Shabbat 16

Chapter 16

א כָּל כִּתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי הַדְּלֵקָה, בֵּין שֶׁקּוֹרִין בָּהֶן וּבֵין שֶׁאֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּתוּבִים בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, טְעוּנִים גְּנִיזָה. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין קוֹרִין בָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי בִטּוּל בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. מַצִּילִין תִּיק הַסֵּפֶר עִם הַסֵּפֶר, וְתִיק הַתְּפִלִּין עִם הַתְּפִלִּין, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּתוֹכָן מָעוֹת. וּלְהֵיכָן מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן, לְמָבוֹי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְפֻלָּשׁ. בֶּן בְּתֵירָא אוֹמֵר, אַף לִמְפֻלָּשׁ:

1 All holy writings may be rescued from the path of a fire (on Shabbath). [Even Prophets and the Writings may be rescued from a courtyard where a fire broke out, to a different courtyard in that mavui (alleyway), even if he did not make an eiruv — this, on condition that they be written in Assyrian script and in the holy tongue], whether they are read, [such as the Prophets read in the synagogue on Shabbath] or they are not read [such as the Writings, for even individuals (as opposed to the congregation) do not read them on Shabbath because of "neglect of the house of study." (see below). They would expound (Torah) to the people on Shabbath, and they would teach them the laws of issur veheter ("forbidden and permitted"); for all the days of the week they were busy with their work. And they forbade the reading of the Writings on Shabbath on house of study time, for one gets "caught up" in them and might thereby fail to (come) to hear the derashah.] And even though they (the Writings) may be written in any tongue [and there is a view that it is not permitted to read them, and they are not rescued, still] they require genizah (secreting) [and they may not be put down indiscriminately in any place] And why may they not be read in? Because of "neglect of the house of study." The container of the (Torah) scroll may be rescued (from a fire on Shabbath) with the scroll; the container of the tefillin, with the tefillin — even if there is money therein. And whither is it rescued? To a mavui which is not open [one which has three walls and one lechi (a symbolic enclosure) on the fourth side.] Ben Betheira says: Even to one that is open [one which has three walls without a lechi. Thus is it explained in the gemara. The halachah is not in accordance with Ben Betheira.]

ב מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שָׁלשׁ סְעֻדּוֹת, הָרָאוּי לְאָדָם לְאָדָם, הָרָאוּי לִבְהֵמָה לִבְהֵמָה. כֵּיצַד. נָפְלָה דְלֵקָה בְלֵילֵי שַׁבָּת, מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שָׁלשׁ סְעֻדּוֹת, בְּשַׁחֲרִית, מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שְׁתֵּי סְעֻדּוֹת, בְּמִנְחָה, מְזוֹן סְעֻדָּה אֶחָת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לְעוֹלָם מַצִּילִין מְזוֹן שָׁלשׁ סְעֻדּוֹת:

2 Food for three meals (may be rescued from a fire on Shabbath). [Even though what he does is permitted, for they permitted him to rescue them only into a courtyard with an eiruv, still, they did not permit him to rescue more. For a man is "wrought up" over his belongings, and if it were permitted, he might come to extinguish the fire.] (He may rescue) what is fit for a man, for a man; what is fit for a beast, for a beast. How so? If a fire broke out on the night of Shabbath [before the meal], he may rescue (enough) food for three meals; in the morning, he may rescue food for two meals; in the afternoon, food for one meal. R. Yossi says: He may always rescue food for three meals, [since this is the quota for the day and he is doing what is permitted. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yossi.]

ג מַצִּילִין סַל מָלֵא כִכָּרוֹת, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ מֵאָה סְעֻדּוֹת, וְעִגּוּל שֶׁל דְּבֵלָה, וְחָבִית שֶׁל יַיִן. וְאוֹמֵר לַאֲחֵרִים, בֹּאוּ וְהַצִּילוּ לָכֶם. וְאִם הָיוּ פִקְחִין, עוֹשִׂין עִמּוֹ חֶשְׁבּוֹן אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת. לְהֵיכָן מַצִּילִין אוֹתָן, לְחָצֵר הַמְעֹרֶבֶת. בֶּן בְּתֵירָא אוֹמֵר, אַף לְשֶׁאֵינָהּ מְעֹרָבֶת:

