Throughout the entire Talmud, Rabbi Eliezer has an expanded view of what is permitted on Shabbat. Consequently, he would permit “Carrying the Paschal lamb through a public domain, bringing it from outside the Shabbat limit and cutting off its wart ” (TB Pesakhim 65b, Sefaria.org translation) even though each one of these activities could have been done the day before. First Rabbi Yehoshua and then Rabbi Akiva who disagree and forbid these activities enter into a debate with him. Today’s daf TB Pesakhim 69 brings a baraita that fills in the conversation between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva that was missing in the Mishnah.
“We learned in the mishna that Rabbi Akiva responded and said to Rabbi Eliezer that the law governing the sprinkling of the purifying water of a red heifer proves that actions prohibited by a rabbinic decree, even when they are performed for the sake of a mitzva, do not override Shabbat. He then goes on to argue that we can reverse the order of the argument and conclude by way of an a fortiori inference that even slaughter does not override Shabbat. It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer said to him about this: Akiva, you have lightheartedly responded to me with a faulty a fortiori inference with regard to slaughter (because everybody agrees that slaughtering the korban Pesakh supersedes the Shabbat. Consequently, Rabbi Eliezer felt using this argument that Rabbi Akiva was not treating him respectfully-gg) ...Rabbi Akiva said to him: My teacher, do not deny my contention at the time we are discussing this inference, for this is the tradition I received from you: Sprinkling is forbidden by rabbinic decree and does not override Shabbat.” (Sefaria.org translation)
The Gemara provides two possible why Rabbi Eliezer retracted his view that sprinkling is forbidden by rabbinic decree and does not override Shabbat. Ulla posits that there was miscommunication between the two. “Ulla said: When Rabbi Eliezer taught him this halakha, he taught it to him with respect to sprinkling that is performed in order to enable a ritually impure priest to partake of teruma. This sprinkling does not override Shabbat because even separating teruma itself does not override Shabbat. But he never taught Rabbi Akiva this halakha with respect to sprinkling that is performed in order enable someone to eat of the Paschal lamb.
“The Gemara notes that Rabbi Akiva as well, when he challenged Rabbi Eliezer, challenged him with regard to the halakha of sprinkling for teruma, and his objection should be understood as follows: Eating teruma is a mitzva, and sprinkling purifying water on someone who is ritually impure is only prohibited due to a rabbinic decree; nevertheless, sprinkling purifying water on a ritually impure priest, in order to enable him to eat teruma, is prohibited on Shabbat. Thus it follows by a fortiori inference that slaughter, which is a biblically prohibited labor, should certainly be forbidden on Shabbat, even when performed for the sake of a mitzva. And Rabbi Eliezer thought Rabbi Akiva was challenging him with regard to the halakha of sprinkling that is performed in order to enable someone to eat of the Paschal lamb; that is why he said that he disagreed about sprinkling as well.” Sefaria.org translation)
Rabba suggests a different reason to explain the discrepancy concerning Rabbi Eliezer’s position on sprinkling. He just forgot what he taught. “Rabbi Eliezer forgot his own teaching and Rabbi Akiva came to remind him of his teaching by drawing an a fortiori inference that would cause Rabbi Eliezer to remember what he himself had taught. The Gemara asks: If so, then let Rabbi Akiva say explicitly that this is what Rabbi Eliezer himself had taught him. The Gemara answers: He thought that it would not be proper to tell his teacher that he had forgotten his teaching, and therefore his initial attempt was to remind him indirectly.”
Of the two solutions identify more with Rabba’s. The older I get the more I do forget.1
1. Does this song “Oh no, I’m looking for my glasses” by the 4 Bitchin Babes resonates with you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch993THMi4U
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