Shabbat (Talmud)

Shabbat

Ancientterracotta oil lamp,as used forSabbath lights
Tractateof theTalmud
English:	Shabbat
Seder:	Moed
Number ofMishnahs:	138
Chapters:	24
Babylonian Talmudpages:	157
Jerusalem Talmudpages:	92
Toseftachapters:	18

Shabbat(Hebrew:שַׁבָּת,lit. "Sabbath" ) is the firsttractateofSeder Moed( "Order of Appointed Times" ) of theMishnahand of theTalmud.The tractate deals with the laws and practices regarding observing theJewish Sabbath(Shabbatin Hebrew). The tractate focuses primarily on the categories and types of activities prohibited on the Sabbath according to interpretations of many verses in theTorah,notablyExodus 20:9–10andDeut. 5:13–14.

The Mishnah and Talmud go to great lengths to carefully define and precisely determine the observance of the Sabbath. The tractate is thus one of the longest in terms of chapters in the Mishnah, and folio pages in the Talmud. It comprises 24 chapters and has aGemara– rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah – in both theBabylonian Talmudand all but the last four chapters of theJerusalem Talmud.There is aToseftaof 18 chapters on this tractate.

As its name implies, the tractate deals primarily with the laws and regulations for observing the Sabbath, which is thefourth of the Ten Commandmentsand one of the centralreligious practicesofJudaism.As such, it is dealt with at length in the Mishnah and the Gemara, and many subsequent commentaries have also been written on this tractate, from the early Middle Ages until the present.

In the Babylonian Talmud, the Gemara also contains a discussion of the laws ofHanukkah.

TheJewish religious lawsdetailed in this tractate, and the subsequent legal codes based on it continue to be followed by observant and traditional Jewish communities in modernIsraeland throughout the world.

Subject matter

Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath in honor of the Lord your God, you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your cattle, nor the stranger who is within your gates.

— Exodus 20:7–10, theFourth Commandment,a key source for the subject matter of tractate Shabbat

Main article:Shabbat

This tractate primarily covers the laws of observingShabbat,the weekly day of rest. It provides comprehensive explanations of the types ofactivities prohibited on Shabbat,the sources in the Torah for these prohibitions, the details of the laws, and the rabbinic rulings connected with them. It also deals with matters concerning othermitzvotthat apply on Shabbat. In addition, the main discussion about the laws ofHanukkahare included in the Babylonian Talmud.

The Sabbath is one of the most importantreligious practicesof Judaism, and the Mishnah and Talmud go to great lengths to carefully define and precisely determine how it is to be observed. This concern was a reflection of its importance in the Biblical sources, in which there are more reminders about Sabbath observance than about any other matter, with the possible exception of theprohibitions against idolatry.

Biblical passages concerning the topics discussed in this tractate include references to the foundational concept of the Sabbath inGenesis 2:2–3,the two iterations of the Fourth Commandment prohibiting creative work inExodus 20:7–10andDeut 5:12–14,other actions such as desisting from weekday pursuits (Isaiah 58:13–14) or carrying (Jeremiah 17:21–22), and numerous other references.

Halakha

Jewish lawrelating to Shabbat and the activities prohibited on Shabbat in particular, are the primary subject matter of this tractate.

Prohibited actions derived from the Torah, and rabbinic rulings designed to safeguard or enhance the practices of the cessation of labor and Sabbath rest, are as follows:

