MISHNAH: If somebody was taken out by Gentiles or an evil spirit¹ he only has four cubits. If they brought him back² it is as if he had not left. If they conducted him to another town or put him into a sheep-pen, or a sheep corral³, Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah say he may walk its entirety; Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba say, he only has four cubits. It happened that they came from Brundisium⁴ when the ship went out to sea; Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah walked its entirety⁵; Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba did not stir out of their four cubits, for they wanted to be strict with themselves.

footnotes: ¹ He was insane and therefore not responsible when he left. He regained his senses outside and now must follow the rules of the Sabbath. ² The Gentiles who had removed him without his cooperation brought him back without his initiative. ³ Cf. Mishnah 2:3. These places are not human dwellings but they are fenced in, which makes them similar to private domains. ⁴ With most Mishnah mss. read פרנדיסין, Brundisium, the usual harbor of departure for a trip from Italy to Palestine. The ship left on the Sabbath. ⁵ While they left the Sabbath domain of Brindisi on the Sabbath, this was a consequence of the Gentile mariner’s action. Since on dry land one permits in such a case to walk the entire town in which they happen to find themselves, they may walk on the ship as their town.

HALAKHAH: “If somebody was taken out by Gentiles,” etc. Otherwise²¹ what would we say? He should be considered like someone who left with permission²² and he should have 2’000 cubits in every direction. Therefore [it is necessary]²³ to say that “he only has four cubits.” From where the four cubits? Stay everybody at his spot²⁴. 16:29.. And from where 2’000 cubits? A person should not leave his place on the Seventh Day²⁴. 16:29.. Or switching, as (we have stated) [it was stated so:]²⁵, not a Mishnah as implied by the text of L (in parentheses). Mekhilta dR. Ismael, ed. Horovitz-Rabin p. 262 (Yalqut Shimˋony Qonteros Aḥaron, ed. Ginzberg p. 318, Siddur Rash i #461.) “Issy ben Aqiba says “place, place”²⁶. It is said here place, and it is said there, I shall Give you a place²⁷. 21:13. The reference is to the cities of refuge which as levitic cities included a domain extending 2’000 cubits outside the built-up area.. Since the place mentioned there includes 2’000 cubits, so the place mentioned here includes 2’000 cubits.” ²⁸ #9 (p. 8, Note 74)“The four cubits which they mentioned are his full length and outstretched arms²⁹. Rebbi Jehudah says, he and three cubits³⁰, so he can take an amphora from above his head and put it below his feet.” If he relieves himself, he relieves himself at the side; if he prays, he prays in the diagonal³².

footnotes: ²¹ Translating G; the text of L makes little sense. ²² Since he did not leave intentionally or even accidentally. Either he was taken by force or he left when insane and not obligated to keep any commandment. ²³ Added from G. ²⁴ Ex ²⁴ Ex ²⁵ The correct text is that of G in brackets since the quote is a baraita ²⁶ An argument by “equal cut”; the meaning of a word does not change from one use in the Pentateuch to another. ²⁷ Ex ²⁸ Tosephta 3:11, Babli 48a, Tanḥuma Buber Bemidbar ²⁹ When he lies down with arms out-stretched behind his head. These justifications point more to a (Greek) cubit of 63cm than one of 55cm; cf. the Introduction. ³⁰ The text of the Tosephta seems to make more sense: “3 cubits for his body and in addition 4 cubits so he can take …”. This reading is required since the bottom of an amphora is at least one cubit in diameter; if he is permitted to move it from above his head to below his feet he already has at least 5 cubits. ³² The meaning of this sentence is not clear; every explanation must be tentative. Since a person may not stay in two different domains on one Sabbath, and since the person started the Sabbath in his domain, it would be logical to infer that once he leaves this domain he is without a domain and if his 4 cubits intersect with an established Sabbath domain he may walk through the entire domain. But if his 4 feet constitute his new domain then intersection with any other domain is irrelevant for him.

