Shabbat 96a — the Talmud in English

And we answer:

This is not difficult: ![](pamud.bmp "

precise page location")

This is with a large one:

with a large vessel, it must have had most of it broken away,

this is with a small one:

with a small vessel, it is sufficient that it be able to let out a pomegranate, for it to lose the status of a vessel.

Rav Asi said: They teach

the tannaim in the beraita:

The measure of an earthenware vessel is that it admits liquid

for the smallest measure stated by which it partially loses the status of a vessel is that it admits liquid, and this is with regard to the sanctification of the water of the red heifer.

And they said “lets out liquid” only with regard to a gistera

which loses the status of a vessel through a small hole such as this [and these are precisely the words of Rava above, the five measures].

What is the reason

that a gistera differs from an intact vessel?

Mar Zutra, son of Rav Nahman, said: Because one does not say, “Bring a gistera for a gistera"

to place beneath it to receive the drops from the hole; rather, once the gistera has been perforated so that it lets out liquid, they throw it away.

But with an intact vessel, one has concern for it, and one does not throw it away because of such a hole; rather, one brings a gistera and places it beneath it.

Ulla said: Two amoraim in the West disagree concerning it

as to what the measure of the hole is with regard to rendering seeds susceptible:

Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zavda—

One said: The size that lets out a pomegranate, and one said: The size of a small root.

And your mnemonic is,

so that you should not err and say that one said the size that lets out an olive:

“The one who increases and the one who decreases”

[This is a Mishna in tractate Menahot 110a, and the Mishna concludes: “provided that he directs his heart toward Heaven.”] And this shall be a mnemonic for you: One of the amoraim increased, measuring according to the largest of the three measures [apart from the smallest ones, that admit liquid and that let out liquid, concerning which there is no room for error that perhaps they are the measure with regard to rendering seeds susceptible], namely, the size that lets out a pomegranate. And one decreased, measuring according to the smallest of the three, namely, the size of a small root. And neither of them measured according to the intermediate measure, namely, the size that lets out an olive.

Rav Hinana bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The measure of an earthenware vessel is the size that lets out olives

with regard to receiving impurity.

And Mar Kashisha, son of Rabba, concludes it in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: And they are like vessels of dung, vessels of stones, and vessels of earth, which do not receive impurity, neither by words of Torah nor by words of the Sages.

For even if one designated it for pomegranates, it does not receive impurity. For it is only with regard to a wooden vessel that the measure of the size that lets out a pomegranate was stated when it was designated for pomegranates, but not with regard to an earthenware vessel.

And with regard to a tzamid patil

its measure is

until most of it is broken away.

We return to you, chapter Ha-Matzni'a.

Mishna:

One who throws

an object

from a private domain into a public domain,

or one who throws

from a public domain into a private domain,

he is

liable.

For throwing from one domain to another is a derivative of carrying out from one domain to another, which is a primary labor.

However, one who throws an object

from one private domain to another private domain, with a public domain in between,

the tannaim disagreed about this:

Rabbi Akiva holds him liable,

and its reason will be explained in the Gemara,

and the Sages exempt.

How so? —

Two projecting platforms [

built upon projections extending from the wall, with planks placed upon the projections so that one could walk on them], and they are a private domain, because they are ten high and four by four wide], which were standing

opposite one another in a public domain [

on the two sides of the public domain], and the public domain separated between the two platforms on its two sides],

one who hands over or throws from one to the other is exempt.

But if

both were on one gallery [

on one level, above the public domain], so that the platforms did not stand opposite one another on the two sides of the public domain, but both were on one side of the public domain, and the platforms projected from the house, so that between one and the other there was a public domain], then only

one who hands over

from one to the other

is liable.

And this is the labor of “one who hands over,” which is a derivative of the labor of carrying out.

And

if

one who throws

from one to the other,

he is exempt.

And the distinction between one who hands over and one who throws is because

such was the work of the Levites

in carrying the Tabernacle: there stood in the public domain

two wagons [

upon which they carried the boards of the Tabernacle, and the wagons themselves were private domains], and the wagons stood

one after the other in the public domain,

and the Levites

handed over

the

boards from

one wagon

to

another

wagon.

But they did not

throw

them, because they were heavy. And therefore one is liable on account of “one who hands over” only in these two ways: a. One after the other. b. Through handing over alone, and not through throwing. For such was the work in the Tabernacle.

them, because they were heavy. Therefore, one is liable for “extending” only in these two ways: a. When the wagons were one behind the other. b. When the object was extended, but not thrown. For this was how the work was performed in the Tabernacle.