3 A basket full of loaves may be rescued (from a fire on Shabbath), even if it contains enough for a hundred meals. [Since he rescues it in one act, what difference does it make whether he rescues much or little?] and (one may rescue) a cake of figs [even if it is large and contains enough for many meals.] And he may tell others: "Come and rescue for yourselves!" And if they are astute [and realize that if they ask for a wage as workers, they are not taking a wage for (working on Shabbath), since, in the beginning, this was not their intent], they make an accounting after Shabbath. [We are speaking here of one who fears Heaven, who even though he acquired what he did from hefker (renounced property), and what he rescued is his, still, he does not wish to profit from (the loss of) others, for he knows that the owner renounced it perforce. But he also does not wish to have exerted himself gratis. Therefore, he takes his wage (for exertion).] Whither is it rescued? To a courtyard with an eiruv. Ben Betheira says: Even to one that does not have an eiruv.

ד וּלְשָׁם מוֹצִיא כָל כְּלֵי תַשְׁמִישׁוֹ, וְלוֹבֵשׁ כָּל מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לִלְבּשׁ, וְעוֹטֵף כָּל מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לַעֲטֹף. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר כֵּלִים. וְחוֹזֵר וְלוֹבֵשׁ וּמוֹצִיא, וְאוֹמֵר לַאֲחֵרִים, בֹּאוּ וְהַצִּילוּ עִמִּי:

4 And thither [according to the first tanna, to a courtyard with an eiruv; according to Ben Betheira, even to a courtyard without an eiruv], he takes out all of his utensils [which he needs for that day's meals]. And he may clothe himself with whatever he can and cloak himself with whatever he can. R. Yossi says: Eighteen garments [that he is wont to wear on a weekday, and not more. They are: the outer cloak, a garment filled with sponge and cotton-wool between stitch and stitch, a broad belt worn above his garments, a short, narrow garment, an undershirt worn on one's flesh, a belt worn on that, a hat, a turban, two shoes, two socks, two gloves reaching to the armpits, two scarves for wiping himself, a small cloth for covering his head and shoulders, and his neck cloth with its two ends hanging down in front.] And he may return and clothe himself and carry out. And he may tell others: "Come and rescue with me." [For just (i.e., in equal measure) as he rescues, so do they — whereas above, he said: "Come and rescue for yourselves"; for sometimes he rescues more than they, as when he had not yet eaten and they have, or vice versa.]

ה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן נַנָּס אוֹמֵר, פּוֹרְסִין עוֹר שֶׁל גְּדִי עַל גַּבֵּי שִׁדָּה תֵּבָה וּמִגְדָּל שֶׁאָחַז בָּהֶן אֶת הָאוּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְחָרֵךְ. וְעוֹשִׂין מְחִצָּה בְּכָל הַכֵּלִים, בֵּין מְלֵאִים בֵּין רֵיקָנִים, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲבֹר הַדְּלֵקָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹסֵר בִּכְלֵי חֶרֶס חֲדָשִׁים מְלֵאִין מַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל אֶת הָאוּר וְהֵן מִתְבַּקְּעִין וּמְכַבִּין אֶת הַדְּלֵקָה:

5 R. Shimon b. Naness says: It is permitted to spread goatskin on a shidah, teivah, and migdal [types of wooden chests] which have caught fire, for it (the goatskin) is (only) singed [but does not catch fire, so that it protects the wooden chests from being burned.] And it is permitted to make a partition with all vessels, both full [of water] or empty, so that the fire not pass them. R. Yossi forbids it with new earthenware vessels full of water; for [being new] they cannot withstand the fire, and they split and extinguish it. [R. Yossi holds that (even) contributing to extinguishing is forbidden, even where there is monetary loss.]

ו נָכְרִי שֶׁבָּא לְכַבּוֹת, אֵין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ כַּבֵּה וְאַל תְּכַבֶּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין שְׁבִיתָתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן, אֲבָל קָטָן שֶׁבָּא לְכַבּוֹת, אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשְּׁבִיתָתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן:

6 If a gentile comes to put out a fire, he is not told: "Put it out," for "telling a gentile is (interdicted by reason of) shvuth ('resting')"] or: "Do not put it out" [It is not necessary to protest, but he may be permitted to put it out], for his resting is not incumbent upon them [Israelites. A Jew is not exhorted regarding a gentile's resting if he is not his bondsman.] But if a (Jewish) minor came to put out a fire, he is not heeded, for his resting is incumbent upon them.