Rebbi Jehudah ben Pazi asked, the four cubits which they mentioned: are they a domain or are they not a domain³²? If you say that they are a domain, one does not give him four cubits from two places. If you say that they are not a domain, one gives him four cubits from two places. Rebbi Zeˋira said, the Mishnah says that the four cubits which they mentioned are a domain, as we have stated³³, “on condition that one not export into the other’s [domain].”

footnotes: ³² The meaning of this sentence is not clear; every explanation must be tentative. Since a person may not stay in two different domains on one Sabbath, and since the person started the Sabbath in his domain, it would be logical to infer that once he leaves this domain he is without a domain and if his 4 cubits intersect with an established Sabbath domain he may walk through the entire domain. But if his 4 feet constitute his new domain then intersection with any other domain is irrelevant for him. ³³ Mishnah 6, referring to people keeping the Sabbath on the road, who never had another Sabbath domain, and for whom there should be no question.

It only said, “if they brought him back.” Therefore, if he returned by himself, he is forbidden³⁴. Rebbi Aḥa said, this is Rebbi Neḥemiah’s. As it was stated³⁵ #184. and is implied by the quote in Tosaphot 42a s.v. מכלל. Since the food was moved illegally from its domain it becomes rabbinically prohibited for use on the Sabbath. The prohibition cannot be biblical since the produce itself was not changed (Maimonides Hilkhot Šabbat 6:24); it has the character of a fine.: “Produce which came into the public domain and returned, if in error it may be eaten, if intentional it may not be eaten. Rebbi Neḥemiah says, whether in error or intentional it may not be eaten unless it was returned in error.” Rebbi Neḥemiah parallels Rebbi Meïr, as it was stated³⁶ 3, Note 39, Terumot 2:3 Note 70; Tosephta Šabbat 2:15, Babli Ketubot 34a.: “If somebody tithed or cooked on the Sabbath, if in error it may be eaten, if intentional it may not be eaten, the words of Rebbi Meïr.”

footnotes: ³⁴ The same inference drawn in the Babli, 41b. ³⁵ In the Babli, 41b/42a, the statement is about produce which was taken outside the Sabbath domain. The text here should not be amended since it is quoted in its original form in Roqeaḥ ³⁶ Cf. Šabbat

If he acquired a place of Sabbath rest³⁷ when Gentiles came and surrounded him with a barrier. Rebbi³⁸ Ḥuna said, the barrier is of no use for him³⁹ but he may walk 2’000 [cubits] and carry within four. Ḥiyya the son of Rav said, he walks and carries within 2’000⁴⁰. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Abuna in the name of Ḥiyya the son of Rav: He walks within 2’000 and carries within 4’000 cubits by throwing⁴¹. They wanted to say, their disagreement is following Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba; but following Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah they do not disagree. Even following Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah they disagree⁴² 42b col. 261, Ritba p. 74c, Meïri p. 159a), but it was missing in the Yerushalmi text available to Ashkenazi authors who assert that Rav Huna and Ḥiyya bar Rav must follow R. Joshua and R. Aqiba (Tosaphot 42a s.v. נכרים, Or zarua part 2 §144, p. 215b, Rosh Chapter 4 #2).; one who had acquired a place of Sabbath rest is in better shape than one who had not acquired a place of Sabbath rest⁴³.

footnotes: ³⁷ A person staying on the road during the Sabbath, outside of town. Babli 42a. ³⁸ Read: “Rav”. ³⁹ He denies the validity of any barrier made on the Sabbath. ⁴⁰ He accepts the validity of a barrier erected for the Sabbath that it permits carrying. If the barrier had been made before the Sabbath and for human dwelling, the area enclosed by the barrier would be the dwelling and the Sabbath domain would extend outside for 2’000 cubits in every direction. But since the barrier was erected on the Sabbath, the domain where he may carry is extended but not the one where he can go (Rashi, 42a). ⁴¹ As long as the object thrown comes to rest within the barrier no Sabbath violation occurred, the restriction to 2’000 cubits being rabbinic in nature. ⁴² This sentence is documented in the writings of Spanish/Provençal Medieval authors (Rashba ad ⁴³ There is less reason to be lenient with a person forcibly abducted from his domain than with one who stays in his domain, only that the circumstances changed without his action.

