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Shabbat 87a

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Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Shabbat 87a

Shabbat 87a. The full printed text of this folio side — 9 numbered segments, about 394 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

בִּתְלָתָא אֲמַר לְהוּ מִצְוַת הַגְבָּלָה; בְּאַרְבְּעָה עֲבוּד פְּרִישָׁה. וְרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי — בִּתְרֵי בְּשַׁבָּא אִיקְּבַע יַרְחָא, בִּתְרֵי בְּשַׁבָּא לָא אֲמַר לְהוּ וְלָא מִידֵּי מִשּׁוּם חוּלְשָׁא דְאוֹרְחָא; בִּתְלָתָא אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי״; בְּאַרְבְּעָה אֲמַר לְהוּ מִצְוַת הַגְבָּלָה; בְּחַמְשָׁא עֲבוּד פְּרִישָׁה. מֵיתִיבִי: ״וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר״, קַשְׁיָא לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי!

On the third day of the week, God said to them the mitzva of setting boundaries around Mount Sinai. On the fourth day of the week, the husbands and wives separated from one another. And the Rabbis hold: On the second day of the week the New Moon was established, and on the second day of the week God did not say anything to them due to the weariness caused by their journey. On the third day of the week, God said to them: “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation; these are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:6). On the fourth day of the week, God said to them the mitzva of setting boundaries around Mount Sinai. On the fifth day of the week, the husbands and wives separated from one another. The Gemara raises an objection: Doesn’t the verse state: “And the Lord said to Moses: Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their garments” (Exodus 19:10), indicating that the husbands and wives were separated for only two days? This is difficult according to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, who said earlier that the separation was for three days.

Segment 2

אָמַר לְךָ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יוֹם אֶחָד הוֹסִיף מֹשֶׁה מִדַּעְתּוֹ. דְּתַנְיָא: שְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה מִדַּעְתּוֹ, וְהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ. הוֹסִיף יוֹם אֶחָד מִדַּעְתּוֹ, וּפֵירַשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה, וְשָׁבַר אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת.

The Gemara answers: Rabbi Yosei could have said to you: Moses added one day to the number of days that God commanded based on his own perception, as it was taught in a baraita : Moses did three things based on his own perception, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with him. He added one day to the days of separation before the revelation at Sinai based on his own perception. And he totally separated from his wife after the revelation at Sinai. And he broke the tablets following the sin of the Golden Calf.

Segment 3

הוֹסִיף יוֹם אֶחָד מִדַּעְתּוֹ, מַאי דְּרַשׁ? ״הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר״ — הַיּוֹם כְּמָחָר. מָה לְמָחָר לֵילוֹ עִמּוֹ, אַף הַיּוֹם לֵילוֹ עִמּוֹ. וְלַיְלָה דְּהָאִידָּנָא נְפַק לֵיהּ, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ תְּרֵי יוֹמֵי לְבַר מֵהָאִידָּנָא. וּמְנָלַן דְּהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל יָדוֹ — דְּלָא שְׁרַאי שְׁכִינָה עַד צַפְרָא דְשַׁבְּתָא.

The Gemara discusses these cases: He added one day based on his own perception. What source did he interpret that led him to do so? He reasoned that since the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “Sanctify them today and tomorrow,” the juxtaposition of the two days teaches that today is like tomorrow; just as tomorrow the men and women will separate for that day and the night preceding it, so too, today requires separation for the day and the night preceding it. Since God spoke to him in the morning, and the night of that day already passed, Moses concluded: Derive from it that separation must be in effect for two days besides that day. Therefore, he extended the mitzva of separation by one day. And from where do we derive that the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with his interpretation? It is derived from the fact that the Divine Presence did not rest upon Mount Sinai until Shabbat morning, as Moses had determined.

Segment 4

וּפֵירַשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה, מַאי דְּרַשׁ? נָשָׂא קַל וָחוֹמֶר בְּעַצְמוֹ, אָמַר: וּמָה יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא דִּבְּרָה שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶן אֶלָּא שָׁעָה אַחַת, וְקָבַע לָהֶן זְמַן, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: ״וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים וְגוֹ׳ אַל תִּגְּשׁוּ״. אֲנִי, שֶׁכׇּל שָׁעָה וְשָׁעָה שְׁכִינָה מְדַבֶּרֶת עִמִּי, וְאֵינוֹ קוֹבֵעַ לִי זְמַן — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וּמְנָלַן דְּהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל יָדוֹ? — דִּכְתִיב: ״לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶם שׁוּבוּ לָכֶם לְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי״. וְאִית דְּאָמְרִי: ״פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ״.

And he totally separated from his wife after the revelation at Sinai. What source did he interpret that led him to do so? He reasoned an a fortiori inference by himself and said: If Israel, with whom the Divine Presence spoke only one time and God set a specific time for them when the Divine Presence would be revealed, and yet the Torah stated: “Prepare yourselves for three days, do not approach a woman” (Exodus 19:15); I, with whom the Divine Presence speaks all the time and God does not set a specific time for me, all the more so that I must separate from my wife. And from where do we derive that the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with him? As it is written after the revelation at Sinai: “Go say to them: Return to your tents” (Deuteronomy 5:26), meaning to your homes and wives. And afterward it is written that God told Moses: “And you, stand here with Me” (Deuteronomy 5:27), indicating that Moses was not allowed to return home, as he must constantly be prepared to receive the word of God. And some say a different source indicating that God agreed with his reasoning. When Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses’ separation from his wife, God said: “With him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord does he behold; why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?” (Numbers 12:8). This indicates that God agreed with his reasoning.

