Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi teaches two life lessons TB Shabbat 51

With today’s daf TB Shabbat 51 we finish the fourth chapter of our massechet and began the fifth chapter. Up to now we been dealing with all the issues surrounding insulating (הטמנה) hot food before Shabbat so that we may enjoy hot food on Shabbat. Now the Gemara asks the question whether the same rules apply to cold food as well. We shall learn that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi changed his mind and permits something that he once prohibited.

“Rav Huna said that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: It is prohibited to insulate cold food on Shabbat to keep it cold. The Gemara raises an objection: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi permitted cold food to be insulated on Shabbat? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement was made before he heard the ruling of Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei; that statement in the baraita was made after he heard it. As in that incident where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi sat and said: It is prohibited to insulate cold food on Shabbat to keep it cold, Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, said before him: Father permitted insulating cold food on Shabbat. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: I retract my previous statement, as the Elder, Rabbi Yosei, has already issued a ruling on this topic, and I defer to his ruling.

“Rav Pappa said: Come and see how much they loved each other. Had Rabbi Yosei still been alive, he would have been subordinate to and sitting before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi as his student, as Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yosei, who took his father’s place and was as great a Torah scholar as his father, was subordinate to and sitting before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi as his student. And, nevertheless, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: The Elder has already issued a ruling on this topic, and he deferred to Rabbi Yosei’s ruling.” (Sefaria.org translation)

I think we should all learn two things from Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. First, there’s nothing wrong about changing your mind. New facts or personal growth should free a person to change a position. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his essay “Self-Reliance” “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” Secondly, we learn that we should treat every human being and that includes our subordinates with love and respect.

Chapter 5 deals with another aspect of transferring (הוצאה והכנסה) from one domain to another. We know that not only we are obligated to rest on the Shabbat, but also “your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle,…” (Exodus 20:10) What does it mean that our cattle must observe the Sabbath? Obviously, they are allowed to pasture, uproot and eat grass for that is their food even though we are prohibited from uprooting anything that grows from the ground on Shabbat. We are prohibited to do anything with the animal that would be our violation of Shabbat. We may place something that serves or protects the animal as it goes out, but we cannot put something on animal that isn’t for the animal’s sake. That would be considered a burden (מַשּׂאוֹי) and forbidden.

“Due to the mitzva to rest one’s animals on Shabbat, one’s animal may not go out into the public domain bearing a burden. However, an object designated to protect the animal or to prevent it from fleeing is not considered a burden; therefore, an animal bearing objects that serve that purpose may go out into the public domain.

MISHNA: The mishna asks: With what may an animal go out into the public domain on Shabbat and with what may it not go out” (Sefaria.org translation)

Now with this introduction tomorrow we will continue our journey through the fifth chapter.