If they deposited him at the door of the sheep-pen⁴⁴. In the opinion of Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba one gives him two cubits inside and two cubits outside. In the opinion of Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah one does not allow two cubits inside and two cubits outside, for if you would say that one allows him two cubits inside and two cubits outside then he could carry in the entire sheep-pen⁴⁵. If they deposited him in the middle of the sheep-pen and the sheep-pen was partially inside the Sabbath domain and partially outside the Sabbath domain. Rebbi Aḥa said it from study, Rebbi Jehudah said it from reflection⁴⁶: This is the disagreement of Rav Ḥuna and of Ḥiyya the son of Rav⁴⁷.

footnotes: ⁴⁴ This now refers directly to Mishnah 1, about a person abducted by Gentiles on the Sabbath. ⁴⁵ Once one agrees that he can enter the sheep-pen, according to Rabban Gamliel he has the entire enclosed area (at least if this area is no more than 5’000 cubits2). ⁴⁶ Even though it was stated (Note 43) that the cases cannot be compared, the basic arguments of Rav Huna and Ḥiyya ben Rav can be applied here. Since for Ḥiyya the person may carry into the Sabbath domain, it is as if the Gentiles returned him and it is as if he had not left. For Rav Huna he must stay where he is (Note 33). ⁴⁷ Since the Mishnah states that they only stayed within their 4 cubits as personal restriction but not because they insisted that this was practice to be followed.

Rebbi Zeˋira, Rav Ḥuna in the name of Rav: Since Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba wanted to be strict with themselves, this implies that practice follows Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah⁴⁷. Rebbi Abba in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ashi: also for a sheep-pen, or a sheep corral, practice follows Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah⁴⁸. Ḥananiah the son of Rebbi Joshua’s brother says, the entire day they were arguing one with the other until my father’s brother came, decided between then, and instituted that practice follow Rabban Gamliel and Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah for a ship and Rebbi Joshua and Rebbi Aqiba for a sheep-pen, or a sheep corral⁴⁹. What is the difference between a sheep corral and a ship? The colleagues say, for a ship because its walls are part of itself⁵⁰; Rebbi Zeˋira said, because one removes it from these four cubits and puts it into those four cubits⁵¹. What difference results between them? If it was a covered walkway⁵² has no walls. In analogy one considers a ship without railing, perhaps a raft., according to the colleagues it is permitted, according to Rebbi Zeˋira it is forbidden⁵³. If the sea was calm, according to the colleagues it is forbidden, according to Rebbi Zeˋira it is permitted⁵⁴. Rebbi Zeˋira said, the Mishnah says that the four cubits which they mentioned are not a domain⁵⁵.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ Since the Mishnah states that they only stayed within their 4 cubits as personal restriction but not because they insisted that this was practice to be followed. ⁴⁸ Babli 42b in the name of Rav. ⁴⁹ Babli 43a. ⁵⁰ Since the deck of the ship is enclosed by its railing the passenger does not necessarily notice the ship’s motion; for him nothing changes during the day. ⁵¹ Babli 42b. Since the ship is permanently in motion, if one would define the Sabbath domain by the place on the surface of the earth where the person was at nightfall, he could not move at all, not even 4 cubits, since every moment he is at another place. ⁵² Greek ἐξέδρα, ή. The exedra ⁵³ One has to switch the statements. Since there is no railing, the argument of the colleagues does not apply; the person is restricted to his 4 cubits. For R. Zeˋira the absence of a railing does not make any difference. ⁵⁴ Greek γαληνός, -ή, -όν “calm” (adj.). Assuming the ship being a sailboat which does not move in the absence of wind, it is difficult to see why walking the entire deck should be forbidden by anybody. It seems unlikely that here also one should switch the statements: for the colleagues there is no reason to forbid; for R. Zeˋira there might be an argument that he expected to be elsewhere on the Sabbath and now he is not there. ⁵⁵ Earlier R. Zeˋira is quoted as stating the opposite (Note 33). But there the statement was about Sabbath domains on the ground, here the reference is to Mishnah 1 and the topic is domains on a ship. This makes good sense; there is no need to emend the text by switching the statements of R. Zeˋira and the colleagues as proposed by S. Liebermann.

