Daf Ditty Shabbes 157: Siyum Masechta 1 .וּע אָאלּ ִקּי ַעְל ְבל יֵ ישׁר גֵּ .ָאחוּתָל זַ יְ ֵ יהּ ְרל ָהַבּ ַרבּ הַבר ָאנוּ ְידּ ָת ביֵ ְאבּ ָאנוֹוַּ ְמד יַּ ָא מָאְק ו ַשׁח ָל ֵ .הּי ֲ א ַ מ ר ֵ ל הּי: ֵ א מי ַ ר ר ַ מי ֵ א הּי: ֵ ל ר ַ מ ֲ א .הּי . מצְָדּלאו ְְִָדוה, אנרמָבּרִדמידה י ְְְִַָדַָּן הוִמִמיצ ְָ וֲּארֲאמ?מ לר ַ מי:ֵהּ בּקַסְִּﬠת נֲאאְמָלְﬠֵ ָ א The mishna concludes: And from their statements and their actions, we derived that one may seal a window, and measure, and tie a knot on Shabbat. The Gemara relates: Ulla happened to come to the house of the Exilarch. He saw Rabba bar Rav Huna sitting in a tub [avna] of water and measuring it. He said to Rabba bar Rav Huna: Say that the Sages said that it is permitted to measure on Shabbat only a measurement for a mitzva. However, with regard to a measurement like this one, which is not for a mitzva, did they say that it is permitted? Rabba bar Rav Huna said to him: I am merely acting unawares and am not at all interested in the measurements. Therefore, it is not prohibited. As Steinzaltz (OMB) says: Measuring on Shabbes for a Mitzvah1 I would say that the Rabbis only permitted measuring for a mitzvah. – 157b Our Daf suggests that measuring on Shabbos for the purpose of a mitzvah is permitted, and this is why measuring the water in a mikveh is permitted. Accordingly, it would also be permitted to measure the diameter of a hole in a wall to determine if it is large enough to allow tum’ah to transfer through it. Tosafos (126b) explains that the reason it is generally not allowed to measure things on Shabbos is that doing so a weekday activity (uvda d’chol), which is a rabbinic restriction. The rabbis did not apply this limitation in a case of mitzvah. Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 24:5) explains (see below) that measuring falls into the category of “pursuing one’s own interests,” which the posuk 1 Daf Digest 2 If thou turn away thy foot because of the sabbath, from 13 גי ִאם - ָתּבשּׁמשׁ תִרבּי ﬠfְתַלָגִַ וֹשׂ, ֲֶ וֹשׂ, ﬠfְתַלָגִַ תִרבּי ָתּבשּׁמשׁ pursuing thy business on My holy day; and call the sabbath a בּfָצֲחפ וֹקְםי ֶ ;ִיְשָׁד לָאתָרְקו ַַשָּׁ ת ָבּ ת delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; and shalt ל,ֶגנֹע שׁק הְמוְהוֹדִי ,דְֻבּכָ וַֹתִּדבְּכוָ ְ וַֹתִּדבְּכוָ ,דְֻבּכָ הְמוְהוֹדִי שׁק ל,ֶגנֹע honour it, not doing thy wonted ways, nor pursuing thy ﬠדּת ֶי,ָמfְכֲרוֵֹמשׂ צאחמּ ְֶצִפוֹ fְ ַרבְּדְו ֵ ַרבְּדְו fְ ְֶצִפוֹ צאחמּ ֶי,ָמfְכֲרוֵֹמשׂ ﬠדּת ;business, nor speaking thereof ָָדּ.