Shabbat 118a — the Talmud in English

We learned: If a fire breaks out on the eve of Shabbat ![](pamud.bmp "

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one saves food for three meals.

What, is it not

the Mishna speaking

of one who has not eaten,

and it is thus proven that one saves only three meals, and not in accordance with Rabbi Hidka, who said that there are four meals on Shabbat?

And we reject this:

No.

Rather, it is speaking

of one who has eaten,

who has already eaten one meal.

Ta shma, as we learned in the Mishna:

In the morning—

one saves food for two meals.

What, is it not referring to one who has not eaten?

And it is thus proven that the Mishna is not in accordance with Rabbi Hidka.

And we reject this:

No, [it is referring to one] who has eaten.

Ta shma from the continuation of the Mishna:

At the afternoon prayer, one saves food for one meal .

What, is it not referring to one who has not eaten?

And we reject this:

No, [it is referring to one] who has eaten.

And we again prove:

But from the fact that the latter clause teaches: Rabbi Yose says: Forever,

even when the time of the meals has passed,

one saves food for three meals.

By inference, the first tanna holds [that there are] three!

For they disagree only about the time during which it is permitted to save, and not about the number of meals that one is obligated [to have] on Shabbat.

Rather, it is clear: Our Mishna is not in accordance with Rabbi Hidka.

But that which we learned: One who has food for two meals—

may not take from the charity food-tray.

One who has

food for fourteen

may not take from the charity fund.

The charity food-tray is a daily distribution of food to the poor; the charity fund is a distribution of money for food needs, and it is distributed once a week.

Who is [the author]?

Neither the Rabbis nor Rabbi Hidka.

For

if it is the Rabbis—

behold,

there are fifteen.

There are fifteen meals in the week, for on Shabbat there is also a third meal.

If it is Rabbi Hidka—

behold, there are

sixteen

[together with the fourth meal on Shabbat]

there are!

And we answer:

Actually, it is the Rabbis.

It is [as follows]:

We say to him: Whatever you wanted to eat at the conclusion of Shabbat

on Saturday night—

eat it on Shabbat.

Although there is a mitzva to eat a meal on Saturday night, the charity fund and the charity food-tray do not distribute [food or money] for the purpose of a mitzva.

Shall we say that it is the Rabbis and not Rabbi Hidka?

For according to Rabbi Hidka, one meal is still lacking for him?

You may even say [that it is] Rabbi Hidka.

We say to him: Whatever you wanted to eat in the evening

in the evening

of Shabbat—

eat it at night,

on the night of Shabbat.

And we challenge this:

And

for

the entire day of the eve

of the eve

of Shabbat—

the eve of Shabbat,

do we seat him in a fast?

Rather, whose view is this—

it is Rabbi Akiva’s.

For he says: Make your Shabbat like a weekday, and do not become dependent on creatures

. And therefore, they give the poor person only the amount of weekday meals.

And that which we learned: They may not give less

to give

to a poor person passing from place to place,

without lodging in the city, food

of a loaf

that is purchased

for a pundion

when the price of bread in the market is

four se'ah for a sela.

And if he

lodges

in the city—

they give him lodging provisions. And if it is Shabbat—

they give

him food for three meals.

Shall we say that it is the Rabbis and not Rabbi Hidka!

For it is explicit that they give him for the mitzva of Shabbat meals, and nevertheless they give him three meals and not four.

Actually, it is Rabbi Hidka

it is. And

for example, there is

in the possession of the poor person

one meal

one

with him.

We say to him: This

meal

that is with you—

eat it

on Shabbat as the fourth meal.

And we are astonished: If so, let the poor person eat the sole food that remains for him;

and when he goes,

when the poor person goes on his way—and is he to go

empty

with empty hands

when he goes?

And we answer: The intention is that besides the meals that they give him for his stay in the city, they give him one additional meal,

for they accompany him with a meal,

in addition to the three meals.

And now the Gemara explains:

What are lodging provisions

that they give to the poor person?

Rav Pappa said:

a bed,

and bedding,

cloths to place beneath his head.

The Sages taught: Bowls from which he ate

the Shabbat meal

in the evening—

he washes them,

cleans them, in order

to eat from them in the morning.

Bowls from which he ate the Shabbat meal

in the morning—

he washes them

in order

to eat from them at midday.

At midday—

he washes them to eat from them at the afternoon prayer.

However, bowls from which he ate

from the afternoon prayer onward—

he no longer washes them

because this is for weekday use.

But cups, small pitchers, and small bowls,

which are used throughout the entire day of Shabbat—

he washes and continues [washing] all the entire day, since there is no fixed time for drinking .

Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi in the name of Bar Kappara: Anyone who fulfills three meals on Shabbat—

is saved from three calamities:

from the pangs of the Messiah, from the judgment of Gehinnom, and from the war of Gog and Magog.

From the pangs of the Messiah—

it is written here

in connection with Shabbat

“day,” and it is written there

in connection with the pangs of the Messiah [Malachi 3]

“Behold, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the day

of the Lord, the great and awesome.”

From the judgment of Gehinnom—

it is written here “day.”

And it is written there

[Zephaniah 1]

“A day of wrath is that day.”

From the war of Gog and Magog—

it is written here “day.”

And it is written there

[Ezekiel 38]

“On the day when Gog comes.”

Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Yose: Anyone who delights in Shabbat —

they give him an inheritance without boundaries.

As it is stated

[Isaiah 58]: “And you shall call Shabbat a delight.” And concerning this reward:

“Then you shall delight in the Lord,”