Shabbat 123a — the Talmud in English

He holds

the tanna of our Mishna:

an object whose labor is for a prohibition may be moved for the sake of its body.

Abaye challenged Rabba:

We learned in the Tosefta:

A mortar

in which garlic is pounded [and it is a utensil whose labor is for a prohibition, since pounding garlic violates the prohibition of grinding].

If there is garlic in it, it may be moved

the mortar together with the garlic.

But if not, it may not be moved

even to sit upon it, since it is a utensil whose labor is for a prohibition. And we see that a utensil whose labor is for a prohibition is forbidden to move for the sake of its body.

Rabba said to him: Whose is this

this beraita?

It is Rabbi Nehemiah, who says: No utensil

even one whose labor is for a permitted use

may be moved except for its designated use

for which it is designated. Therefore it forbade moving the mortar even for the sake of its body.

He challenged him:

We learned in the Mishna in Beitza:

Beit Shammai say: One may not take the pestle –

a utensil designated for pounding things that one is forbidden to pound on a Festival – even

to cut meat upon it. And Beit Hillel permit

on account of the joy of the Festival.

And we learned in a beraita:

And they agree,

Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel,

that if one cut meat upon it, it is forbidden to move it

even for the sake of its body, since this does not involve the need for the joy of the Festival. And we see that a utensil whose labor is for a prohibition is forbidden to move for the sake of its body.

And we explain:

Rabba thought

Rabba

to answer him

to Abaye, that the beraita agrees

with Rabbi Nehemiah,

who says that a utensil may be moved only for its designated use, and therefore it is forbidden to move the pestle.

Once Rabba heard this, which Rav Hanina bar Shelumya said in the name of Rav: Everything

even the Rabbis who dispute Rabbi Nehemiah

agree concerning the weaving tools –

dyers’ tools. [And some say weaving tools].

Since

he is particular about them,

the craftsman, that they not become soiled or damaged,

he designates

he

a place for them,

he sets them aside so that they will not be used for other uses. [And they are muktzeh on account of financial loss].

So too

with the pestle and mortar,

he designates a place for them,

he sets them aside from other uses. And even the Rabbis agree that it is forbidden to move them, even for the sake of their bodies, for they are muktzeh on account of financial loss.

It was stated: Rav Hiyya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: We learned [in the Mishna] a goldsmith’s hammer

with which it is permitted to crack nuts. And even though a person is particular about it, nevertheless, since its use is by striking on the anvil, he does not set it aside from other uses, and all the more so a blacksmith’s hammer is permitted for cracking nuts.

Rav Shemen bar Abba said: We learned [in the Mishna] a spice hammer,

with which spices are ground.

The one who says that it is spices

that we learned,

all the more so

a hammer

of goldsmiths,

with which it is permitted to crack nuts, for he is less particular about it.

The one who says

that our Mishna deals with

one of goldsmiths, but

a hammer

of spices

is forbidden for cracking nuts, for he

is particular about it,

so that it not be ruined through other uses.

We learned in the Mishna:

And the spindle and the shuttle

and so on.

The Sages taught: An unripe fig –

a fig that has not fully ripened –

that he buried in straw

on Friday in order to complete its ripening.

And a cake –

a cake half-baked –

that he buried in coals

on Friday in order to complete its baking. And the straw is muktzeh, for ordinarily it is used for making plaster, and likewise the coals are muktzeh.

If part of it is exposed,

the unripe fig or the cake,

it is permitted to move it

on Shabbat. Since he can grasp it at the place exposed, there is not even moving muktzeh indirectly, for he lifts the cake or the unripe fig at the exposed place, and the straw or coals fall away by themselves.

But if not,

if the unripe fig and the cake are not exposed,

it is forbidden to move it,

for even indirect movement of muktzeh is forbidden on Shabbat.

Rabbi Elazar ben Tadai says: One may insert [the spindle or shuttle] into it, and they are shaken off by themselves.

