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)

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Eruvin 88 – Pouring Water

We have previously dealt with the issue of drawing water on Shabbat from a trough that runs through a shared courtyard. Now we deal the pouring water back into that trough. That may seem obvious – but it’s not!

MISHNAH. IF [THE AREA OF] A COURTYARD WAS LESS THAN FOUR CUBITS NO WATER MAY BE POURED OUT INTO IT ON THE SABBATH UNLESS IT WAS PROVIDED WITH A TROUGH HOLDING TWO SE'AH FROM ITS EDGE DOWNWARDS, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER IT WAS (flowing) WITHOUT (the Courtyard) OR WITHIN, EXCEPT THAT IF IT WAS WITHOUT IT IS NECESSARY TO COVER IT AND IF IT WAS WITHIN IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO COVER IT.

That is, if the trough flows from or to a public domain from the private one, it must be covered with boards so that it is clearly a “free” domain.

Why does there have to be a two se’ah space in the trough? According to the rabbis that is supposed to be the amount of water a person uses in a day.

Of course, the usual thing in those days, particularly for those in the upper stories, is to pour waste water into the roof gutters and let it flow into the drain. In a small courtyard (less than 4 cubits) that would be restricted as well. Or maybe not:

One taught: This applies only to the hot season, but during the rainy season a person may pour his water again and again without any limit.


Waste water added to a gutter in the rainy season would not add noticeably. And, equally important, it would not be noticed and cause others to think that Sabbath restrictions were not in place. In the dry season, it would stand out!

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