MISHNAH: Once they only entered the port⁶ after nightfall. They asked Rabban Gamliel, may we descend? He told them it is permitted since I already was observing and we were inside the Sabbath domain before nightfall.

footnotes: ⁶ This is Babli spelling. With the Halakhah one should read לִמֵן, Greek λιμήν. They arrived at the harbor Friday evening after nightfall. If they entered the Sabbath domain after nightfall, RR. Joshua and Aqiba would have to stay within their 4 cubits. For the problem of Rabban Gamliel and R. Eleazar ben Azariah see the Halakhah (Notes 57–59).

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “Once they only entered the port,” etc. Rabban Gamliel had a telescope⁵⁶ Babli 43b), Sefer Haˋitim (p. 54, Note 72), Raviah§386 (p. 417 Note 14), Or zarua II §6(2) (p. 12a; Note 51 there is incorrect), and a similar expression in Chapter 5 (Note 120): מְצוֹפִית “an instrument to see far”. In the Babli 43b שפופרת “a tube”. where he could estimate with his eyes in the plane. And why before nightfall? Even after nightfall; is this not Rabban Gamliel’s⁵⁷? Explain it if the port was larger than two bet se’ah⁵⁸, or the walls were not ten [hand-breadths] high⁵⁹ but were not open wider than ten [cubits] nor what was standing was opposite what was standing and what was breached opposite the breached⁶⁰.

footnotes: ⁵⁶ Instead of the text’s מצודית “citadels; traps” reading with R. Ḥananel (ad ⁵⁷ Since the harbor is enclosed it should not be different from a sheep-pen where Rabban Gamliel permits to walk the entire domain. ⁵⁸ Then the enclosure does not define a domain for the Sabbath unless it was for human dwelling, which a harbor may not be. ⁵⁹ The minimum height for an enclosure, Mishnah 1:8. ⁶⁰ Cf. Chapter 1, Note 241.

MISHNAH: If somebody left with permission⁷ when they told him that the deed already had been done he has 2’000 cubits in each direction. If this reached him inside the Sabbath domain⁸ it is as if he never left, for all those who leave to save may return to their place.

footnotes: ⁷ If a border town is attacked by marauders, it may ask the nearby towns for armed help. ⁸ If at the moment when the help is no longer needed the person was no more than 1’999 cubits from the border of the Sabbath domain of his home town, he may reach this domain and, since he left with permission, walks all the way to his house. If the built-up area was within 2’000 cubits the statement is unnecessary since any built-up area is counted as 4 cubits.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If somebody left with permission,” etc. For otherwise what would we say? That he should be treated like somebody who left by compulsion and he should have only four cubits. Therefore it was necessary to say, “he has 2’000 cubits in each direction.” Rav Ḥuna says, only if four cubits each intersect with the domain of Tiberias and with the domain of Magdala⁶¹. Rebbi Ḥuna in the name of Rav Ada bar Aḥawa, Rebbi La in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Even if he went to Magdala and returned he is as if he had not left⁶². Rebbi Joshua the Southerner asked: So far if he left in error⁶³. Even if he left intentionally? Rebbi Phineas said, the Mishnah says so: “for all those who leave to save may return to their place.⁶⁴”

footnotes: ⁶¹ The distance from the Sabbath border of Tiberias to that of Magdala was less than 2’000 cubits. Therefore if somebody from Tiberias was informed just inside the border of the Sabbath domain of Magdala that he was no longer needed, he might return 2’000 cubits in the direction of Tiberias and end up 4 cubits inside the Sabbath domain of that city. Then he would be as if he had never left; cf. Note 8; Babli 44b. ⁶² Being at Magdala with permission lets him go back 2’000 cubits outside its Sabbath domain towards Tiberias. Since then he is inside the Sabbath domain of Tiberias it is as if he never left, even if he was informed only inside the town of Magdala itself. ⁶³ Mishnah 3 only refers to the case that he genuinely believed that his services were urgently needed. ⁶⁴ The inclusion of “all” means that the motives of those coming to help cannot be investigated.