רב Isa 58:13 prohibits. When measuring is done for a mitzvah, the activity becomes “the pursuit of heaven” which is not prohibited. This implies that measuring for any mitzvah would be allowed. Yet, Ritva clearly writes that measuring for a mitzvah is only permitted for the needs of Shabbos, and not for any mitzvah. Other mitzvah pursuits such as conducting an appeal for tzeddakah are permitted when they only involve thinking or speaking. Measuring, which involves an action, is only permitted when the mitzvah cannot be delayed until after Shabbos. The first tractate of the Talmud, Berakhot, concluded with a number of pithy rabbinic statements that felt both expansive and summarizing. Tractate Shabbat does something of the opposite, wrapping up by discussing a mishnah that tackles a bunch of obscure do’s and dont’s on Shabbat, including whether a man may nullify the vows of his wife or daughter, seal a window, measure a rag to see if it’s large enough to contract impurity or measure a mikveh to see if it contains enough water. To the end, it seems, the rabbis delight in the minute and obscure.2 The tractate ends with a story that springs from the discussion about measuring water for a mikveh: Ulla came to the house of the Exilarch where he saw Rabba bar Rav Huna sitting in a tub of water and measuring it. He said to Rabba bar Rav Huna: The Sages said that it is permitted to measure on Shabbat only in order to perform a mitzvah. But this measuring, which is not for a mitzvah, did they say that it is permitted? Rabba bar Rav Huna said to him: I am merely acting unawares. Ulla, was a first generation amora generally understood to be Ulla bar Yishmael. One of – לּוּע ָ א וּ of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, he served regularly as an emissary bringing the Torah of the land of Israel to Babylonia, also bringing the innovations of the Babylonian Sages to the land of Israel. Ulla journeyed often and would travel from place to place to teach Torah (which is why Yalta called him a “peddler”). Rav Ḥisda referred to him as, “our Rabbi who comes from the land of Israel,” and Rav Yehuda sent his son to Ulla to learn practical halakha. In the Talmud Yerushalmi, where he is normally referred to as Ulla son of Yishmael (or “Ulla the descender”) many teachings are cited in his name, and many eminent Sages of the succeeding generation were his students. 