• Melakha,thirty-nine forms of "creative work" with their derivatives that are forbidden on the Sabbath are defined by the Mishnah (Shabbat 7:2). They are calledavot melakha(principal categories of creative acts) and are specified or implied from the work required to make theTabernaclein the desert, which is described immediately following the commandment to observe the Sabbath in the Torah (Exodus 35–39). Other actions that derive from these principal categories, calledtoladot,which could lead to performing one of theavot melakhawere added to the prohibition.
• Shevut,referring to "rest" from acts that are not within the definition ofmelakhabut are considered to be inconsistent with the sanctity of the Sabbath and were thus prohibited so as to honor the Sabbath and prevent the violation of Torah prohibitions or to enhance the sanctity of the day by refraining from weekday pursuits, such as business, in accordance with the Biblical mandates to transform the day into"a Shabbat of solemn rest, holy to the Lord"(Exodus 31:15) and to"call the Shabbat a delight, and the holy of the Lord honorable; and you shall honor it, not doing your usual ways, nor, pursuing your business, nor speaking thereof."(Isaiah 58:13–14).
• Muktzeh,referring to certain items and articles that are "set apart" and prohibited from being lifted or handled on the Sabbath, even though no work was involved; several categories ofmuktzehare specified in this tractate, including items whose purpose was specifically for, or could be used for an activity that was not permitted on the Sabbath, items that had not specifically been set aside for use on the Sabbath, or items that had not been available before the Sabbath began.
• Hotzaah,or "carrying out" defined as the transfer of an article of significant size from a private domain to a public domain, or vice versa, and carrying an object fourcubitsin a public domain is forbidden by the Torah; large portion of this tractate, and the following tractate,Eruvin,are devoted to a detailed analysis of laws of carrying on the Sabbath, between four defined domains: private, public, semi-public and an exempt area, including both Biblical and rabbinical prohibitions.
• Techum shabbat,the prohibition on traveling a certain distance outside one's dwelling place (or the edge of one's city, if in a city).

Aggada

In addition to the legal discussions and analysis of the Mishnah, the Gemara in this tractate contains a considerable amount ofAggadah,including narratives and historical stories, as well as moral tales, exegetical interpretations, and sayings.

A significant narrative section describes the origin ofHanukkah,relating that when theHasmoneansdefeated theSeleucidoverlords and purified theTemple in Jerusalem,they found only one small jar of pure oil sealed with theHigh Priest's seal and apparently sufficient for a single day only; but by a miracle it lasted for eight days, so that the Festival of Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days.

Other narratives describe howthe Sagesconsidered excluding the books ofEzekiel,EcclesiastesandProverbsfrom thecanonof theHebrew Bible;however, once interpretations and explanations for the passages that appear contradictory were provided, decided that they should be included.

Also discussed isRabbi Simeon bar Yohai,who was forced to flee and lived in a cave for twelve years following his criticism of the Roman conquerors and rulers of theLand of Israel.

The gentleness of the sageHillelcontrasted with the severity ofShammaiis illustrated by several examples. Among the sayings and ethical teachings are Hillel's famous distillation of Judaism —"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor."Other aggadic sayings cited are: 'Truth' is the seal of God;and"Repent one day before your death"– meaning always be ready to appear before God, an idea also illustrated by a parable of wise and foolish people invited to a royal feast.

TheTorahis extolled in an aggadic passage which says that God specified that the world would return toprimordial chaosunlessIsraelaccepted the Torah, that Israel accepted it joyfully and Moses fought to obtain it, in appreciation of an understanding that God's kingdom on earth can be established only after struggle. The Gemara also elucidates thathatred of the Jewish peopleis a religious animosity dating from the time when theRevelation at Sinaigave the people of Israel a faith which differentiated it from other nations.

In relation to the Sabbath, the primary theme of this tractate, an aggadah relates that the Sages found the spiritual significance of the sanctity of the Sabbath in the desire to be at harmony with God as the core and essence of Judaism. Also recounted is the tradition thattwo angelsaccompany a Jew home from the synagogue on Friday evening after the evening service.

Structure and content

The tractate consists of 24 chapters and 138 paragraphs (mishnayot) and has aGemara– rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah – in both theBabylonian Talmudand all but the last four chapters of theJerusalem Talmud.There is also aToseftaof 18 chapters for this tractate.

In standard printed editions of the Babylonian Talmud, the Gemara contains 157 folio (double-sided) pages and is the longest tractate by page count afterBaba Batra,which has 176 folio pages. There are 92 folio pages of Gemara in the Jerusalem Talmud.

In the Jerusalem Talmud, the Gemara for the last four chapters of the Mishna no longer exist. It is likely that handwritten manuscripts of these four chapters existed before the age of printing but that all the copies were destroyed in periodic acts of antisemitic violence, as well as by acts of deliberate destruction and suppression of the Talmud, such as at theDisputation of Paris.

Themishnayotin the tractate are arranged in a sequential order, apart from the first one, which addresses the topic of carrying, but which can, however, be relevant right at the beginning of Shabbat. The tractate then continues to discuss what may not be done on Friday afternoon, and goes on to topics relevant to actions and preparations immediately before Shabbat.