ז כּוֹפִין קְעָרָה עַל גַּבֵּי הַנֵּר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא תֶאֱחֹז בַּקּוֹרָה, וְעַל צוֹאָה שֶׁל קָטָן, וְעַל עַקְרָב שֶׁלֹּא תִשֹּׁךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַעֲשֶׂה בָא לִפְנֵי רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי בַּעֲרָב, וְאָמַר, חוֹשְׁשָׁנִי לוֹ מֵחַטָּאת:

7 A dish [of earthenware] may be inverted over a candle so that it not ignite a beam, [so long as he does not put it out. And even though he moves a vessel to save a beam, which itself may not be moved on Shabbath — this was asked of R. Yitzchak who says that one vessel may be moved only for the sake of another that may be moved, and he answered: (We are speaking of an instance) where the place of the vessel is needed, in which instance it is permitted to move it], and (it is permitted to invert a dish) over the excrement of a minor [The meaning is not the excrement of a young child, for that would be "a chamber pot," which it is permitted to move and take out to the refuse. What is meant, rather, is: "over chicken dung, because of young children," that they not sully themselves therewith, as when this dung is found near the refuse in the courtyard, out of one's way, so that it is not "a chamber pot." Therefore, it is not permitted to move it and take it out, but a dish may be inverted over it so that a child not sully himself], and (it is permitted to invert a dish) over a scorpion, so that it not bite. R. Yehudah said: Such an instance [inverting a dish over a scorpion] came before R. Yochanan b. Zakkai in Arav, and he said: "I fear that he might be liable for a sin-offering." [Since the scorpion was not running after him, I fear that he might be liable for a sin-offering by reason of "hunting."] As for the halachah: Those venomous creatures whose bite kills of a certainty, such as fiery serpents and mad dogs, it is permitted to kill immediately on sight, even if they are not pursuing one. And those whose bite sometimes kills and sometimes not — if they are pursuing one, he is permitted to kill them; if they are not, he is permitted to invert a vessel over them. And if one treads upon them and kills them, unwittingly, in the normal course of walking, this is permitted. And to trap a snake to play with is forbidden.]

ח נָכְרִי שֶׁהִדְלִיק אֶת הַנֵּר, מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ לְאוֹרוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָסוּר. מִלֵּא מַיִם לְהַשְׁקוֹת בְּהֶמְתּוֹ, מַשְׁקֶה אַחֲרָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָסוּר. עָשָׂה גוֹי כֶּבֶשׁ לֵירֵד בּוֹ, יוֹרֵד אַחֲרָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָסוּר. מַעֲשֶׂה בְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וּזְקֵנִים שֶׁהָיוּ בָאִין בִּסְפִינָה, וְעָשָׂה גוֹי כֶּבֶשׁ לֵירֵד בּוֹ, וְיָרְדוּ בוֹ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וּזְקֵנִים:

8 If a gentile lit a candle, a Jew is permitted to make use of its light. But if (he lit it) for the sake of the Jew, it is forbidden. If he filled up (a vessel with) water [from a well in the public domain] to give his animal to drink, a Jew may give his own animal to drink after him. But if he did so for the sake of the Jew, it is forbidden. If a gentile made a plank to alight on [They would make such a plank for alighting from a big ship], a Jew may alight after him. But if he made it for the sake of the Jew, it is forbidden. Once R. Gamliel and the elders arrived on a ship. A gentile made a plank to alight on, and R. Gamliel and the elders alighted (after him). [The tanna must apprise us of (both) candle and water. For if he taught only candle, we might think that only that is permitted, for there is no reason to decree lest he add for the sake of the Jew. For "A candle for one is a candle for a hundred." But water, which lends itself to such a decree — we might think that water is forbidden. And if he taught only water, we might think that it is only water which, if he supplied it for the sake of the Jew, is forbidden; but a candle, even if he supplied it for the sake of the Jew, since he, too, can benefit by it, it is permitted. For "A candle for one is a candle for a hundred." We must, therefore, be apprised of both. And even though a plank is similar to a candle (for "A plank for one is a plank for a hundred,") we are apprised of it because of the story of R. Gamliel and the elders, a story serving as a precedent.]

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