Babylonian Talmud

Rodkinson 1918 — source 1, scan section 15

case, however, he is not. Anonymous teachers say " a door-step," etc. Is such the case even if there is no side-beam to it ? Has not R. Hamma bar Gorion in the name of Rabh said that if it is inside the door, and not even four spans square, there must still be a side-beam to make it a free place ? Said R. Judah in the name of Rabh: Here the doorstep of an alley is treated of, the half of which is roofed, and the other half not roofed, and the roofing is toward the inside. In this case when the door is open it is considered like the inside, when it is closed it is like the outside. R. Ashi, however, said : The case was of a door-step of a house, but the door was topped by two beams, each of which was less than four spans wide, and between them the space was less than three spans wide, the door itself being in the middle, so that the law of Lavud applies only when the door is open, and not when it is closed; therefore when it is open the door-step is considered as the inside, and when it is closed the door-step is regarded as the outside. " If the door-step is ten spans high," etc. This supports the theory of R. Isaac bar Abbimi, who said that R. Mair used to say: Wherever thou findest two distinct grounds belonging to the same premises [i.e., to which the law of premises regard- ing the Sabbath applies equally), like a post in private ground, that is ten spans high and four wide, it is prohibited to shoulder (a burden) on it. As a precautionary measure (enacted by the rabbis), for fear that the same would be done with a rock of the same size that may be found in the street, and it is biblically prohibited to shoulder upon it. MISHNA //. : One shall not sit down* before the hair-cut- ter at the approach of the time for afternoon devotion, f before * The reference made here, that one should not sit down before the hair-cutter near the time for the afternoon prayer is a simple precaution. The exact specification for the time is to be found in Berachoth, Perek IV., M. i. f The following discussions may seem to have no direct connection with the ordi- nances pertaining to the Sabbath ; however, they are included in the tract on account of their connection with the succeeding Mishna, which commences : " A tailor shall not go out with his needle when it is nearly dark on Friday." Incidentally, the injunctions concerning the time for the Min'ha are given, in order that prayer time shall not be forgotten. 14 THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD. reciting his prayers. Nor shall he enter a bath-room or a tarv- nery (the same is the case with any factory or large business), or sit down to eat, or start pleading a case (before a judge). But if he has started, he need not be interrupted. One must quit his work to read Shema, but he need not stop working in order to pray. GEMARA: What time of Min'ha does the Mishna mean ? Does it mean the high afternoon * time ? Why should a man not be allowed, since the day is still young ? Does it mean the lesser time, and still hold that (if the man had started the work) he need not discontinue it ? Shall this be taken as an objection to the opinion of R. Joshua ben Levi, who said: " When the time of afternoon prayer draws nigh, one must not partake of any- thing before performing his devotion " ? Nay, he speaks here of the high time, and yet one shall not begin cutting his hair, as a precaution against accidents, lest his scissors break ; a bath to sweat, lest he grow exhausted ; a tannery, lest he notice some damage to his wares and become confused ; nor shall he sit down to eat lest the meal be protracted ; pleading a case of justice, lest argument be advanced that overthrows all previous argu- ments, and until all this is settled the Min'ha prayer will be forgotten. From what moment does the act of hair-cutting begin ? Said R. Abhin : From the moment the barber's cloth is spread over him. The act of bathing begins from the moment the coat is pulled off; tanning begins from the moment the working-apron is tied around the shoulders; a meal begins from the moment the hands are washed, so said Rabh ; but R. Hanina said, from the moment one takes off his girdle. And they do not differ. Rabh spoke of the custom of his country, and R. Hanina spoke of the custom of his country. Abayi said: According to him who holds that the evening prayer is discretionary, our Babylon colleagues, as soon as they take off their girdle for the meal, they must not be troubled to pray before meal; however, according to him who holds that even this prayer is obligatory, they must be troubled. But is * High afternoon (Min'ha) was the time when the regular afternoon sacrifice was offered at the temple, about an hour after midday. The lesser afternoon time was about an hour before sunset. Because the time for afternoon devotion was calculated by the offering of the " gift-sacrifice," the name of that sacrifice, " Min'ha," is used by the rabbis as a technical term to designate both the afternoon devotion and the time when it is to be performed. TRACT SABBATH. 15 not the afternoon prayer obligatory by all means, and neverthe- less our Mishna teaches that "if he began (his meal) he need not be interrupted," to which R. Hanina said that the loosen- ing of the girdle (is the beginning) ? In the case of the after- noon prayer, since the time for it is fixed, (we assume) that the man will hasten and will not fail to pray in time, while for evening prayer, the time for which extends through the entire night, it is feared that he may not hasten, and neglect it. R. Shesheth opposed: Is it so much trouble to put on one's girdle ? Furthermore, cannot one stand up (without a girdle) and pray? Nay! As it is written: "Prepare thyself to meet thy God, O Israel!" [Amos, iv. 12]; and as Rabha b. R. Huna used to put on stockings when he stood up to recite prayers, saying: It is written: "Prepare thyself," etc. Rabha, how- ever, used to throw off his mantle and fold his hands when he prayed, speaking as a slave before his master. R. Ashi said: I have observed R. Kahana. In times of trouble he threw off his mantle and folded his hands when he prayed, speaking like a slave before his master. In times of peace he dressed and fitted himself up carefully, saying: "It is written, Prepare thyself to meet thy God, O Israel." Rabha noticed that R. Hamnuna spent much time at his prayers. Said he: "Thus they quit eternal life and busy themselves with transient life."* He, R. Hamnuna, however, thought that the time spent in prayer is a thing by itself, and the time devoted to study is also a thing by itself. R. Jeremiah was sitting before R. Zera discussing a Halakha. The day was breaking and time for prayer came, and R. Jeremiah hastened for the purpose of praying. Said R. Zera to him: " When one turn-