2 Myjewishlearning.org 3 We know nothing of his private life. The amora Rabba bar Ulla may have been his son. We do know that he died during a journey in Babylonia and was brought back to the land of Israel for burial. Ending the Masechta with a word about the in between spaces of Halacha, the grey areas RAMBAM, Hil Shabbes 24:1 וןהﬠפּכמאלשׁמ וֹ שׁנלמאאלאדּי רםףי בשׁ בּהבּאי ֶלדּמםָתִיִאנ ֵ ְְדָןסַוּ שׁיכָמןיִב ןֵי ה לוּם.ַר ָי ֵֶָיְאַ ְֵָיְְִִֵָָיְִִִ ִ הנאמנ וּסְפּ יר ְֵֶֶָ יר וּסְפּ הנאמנ ְַכבּדתּוֹ ְִו " ( שיע י ה נ ח י ג ) גמתבּשּׁר בlשׁל םְִֶיַַָתּ ִָאִ תוֹשֲׂ ﬠ ֲ ח ָ פ ֶ צ י םוֹיְ בּ דָ ק ְשׁ "יִ נְ ו מֱאֶ רַ " ( שיע י ה נ ח י ג ) מםאנּשׁ רֶ ֱֶַשּׁוּ ִמֶַוּר םנּ שׂדּﬠת ֶיlָמְכֲרֵמוֹ צאחמּ lְצְֶפִוֹ דּרַבְּדְו רלָ."בֵ qאִיכְפָ וּלסרָ לָםְדָא בּqַלְָּה שׁבּוָיָצֲפַחֵ ְַתבּ ִוּלֲּפַאָו ְלַדֵבּר ָבֶּהן ְכּגוֹן ְֶשׁיּ ַדֵבּר ִﬠם ֻשָׁתּפוֹ ַמה ִיּ ְמֹכּר ְלָמָחר אוֹ ַמה ִיּ ְקֶנה אוֹ ֵהיַאq ִיְבֶנה ַבִּי ת הֶ ז בוּ אְ יֵ הֶ ז רוֹחְ ס ָה לֵ י qֵ מְ ל םוֹקָ נוֹלְ פּ .יִ לָ כּ הֶ ז כְ ו צוֹיַּ אֵ וֹבּ וֹבּ אֵ צוֹיַּ כְ ו הֶ ז לָ כּ .יִ נוֹלְ פּ םוֹקָ מְ ל qֵ לֵ י ָה רוֹחְ ס הֶ ז יֵ אְ בוּ הֶ ז ת : סרשׁ ֱרֶמאֶָאנּוּ ַרדְּבּדַו ָסרדּרהבֵ וּ רבָּמררָא הוּ ְָֻרִִתּוּ הוּ רבָּמררָא וּ ָסרדּרהבֵ ַרדְּבּדַו ֱרֶמאֶָאנּוּ סרשׁ Some acts are forbidden on the Sabbath even though they neither resemble nor lead to prohibited work. Why then were they forbidden? Because it is written: "If you refrain from following your business on the Sabbath, on my holy day… If you honor it, not following your wonted ways, not pursuing your business, nor speaking of it" : If thou turn away thy foot because of the sabbath, from 13 גי ִאם - ָתּבשּׁמשׁ תִרבּי ַָגִַ ְ תﬠ,ֶלf שׂ ֲוֹ שׂ תﬠ,ֶלf pursuing thy business on My holy day; and call the sabbath a בּfָצֲחפ וֹקְםי ֶ ;ִיְשָׁד לָאתָרְקו תַבַּשָּׁ ָ תַבַּשָּׁ לָאתָרְקו ;ִיְשָׁד וֹקְםי ֶ בּfָצֲחפ delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; and shalt ל,ֶגנֹע שׁק הְמוְהוֹדִי ,דְֻבּכָ וַֹתִּדבְּכוָ ְ וַֹתִּדבְּכוָ ,דְֻבּכָ הְמוְהוֹדִי שׁק ל,ֶגנֹע honour it, not doing thy wonted ways, nor pursuing thy ﬠדּת ֶי,ָמfְכֲרוֵֹמשׂ צאחמּ ְֶצִפוֹ fְ ַרבְּדְו ֵ ַרבְּדְו fְ ְֶצִפוֹ צאחמּ ֶי,ָמfְכֲרוֵֹמשׂ ﬠדּת ;business, nor speaking thereof ָָדּ.