Segment 5

שָׁבַר אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת, מַאי דְּרַשׁ? אָמַר: וּמָה פֶּסַח שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִתַּרְיָ״ג מִצְוֹת, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: ״וְכׇל בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא יֹאכַל בּוֹ״. הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ [כָּאן] וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְשׁוּמָּדִים — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וּמְנָלַן דְּהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל יָדוֹ? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ״, וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ שֶׁשִּׁבַּרְתָּ.

And he broke the tablets following the sin of the Golden Calf. What source did he interpret that led him to do so? Moses said: With regard to the Paschal lamb, which is only one of six hundred and thirteen mitzvot, the Torah stated: “And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: This is the ordinance of the Paschal offering; no alien shall eat of it” (Exodus 12:43), referring not only to gentiles, but to apostate Jews as well. Regarding the tablets, which represented the entire Torah, and Israel at that moment were apostates, as they were worshipping the calf, all the more so are they not worthy of receiving the Torah. And from where do we derive that the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with his reasoning? As it is stated: “The first tablets which you broke [ asher shibarta ]” (Exodus 34:1), and Reish Lakish said: The word asher is an allusion to the phrase: May your strength be true [ yishar koḥakha ] due to the fact that you broke the tablets.

Segment 6

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי״, קַשְׁיָא לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי. הָא אָמְרִינַן יוֹם אֶחָד הוֹסִיף מֹשֶׁה מִדַּעְתּוֹ. תָּא שְׁמַע: ״שְׁלִישִׁי״ — שְׁלִישִׁי בַּחֹדֶשׁ וּשְׁלִישִׁי בַּשַּׁבָּת, קַשְׁיָא לְרַבָּנַן! אָמְרִי לָךְ רַבָּנַן: הָא מַנִּי — רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הִיא.

Come and hear an additional difficulty from the verse: “And be prepared for the third day, for on the third day God will descend onto Mount Sinai before the eyes of the entire nation” (Exodus 19:11). This indicates that God said that the Torah would be given on the third day after two days of separation. This is difficult according to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. The Gemara answers: Didn’t we say that Moses added one day based on his own perception? Come and hear a proof against this from what was taught in a baraita . That which is stated in the Torah: “For on the third day,” means the third day of the month and the third day of the week. Apparently, the New Moon was on Sunday. This is difficult according to the opinion of the Rabbis. The Gemara answers: The Rabbis could have said to you: Whose is the opinion in this baraita ? It is the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. Therefore, this baraita poses no difficulty to the opinion of the Rabbis.

Segment 7

שְׁלִישִׁי לְמַאי? לְכִדְתַנְיָא: ״וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל ה׳״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל ה׳״.

According to the opinion of the Rabbis, that day was the third day of what reckoning? As it was taught in a baraita : It is written: “And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:8). And it is written immediately thereafter: “And God said to Moses: Behold I will come to you in a thick cloud so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will also believe in you forever. And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord” (Exodus 19:9).

Segment 8

מָה אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, וּמָה אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמָה אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֹשֶׁה, וּמָה הֵשִׁיב מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַגְּבוּרָה? זוֹ מִצְוַת הַגְבָּלָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: בַּתְּחִילָּה פֵּירֵשׁ עוֹנְשָׁהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה״ — דְּבָרִים שֶׁמְּשַׁבְּבִין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, וּלְבַסּוֹף פֵּירֵשׁ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה״ — דְּבָרִים שֶׁמּוֹשְׁכִין לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כְּאַגָּדָה. וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: בַּתְּחִילָּה פֵּירֵשׁ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיָּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה״ — דְּבָרִים שֶׁמְּשִׁיבִין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, וּלְבַסּוֹף פֵּירֵשׁ עוֹנְשָׁהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה״ — דְּבָרִים שֶׁקָּשִׁין לָאָדָם כְּגִידִּין.

The Gemara asks: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, say to Moses, and what did Moses say to Israel, and what did Israel say to Moses, and what did Moses report to the Almighty? The verses do not elaborate on the content of God’s command to Moses, which Moses then told the people and which they accepted. It must be that this refers to the mitzva of setting boundaries, which Moses told the people and which they accepted. He then went back and reported to God that the people accepted the mitzva; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: At first, he explained the punishment and the hardship involved in receiving the Torah, as it is written: “And Moses reported [ vayashev ],” which is interpreted homiletically as: Matters that shatter [ meshabbevin ] (Rav Hai Gaon) a person’s mind; and, ultimately, he explained its reward, as it is written: “And Moses told [ vayagged ],” which is interpreted homiletically as: Matters that draw a person’s heart like aggada . And some say that at first, he explained its reward, as it is written: “And Moses reported,” which is interpreted homiletically as: Matters that restore [ meshivin ] and calm a person’s mind; and ultimately, he explained its punishment, as it is written: “And Moses told,” matters that are as difficult for a person as wormwood [ gidin ].

Segment 9

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״שִׁשִּׁי״ — שִׁשִּׁי בַּחוֹדֶשׁ, שִׁשִּׁי בַּשַּׁבָּת, קַשְׁיָא לְרַבָּנַן! הָא נָמֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הִיא. שִׁשִּׁי לְמַאי? רָבָא אָמַר:

Come and hear a proof from that which was taught in a baraita : The sixth was the sixth day of the month and the sixth day of the week. This is also difficult according to the opinion of the Rabbis. The Gemara answers: This baraita is also according to the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. But if so, according to the opinion of the Rabbis, that day was the sixth day of what reckoning? Rava said:

Shabbat 87a

Shabbat 87a

Rashi

Tosafot

Rabbeinu Chananel

Rashba

Maharsha (Chidushei Halachot)

Penei Yehoshua

Gilyon HaShas

Ben Yehoyada

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