The tractate then deals withlighting the Shabbat candles,discussing the oils and wicks that may be used for the Sabbath lights; it goes on to discuss matters concerningfood on the Sabbathsuch as which food may be stored for the Sabbath, and keeping food hot for theShabbat mealsby leaving it on top of a stove from before Shabbat and insulating hot food before the beginning of Shabbat; and then continues to discuss the laws of carrying, mentioned first at the beginning of the tractate, fortransferring from one domain to another.

The Mishnah then lists the39 principal categories of work,derived from theTorahand known asmelakhot,and these are discussed in detail in the subsequent chapters. After that, the tractate covers several subjects, including those actions which are rabbinical injunctions, such asshevutandmuktzeh.The tractate concludes with laws applicable at the end of the Shabbat, such as walking to the furthest extent of theShabbat borderto get an early start on a journey, and the laws oftaking care of animalson Shabbat.

An overview of the chapters is as follows:

• Chapter 1 deals with the issue of "domains", including ways in which things may not be brought from a private domain to the public domain and vice versa on the Sabbath, and with questions concerning what may or may not be done onFriday before sunsetwhen the Sabbath begins.
• Chapter 2 deals with the lighting of the Sabbath lights, the kinds of oil which may be used, and the materials which may serve as wicks, along with further details concerning lamps, cases in which lamps may be extinguished on the Sabbath, and actions that women must do and that the head of the household needs to remind to be done before the Sabbath begins.
• Chapter 3 examines permitted and prohibited methods of keeping food warm or warming food up on the Sabbath, and things which are regarded as set apart (muktzeh) and which one is forbidden to move on that day.
• Chapter 4 continues the discussion of topics from chapter 3.
• Chapter 5 addresses the commandment to allow domestic animals to rest on the Sabbath, and examines details such as with what an animal may be led on the Sabbath, such as abridle,and what is regarded permissible to place on it, such as a blanket, and what is considered a burden that is forbidden to load on an animal on that day if it is not required for the health or safety of the animal, or for guarding it.
• Chapter 6 discusses what one may wear a part of one's clothing, and what may not be worn; a discussion of whether weapons may be considered a permissible adornment; the majority of theTalmudic sagesdeciding that weapons disgrace the person who bears them, since they are instruments of murder, and the ideal of the future is a time when the nations will live in everlasting harmony and exchange their weapons for implements of peace, as envisioned in the Bible (Isaiah 2:4).
• Chapter 7 lists the 39 principal categories ofcreative activity(melakha) forbidden on the Sabbath, seven related to agriculture, four to the preparation of food, thirteen to clothes making, seven to butchering and tanning, two to writing and erasing, two to building and demolishing, two to lighting and extinguishing fires, one to giving the finishing touch to something, and one to carrying an object from the public to the private domain and vice versa; it and also discusses the sin-offering to be sacrificed in the Temple for the inadvertent violation of the Sabbath and the minimal quantities which incur the obligation to do so.
• Chapter 8 continues examining the question the quantity of various objects which, if they are carried, violate the Sabbath, and citingIsaiah 30:14.
• Chapter 9 begins the definitions of variousmelakhot,citing additional Biblical verses as proofs or texts and provides further details concerning the quantities of many items that may not be carried on the Sabbath.
• Chapter 10 examines the cases in which someone who transports an object is not violating the Sabbath, cases in which two people who carry an object together from one place to another are or are not violating the Sabbath, transporting a corpse or a living person, and the questions of whether it is permissible to bite or cut ones nails or remove hair on the Sabbath.
• Chapter 11 examines themelakhotrelated to throwing objects from one place to another, from one house across the street to another, from the land into the water and vice versa, or from a ship to the sea and vice versa.
• Chapter 12 examines themelakhotof building, hammering, sawing, boring, weeding fields, chopping trees, and gathering wood or plants; writing two letters of the Alpha bet and of writing in general, together with cases in which writing does not violate the Sabbath.
• Chapter 13 examines themelakhotof weaving, spinning, sewing, tearing, washing, dyeing, and hunting.
• Chapter 14 considers cases in which hunting on the Sabbath are permissible, the preparation of a salt solution and which medicines and remedies are permitted on the Sabbath and which are forbidden.
• Chapter 15 discusses which types of knots may be tied on the Sabbath and which may not; and putting clothes away and making beds.
• Chapter 16 mainly discusses the problems arising from a fire which breaks out on the Sabbath, rescuing sacred writings and phylacteries (tefillin), as well as food that is necessary for that day; permitting non-Jews, but not Jews, to extinguish the fire; and prohibiting a Jew from requesting a non-Jew to do work for him or her on the Sabbath.
• Chapter 17 deals with the topic ofmuktzeh,particularly, containers which may be carried on the Sabbath, and lowering blinds.
• Chapter 18 examines things which may be moved on the Sabbath, leading calves and foals, leading but not carrying a child, helping cattle when about to give birth, and assisting a woman in labor.
• Chapter 19 deals with the issue ofcircumcision,and the necessary preparations for it on the Sabbath.
• Chapter 20 begins an exploration of miscellaneous questions relating to the Sabbath, starting with how wine may be strained and cattle fed on the Sabbath.
• Chapter 21 examines whether and how objects, regarded asmuktzeh,may be moved and put away, and the clearing of the table.
• Chapter 22 considers the preparation of food and drink on the Sabbath, and bathing and anointing with oil on that day.
• Chapter 23 examines lending, raffling, and distributing food and drink on the Sabbath, preparations for the evening of the week-day which may be made on the Sabbath, andcaring for the deadon the Sabbath.
• Chapter 24 discusses the case of a traveler overtaken by the Sabbath eve before he reaches a city, the feeding of cattle and thefulfillment of vowson the Sabbath.

