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Babylonian Talmud:

Tractate ShabbathFolio 137a

And an anonymous [statement in the] Sifra1 is according to

R. Judah.2 R. Nahman b. Isaac said: We too learnt

likewise: All are eligible to sanctify,3 save a deaf-mute, an

imbecile, and a minor. R. Judah admits a minor, but

invalidates a woman and an hermaphrodite. This proves it — And why is circumcision different?4 Because it is

written, every male among you shall be circumcised.5

MISHNAH . IF A MAN HAS TWO INFANTS, ONE FOR

CIRCUMCISION AFTER THE SABBATH AND THE

OTHER FOR CIRCUMCISION ON THE SABBATH,

AND HE ERRS6 AND CIRCUMCISES THE ONE

BELONGING TO AFTER THE SABBATH ON THE

SABBATH, HE IS CULPABLE.7 [IF HE HAS] ONE FOR CIRCUMCISION ON THE EVE OF THE SABBATH

AND ANOTHER FOR CIRCUMCISION ON THE

SABBATH, AND HE ERRS AND CIRCUMCISES THE

ONE BELONGING TO THE EVE OF THE SABBATH

ON THE SABBATH, — R. ELIEZER HOLDS [HIM]

LIABLE TO A SIN-OFFERING;8 BUT R. JOSHUA

EXEMPTS [HIM].9

GEMARA. R. Huna recited: He is culpable;10 Rab Judah

recited: He is not culpable. ’R. Huna recited: He is

culpable’; because it was taught, R. Simeon b. Eleazar said:

R. Eliezer and R. Joshua did not differ concerning a man

who has two infants, one for circumcision on the Sabbath

and another for circumcision after the Sabbath, and he errs

and circumcises the one belonging to after the Sabbath on

the Sabbath, that he is culpable. About what do they

disagree? About him, who has two infants, one for circumcision on the eve of the Sabbath and another for

circumcision on the Sabbath, and he errs and circumcises

ylonian Talmud: Shabbath 137 http://halakhah.com/shabbath/shabbath_137.html#chapter_xx

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the one belonging to the eve of the Sabbath on the Sabbath,

R. Eliezer declaring [him] liable to a sin-offering, while R.

Joshua exempts [him]. Now, both learn it from nought but

idolatry:11 R. Eliezer holds, it is like idolatry: just as

idolatry, the Divine Law decreed, Do not engage [therein],

and if one engages [therein] he is culpable, so here too it is

not different. But R. Joshua [argues]: there there is no

precept [fulfilled], whereas here there is a precept.

’Rab Judah recited; He is not culpable.’ For it was taught, R.

Meir said: R. Eliezer and R. Joshua did not differ

concerning a man who has two infants, one for

circumcision on the eve of the Sabbath and another for



that he is not culpable. About what do they disagree? About

him who has two infants, one for circumcision after the

Sabbath and another for circumcision on the Sabbath, and

he errs and circumcises the one belonging to after the

Sabbath on the Sabbath, R. Eliezer declaring [him] liable to

a sin-offering, while R. Joshua exempts him. Now, both

learn it from nought save idolatry: R. Eliezer holds, It is

like idolatry: just as idolatry, the Divine Law decreed, Do

not engage [therein], and if one engages [therein] he isculpable, so here too it is not different — But R. Joshua

[argues:] There he is not preoccupied with a precept,

whereas here he is preoccupied with a precept.12

R. Hiyya taught, R. Meir used to say: R. Eliezer and R.

Joshua did not differ concerning him who has two infants,

one for circumcision on the eve of the Sabbath and one for



that he is culpable. About what, do they disagree? About a

man who has two infants, one for circumcision after the

Sabbath and another for circumcision on the Sabbath, and

he errs and circumcises the one belonging to after the

Sabbath on the Sabbath, R. Eliezer declaring [him] liable to

a sin-offering, while R. Joshua exempts him. Now if R.

Joshua exempts him, in the second clause, though he does

not fulfil a precept, shall he declare him culpable in the first

clause, where he does fulfil a Precept!13 The School of R.

Jannai said: The first clause is, e.g., where the [infant]


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belonging to the Sabbath was previously circumcised on

the eve of the Sabbath, so that the Sabbath does not stand to

be superseded;14 but in the second clause the Sabbath

stands to be superseded. Said R. Ashi to R. Kahana: [But]

in the first clause too the Sabbath stands to be superseded

in connection with infants in general? — Nevertheless as

far as this man [is concerned] it does not stand to be

superseded.