רב ISA 58:13 Hence, one is forbidden to go anywhere on the Sabbath in connection with his business, or even to talk about it. Thus one must not discuss with his partner what to sell on the next day, or what to buy, or how to build a certain house, or what merchandise to take to such-and-such a place. All this, and the like, is forbidden, for it is written "nor speaking of it." That is to say, speaking of business on the Sabbath is forbidden; thinking of it, however, is permitted. This same prooftext is used by RAMBAM to allow certain activities like running: RAMBAM, Hil Shabbes 24:5 רֻמתּ בּוָּץרָל ְַבּשׁ ת ַמרְבִדָל כָּהְוִצ ְ שׁןוֹג ֶ ָיּ ץוּר בְ ל ֵ תי כַּ ה ְ ֶנ ֶת ס וֹא בְ ל ֵ תי ַמּ ה ִד ְר .ָשׁ מוּ ְח ַשּׁ ְב ִ ןי ֶשׁח שׁתוֹנוְֹבּ לֶ ִצ מ ְ הָו דוֹמוּ ְד ןיִ ןיִ ְד דוֹמוּ הָ ו ְ ִצ מ לֶ שׁתוֹנוְֹבּ ֶשׁח ןי ִ ְב ַשּׁ ְח מוּ .ָשׁ ְר ִד ַמּ ה תי ֵ בְ ל וֹא ֶת ס ֶ נ ְ כַּ ה תי ֵ בְ ל ץוּר ָ יּ ֶ שׁןוֹג אוֹ ר ושׁלאשׁכִּמִמכּעוּשּׁקצ היםו הד ן געוֹל ד ְ ְֵֵֶָמהִדיְַ ִֶַיְ ִָ ֶבֶּגד ֵליַדע ִאם ְמַקֵבּל ֻטְמָאה. וּפוְֹסִקין ְצָדָקה ִָלֲﬠִניּים. ְוהוֹ יןְלכ ִ יןְלכ יכְּלתּב מטתסםְלחתּתְלֵקּנבפָ ﬠתְשׁו לֵוֹשׁייתַדרוּכּטוּאﬠ סוּ פָקר ֵרוֹיּל וּלִּליֵַַוֹאןקְלט ִ ְבּייִִֶַרְֲִַ ִַיְְְִֵֵַָ ם ְשׁ בּ בַּ .תָ ְשׁמוּ דַּ כְ ןיִ לַ ﬠ לַ ﬠ ןיִ כְ דַּ ְשׁמוּ .תָ בַּ ְשׁ בּ ם 4 לתִוֹנקיַהתּ סָרֵיאֶ לַהְתּﬠֵו וֹלנקיַ סוֹדַמְּלִ רֵפְ וֹאדַמְּלוֶּל מָוּ.נתְֻמּ ְרְַקּבוּ ִ ןי לוֹח ןיִ מוּ נְ מֲחַ םיִ בֲא לֵ .םיִ ְה ו נַּ כִ נְ סָ בְ ל קַּ רֵ ֶתא לוַֹח ה הֶ הֶ לוַֹח ה ֶתא רֵ קַּ בְ ל סָ נְ כִ נַּ ְה ו .םיִ לֵ בֲא םיִ מֲחַ נְ מוּ ןיִ לוֹח ןי וֹאמ רֵ בַּשׁ תָ איִ ה לִּ מ זִ עְ קֹ רוּ אוּפְ הָ בוֹרְ ק הָ אוֹבָ ל .וּמ ִכיְשַׁח ﬠןיִ הַל ְוּםחַתּ ֵחַקְּפל ﬠַ ﬠַל ְקִס יֵ ָהַלּכּ ו ﬠַלְﬠ ְקִס היֵ ֵתַמּ ָבְהל ִיא וֹל וֹל ִיא ָבְהל ֵתַמּ היֵ ְקִס ﬠַלְﬠ ו ָהַלּכּ יֵ ְקִס ﬠַל ﬠַ ֵחַקְּפל ְוּםחַתּ הַל ﬠןיִ ִכיְשַׁח .וּמ ָאןוֹר .ִןִייכְַרְכתו וֹלרוֹאמו ְֵ ֵללq קפּםמ ְָנוֹלְוֹ ִלי ֹאמ םָהאשׁתצ מָּאָמָבָ קֵפּם ְָנוִֹלוֹ ִלי ֹאמ בָּאתצ ההְָנָמָ ָאבֶּב ב.םַָיְאֵתמ דְִבלִוּ ַ דְִבלִוּ ב.םַָיְאֵתמ ָאבֶּב ההְָנָמָ בָּאתצ ֹאמ ִלי ְָנוִֹלוֹ קֵפּם מָּאָמָבָ םָהאשׁתצ ֹאמ ִלי ְָנוֹלְוֹ קפּםמ ֵללq חֲﬠוֹתשׂ ָצֲפ ֶ י" ְ ו וּכ ' ֲ ח ָ פ ֶצlא ֲוּסר ןי ִ" ( שיע י ה נ ח גי ) אֹלֶּשׁ זִ י ְכּ ֹר וֹל מוּםְכס .ָחכֶּשִׁקּ אָל וֵּלּ ְכ ו ֵאוֹציַּ ָהבּ מןֶ ִצ ְו הָה ןֵ נְ ו ַרֱמֶא ַרֱמֶא נְ ו ןֵ הָה ְו ִצ מןֶ ָהבּ ֵאוֹציַּ ְכ ו וֵּלּ אָל .ָחכֶּשִׁקּ מוּםְכס וֹל ֹר ְכּ זִ י אֹלֶּשׁ : ֵמיְשׁצֶחפ םמַיָ ִןיָרִֻתּ םמַיָ ֵמיְשׁצֶחפ It is permissible to run on Shabbat to a matter of a commandment—for example, if he runs to the synagogue or to the study hall.