Menachot 41b

וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא מוּפְסֶקֶת. שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ מַתִּירִין מִבֶּגֶד לְבֶגֶד? דִּילְמָא דְּאִי בְּלַאי.

This is permitted provided that the strings are not broken. The Gemara asks: Should one conclude from this baraita that it is always permitted to untie ritual fringes from one garment in order to affix them to another garment? The Gemara rejects this inference: Perhaps the ruling of this baraita applies only if the first garment was worn out and no longer wearable.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: טַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת – כׇּל מִינֵי צִבְעוֹנִין פּוֹטְרִין בָּהּ, חוּץ מִקָּלָא אִילָן.

The Sages taught in a baraita : In the case of a cloak that is made entirely of sky-blue wool, strings of every type of color exempt it, i.e., the ritual fringes that are not tekhelet may be any color except for indigo, a color that is indistinguishable from tekhelet . This indicates that if one attached strings dyed with indigo alongside the strings dyed with tekhelet , the ritual fringes are unfit.

מֵיתִיבִי: טַלִּית אֵין פּוֹטֵר בָּהּ אֶלָּא מִינָהּ. טַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת – מֵבִיא תְּכֵלֶת וְדָבָר אַחֵר וְתוֹלֶה בָּהּ, וְקָלָא אִילָן לֹא יָבִיא, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר.

The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita : A cloak is exempted only by strings of its own type. In the case of a cloak that is made entirely of sky-blue wool, one brings sky-blue [ tekhelet ] strings and something else, i.e., strings of a different color, and attaches them to the cloak. And he may not bring strings dyed with indigo along with the strings dyed with tekhelet . But if he brought strings dyed with indigo together with the strings dyed with tekhelet , the ritual fringes are fit.

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: לָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן בְּטַלִּית בַּת אַרְבָּעָה חוּטִין, כָּאן בְּטַלִּית בַּת שְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: This is not difficult, because here, in the baraita that holds that the ritual fringes are fit after the fact, it is referring to a cloak that has only four strings, two of tekhelet and two of indigo. There, in the baraita that holds that the ritual fringes are unfit after the fact, it is referring to a cloak that has eight strings, four of tekhelet and four of indigo. In this case, the Sages were concerned that one would take the four indigo strings from this garment and use them in another garment, thinking that they were tekhelet .

שָׁמְעַתְּ מִינַּהּ מַתִּירִין מִבֶּגֶד לְבֶגֶד? דִּלְמָא דְּאִי עֲבַד.

The Gemara asks: Should you conclude from the fact that the Sages were concerned lest one take the indigo strings from this garment for use in another garment that in general one may untie ritual fringes from one garment in order to affix them to another garment? The Gemara responds: Perhaps their concern was that if one did transfer the strings, he might mistake indigo for tekhelet , but it is not permitted to transfer the strings ab initio .

אִיתְּמַר, רַב אָמַר: אֵין מַתִּירִין מִבֶּגֶד לְבֶגֶד, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: מַתִּירִין מִבֶּגֶד לְבֶגֶד.

It was stated that there is a dispute between amora’im with regard to this halakha . Rav says: One may not untie ritual fringes from one garment in order to affix them to another garment. And Shmuel says: One may untie them from one garment and affix them to another garment.

רַב אָמַר: אֵין מַדְלִיקִין מִנֵּר לְנֵר, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: מַדְלִיקִין מִנֵּר לְנֵר.

The Gemara cites additional disputes between Rav and Shmuel: Rav says: One may not light from one Hanukkah lamp to another Hanukkah lamp. And Shmuel says: One may light from one Hanukkah lamp to another Hanukkah lamp.

רַב אָמַר: אֵין הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּגְרִירָה, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּגְרִירָה.

Rabbi Shimon rules that it is permitted to drag items on Shabbat despite the possibility that one might thereby create a furrow in the ground. Creating a furrow is a labor prohibited on Shabbat, but since he does not intend to create the furrow, and it is not certain that a furrow will be created, dragging the item is permitted. Rav says: The halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon with regard to dragging items on Shabbat. And Shmuel says that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon with regard to dragging items on Shabbat.

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כֹּל מִילֵּי דְּמָר עָבֵיד כְּרַב, לְבַר מֵהָנֵי תְּלָת דְּעָבֵיד כִּשְׁמוּאֵל: מַתִּירִין מִבֶּגֶד לְבֶגֶד, וּמַדְלִיקִין מִנֵּר לְנֵר, וַהֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּגְרִירָה.

Abaye said: In all halakhic matters of the Master, Rabba, he conducted himself in accordance with the opinion of Rav, except these three where he conducted himself in accordance with the opinion of Shmuel. He ruled that one may untie ritual fringes from one garment in order to affix them to another garment, and one may light from one Hanukkah lamp to another Hanukkah lamp, and the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon with regard to dragging items on Shabbat.

