Shabbat 137b — the Talmud in English

One who

circumcises

, who cut the foreskin,

and did not perform periah, the circumcision

, who did not remove the membrane of skin beneath the foreskin — this is

as though he had not circumcised

.

Gemara:

Rabbi Avina said in the name of Rav Yirmeya bar Abba

said Rav:

This that we say, that shreds that impede the circumcision [are those] when “flesh covering most of the corona” remains—do not say [that this means] specifically that most of the circumference of the corona remains.

Rather, if only

flesh covering most of the height of the corona

remains, even in one place, it impedes the circumcision.

We learned in the Mishna:

And if he was one with abundant flesh

—he adjusts it because of appearance to the eye.

Shmuel said: A minor whose flesh is overgrown

, who is fat, and after he was circumcised it appears as though it covers him—

we see him:

If

whenever he becomes erect

and through his erection his flesh spreads out

and he appears circumcised, he need not be circumcised

a second time.

But if not

, meaning that even at the time of his erection he does not appear circumcised, he

needs to be circumcised

a second time.

In the matnita it was taught: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: A minor whose flesh is overgrown, we see him; whenever he becomes erect and does not appear circumcised, he must be circumcised

a second time.

But if not, he need not be circumcised.

What is the difference between them

, between Shmuel and the matnita?

And we explain:

There is a difference between them: [when] he appears [circumcised] and does not appear [circumcised]

. According to Shmuel, who requires that he appear circumcised, when he appears and does not appear, he must be circumcised. According to the matnita, only when he does not appear [circumcised] must he be circumcised; but when he appears and does not appear, he need not be circumcised.

We learned in the Mishna:

[If one] circumcised but did not perform periah.

The Sages taught: The one who circumcises says: Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision.

The father of the son says: Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham our forefather.

Those standing there say: Just as he entered

the covenant

,

so may he enter Torah, the marriage canopy, and good deeds.

And the one reciting the blessing says: Who sanctified the beloved one from the womb and placed a statute in his flesh. And his descendants he sealed with the sign of the holy covenant. Therefore, as reward for this, Living God, our portion, our Rock, He commanded

to save the beloved one of our flesh from destruction, for the sake of His covenant which He placed in our flesh. Blessed are You, Lord, Who makes

the covenant.

And the explanation of the blessing is:

Who sanctified the beloved one from the womb

. Rashi explains that the reference is to Isaac, who even before he was born was sanctified for the mitzva, as it is written: “But Sarah your wife shall bear you a son. And I will establish My covenant with him.” And Tosafot explain that the reference is to Abraham, concerning whom it is said: “What has My beloved in My house?”

And a statute

—this is the circumcision.

In his flesh

—in his flesh.

Placed

—engraved [and this “statute” is not like the other statutes, which are not in a person’s body. Maharsha].

And his descendants

after him [Tosafot, Menaḥot 53b, and the Ran explain that the reference is to Jacob],

he sealed with the sign

this

holy covenant.

Therefore, as reward

for this

mitzva

—

Living God, our portion, our Rock

[he said these names on account of the verse [Psalms 84], “My heart and my flesh sing joyfully to the Living God.” And circumcision is service of the flesh. And he said “our portion, our Rock” concerning the flesh, on account of the verse [there 73], “My flesh and my heart are consumed; God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.” Abudraham].

He commanded

the Holy One, blessed is He, Abraham ,

to save the beloved one of our flesh

, that is, the body [the Bach, Yoreh Deah 265, explains that it refers to the soul].

From destruction

—from Gehenna. As it is written in Zechariah: “And you also, by the blood of your covenant, I have sent forth your prisoners from the pit in which there is no water.”

The Maharsha adds, based on the words of the Gemara in Eruvin 19a, that Abraham sits at the entrance of Gehenna and saves everyone who is circumcised, except for one who has intercourse with a gentile woman.

For the sake of

merit, His covenant

which He placed in our flesh. Blessed are You, Lord, Who makes the covenant

. On account of what is written: “And He made the covenant with him” [Abudraham].

One who circumcises converts says: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision.

And the one reciting the blessing says: Who sanctified us with His commandments

and commanded us to circumcise the converts

and to draw from them the blood of the covenant.

For if not for the blood of the covenant,

heaven and earth would not endure. As it is stated: “If not for My covenant, day and night, I would not have established the statutes of heaven and earth.” Blessed are You, Lord, Who makes the covenant.

One who circumcises slaves says: Who sanctified us

with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision.