MISHNAH . AN INFANT IS TO BE CIRCUMCISED ON

THE EIGHTH, NINTH, TENTH, ELEVENTH, AND

TWELFTH [DAYS], NEITHER EARLIER NOR LATER.

HOW SO? IN THE NORMAL COURSE, IT IS ON THE

EIGHTH; IF HE IS BORN AT TWILIGHT, ON THE

NINTH;

15

AT TWILIGHT ON SABBATH EVE, ON THETENTH;16 IF A FESTIVAL FOLLOWS THE SABBATH,

ON THE ELEVENTH;17 IF THE TWO DAYS OF NEW

YEAR [FOLLOW THE SABBATH, ON THE

TWELFTH.18 AN INFANT WHO IS ILL IS NOT

CIRCUMCISED UNTIL HE RECOVERS.

GEMARA. Samuel said: When his temperature subsides

[to normal], we allow him full seven days for his

[complete] recovery. The scholars asked: Do we requiretwenty-four hours’ days?19 Come and hear: For Luda

taught: The day of his recovery is like the day of his birth.

Surely that means, just as with the day of his birth, we do

not require a twenty-four hours’ day,20 so with the day of

his recovery, we do not require a twenty-four hours’ day?

— No: the day of his recovery is stronger than the day of

his birth, for whereas with the day of his birth we do not

require a twenty-four hours’ day, with the day of hisrecovery we do require a twenty-four hours’ day.

MISHNAH . THESE ARE THE SHREDS WHICH

INVALIDATE CIRCUMCISION: FLESH THAT COVERS

THE GREATER PART OF THE CORONA; AND HE

MUST NOT PARTAKE OF TERUMAH .21 AND IF HE IS

FLESHY,22 HE MUST REPAIR IT FOR APPEARANCES

SAKE.

To Part b

Original footnotes renumbered.


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The halachah midrash on Leviticus, in which this passage

occurs.

1.

This principle was laid down by R. Johanan; v. Sanh., Sonc. ed.,

p. 567, n. 1. — Thus R. Judah does not regard him as a male in

this respect.

2.

The waters of lustration by placing the ashes therein; v. Num.

XIX, 17.

3.

That an hermaphrodite is considered a male.4.Gen. X VII, 10: ’every’ is an extension, and teaches the inclusion

of an hermaphrodite.

5.

Lit., ’forgets’.6.

For unwittingly desecrating the Sabbath. For since circumcision

is obligatory from the eighth day only, this is not circumcision,

but the mere inflicting of a wound, which entails culpability.

7.

For though he has actually fulfilled a precept, nevertheless

circumcision after the proper time does not supersede the

Sabbath.

8.

He erred through the fulfilment of a precept, viz., because he

was occupied with the circumcision of the second, which

actually was to be done that day; he also did fulfil a precept by

circumcising the first, and R. Joshua holds that in such a case

one is not culpable.

9.

In the first clause of the Mishnah, as our text.10.

The obligations to all sin-offerings are learnt from the unwitting

offence of idolatry, which serves as a model; v. Num. XV. 29-30

(v. 30 is understood to refer to deliberate idolatry, and shows

that the preceding verses refer to all unwitting offences whichare similar thereto).

11.

He is anxious to carry out the obligation which rests on him, and

this preoccupation excuses his error. Rab Judah accordingly

reads the Mishnah quite differently, and in accordance with the

present view.

12.

Surely not, v. p. 688, n. 4.13.

There is no infant left for whom the Sabbath must be violated.

There was therefore no preoccupation with a precept and the

error consequently was inexcusable, hence he is culpable.

14.

As it may have been night already, and circumcision must not

take place before the eighth.

15.

Sc. the following Sunday week.16.

The following Monday week.17.

In Palestine all Festivals are of one day’s duration, in accordance

with Scripture, save New Year, which is of two days. — In the

last three cases the infant cannot be circumcised on the

following Friday, in case it is the seventh day, nor on the

Sabbath or Festival, in case Friday was the eighth day, and

circumcision after its proper time does not supersede them.

18.

Lit., ’from time to time’. Must we wait seven whole days to the

hour, or can we circumcise any time on the seventh day?

19.

E.g., we do not wait eight full days to the hour for a normal20.


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circumcision, but perform it any time on the eighth day.

If he is a priest and was thus inadequately circumcised, v. Yeb.

70a.

21.

So that though the circumcision was correctly performed the

foreskin nevertheless looks as though it was uncircumcised.

22.

