Shabbat 76: How Much Food Creates Liability for Carrying on Shabbat?

We begin a new Mishna about which substances are significant and how they are stored.  One who carries out straw in a measure that is the same as a cow's mouthful is liable.  The measure that tells us whether or not one is liable for etza is equivalent to a camel's mouthful.  Liability for ears of grain is equal to a lamb's mouthful.  Liability for grass is equivalent to a goat's mouthful.  Moist and ready to eat garlic leaves and onion leaves are liable if they are a dried fig bulk.  If the leaves are dry, they are liable at a goat's mouthful.  None of these can join together because they are all measured differently.

The Gemara begins with a discussion about how much a mouthful might be for a cow, for a camel.  What those animals might eat; how those substances might be measured.Rabbi Yosei bar Chanina says that substances that have a more lenient legal status and have a greater measure for liability do not join together with substances whose legal status is more stringent and whose measure for liability is smaller.  

The Gemara notes that a garment must be at least three by three handbreadths to become a primary source of ritual impurity by a zav. but the sack made of goats' hair must be four by four, the animal hide must be five by five, and a mat must be six by six.  They can join together to become ritually impure as a ritual imparted to a seat for a zav.    Rava says that these materials can be piled together as a merchant tries to sell them and for carrying out on Shabbat.

Another new Mishna: One who carries out a measure of foods fit for human consumption equal to a dried fig bulk into a domain where carrying is prohibited on Shabbat is liable.  These foods join together because they are equal in their measures.  It is calculated without their shells seeds, stems, bran, and coarse bran.  Rabbi Yehuda notes that the shells of lentils are included because they are cooked and eaten together.

We move into Perek VIII.  A third new Mishna teaches that one who carries out undiluted wine from a private to public domain or vice versa is liable only for a measure equal to the wine typically diluted in a cup.  The measure that is liable for carrying out milk is equal to that which is swallowed in one gulp.  For honey, it is equal to that which is used to place on a sore that was caused by chafing.  Liability for carrying oil is equal to that used to spread on a small limb.  For water, it is the amount used to rub and spread on an eye bandage.  All other liquids are liable if they measure a quarter of a log.  The measure determining liability for carrying out all waste water is a quarter of a log as well.  These measures were only stated regarding those who store them.  Storing demonstrates that one considers the liquids significant, and we are only liable for object that we consider to be significant to us.  

The Gemara says that a Tosefta asks, what the exact measures are regarding a significant cup of wine if that wine is diluted with water? It is a cup of blessing.  Rav Nachman says that Rabba bar Avuh says that a cup of blessing must have a quarter of a quarter of a log of undiluted wine in it so that one will dilute it with water and the cup will contain a quarter of a lg.  Thus the ratio of dilution is typically three parts water to one part wine.