is the skin a separate part of the animal?

(laws against trapping, inflicting a wound and killing on shabbat. can pierce the skin to drain an abscess  . also discussed on this page is the prohibition against making a a wound. defined as causing blood to bruise beneath the skin. also discussed is the prohibition to trap or wound any of the 8 named creeping animals, and whether or not their skin is considered part of their flesh or separate. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 106

not all enclosures are the same
not all creatures are the same

but not every living being can be contained.

(in discussing the prohibition of trapping on Shabbat, there is a discussion about different types of enclosures. and whether or not an animal in an enclosed space but can still evade capture can be considered as trapped. But there are some birds that are considered free as even though they are in a house, they don't follow authority and will always evade capture.
for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 105

how many stitches does it take to repair constructive acts of angry destruction?

(on this page, only constructive actions are considered prohibited labour on shabbat. but there are some destructive acts that are actually constructive. eg tearing to repair fabric that has a blemish woven into it. this leads to a discussion about constructive meaningful tearing. the obligation to tear one's clothes as an act of mourning. and to show one's anger to the household. examples are given of various rabbis who tear clothes, smash vessels and throwing small fish at the maidservant... for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 104

just because it is child's play doesn't mean it isn't serious

the wisdoms that comes out from the letters that float, and combine, and recombine through the alphabet.

for english translation of this talmud page, see here

shabbat 103

when is writing considered writing and not just mark making?

letters that fade
letter combinations that don't make a word
but what of letters that are easily confused?

and if writing = 2 letters
what if you use 2 letters to form 1 letter?

for english translation of this talmud page, see here

shabbat 102

careless throwing

the same lack of intention is needed at the beginning and at the end of the arc of throwing.

doesn't count if it is caught by a dog, or set on fire

shabbat 101

messing about with boats
making a single domain from 2 boats

shabbat 100

can water define a domain?

discussing water in holes and the status of the sea

(due to it's fluidity, throwing something on water is not considered placement. water in a deep hole is not considered 'filled' and therefore still liable as if one threw something into an empty hole. but the sea has the status of a karmelit, neither public not private space. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 99

throwing needles, earth and boards

is it from when it was thrown or where they land that determines the domain?

for english translation of this talmud page, see here

shabbat 98

some coverings aren't enough to enclose, and so underneath is still public space. (boards on wagons, with gaps between the boards)

and some coverings are very private.
as private as beneath a woman's trailing skirt.

(the discussion about the shape of the mishkan's boards, it effects the way the curtains were draped over the board. The mishkan is described as being like a woman's skirt trailing in the marketplace. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 97

what happens when an object passes through a different domain while on it's path from one place to another.

(on this page is the miracle of Moshe's hand turning white when going under his cloak, and then being healed. also discussed the details of throwing an object from one private domain to another private domain, whilst passing through a public space. and going from public to public, while going through a covered private domain. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 96

not everything is written explicitly in the text

some details are hidden, they need to be anonymous

others, just aren't there...

(after an inconclusive discussion about where in the Torah the prohibition of carrying in public space on Shabbat is derived, there is the statement that it is from tradition and not written in the text. there is also a discussion about the man who gathers wood on shabbat and is punished. R. Akiva identifies him as Zelophehad, but R. Yehudah b. Beteira is cautious, the text does not say so explicitly and so may slander an innocent man. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 95

connecting and disconnecting with the earth

can a perforated plant pot be considered connected to the ground?

and if it is not permitted to sprinkle water on the floor as may smooth the holes in the earth, then water on smooth stone has no such effect.

for english translation of this talmud page, see here

shabbat 94

human dignity
looking after the body can overturn even a torah prohibition
from carrying a corpse
to removing a severed hanging fingernail

(for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 93

if the support is not necessary

then

it's irrelevant.

it's like it isn't there

(for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 92

the multiple ways of carrying

with the usual, and unusual, parts of the body

and 2 people carrying one heavy item

(for english translation of this page of talmud, see here)

shabbat 91

combinations
individual things coming together to form one unit

can 2 different intentions be part of one prohibited act of carrying?

can many items combine to be one unit for carrying?

(for english translation of this talmud page, see here)

shabbat 90

the significance of very small things

a trace of perfume,
a speck of pepper
a single hair

and the power of locusts

(one is only liable for carrying on shabbat if carrying an amount to be useful. there are some items where even a very small trace is significant. and a talisman can be made with a certain locust for learning and wisdom. for english translation of this talmud page, see here)