What is Talmud Tweets?

What is Talmud Tweets? A short, personal take on a page of Talmud - every day!

For several years now, I have been following the tradition of "Daf Yomi" - reading a set page of Talmud daily. With the start of a new 7 1/2 year cycle, I thought I would share a taste of what the Talmud offers, with a bit of personal commentary included. The idea is not to give a scholarly explanation. Rather, it is for those new to Talmud to give a little taste - a tweet, as it were - of the richness of this text and dialogue it contains. The Talmud is a window into a style of thinking as well as the world as it changed over the centuries of its compilation.

These are not literal "tweets" - I don't limit myself to 140 characters. Rather, these are intended to be short, quick takes - focusing in on one part of a much richer discussion. Hopefully, I will pique your interest. As Hillel says: "Go and study it!" (Shabbat 31a)

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Shabbat 94 - Carrying a Horse

The Mishnah from page 93b states that if you carry out something – say food – which is less than the minimum quantity, but carry it out in a dish, bowl or other kind of utensil, you are liable for carrying out the utensil because it is “subsidiary” (taflah) to the item.
What is discussed on this page has to do with other subsidiaries. For example:

[IF ONE CARRIES OUT] A LIVING PERSON IN A BED, HE IS NOT CULPABLE EVEN IN RESPECT OF THE BED (BECAUSE THE BED IS SUBSIDIARY TO HIM)

That is because carrying a living person is not a culpable offense. So carrying him in a bed is not either, because the bed is subsidiary.

 That subsidiary idea carries to animals as well. However there is a discussion about the difference between a live animal, which could carry itself, and a dead one which “stiffens.”

 An analogy is given in respect to a living horse. One is not allowed to sell cattle to a Gentile because it may be used for plowing on Shabbat. A horse, though, may be sold – because at that time they were not used as draught animals, only for riding. Similarly – a horse carries itself!
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)