SATURDAY PRAYER: KETER-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p113

READING: BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN OF SATURDAY

[paragraph continues] Hanina.” R. Huna questioned R. Ashi: “How is the law if there were five?”
And he said: “Even seven is permitted.” “And how is it if there were nine?” And he rejoined:
“Even eight is prohibited. A certain shoemaker asked of R. Ami: “How is it if the sandal is
sewed from the inside?” He answered: “I have heard that it is permitted, but I can give you no
reason.” Said R. Ashi: “Does master not know the reason? Being sewed from the inside, it is no
longer a sandal but a shoe; and the rabbis’ precaution was against the riveted sandal, but not in
regard to shoes.”
There is a Boraitha: One must not go out with an iron-riveted sandal and shall not walk in them
from one room to another, not even from one bed to another (in the same room); but it may be
handled to cover vessels with or to support one of the bed-stands with. R. Elazar b. Simeon
prohibits even this, unless the majority of rivets fell out and but four or five remain. Rabbi limits
the permission to seven (rivets). If the soles are made of leather and the uppers are riveted, it is
permitted. If the rivets are made like hooks, or are flat-headed, or pointed, or pierce through the
sandal to protect the sole, it is permitted.
R. Massna, others say R. Ahadboy b. Massna in the name of R. Massna, said: “The Halakha
does not prevail in accordance with Elazar b. Simeon.” Is this not self-evident? When one
individual opinion conflicts with a majority, the opinion of the majority prevails. Lest one
suppose that, because R. Elazar b. Simeon gave a reason for his statement, should it be accepted,
he comes to teach us that it is not so.
Said R. Hyya: “Were I not called a Babylonian, who permits what is prohibited, I would permit
considerably more. How many? In Pumbeditha they say twenty-four, and in Sura they say
twenty-two.” Said R. Na’hman b. Itz’hak: “It seems by your remark that on the road from
Pumbeditha to Sura you lost two.”
“Nor with one,” etc. But if his foot is sore he may go out. On which foot may he wear the shoe?
On the foot that is sore (for protection).
The rabbis taught: When one puts on his shoes he should commence with the right shoe; when
he takes them off he should commence with the left. When one bathes he should wash the right
side first; when he anoints himself he should anoint the right side first, and whoever anoints the
whole body should commence with the head, for the head is the king of all the members (of the body).