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: גּוֹרֵר אָדָם מִטָּה, כִּסֵּא וְסַפְסָל, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְכַּוֵּין לַעֲשׂוֹת חָרִיץ.

As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon says: A person may drag a bed, chair, or bench on the ground on Shabbat, provided that he does not intend to make a furrow in the ground. Even if a furrow is formed inadvertently, one does not need to be concerned.

רַב יְהוּדָה מָסַר לֵיהּ לְקַצָּרָא, רַב חֲנִינָא עָבֵיד לֵהּ סִיסָא, רָבִינָא חָיֵיט לְהוּ מֵיחָט.

The Gemara relates that Rav Yehuda would give his garments containing ritual fringes to a laundryman and was not concerned that the strings dyed with tekhelet might become detached and that the laundryman would replace them with strings dyed with indigo. Rav Ḥanina would form a bundle with his ritual fringes so that they would not become detached while they were being laundered. Ravina would tuck them into a pocket he formed on the garment and sew the cover of the pocket in order to protect the ritual fringes.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כַּמָּה חוּטִין הוּא נוֹתֵן? בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: אַרְבָּעָה, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: שְׁלֹשָׁה.

§ The Sages taught in a baraita : How many strings does one place on a garment? Beit Shammai say: Four strings are inserted into the hole in the garment, so that there are eight strings hanging down altogether, and Beit Hillel say: Three strings are inserted into the garment.

וְכַמָּה תְּהֵא מְשׁוּלֶּשֶׁת? בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: אַרְבַּע, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: שָׁלֹשׁ. וְשָׁלֹשׁ שֶׁבֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, אַחַת מֵאַרְבַּע בְּטֶפַח שֶׁל כׇּל אָדָם. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: טֶפַח דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא אַרְבַּע בְּגוּדָל, שֵׁית בִּקְטַנָּה, חֲמֵשׁ בְּתִילְתָּא.

And how much should be hanging [ meshulleshet ] beyond the knots and windings? Beit Shammai say: Four fingerbreadths, and Beit Hillel say: Three fingerbreadths. And the three fingerbreadths that Beit Hillel say should be hanging are each one-fourth of a handbreadth [ tefaḥ ] of any average person. The Gemara notes that Rav Pappa said: The handbreadth of the Torah is four fingerbreadths if measured by the thumb; six fingerbreadths if measured by the smallest finger; and five if measured by the third, i.e., the middle, finger.

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: אַרְבָּעָה בְּתוֹךְ אַרְבַּע, וּמְשׁוּלֶּשֶׁת אַרְבַּע, וְרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר: שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ שָׁלֹשׁ, מְשׁוּלֶּשֶׁת שָׁלֹשׁ.

Rav Huna says that the halakha is: One must attach four strings within four fingerbreadths of the edge of the garment, and they should hang down four fingerbreadths beyond the knots and windings. And Rav Yehuda says: One must attach three strings within three fingerbreadths of the edge of the garment, and they should hang down three fingerbreadths beyond the knots and windings.

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא, הִלְכְתָא: אַרְבָּעָה בְּתוֹךְ שָׁלֹשׁ, מְשׁוּלֶּשֶׁת אַרְבַּע.

Rav Pappa says that the halakha is that one must attach four strings within three fingerbreadths of the edge of the garment, and they should hang down four fingerbreadths beyond the knots and windings.

לְמֵימְרָא דְּאִית לְהוּ שִׁיעוּרָא, וּרְמִינְהוּ: ״צִיצִית״ – אֵין צִיצִית אֶלָּא יוֹצֵא, וְאֵין צִיצִית אֶלָּא מַשֶּׁהוּ, וּכְבָר עָלוּ זִקְנֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וְזִקְנֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל לַעֲלִיַּית יוֹחָנָן בֶּן בְּתִירָא, וְאָמְרוּ: צִיצִית אֵין לָהּ שִׁיעוּר; כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ, לוּלָב אֵין בּוֹ שִׁיעוּר.

The Gemara asks: Is this to say that ritual fringes have a required measure? And the Gemara raises a contradiction to this from a baraita : The verse states: “That they prepare for themselves strings” (Numbers 15:38). Strings are nothing other than what emerges from the corner of the garment, and the term strings indicates only that there must be strings of any length. And it already occurred that the elders of Beit Shammai and the elders of Beit Hillel ascended to the attic of Yoḥanan ben Beteira, and they discussed the matter and said: Ritual fringes have no measure. Similarly, a lulav has no measure.

מַאי לָאו אֵין לָהּ שִׁיעוּר כְּלָל? לָא,

What, does this not mean that ritual fringes have no required measure at all? The Gemara answers: No,