Historical context and influence

Fragment of a stand for a Sabbath lamp on which the word "Shabbat" is engraved (Horbat 'Uzalayer 8,c.340-410C.E.,northern Israel).

The Mishna was composed towards the end of theMishnaic period(c.30 BCE - 200CE) in the Roman province ofJudaeaand forms an early part in the lengthy development of Jewish law regarding Sabbath observance. The categories of work defined in the Mishna were appropriate forancient Israel's largely rural society whose economic base was farming. As Jewish society evolved in theLand of Israel,and then also in theRomanandPersian Empires,particularlyBabylonia,the Gemara and subsequent legal literature elaborated on the basic foundations and principles laid out in the Mishnah to address new and different circumstances than those originally encountered in the time of the Mishnah.

As one of the distinguishing features of Jewish society from ancient times, the Talmud views Shabbat observance as an institution upholding basic teachings of Judaism – belief inGod's acts of creation,God's role in history, and God'scovenant with Israel– and after the loss of Jewish sovereignty and thedestruction of the Templeby the Romans in the first centuryCE,as a bulwark for the preservation of the Jewish people.

The Mishna and the Gemara define the rituals that continue to be observed by traditional Jewish communities until modern times, with some elaboration, to both "remember" and "keep" the Sabbath and to sanctify it at home and in the synagogue. In addition to refraining from creative work, the sanctification of the day throughblessings over wine,the preparation of specialSabbath meals,and engaging inprayerandTorah studywere required as an active part of Shabbat observance to promote intellectual activity and spiritual regeneration on the day of rest from physical creation. The Talmud states that the best food should be prepared for the Sabbath, for "one who delights in the Sabbath is granted their heart's desires" (BT,Shabbat 118a-b). The emphasis on the Sabbath as a day of eating and drinking was meant, according to some scholars, to counteract the ascetic tendencies of theEssenes.

Among traditional Jewish communities, and in the modernState of Israel,where the Sabbath is the official day of rest,contemporary responsa,based on the application of the principles of the Mishnah, as interpreted by the Gemara, and subsequently expounded upon byhalakhic authorities,focus mostly on technological advances in terms of the correct practice according to Jewish law. Examples of these issues include a wide variety of subjects, such asusing electricity,how crossing theInternational Date Lineaffects the observance of Sabbaths and festivals, theuse of elevators,and medical questions ranging from whether hearing aids may be worn on the Sabbath todriving a vehicle on Shabbatfor an emergency.

Commentaries

Rishonim

The primary commentators on this tractate are Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known asRashi(1040 – 1105), the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, andthe Tosafot,the collected "additional" commentaries of numerous rabbis from the 12th to the mid-15th centuries in France and Germany.

