SATURDAY PRAYER: YESOD-YESHIVAT HAVERIM יְשִׁיבָה חברים – BABYLONIAN TALMUD p93

READING: BETWEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT AND DAWN SATURDAY

A Boraitha teaches: “They may go about with the halter tied round their necks in order that they
may be led whenever necessary.” Said R. Joseph: “I have seen the calves of R. Huna going out
on a Sabbath with their halters round their necks.” R. Samuel b. Jehudah, when coming from
Palestine, said in the name of R. Hanina that Rabbi’s mules also went out on a Sabbath with their
halters tied around their necks.
“And are sprinkled,” etc. Is this to say that they are subject to defilement? Does not a Mishna
state [Kelim, XII. 8] that only rings worn by human beings are subject to defilement, but harness
and all other rings are not? Said R. Itz’hak of Naph’ha 1: The collar-ring having at one time been
used by men for personal purposes and become defiled, still retains its defiled character; R.
Joseph, however, maintains it is not necessary to claim this. The fact that the collar-ring is used
by man for the purpose of guiding the animal lays it open to becoming defiled, as we have
learned in the Boraitha which taught us: A metal whip is subject to defilement, for the reason
that man uses it to manage the animal with.
“And submerged without removing it from its place.” Would this not constitute a case of
“Chatzitzah” (intervention). 2 Said R. Ami: “(Intervention of the bridle between the neck and the
water) is avoided by loosening the bridle.” A Boraitha teaches: “Intervention is avoided by the
size of the bridle.”
MISHNA II.: The ass may go out with a rug fastened around him; rams may go out with leather
bandages tied around their privates; sheep may go out with their tails tied up or down and
wrapped (to preserve the fine wool); she-goats may go out with their udders tied up. R. Jossi
forbids all this except sheep wrapped up. R. Jehudah says: She-goats may go out with their
udders tied up to stop the lactation, but not to save the milk.
GEMARA: Said Samuel: The Mishna means: “Only when the (rug) is fastened on Sabbath eve.”
Said R. Na’hman: It seems to be so from the following Mishna: “An ass may not
go out with a rug unless fastened.” How should this be understood? Shall we say that (the rug) is
not fastened at all? Then it would be self-evident, lest it fall off and will have to be carried by a
man. We must, therefore, assume that the Mishna’s meaning of “not fastened” signifies “not
fastened before the Sabbath.” Hence Samuel’s opinion has a good reason.