⁶⁵ It was stated: “Gentiles who attack villages near the border to rob, even straw or even wood, one goes out against them armed and brings the weapon back to its place. If they attack interior villages one goes out only if it is a matter of life⁶⁶. In earlier times they stored the weapons in a house close to the wall. Once they were attacked by enemies; they were in a crush to get their weapons and they killed one another more than what the enemies killed. They instituted that everybody should take from his house.”

footnotes: ⁶⁵ Babli 45a, Tosephta 3:5–6. ⁶⁶ If they come to kill or kidnap.

MISHNAH: Somebody who sat down on the road⁹; when he gets up, behold, he is close to a town¹⁰: since it was not his intention he may not enter, the words of Rebbi Meïr¹¹. Rebbi Jehudah says, he may enter. Rebbi Jehudah said, it happened that Rebbi Tarphon entered without intention¹².

footnotes: ⁹ Friday evening at twilight; he did not realize that he was close to a village but decided to spend the Sabbath on the road. ¹⁰ Within the town’s Sabbath domain. ¹¹ He may not go more than 2’000 cubits from the place where he started the Sabbath. Since he did not intend to be like a town dweller for this Sabbath, for him the entire built-up area is not counted as 4 cubits. ¹² Since he started the Sabbath with the Sabbath domain, he may walk the entire domain allowed to the town dwellers.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If somebody slept on the road,”⁶⁷ etc. They said, was not Rebbi Tarphon’s house of study within 2’000 cubits⁶⁸? Or maybe he made himself part⁶⁹ of his town when it was still daytime? It was found stated: In the morning the sun shone. They told him, rabbi, here the town is before you, please enter⁷⁰..

footnotes: ⁶⁷ It is not clear whether this is a misquote of Mishnah 4 (to which the discussion is referring) or a correct quote of Mishnah 5. ⁶⁸ Then the reference to R. Tarphon would not support R. Jehudah. ⁶⁹ הקנה is short for הִקְנָה שְׁבִיתָתוֹ “intended to acquire his Sabbath resting place at …” ⁷⁰ He really was on a trip, slept outside and realized where he was in the morning. R. Jehudah might read שֶׁיָּשַׁן also in Mishnah 4. The objections stated before are raised in the Babli 45a about this baraita

MISHNAH: If somebody slept on the road and did not realize that night fell he has 2’000 cubits in every direction, the words of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri, but the Sages say, he only has four cubits¹³. Rebbi Eleazar says, he is in the center; Rebbi Jehudah says, in any direction which he chooses. Rebbi Jehudah agrees that if he selected one he cannot retract it.

footnotes: ¹³ Everybody agrees that if he slept in a town during nightfall, his Sabbath domain is that of the town. But if he is outside of town, R. Joḥanan ben Nuri holds that he automatically has a Sabbath domain of 2’000 cubits in every direction but the Sages hold that a Sabbath domain can be acquired only by conscious selection. If he slept at sundown, he made no selection and has no domain. In the interpretation of the Yerushalmi, R. Jehudah agrees with R. Joḥanan ben Nuri but specifies that he may choose the center of his Sabbath domain at will and, therefore, walk 4’000 cubits in one direction (which must be chosen at the start and cannot be changed.)

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If somebody slept on the road and did not realize until after night fell,” etc. Rebbi Zeˋira in the name of Rebbi Ḥasdai. The reason of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri: Since if he had been awake he would have acquired a Sabbath domain, when he was sleeping he did not acquire a Sabbath domain; he only has 2’000 cubits in every direction. Rebbi Jehudah says, even awake and he did not acquire a Sabbath domain; he only has 2’000 cubits in every direction⁷¹. Rebbi Jehudah’s statement follows Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri’s (and exceeds Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri’s)⁷². For Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri said, since if he had been awake he would have acquired a Sabbath domain, if he was awake and did not acquire a Sabbath domain; he only has 2’000 cubits in every direction⁷³.