And this is only indirect movement, and not direct movement of the muktzeh, and it is permitted.

Rav Nahman said: The halakha is in accordance with Rabbi Elazar ben Tadai.

And we challenge this:

Is this to say that Rav Nahman holds that indirect movement is not considered movement?

But Rav Nahman said: This radish,

a detached radish that one buried in the ground, with part of it exposed:

from top to bottom,

if its upper part, which is the wider part, is exposed,

it is permitted,

it is permitted to pull the radish by its upper part and remove all of it, for there is no movement of the earth here at all.

But

from bottom to top,

if the upper side of the radish, which is the wide side, is below and covered with sand,

it is forbidden.

For he moves the earth when he pulls out the entire radish, even though he moves the earth only through indirect movement, by moving the radish. And infer from this that Rav Nahman holds that indirect movement is considered movement.

And we answered:

He retracted –

he retracted

Rav Nahman from that statement.

And even from bottom to top it is permitted, for indirect movement is not considered movement.

We learned in the Mishna:

A hand needle, to remove with it

and so on.

Rava son of Rabba sent to Rav Yosef: Let our master teach us: A needle whose eye

the hole through which the thread is threaded

or its point

its sharp side

was removed

what is the law regarding moving it? Has its status as a utensil been nullified?

He said to him: You have learned it

in our Mishna –

a hand needle

is permitted to move it in order

to remove the thorn with it.

And what difference does the thorn care about between

a needle

with a hole and one without a hole?

And since we see that the needle is used to remove the thorn with it, if so, even a needle whose eye was removed retains the status of a utensil.

He challenged him: A needle whose eye or point was removed is pure.

It is apparent that its status as a utensil has been nullified and therefore it is pure. The same applies concerning moving: the needle’s status as a utensil has been nullified, and it is forbidden to move it.

Abaye said: Are you comparing impurity to Shabbat!?

There is no comparison between impurity and Shabbat.

Impurity—

we require a functional vessel,

that the vessel's use remain possible; and once its eye or its point has been removed, and it is impossible to use it for sewing, which is what the needle is intended for, the status of a vessel is nullified from it.

But

with regard to Shabbat, something fit

for use

we require. And this one

whose point was removed

also,

even though it is not fit for sewing, nevertheless it is

fit for removing a thorn with it.

Rava said: The one who objects,

who raised an objection from impurity against Shabbat,

properly raises an objection!

Since with regard to impurity it is not a vessel,

it is not a vessel when its point or eye has been removed,

with regard to Shabbat as well it is not a vessel,

and it is forbidden to move it, even though it is fit for removing a thorn.

It was objected: A needle, whether pierced or unpierced,

which has no hole,

it is permitted to move it on Shabbat. And they said

that we require it to be

pierced only with regard to

receiving

impurity alone.

And we see that we do not equate impurity and Shabbat.

Abaye interpreted it according

to the words of

Rava [

who did not distinguish between impurity and Shabbat]: This baraita

concerns unfinished

needles intended to be pierced;

we are dealing

with ones whose work on the needle has not yet been completed, until they pierce it. Therefore, with regard to impurity, since the vessel is not complete, the needle does not receive impurity. But with regard to Shabbat,

sometimes he changes his mind

he changes his mind

about them,

to leave them as they are and not pierce them,

and makes them into vessels,

making them into a vessel for removing a thorn, and therefore it is permitted to move them. [For anywhere that through his thought he can make them into a vessel, this suffices with regard to moving them on Shabbat] Tosafot.

But

in the case of a complete needle that broke,

where its eye or its point has been removed, a person

does not leave it in order to remove a thorn with it. Rather, he

throws it among the scraps,

and its status as a vessel is nullified even with regard to Shabbat, and it is forbidden to move it.

Asuvei yinuka

is the arranging and correcting of the infant's limbs after he is born.

Rav Naḥman prohibits

on Shabbat, for it resembles repairing.

And Rav Sheshet permits.