Sticks and stones TB Shabbat 125

The Gemara has been discussing whether or not broken parts of a utensil are muktzeh on Shabbat. Today’s daf TB Shabbat 125 turns its attention to stones and palm branches. Because they are not utensils, generally speaking they are considered muktzeh and we are forbidden to move them. The question arises how can one remove its muktzeh status and what needs to be done to do so. Of course, a disagreement arises. “One Sage, Rabba, holds that we require an action to change the status of a stone, and one Sage, Rav Yosef, holds that we do not require an action.” (Sefararia.org translation)

The Gemara tries to bring a story about Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi as a precedent to solve whether one needs and action or not to change the status of muktzeh. “…when Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia he said that Rabbi Ḥanina said, and some say that it was Rabbi Zeira who said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Once Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi went to one place and found a course of building stones, and he said to his students: Go out and think that you are designating these stones for Shabbat so that we may sit on them tomorrow on Shabbat, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not require them to perform an action with those stones. Thought alone was sufficient.” (Sefararia.org translation)

At first glance our problem is solved. Thought alone is sufficient to change the status of a muktzeh object. The problem with any oral tradition is the possibility of corruption in its transmission. That’s what happened to the above story. “Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That is not what happened. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi required them to perform an action to designate the stones. The Gemara asks: What action did he say to them to perform? Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to them: Go out and arrange the stones. Rabbi Asi said that he said to them: Go out and rub the mortar off of them. Rabbi Ami requires a more significant action to render the stones a vessel.” (Sefararia.org translation) The argument is over how much action is required to change the status of a muktzeh object.

The Shulkhan Arukh poskins the action is the necessary ingredient to change the status of a muktzeh object. Orekh Hayyim Hilkhot Shabbat, chapter 308, halakhah 21. “However, a mound of stones may not be sat upon, even if intended before Shabbos to sit on them, unless they were positioned. RAMA: Some authorities say that the same rule that applies to palm branches applies to stones, and it is the main ruling. (Mordechai, Perek Bameh Tomnin; Maggid, Perek 25 in the name of the R"if; and also as explained in the Rosh).” (Sefararia.org translation) n.b. Our daf goes on to discuss whether palm branches status as a muktzeh can change just like the stones.

So, sticks and stones may break our bones, but we better do some significant action so that we may use them on Shabbat.