## Shabbat Daf 9b

###### Shabbat 9b:1
[Shabbat 9b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:1)

**מַתְנִי׳** לֹא יֵשֵׁב אָדָם לִפְנֵי הַסַּפָּר סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל. לֹא יִכָּנֵס אָדָם לַמֶּרְחָץ, וְלֹא לַבּוּרְסְקִי, וְלֹא לֶאֱכוֹל, וְלֹא לָדִין, וְאִם הִתְחִילוּ — אֵין מַפְסִיקִין. מַפְסִיקִין לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאֵין מַפְסִיקִין לִתְפִלָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** After having dealt with the limited and defined topic of the *halakhot* of carrying out on Shabbat, the mishna begins to deal with the *halakhot* of Shabbat chronologically, beginning with activities that one may not perform prior to the onset of Shabbat. With regard to one’s daily conduct, the mishna says: **A person may not sit before the barber adjacent to** the time of ***minḥa* until he recites** the afternoon **prayer. And a person may not enter the bathhouse and may not** enter **to** work in **a tannery** [***burseki***]. **And** he may **neither** begin **to eat** a meal **nor to** sit in **judgment** until he prays. **And** however, **if they** already **began** engaging in those activities, **they need not stop** and recite the *Amida* prayer. The *tanna* articulated a principle: **One stops** engaging in all of these activities **to recite *Shema* and one does not stop to** recite the *Amida* **prayer.**


###### Shabbat 9b:2
[Shabbat 9b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:2)

**גְּמָ׳** הֵי ״סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה״? אִילֵּימָא לְמִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה — אַמַּאי לָא? הָאִיכָּא שְׁהוּת בַּיּוֹם טוּבָא! אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לְמִנְחָה קְטַנָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** First, the Gemara seeks to clarify: **Which “adjacent to *minḥa*,”** in other words, adjacent to which *minḥa* is the mishna referring? There is a difference between the time of greater *minḥa* [*minḥa gedola*], which begins approximately a half hour after noon, and the time of lesser *minḥa* [*minḥa ketana*], which begins approximately two and a half hours before sunset. The Gemara elaborates: **If you say** that it is prohibited to perform all of these activities adjacent **to *minḥa gedola*, why not? Isn’t there** still **much time** remaining **in the day? Rather,** the mishna means **adjacent to *minḥa ketana*.**


###### Shabbat 9b:3
[Shabbat 9b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:3)

אִם הִתְחִילוּ אֵין מַפְסִיקִין. נֵימָא תֶּיהְוֵי תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַן תְּפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה, אָסוּר לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּטְעוֹם כְּלוּם קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: In that case, **if they started, they need not stop. Let us say that this will be a conclusive refutation of** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Once the time of the afternoon prayer has arrived, it is prohibited for a person to taste anything before he recites the afternoon prayer.** The implication is that even if one began to eat he must stop.


###### Shabbat 9b:4
[Shabbat 9b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:4)

לָא: לְעוֹלָם סָמוּךְ לְמִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה — וּבְתִסְפּוֹרֶת בֶּן אֶלְעָשָׂה. וְלֹא לַמֶּרְחָץ — לְכוּלַּהּ מִילְּתָא דְּמֶרְחָץ. וְלֹא לְבוּרְסְקִי — לְבוּרְסְקִי גְּדוֹלָה. וְלֹא לֶאֱכוֹל — בִּסְעוּדָה גְּדוֹלָה. וְלֹא לָדִין — בִּתְחִלַּת דִּין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rather, that explanation is rejected and the Gemara says: **Actually** the mishna is referring to **adjacent to *minḥa gedola*,** and the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi is dealing with adjacent to *minḥa ketana*. In response to the question: If the mishna means adjacent to *minḥa gedola* isn’t there significant time remaining in the day? The Gemara explains that each of the activities enumerated in the mishna is performed in an especially time-consuming manner. When the mishna said: A person may not sit before the barber, it was referring **to a haircut of ben Elasa,** whose haircut was very complicated and required several hours to complete. When the mishna said: A person may **not** go **into the bathhouse** adjacent to *minḥa*, it was referring **to all matters** involved in a visit to **the bathhouse;** not only washing, but also washing one’s hair, rinsing, and sweating. **And** he may **not** enter **the tannery** adjacent to *minḥa*, the reference is to **a large tannery** where there are many hides that require tanning and he must initiate the tanning process from the beginning. **And** he may **not** enter **to eat,** the reference is **to a big meal,** which lasts a long time. **And** he may **not** enter **to** sit in **judgment,** refers to a judge who enters at **the beginning of** the **trial,** and, generally, it will take a long time until a verdict is reached.