footnotes: ⁷¹ As explained in Mishnah 9, a Sabbath domain is a rectangular domain (for a single person a square) oriented exactly NS-EW. In a village or town, the geography of the place automatically defines the domain as explained in Mishnah 5:1. For a single person the domain can be determined only by a conscious choice. In the absence of such a choice the Sabbath region is a circle, for the Sages of diameter 8 cubits, for RR. Joḥanan ben Nuri and Jehudah (possibly also R. Eliezer) 2’000 cubits. For RR. Joḥanan ben Nuri and Eliezer the place of the person at sundown automatically is the center of the circle, for R. Jehudah the person may choose any point accessible to him when he awakes as center of his circle. ⁷² The text in parentheses was written by the scribe of L but (wrongly) deleted by the corrector who it seems understood רובא as name of a person whom he could not identify. Note by S. Liebermann. ⁷³ The text is elliptic; missing is a statement that for R. Jehudah the person may choose to have his Sabbath circle so that he is at the border, not at the center, and therefore has 4’000 cubits in one direction, 0 cubits in the directions perpendicular and opposite to the chosen one.

Rebbi Ḥuna said, Rav Naḥman bar Jacob asked: if a proselyte immersed himself after sunrise. “Since if he had been awake he would have acquired a Sabbath domain,” what does Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri say in this case? Let us hear from the following.⁷⁴ for the purpose of conversion (for a male, after circumcision), attested to by a competent court. The latter condition excludes conversion on a Sabbath, a fact which Rav Naḥman bar Jacob, chief judge of the Exilarch’s court in Babylonia, must have known. The problem here is not about a proselyte but a general question about the Sabbath domain for a person who on Friday evening was unable or unqualified to choose a Sabbath domain; for example an insane person who became lucid overnight. Since R. Joḥanan ben Nuri restricts his argument to persons who on Friday evening were able to exercise judgment, it is unknown what his opinion would have been in this case. For Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman⁷⁵ said in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi, practice follows Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri. If he selected while it still was daytime, he may change his mind while it still is daytime; after nightfall he may change his mind after nightfall⁷⁶. If he selected while it still was daytime, and the day became holy for him⁷⁷ 3, Note 55, Chapter 4, Note 70.? Let us hear from the following: “he may not enter, the words of Rebbi Meïr¹¹; Rebbi Jehudah says, he may enter⁷⁸” Not on this was it said, but on the start of the Chapter; on “if somebody was taken out by Gentiles or an evil spirit,” it was said . Rebbi Abun said, “Rebbi Jehudah agrees that if he selected one he cannot retract it.⁷⁹ 48a, Sefer Haˋittim p. 68 Note 152.)”

footnotes: ⁷⁴ Obviously there is a lacuna here, it is not said how to decide the question. A proselyte becomes Jewish by immersion in a miqweh ⁷⁵ Read: R. Naḥman bar Isaac; Chapter 1, Note 62. ⁷⁶ This question is possible only for R. Jehudah who permits the person to choose his Sabbath area on the Sabbath as long as it is a circle of radius 2’000 and contains the point at which he stands. For all others the area is uniquely determined at nightfall. ⁷⁷ Cf. similar questions Šabbat ¹¹ He may not go more than 2’000 cubits from the place where he started the Sabbath. Since he did not intend to be like a town dweller for this Sabbath, for him the entire built-up area is not counted as 4 cubits. ⁷⁸ Since he went to sleep outside of town and R. Jehudah allows him to change his mind in the morning and to enter town, how can the Mishnah state that R. Jehudah agrees that if he chose once he cannot change his mind? ⁷⁹ The question raised in the preceding Note is answered; R. Jehudah agrees that the person forcibly removed from his Sabbath domain has only one possibility of choice once he regains his freedom of choice. (R. Ḥananel ad

MISHNAH: If they were two¹⁴ and some of the cubits of one were inside the cubits of the other they bring and eat in the middle on condition that one not transfer into the other’s [domain]. If they were three and the middle one absorbed between them, he is permitted with them and they with him but the two outside ones are forbidden one with the other. Rebbi Simeon says, to what is this similar? To three courtyards open to one another and open to the public domain¹⁵ with the latter. But in the case here the eruvim are voluntary. Since the Yerushalmi does not comment on this Mishnah it must assume that this is practice, against the Babli which states that the majority disagrees with R. Simeon.. If both [outer ones] made an eruv with the middle one, that one is permitted with them and they with it but the two outside ones are forbidden one with the other.