TheRambam,Maimonides' Commentary on the Mishnah composed in c.1158−c.1168, provides a running commentary on the entire Mishnah, and often includes a halakhic ruling based on the Talmud's conclusion.

Commentaries of other earlyRishoniminclude the following:

• Tosafot Yeshanim,which appear as comments in the margins of theVilna editionof the Talmud on almost every page until the end of the third chapter (47b). The commentary is less frequent until it ends on page 61b. The style indicates that theTosafot Yeshanimare short excerpts from a larger and more complete work and were apparently included whenever they were relevant to the words of the Tosafot. Occasionally they are inserted in the middle of the Tosafot, in smaller font to set them apart.
• Rabeinu Nissim Gaon(990–1062) ofKairouan,North Africa, whose commentary, printed in the margins of the Vilna edition, provides background information when the Gemara refers to a concept dealt with elsewhere in the Talmud; additionally in his workSefer ha'Mafte'ach,he quotes and discusses the sources of the Gemara's citations, and hisMegilat Setarimprovides somehalakhicnotes on the tractate.
• Rabenu Chananel(990–1053), also of Kairouan, whose commentary on the Gemara appears in the margins of the Vilna edition of the Talmud.
• Rabbeinu Tam(1100–1171), of Troyes, France, wrotechidushimon this tractate, which appear in his book,Sefer haYashar.

Sefer ha'Mafte'achandMegilat Setarimand the commentary of Rabeinu Chananel were reprinted from manuscripts, with footnotes by rabbi David Metzger, in Jerusalem in 1990.Sefer ha'Yasharwas reprinted in 1980 in Jerusalem, based on two original manuscripts, with footnotes by Rabbi Shimon Schlesinger.

Commentaries of Rishonim who lived in the medieval kingdoms ofAragon,ProvenceandNarvonainclude the following:

• RabbiJonathan ben David ha-Kohen of Lunel(c.1135–c.1210) wrote a commentary ontheRiffor most of the Talmud, including Shabbat.
• Sefer ha'Hashlamahby Rabbeinu Meshulam ben Moshe (c.1175–c.1238), which adds the halakhot that were not discussed in the commentary oftheRif.
• RabeinuMoshe ben Nachman,theRamban,(1194–1270), who wrotechidushimon Shabbat, as well as the workMilchamot Hashem;his commentary was published with corrections and brief annotations by rabbiIsser Zalman Meltzerin 1928 and was reprinted from manuscripts, along with corrections and clarifications, by rabbi Moshe Herschler in 1973.
• RabbeinuYehudah ben Binyamin,theRivevan(c.1215-1280), one of the leading sages of Italy, wrote a commentary to theRiffor many tractates, including Shabbat; he often uses the words of Rashi, without quoting him by name, making his work an excellent source for verifying the correct version in Rashi.
• Beit ha'Bechirahby RabbeinuMenachem ben Shlomo,theMeiri,(1249-1315), a comprehensive halakhic work on 37 tractates of the Talmud, including Shabbat.
• Sefer ha'Me'orotby Rabbeinu Meir ben Shimon (d. 1264) is a commentary on theRif.
• Sefer ha'Michtamby RabbeinuDavid ben Levi of Narbonne(13th century).
• RabeinuShlomo ben Avraham ibn Aderet,theRashba,(1235–1310) wrote a commentary on Shabbat that was first printed in its entirety in 1938 and reprinted based on manuscripts, along with corrections and clarifications, byMossad Harav Kookin Jerusalem, in 1986.
• RabeinuYom Tov ben Abraham Ishbili,theRitva'(c. 1260–1320), whose commentary,Chidushei ha'Ritva Al ha'Shas,was mistakenly replaced by the text of theChidushei ha'Ranin many printed editions from 1806 until recent times; the actual manuscript was published in part, with notes and annotations, in 1967, and later, in its entirety, by Mosad Harav Kook, with annotations by rabbi Moshe Goldstein in Jerusalem in 1990.
• RabbeinuNissim of Gerona,theRan(1320–1376), whosechidushimto tractate Shabbat were originally published under the name"Chidushei ha'Ritva"in 1806. When the authenticChidushei ha'Ritvawere printed from the manuscript in 1967, the Ran'sChidushimwere reprinted under his correct name.