###### Shabbat 9b:5
[Shabbat 9b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:5)

רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָמַר: לְעוֹלָם בְּתִסְפּוֹרֶת דִּידַן, לְכַתְּחִילָּה אַמַּאי לֹא יֵשֵׁב — גְּזֵירָה שֶׁמָּא יִשָּׁבֵר הַזּוּג. וְלֹא לַמֶּרְחָץ — לְהַזִּיעַ בְּעָלְמָא. לְכַתְּחִלָּה אַמַּאי לָא — גְּזֵירָה שֶׁמָּא יִתְעַלְּפֶה. וְלֹא לַבּוּרְסְקִי — לְעַיּוֹנֵי בְּעָלְמָא. לְכַתְּחִלָּה אַמַּאי לָא — דִּילְמָא חָזֵי פְּסֵידָא בִּזְבִינֵיהּ וּמִטְּרִיד. וְלֹא לֶאֱכוֹל — בִּסְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה. לְכַתְּחִלָּה אַמַּאי לָא — דִילְמָא אָתֵי לְאִמְּשׁוֹכֵי. וְלֹא לָדִין — בִּגְמַר הַדִּין. לְכַתְּחִלָּה אַמַּאי לָא — דִילְמָא חָזֵי טַעְמָא וְסָתַר דִּינָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said:** Indeed the mishna can be explained as referring to *minḥa gedola* and **actually,** even **our** ordinary **haircut** is prohibited. ***Ab initio*, why may he not sit** before the barber adjacent to the time of *minḥa*? Due to **a decree lest the scissors break,** and considerable time pass until they repair the scissors or obtain others. When the mishna said: A person may **not** enter **the bathhouse** adjacent to *minḥa*, it is prohibited even if he is entering **just to sweat. *Ab initio*, why** may he **not** enter? Due to **a decree** issued by the Sages **lest he faint** in the bathhouse and considerable time elapse until he recovers. **And** he may **not** enter **the tannery** adjacent to *minḥa*, even if he intends **just to examine** the skins. ***Ab initio*, why** may he **not** enter? Due to the concern that **perhaps he will notice damage to his merchandise and become anxious** and come to restore what was ruined. **And** he may not enter **to eat a meal** adjacent to the time of *minḥa* is referring even **to a small meal. *Ab initio*, why** may he **not** enter? There is concern that **perhaps he will come to extend** his meal for a long time. **And** he may **not** enter **to** sit in **judgment** adjacent to the time of *minḥa*, the mishna is referring even **at the conclusion of** the **trial. *Ab initio*, why** may he **not** enter? Due to concern that **perhaps he will find a reason,** contrary to what he originally thought, **and will overturn the verdict** completely, necessitating the restart of the trial from the beginning.


###### Shabbat 9b:6
[Shabbat 9b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:6)

מֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת תִּסְפּוֹרֶת? אָמַר רַב אָבִין: מִשֶּׁיַּנִּיחַ מַעְפּוֹרֶת שֶׁל סַפָּרִין עַל בִּרְכָּיו. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת מֶרְחָץ? אָמַר רַב אָבִין: מִשֶּׁיַּעֲרֶה מַעְפׇּרְתּוֹ הֵימֶנּוּ. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת בּוּרְסְקִי? — מִשֶּׁיִּקְשׁוֹר בֵּין כְּתֵיפָיו. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת אֲכִילָה? — רַב אָמַר: מִשֶּׁיִּטּוֹל יָדָיו. וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: מִשֶּׁיַּתִּיר חֲגוֹרוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
We learned in the mishna that if he began one of the aforementioned activities, haircut, bath, tannery, meal, and judgment, he is not required to stop. The Gemara asked: **From when is** it considered **the beginning of the haircut? Rav Avin said: From when he places the barber’s wrap over his knees. And from when** is it considered **the beginning of the bath? Rav Avin said: From when** the one entering the bathhouse to bathe **removes his** outer **wrap,** his cloak. **And from when** is it considered **the beginning of** his visit to **the tannery? From when he ties** the leather apron **between his shoulders** (*Me’iri*). **And from when** is it considered **the beginning of eating? Rav said: From when he** ritually **washes his hands** for the meal. **And Rabbi Ḥanina said: From when he loosens his belt.**


###### Shabbat 9b:7
[Shabbat 9b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:7)

וְלָא פְּלִיגִי: הָא לַן, וְהָא לְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And they do not disagree.** Rather **this,** the statement of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said that the beginning of the meal is considered from when he loosens his belt, **is for us,** for the people of Babylonia, who are accustomed to close their belts tightly, and therefore the beginning of the meal is when one loosens his belt. **And that,** the statement of Rav, who said that the beginning of the meal is considered from when he ritually washes his hands, **is for them,** the people of Eretz Yisrael who did not close their belts tightly, and therefore only when one washes his hands does the meal begin.


###### Shabbat 9b:8
[Shabbat 9b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Shabbat/r/9b:8)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: הָנֵי חַבְרִין בַּבְלָאֵי, לְמַאן דְּאָמַר תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית רְשׁוּת, כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁרָא לֵיהּ הֶמְיָינֵיהּ לָא מַטְרְחִינַן לֵיהּ, וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר חוֹבָה מַטְרְחִינַן לֵיהּ?! וְהָא תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה דִּלְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא חוֹבָה הִיא, וּתְנַן אִם הִתְחִילוּ — אֵין מַפְסִיקִין. וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִשֶּׁיַּתִּיר חֲגוֹרוֹ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **Abaye said: Those Babylonian Torah scholars, according to the opinion of the one who said: The evening prayer is voluntary, once one** of them **loosens his belt, we do not impose upon him** to stop his meal and pray. And the Gemara wonders: **And according to the opinion of the one who said that the evening prayer is obligatory, we do impose upon him? Doesn’t everyone agree that the afternoon prayer is obligatory? And we learned in our mishna that if they started eating, they need not stop. And** with regard to that *halakha*, **Rabbi Ḥanina said:** The beginning of the meal is **from when he loosens his belt.**