footnotes: ¹⁴ Two people staying on the road over the Sabbath and both sleeping during twilight. ¹⁵ The three courtyards are in one row, and each one has a separate exit to the road. If one of the courtyards had no direct exit to the road it would be an appendix of an other courtyard and forced to have an eruv

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If they were two, and some of the cubits of one,” etc. Even though Rebbi Ḥananiah ben Antigonos disagrees with the rabbis about the cubits he agrees with them here about the environs of towns⁸⁰.

footnotes: ⁸⁰ While the quote is from Mishnah 6, the reference is to Mishnah 9 but its original place must have been in the discussion of Mishnah 5:1, which is referred to as “here”. Only for a single person does R. Ḥanina ben Antigonos define a Sabbath domain as circular; for villages and towns he agrees that it is rectangular.

MISHNAH: If somebody was on the road and afraid lest it get dark¹⁶ but he knew of a tree or a wall and says, “my Sabbath rest shall be under it,” he did not say anything¹⁷. “My Sabbath rest in its roots”, he walks from the place of his feet to the roots 2’000 cubits and from the roots to his house 2’000 cubits; it turns out that he may walk 4’000 cubits after nightfall. If he does not know or is not conversant with practice and said, my Sabbath rest shall be at my place, his place empowers him 2’000 cubits in every direction, circular according to Rebbi Ḥanania ben Antigonos. But the Sages say square like a square table, that he gain the corners¹⁸.

footnotes: ¹⁶ Before he can reach the next town. ¹⁷ The place must be defined to within 4 cubits to be valid. ¹⁸ In the first opinion the Sabbath domain is a circular disk of radius 2’000 cubits. In the second, authoritative, opinion it is a square of side length 4’000 cubits oriented strictly NS-EW. From the center along the diagonals in fact one may walk 2’000 √2 = 2828 cubits. Most importantly, this definition also applies to Sabbath domains of towns which always are rectangular domains oriented strictly NS-EW.

HALAKHAH: If one recognized and one did not recognize; the one who recognized may go with the one who did not recognize and the one who did not recognize may go with the one who recognized⁸¹.

footnotes: ⁸¹ This refers to Mishnah 8, where a traveller who remembers a landmark between his situation at sundown and the next village may declare this landmark as his Sabbath center. A stranger who walks with him may adopt the other’s Sabbath center without knowing the geography. Babli 50b.

MISHNAH: That is what they said, the poor person makes an eruv with his feet. Rebbi Meïr says, we only have the poor. Rebbi Jehudah says, both poor and rich; they said that one makes an eruv with bread, only to make it easy for the rich that he does not have to go out and make the eruv with his feet¹⁹.

footnotes: ¹⁹ Chapter 3, Notes 179–184.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “Rebbi Simeon says, to what is this similar,” etc. “If somebody was on the road and is afraid lest it get dark,” etc. “If he does not know or is not conversant with practice,” etc. “That is what they said, the poor person makes an eruv with his feet,” etc.⁸² Rebbi Meïr is of the opinion, the main point of an eruv is by a loaf⁸³ can be made by depositing a meal at the Sabbath border, and this means bread with additions, or by staying at the place like a traveller.. Why did they say, by his feet? To make it easy for the poor who has no loaf. And Rebbi Jehudah said, the main point of an eruv is by his feet. Why did they say, by a loaf? To make it easy for the rich person that he does not have to go out by his feet⁸⁴ by any member of his household. Babli 52a..

footnotes: ⁸² The discussion is only about Mishnah 10. ⁸³ Eruv teḥumim ⁸⁴ But he may send his eruv

