A man must say three things in his house [(and he must say them gently so that he be heeded)] on Sabbath even before nightfall [i.e., when it is close to nightfall and there is still time in the day to tithe and to make the eruv, but not too much before nightfall, lest they trespass, saying: There is still plenty of time left in the day]: "Did you tithe?" [for the Sabbath meal, even an improvised Sabbath meal being regarded as a fixed one for purposes of the tithe], "Did you make an eruv?" [the eruvim of (Sabbath) boundaries and courtyards], "Light the lamp." [The first two can be expressed as questions, for they (the activities) might already have been done, but "Did you light the lamp?" would not apply, for it is apparent whether it has or has not been lit.] If it is doubtful whether night has or has not fallen [(From the beginning of sunset, so long as one star alone is visible, it is definitely day. So long as two medium-sized stars are seen, it is possibly nightfall. It is called "ben hashmashoth" (twilight) and is subject to the (halachic) stringencies of day and the stringencies of night. And once three medium-sized stars are visible, it is definitely night for all purposes)], (If it is doubtful, etc.), then that which is definitely subject to the tithe is not tithed, [for this would be a definite amendment, and even though this is forbidden only because of shvuth (rabbinic "resting"), this tanna holds that they decreed for shvuth considerations even ben hashmashoth], and vessels are not immersed [to rid them of their uncleanliness; for this is like "fixing" a vessel, and shvuth obtains here, too], and the lamps are not kindled, [all the more, for there is possibility of a Torah transgression here. The (Mishnaic) structure here is: "This (is forbidden), and, it goes without saying, that." And our rabbis have explained: "and the lamps are not kindled": We do not tell a gentile to kindle them.] But (what might not have been tithed) is tithed, [and this is not like "amending," for most of the unlearned (amei ha'aretz) do tithe], and an eruv is made [an eruv of courtyards for this (institution) is just a stringency in general, but eruvim of boundaries have Scriptural support], and warm dishes may be stored [in something that does not add heat; for if it does add heat, this is forbidden even while it is still day. The rationale for storing warm dishes ben hashmashoth in something which does not add heat is that even on the Sabbath itself it was forbidden to store warm dishes in something that does not add heat — a decree, lest he find his dish to have cooled and he come to boil it by the fire and be in transgression of cooking on the Sabbath. But there is no reason for such a decree ben hashmashoth, for at that time dishes, in general, are boiling, and there is no reason to fear lest his dish cool off and he come to boil it. Therefore, warm dishes may be stored ben hashmashoth, even though they may not be stored on the Sabbath.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
צריך אדם לומר בתוך ביתו – and he needs to say them in a gentle way (Tractate Shabbat 34a) in order that he will accept it from him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shabbat
Introduction
The final mishnah of this chapter discusses what last minute preparations should be double-checked right before Shabbat begins. The mishnah then proceeds to discuss what things may be done during twilight, a time which the rabbis were unsure whether to consider night or not.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
עם חשיכה – which is near darkness and there is yet time during the day to tithe or to make an Eruv but not a lot of time prior to darkness.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shabbat
A person must say three things in his house on the eve of Shabbat just before night: Have you separated tithes? Have you prepared the ‘eruv? Kindle the [Shabbat] lamp. There are three things a person should check before Shabbat begins. The first is that his food has been tithed. Tithes may not be separated on Shabbat and therefore food which has not been tithed will not be able to be eaten on Shabbat. He should also ask if the “eruv” has been set up. There are two types of eruvin (the plural of eruv): one which allows a person to go further out of the city than he would otherwise be allowed to go and one which allows a person to carry things in places where it would normally be prohibited. The tractate which follows Shabbat is tractate Eruvin so we will reserve in-depth discussion of these issues until later. Setting up both types of eruvin is an important part of Shabbat preparation. When all other preparations have been made, he tells his wife to light the Shabbat candles.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
עשרתם – for the Sabbath meal, for even for an incidental meal of the Sabbath establishes for tithing.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shabbat
If it is doubtful, whether it is night or not, they do not tithe that which is certainly [untithed], they do not immerse utensils, and they do not kindle the lights. The mishnah now begins to discuss what things may be done during twilight, the period after sunset before it is completely dark. It is forbidden to tithe produce which we know has not been tithed. Tithes are part of a forbidden labor called “completing” something’s preparation (metaken). Similarly, immersing an impure vessel in a mikveh is considered completing its preparation and is forbidden. Finally, if the candles have not yet been lit, they do not light them. All three of these activities are prohibited by the Torah (deoraita) and hence cannot be done even during twilight.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
ערבתם – the joining of borders and courtyards and for these two it belongs to mention them in the form of a question, lest they have already been made, but with a candle, it does not belong to mention “have you kindled the candle” for this is a matter that is apparent to the eye – either that I should light or that I should not light.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shabbat
But they can tithe doubtfully tithed produce, and they can set up an eruv, and they can store hot food. However, the following three activities are permitted. It is permitted to tithe doubtfully tithed produce (demai) because according to Torah law he doesn’t even need to separate tithes from demai in the first place. Since the entire obligation is only a rabbinic stringency, the rabbis allowed it to be done during twilight, although not on Shabbat. One can still set up an eruv. Finally, it is permitted to cover hot food with something that will maintain the food’s warmth. On Shabbat it is forbidden to do so lest by doing so she cooks, an activity which is prohibited. This last clause also functions as a transition to the next chapter which is devoted to the important prohibition of cooking on Shabbat.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
ספק חשיכה – from the beginning of the setting of the sun, all the time that one star alone appears, it is definitely daylight and all the while that two medium-sized stars appear, it is doubtfully dark and it is called twilight and we place upon it the stringencies of the daytime and the stringencies of the nighttime, and when three medium-sized stars appear, it is definitely dark for all matters.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
אין מעשרין את הודאי – this is a valid preparation but because of rabbinic decrees designed to enhance the character of the Shabbat as a day of rest/Shevut, this Tanna/teacher holds that they made a decree designed to enhance the character of the Sabbath as a day of rest even at twilight.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
ואין מטבילין את הכלים – to elevate them from their ritual impurity for it is like repairing a utensil which has the rabbinic decree designed to enhance the character of the Sabbath as a day of rest.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
ואין מדליקין את הנרות - all the more so since it is a doubtful Biblical commandment and this, and you don’t have to mention that, is taught. But my teachers explained that one does not kindle the candles nor does one tell a heathen to kindle [them].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
אבל מעשרין את הדמאי – and it is not similar to repairing for most ignoramuses/Amei HaAretz tithe.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
ומערבין – for the joining of courtyards is a mere stringency but not the joining of Sabbath boundaries that have support from Biblical verses.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shabbat
וטומנין את החמין – concerning something that does not add vapor, for if it were something that added vapor, even while it is still daylight, it is prohibited, and the reason is that we cover up hot foods at twilight with something that does not add vapor for they (i.e., the Sages) did not prohibit covering up hot foods on the Sabbath itself with something that does not add vapor as a decree lest one finds a pot that has cooled off and its growing hot in fire and it is found to be cooking on the Sabbath and at twilight, one cannot make a decree on this for mere pots at twilight boil and one cannot suspect lest it cooled off and became hot. Therefore, we cover hot foods at twilight even though we do not cover hot foods on the Sabbath.
