Translation:Talmud/Seder Moed/Tractate Shabbat/146a

that the snake came unto Eve, he placed in her contamination. Israel that stood at Mount Sinai – their contamination ceased. Star-worshippers that did not stand at Mount Sinai – their contamination did not cease. Said R. Aha, son of Rava, to R. Ashi: "What is with converts?" Said he to him: "Even though they weren't there, their destiny was, as is written: [Deuteronomy xxix. 14]: With him that is here with us, standing today before God, our Lord, and with him that is not here, etc." And he argues with R. Abba bar Kahana. For R. Abba bar Kahana said: "Until three generations, contamination did not cease from our forefathers: Abraham begot Ishmael. Isaac begot Esau. Jacob begot twelve tribes which had no slander. MISHNA: A man may break open a cask, to eat dry figs therefrom; provided, he does not intend using the cask afterwards as a vessel. He must not pierce the bunghole of a cask, such is the decree of R. Jehudah (or R. Jose); the sages permit this to be done. And one must not bore a hole in the side of it; but if it was already perforated, he must not fill it up with wax, because he would smoothen the wax thereby. Said R. Jehudah: "Such a case was brought before R. Johanan ben Sachai, at Arab, and he observed: 'I doubt whether that act does not involve liability to bring a sin-offering.'"

GEMARA: Said R. Oshea: "This [that a man may hold a dirk to open a cask of figs] was only learnt when [the figs] are very tightly packed [for then he would have to use a knife or a dirk to get the figs out]; but if they were packed loose he must not [use a knife to open the cask]."

And if they were packed loose he must not [use a knife to open the cask]? An objection was raised: [We have learned:] R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said: "A man may bring in the cask of wine, and cut off its bung-head with a knife, and serve it to the guests on Sabbath with impunity." This [Boraitha] is [in accordance with the opinion of] the sages, [while] our Mishna is [in accordance with the decree of] R. Nehemiah [who holds that no vessel may be used for any other purpose but that for which it was originally intended]. And what impelled R. Oshea to make the [entire] Mishna conform with [the dictum of] R. Nehemiah, and when they are tightly packed? Let him say that [the cask may be opened with a knife even if] they [the figs] are loose, and [thus be in accord with] the sages? Answered Rabha: "He [R. Oshea] could not comprehend the Mishna: Why did [the Mishna] specify figs: it could have said fruit, and on that account he reasoned that they are tightly packed."

In one [Boraitha] we have learned: Palm-leaf baskets containing dried figs and dates may be untied, taken apart, or cut; and in another [Boraitha] we were taught: They may be untied, but not taken apart or tied. This presents no difficulty; for one [Boraitha] is [in accordance with the opinion of] the sages, [and] the other is [in accord with] R. Nehemiah. For we have learned: R. Nehemiah says: Even a spoon and even a tallit and even a knife are not taken except for the need of their use.

A question was asked of R. Shesheth: "May a cask be bored with an auger on the Sabbath? [Shall we assume that] one intended to make an opening [in the cask] and [hence] it is prohibited, or [that] he intended [merely] to make a larger space [for the flow of the wine] and it is [therefore] permitted?" He answered them: "The intention was to make an opening, and it is prohibited." An objection was raised: "R. Simeon ben Gamaliel says: 'A man may bring in a cask of wine and cut off its bung-head with a knife.'" [The answer was:] "There the intention certainly was to make the space larger, [while] here, [it is obvious that the intention was to make an opening; for] if intention was to make the space larger, he would have broken open [the cask with a knife]."

"One must not pierce the bunghole, etc."

Said R. Huna: "They differ [only] in reference to the top [of a bunghole of a cask]; but [as] for the side, all agree that it is not allowed, and this is carried out by the [later] clause in the Mishna; viz.: 'he must not bore a hole in the side of it.'" And R. Hisda said: "They differ [only as far as boring a hole] in the side [of the bunghole is concerned] but as for the top, all agree that it is permitted; and the [later] clause of the Mishna means to state that one must not bore a hole in the side of the cask itself."

The rabbis taught: One must not bore a new hole on Sabbath, but if [it was already made and] he comes to enlarge it, he may enlarge it; and others say, that he must not enlarge it; but all agree, that if the hole was merely stopped it may be reopened. And the first Tana, why does it differ from [the boring of] a new hole, which is prohibited, because thereby an opening is made; does not enlarging a hole improve the opening? Said Rabba: According to biblical law, an opening through which one cannot enter or go out is not considered a door, but the rabbis made this a precaution on account of chicken-coops, [the holes of which] are made for the purpose of admitting fresh air and emitting the foul. (Therefore making a hole in a coop is equivalent to making a whole coop, for without holes it is of no value.) Enlarging a hole, however, is permitted, because one would not enlarge a hole in a chicken-coop,