Tractate List

Shabbath 137b

IF ONE CIRCUMCISES BUT DOES NOT UNCOVER

THE CIRCUMCISION,1 IT IS AS THOUGH HE HAS

NOT CIRCUMCISED.

GEMARA. R. Abina said in the name of R. Jeremiah b.

Abba in Rab’s name: [This means,] the flesh that covers thegreater part of the height of the corona.

AND IF HE IS FLESHY, etc. Samuel said: If an infant[’s

membrum] is overgrown with flesh, we examine him: as

long as he appears circumcised when he forces himself, it is

unnecessary to recircumcise him; but if not he must be

recircumcised. In a Baraitha it was taught: R. Simeon b.

Gamaliel said: If an infant[’s membrum] is overgrown with

flesh, we examine him: if he does not appear circumcised

when he forces himself,2 he must be recircumcised:

otherwise he need not be recircumcised. Wherein do they

differ? — They differ where it is only partially visible.3

IF ONE CIRCUMCISES BUT DOES NOT UNCOVER

THE CIRCUMCISION. Our Rabbis taught: He who

circumcises must recite: ’… Who hast sanctified us with

Thy commandments, and hast commanded us concerningcircumcision.’ The father of the infant recites, ’… Who hast

sanctified us with Thy commandments and hast

commanded us to lead him into the covenant of our father

Abraham.’ The bystanders exclaim, ’Even as he has entered

the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah, the marriage

canopy, and good deeds.’ And he who pronounces the

benediction recites: ’… Who hast sanctified the beloved

one

4

from the womb; He set a statute in his flesh, and hisoffsprings he sealed with the sign of the holy covenant.

Therefore as a reward for this, O living God Who art our

portion, give command to save the beloved of our flesh


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from the pit, for the sake of Thy covenant which Thou hast

set in our flesh. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who makest the

covenant. He who circumcises proselytes says, ’Blessed art

Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Who hast

sanctified us with Thy commandments and hast

commanded us concerning circumcision.’ He who

pronounces the benediction recites, ’… Who hast sanctifiedus with Thy commandments and hast commanded us to

circumcise proselytes and to cause the drops of the blood of

the covenant to flow from them, since but for the blood of

the covenant Heaven and earth would not endure, as it is

said, If not my covenant by day and by night, I had not

appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.5 Blessed art

Thou, O Lord, Who makest the covenant.’ He who

circumcises slaves recites: ’… Who hast sanctified us withThy commandments and hast commanded us concerning

circumcision. While he who pronounces the benediction

recites: ’… Who hast sanctified us with Thy

commandments and hast commanded us to cause the drops

of the blood of the covenant to flow from them, since but

for the blood of the covenant the ordinances of heaven and

earth would not endure, as it is said, If not my covenant by

day and by night, I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who makest

the covenant.’6

CHAPTER XX

MISHNAH . R. ELIEZER SAID: ONE MAY SUSPEND A

STRAINER ON FESTIVALS, AND POUR [WINE]

THROUGH A SUSPENDED [STRAINER] ON THESABBATH.7 BUT THE SAGES RULE: ONE MAY NOT

SUSPEND A STRAINER ON FESTIVALS, NOR POUR

[WINE] THROUGH A SUSPENDED [STRAINER] ON

THE SABBATH, BUT WE MAY POUR [IT] THROUGH

A SUSPENDED [STRAINER] ON FESTIVALS.

GEMARA. Seeing that R. Eliezer [holds] that we may not

[even] add to a temporary tent, can it be permitted to make

[one] in the first place?8 What is this allusion? For we

learnt: As for the stopper of a skylight, — R. Eliezer said:

When it is fastened and suspended, one may close [the


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receives the liquid, a ’tent’ is technically made, in that the

strainer covers the vessel like the top of a tent cover and

protects that which is beneath it. R. Eliezer permits this on

Festivals but not on the Sabbath. Again, when the liquid, e.g.,

wine, is poured through the strainer, the lees are separated from

the wine; nevertheless he does not regard this as ’selecting’ (v.

supra 73a) and permits it on the Sabbath. A cloth strainer is

probably meant; v. T.A. II, p. 243.As he does permit it in the Mishnah.8.

This means that R. Eliezer forbids even adding to a temporary

tent.

9.

V. p. 281, n. 8.10.

The suspending of a strainer falls within this category.11.

For he permits it even in the latter case.12.

Surely not. Here too it is not a real building and is forbidden by

Rabbinical law only.

13.

Tractate List


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