Shabbat 127: Hospitality Demonstrated Through Moving Bundles on Shabbat

In daf 126, we learned a new Mishna saying that we are permitted to move five baskets baskets of straw or produce to make room for guests to sit on Shabbat. If they are bundles of straw, wood, twigs or prepared on erev Shabbat for animal food, they can be moved.  We cannot move teruma or demai  doubtfully tithed produce, nor other types of produce that might be of use for people or  animals.  Other types are not fit for consumption and are set aside; we cannot move them. We are not permitted to fill the storeroom  Today we learn the rabbis thoughts about this daf. 

Why five and not four or another number?  The rabbis include several possible answers, including the idea that five refers to "four or five", not being specific.  Should we be careful that we are not creatting more space in the storeroom for the first time?  We might accidentally come to level the floor of the storeroom by filling in the holes in the floor.  If one makes a pathway with one's feet in the storeroom, it is permitted to enter and exit it.  Baskets cannot be moved by hand. 

The rabbis consider whether it is better to minimize the walking trips but carry heavier loads, or whether it is better to take several walking trips with lighter loads to create this seating for guests.  We are told that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi saw that a place was too crowded for the students, and he went to the field and found many bundles of grain.  He cleared all of the bundles to create seating for everyone.  Should we conclude that we may move items according to the number of guests present?  We are told that Rabbi Chiyya did the same thing. 

Should only one person move the bundles? Or should each person move a bundle for him or herself?  Rabbi Yochanan says that hospitality is as important as rising early to go to the stud hall.  The rabbis then one-up each other, saying how important hospitality is.  Rav Yehuda says that Rav even stated that hospitality toward guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence, and we know this because Abraham sayid "Lord, if now I have found favour in Your sight, please pass not from your servant" (Genesis 18:3).  Rabbi Yochanan said that there are six things where a person enjoys the profits here but the principal in the World-to come: hospitality toward guests, visiting the sick, consideration during prayer, rising early to the study hall, and one who raises his sons to engage in Torah study, and one who judges others well.

We are told that in a baraita is says that one who judges another favourably is oneself judged favourably.  We are told of a person who came from the Upper Galilee to work for a homeowner (and both may have been rabbis).  On erev Yom Kippur, the person asked for his wages to feed is wife and children.  The homeowner said that he had none - in fact, when asked for payments in different forms, the homeowner said that he had no money, produce, land, animal, nor cushions and blankets.  The worker went home with his tools in anguish.  At Sukkot the homeowner brought the worker his wages in hand along with food, drink, sweets on three donkeys.  After eating and drinking, the person was given his wages.   The homeowner asked the person what he had assumed.  He had thought well of the homeowner, assuming that he had bought tools with his money, tithed his produce, leased his land and animals, etc.  The homeowner said in fact he had vowed and consecrated all of his property due to his son Hyrcanus who did not engage in Torah study.  He wanted to leave an inheritance for his son.  The Sages dissolved his vows, and the homeowner was able to pay his workers immediately.  He then said "And you, just as you judged me favourably, may G-d judge you favourably".

Another story: a pious man redeemed a young Jewish woman from captivity and had her sleep beneath his feet where he stayed at the inn.  The next day he immersed in a ritual bath before Torah study and prayer.  This could be seen as ritual purification after intercourse.  The pious man asked his students what they thought of him when he immersed.  One said that perhaps he wanted to ensure that a student who is not conducting himself well would not accost the young woman; he was protecting them both.  And what did the students think when he immersed?  They said that perhaps because of the exertion of travel, a seminal emission "befell" the rabbi.  He said, I swear by the Temple service that it was so.  And just as you judged me favourably, so may G-d judge you favourably. 

A final similar example: a matron who kept the company of many of the prominent people of Rome was approached by students and their teacher, Rabbi Yehoshua, regarding tactical advice.  He removed his phylacteries four cubits before he entered her home, locked the door, immersed in a ritual bath after leaving her home, and then taught his students.  What did you think of me when I removed my tefillin?  The students answered that they assumed he would not bring sacred items into an impure place.  What about when I locked the door?  Perhaps there was a private royal matter to be discussed.  And when I immersed? The students said that perhaps a bit of spittle sprayed from her mouth onto the rabbi's clothes, and the body fluids of a Gentile are like those of a zav, transmitting virtual impurity.  Rabbi Yehoshua swore by the Temple service that these answers were true, and that a they judged him favourably may G-d judge them favourably.

Returning to the Mishna, we had learned that ritually pure teruma may be moved on Shabbat.  Isn't this obvious?  It is necessary to teach this for cases where the teruma is placed in Israelite hands.  An Israelite cannot eat it and thus cannot move it.  Regarding demai, a person cannot eat it unless he denounces his property and declares it ownerless.  In this case he becomes poor and is permitted to eat demai produce along with other people who are poor and with soldiers according to the halacha derived at by Beit Hillel.  The teruma gedola was taken and eventually became grain.  Those on the stalks were not yet grain.  The first of the grain was given to the priest.  Once it had become grain, the Levite was required to separate teruma gedola.  Our daf discusses redemption of one-fifth of the tithe, as well.

We end with a short comment about moving dry lupine, which is used as goat food. It is only permitted when dry. Why?  Because it is bitter when wet an animals will not eat it at all.