Responsa for Shabbat 2:7

שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים צָרִיךְ אָדָם לוֹמַר בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת עִם חֲשֵׁכָה. עִשַּׂרְתֶּם. עֵרַבְתֶּם. הַדְלִיקוּ אֶת הַנֵּר. סָפֵק חֲשֵׁכָה סָפֵק אֵין חֲשֵׁכָה, אֵין מְעַשְּׂרִין אֶת הַוַּדַּאי, וְאֵין מַטְבִּילִין אֶת הַכֵּלִים, וְאֵין מַדְלִיקִין אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת, אֲבָל מְעַשְּׂרִין אֶת הַדְּמַאי, וּמְעָרְבִין, וְטוֹמְנִין אֶת הַחַמִּין:

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.]

Explore responsa for Shabbat 2:7. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.