And the one reciting the blessing says: Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to circumcise the slaves and to draw from them the blood of the covenant, for if not for the blood of the covenant, the statutes of heaven and earth would not endure. As it is stated: “If not for My covenant, day and night, I would not have established the statutes of heaven and earth.” Blessed are You, Lord, Who makes the covenant.

We shall return to you, chapter “Rabbi Eliezer concerning circumcision.”

Mishna:

Rabbi Eliezer says: One suspends the strainer [

strainer] through which they strain the dregs over the vessel

on a Festival.

And we do not concern ourselves on account of making a tent by spreading the strainer over the vessel, for this matter was prohibited only on Shabbat.

And they place

wine dregs in which wine is mixed

in

a strainer that is already

suspended

over the vessel

on Shabbat.

And although the wine is strained through it, it is permitted to do this, because this is not the manner of selection.

And the Sages say: One may not suspend the strainer on a Festival, and one may not place

wine dregs

in

a strainer

suspended on Shabbat.

But one may place

the wine dregs

in

a strainer

suspended on a Festival,

because this is a labor for the sake of food.

Gemara:

We learned in our Mishna: Rabbi Eliezer says: One suspends the strainer on a Festival.

And we raised a difficulty concerning it:

Now [

indeed] Rabbi Eliezer holds that even

to add

[to add]

a temporary tent

on Shabbat to a tent that existed from the eve of Shabbat

we do not add,

and if so,

to make initially

a temporary tent, such as spreading the strainer over the vessel—who

permits it?

And the Gemara explains: This that we said, that Rabbi Eliezer prohibits even adding a temporary tent on Shabbat,

what is it? [

Where did we learn this?]

For we learned

above [125b]:

A stopper [

a shutter]

of the window

of the roof opening, which he wishes to use to cover the roof opening, and by this he makes a tent over the house.

Rabbi Eliezer says:

When

the

stopper

is tied

to the window with a cord

and suspended

in the air and ready for stopping—the window—

may be stopped with it. But if not,

that it is not tied to the window, or it is tied but not suspended in the air, rather resting on a particular place,

one may not stop with it,

because this involves making a temporary tent, and it is prohibited to do so on Shabbat.

And the Sages say: Whether in this manner or in that manner—

one may stop with it.

And Rabba bar bar Hana said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: Everyone agrees that one does not make a temporary tent initially [

to begin its construction]

on a Festival, and there is no need to say

that one does not make a temporary tent initially

on Shabbat.

They disagree only concerning adding

a temporary tent, such as the stopper of the window.

For Rabbi Eliezer says: One does not add on a Festival, and there is no need to say on Shabbat. And the Sages say: One adds on Shabbat, and there is no need to say on a Festival.

And we answer:

Rabbi Eliezer,

who permitted spreading the strainer on a Festival, although it is prohibited even to make an addition to a temporary tent on it,

agrees with Rabbi Judah,

who permits on a Festival performing a labor that makes it possible to perform a labor for the sake of food.

For it was taught in a beraita: The only difference between a Festival and Shabbat is

the performance of labors for the needs of

food alone.

Rabbi Judah permits

performing on a Festival

even “requirements for food,”

such as repairing a spit that became bent, although the repair itself is not “a labor for the sake of food,” for through this it will be possible to roast meat, which is food.

Likewise, it is permitted to spread the strainer, because through this it will be possible to strain the wine, which is a labor for the sake of food.

And we challenge this:

We have heard Rabbi Judah

permit

requirements

for food

that cannot be made on the eve of the Festival,

such as a spit that became bent on the Festival.

But

concerning “requirements” that can be made on the eve of the Festival,

such as a spit that became bent on the eve of the Festival,

have you heard him

permit them? And if so, how did Rabbi Eliezer permit suspending the strainer, since it could have been suspended on the eve of the Festival? And we answer:

Rabbi Eliezer is more extensive [

Rabbi Eliezer’s permission is greater]

than Rabbi Judah’s.

For Rabbi Eliezer permits even requirements for food that can be made on the eve of the Festival.

We learned in the Mishna:

And the Sages say:

One may not suspend the strainer on a Festival, and there is no need to say on Shabbat.

They raised a dilemma before them: If he suspended

the strainer on Shabbat,

what

is its law?

Rav Yosef said: If he suspended—

he is liable to a sin-offering,

for making a tent is a derivative of the labor of building.

Abaye said to him: If that is so, if one hung a small vessel on a peg [

he hung a small vessel on a peg] and the vessel became like a tent,

is it also the case that he is liable

a sin-offering? But we have never heard that there is a prohibition in this, because every prohibition of making a temporary tent is rabbinic, and the Sages did not prohibit hanging vessels on a peg!