Even though Rebbi Jehudah said, the main point of an eruv is by his feet, only that he should not sit in his house and say, my Sabbath rest should be acquired at place x. But he should go out to (the field) [the Sabbath boundary]⁸⁵”, which in Raviah (l. c., Note 24) reads “ “my Sabbath rest should be acquired at place x”, which means that R. Jehudah does not require the person to be at the Sabbath boundary but only to leave his house and go in the direction of his destination for the next day, when the rules of a traveller apply to him and he can determine his Sabbath center from a distance. and say, my Sabbath rest should be acquired at this place, and wait there until it gets dark; then return to his village. And it was stated thus⁸⁶: “It happened that the family of Bet Mamma⁸⁷ and the family of Bet Gorion in Ruma were distributing dried figs in years of draught, that the poor of Shiḥin were going out, make eruv with their feet, waiting there until nightfall. The next day they were going there, ate there, and returned. And all their actions they were doing on the advice of the Sages.”

footnotes: ⁸⁵ The text in parentheses is the scribe’s, confirmed by Raviah (p. 457 Note 23); the text in brackets is the corrector’s; it seems induced by the statement “my Sabbath rest should be acquired at this place ⁸⁶ Babli 51 b, Tosephta 3:17. ⁸⁷ In the Babylonian sources “Mamal”; Raviah: “Dima.”

MISHNAH: If somebody started to go to another town for which one makes an eruv but another person intercepted him, he is permitted to go but the remainder of the town is forbidden, the words of Rebbi Jehudah. Rebbi Meïr says, anybody who could have made an eruv but did not make the eruv is a donkey driver-camel driver¹⁹.

footnotes: ¹⁹ Chapter 3, Notes 179–184.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If somebody started to go to another town.” One may give this two interpretations. If he said, I shall make an eruv for you and your townspeople, and made the eruv for his townspeople but not for him. He is forbidden to go in that direction⁸⁸ but permitted all other directions in his town; they are permitted to go in that direction but forbidden all other directions in their town⁸⁹. Making an eruv teḥumim automatically shrinks the permitted space from a square of edge length 4’000 to a circle of diameter 4’000.. One may give it another interpretation. If he said, I shall make an eruv for you and your townspeople and made the eruv neither for his townspeople nor for him. He is permitted to go in that direction for his feet already acquired for him the day before⁹⁰; they are forbidden to go in that direction but permitted all other directions in his town.

footnotes: ⁸⁸ More than 2’000 cubits. ⁸⁹ Since the entire town is treated as if it were 4 cubits, they are forbidden all directions outside a circle of radius 2’000 centered at the place of the eruv ⁹⁰ Following the rules of Mishnah 8.

MISHNAH: If somebody left the Sabbath domain for even one cubit he may not reenter. Rebbi Simeon says, Rebbi Eleazar says, for two he may re-enter, three he may not re-enter. If somebody was outside the Sabbath domain at nightfall for even one cubit he may not enter. Rebbi Simeon says, even fifteen cubits he may enter since the rope-spanners do not exhaust the measure because of errors²⁰.

footnotes: ²⁰ This introduces the first topic of the next Chapter, the determination of the Sabbath boundaries of a town. Since the exact determination of a linear distance would require multiple measurements, the officials charged with marking the borders will intentionally err on the side of caution. In case of need one may assume that the official measurement is 0.75% short of the true value.

HALAKHAH: Paragraph. “If somebody left the Sabbath domain,” etc. Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Ḥinena and Rav Ḥasdai both are saying, he said only “two”. Therefore could he enter with two and a little bit? Since this is Rebbi Eleazar’s, as Rebbi Eleazar said, “for two he may re-enter, three he may not re-enter.” Rebbi Yose told him, one says at the end, “three he may not re-enter,” therefore three minus a little bit he may re-enter⁹¹. They wanted to say, what Rebbi Eleazar said is about one who left, therefore not about one who stayed overnight⁹². It was found stated, one is like the other. They wanted to say, what Rebbi Simeon said is about one who stayed overnight, therefore not about one who left. It was found stated, one is like the other.

footnotes: ⁹¹ The statement of R. Eleazar in Mishnah 12 does not permit to decide what happens if a person left the Sabbath domain for more than two but less than three cubits. ⁹² Since R. Eleazar speaks only about a person who left his Sabbath domain, not a traveller whose 2’000 (or 4’000) cubits end just two cubits short of the Sabbath domain of the next town. Since practice follows the Sages, these problems do not have to be resolved.