Commentaries of Rishonim who lived in medieval France, Germany and other locations include the following:

• TheRa'avanby RabbeinuEliezer ben Nathan(1090–1170)), among the earliest of theBaalei ha'Tosfot.
• Sefer ha'Nerby RabbiZechariah Aghmati(1120-1195), a contemporary of theRambamin Morocco whose commentary on the tractate often quotes from earlier authorities, RavSherira Gaonand RavHai Gaon,and fromRabenu Chananel.
• Avi ha'Ezri,more commonly known asSefer ha'Ra'avyah,by RabbeinuEliezer ben Yoel ha'Levi(1140-1255), one of theBaalei ha'Tosfot.
• RabbeinuYeshaya ben Mali d'Trani(c.1180–c.1250) whose commentary on most of the tractates of the Talmud is known asTosfot Ridand his halakhic summary of the tractate is calledPiskei Rid;his manuscripts were printed in Israel in 1992.
• Or Zaruaby RabbeinuYitzchak ben Moshe(c.1200-1270); theOr Zaruausually cites the relevant Gemara and Rashi for each halakha, making it a resource for establishing the correct version in Rashi.
• Piskei Ri'azby the grandson of theRid,RabbeinuIsaiah di Trani the Younger,which is printed with thePiskei Rid.
• Tosfot ha'Roshof RabbeinuAsher ben Yechiel(c.1250–1327), wrote commentaries and rulings on most of the Talmud which had a profound influence on the codification of Jewish Law; hisTosfotoften clarifies the intentions of the earlierBaalei ha'Tosafot.

Acharonim

There are many commentaries by theAcharonim( "later scholars" ) on tractate Shabbat. Some of the classic works include the following:

• Bartenuraby rabbiOvadiah ben Abraham of Bartenura(c. 1445-c.1515), a commentary printed in almost every edition of the Mishnah since it was first published in Venice in 1548, mainly based on discussions in the Gemara and on the Rambam's commentary, and including a summary of the Talmudic discussions along with the accepted halakhic opinions.
• Gur Aryehby rabbiJudah Loew ben Bezalel,the"Maharal of Prague"(d. 1609), analyzing and explaining the Aggadah and certain halakhic issues of this tractate.
• Pene Yehoshuaby rabbiYehoshua FalkofKraków(1555–1614), a basic commentary on the Gemara, Rashi and Tosafot, and once a widely used basic text forstudents of the Talmud.
• Chasam Sofer,the commentary on this tractate, and part of the larger commentary on the Talmud, by rabbiMoses Soferof Frankfurt (1762–1839).
• Yachin uBoaz,by rabbiIsrael Lipschitz(1782–1860), a commentary divided into two sections:Yachin,the straightforward explanation of the text, andBoaz,lengthier analytical insights; each chapter also has a section calledHilchata Gevirtacontaining a halakhic summary of each mishnah.
• Melechet Shlomowritten by RabbiShlomo Adeni(1567–1625) inHebron,it remained a manuscript until it was first published in Vilna in the 1880s.
• Tosafot Yom Tovon Mishnah Shabbat andIkar Tosafot Yom Tov,an abridged version of theTosafot Yom Tovcommentary, by RabbiYom-Tov Lipmann Heller(1579-1654).
• Kikayon d'Yonahby rabbiJonah Teomim-Frankel(1595-1669), with short insights on the Gemara, Rashi and Tosafot of this tractate for chapter one and from chapter seven onward, first printed in Amsterdam in 1690 and reprinted in 1959 by theYeshiva of Nitra,New York.
• Tziyun le-Nefesh Chayah(abbreviated toTzelach), by rabbiYechezkel Landauof Prague (1713–1793).
• Chidushei u'Biurei Ha'Gra l'Maseches Shabbos,novellaeand explanations of theVilna Gaon(1720–1797) on tractate Shabbat, comprising the originalChidushei ha'Graon Shabbat, his writings inShenos Eliyahuon the Mishna and his comments in theBiurei ha'Graon theShulchan Aruch,compiled by rabbi Avraham Droshkovitz.
• Chidushei Rabbi Akiva Eger,a collection of the writings on the tractate by rabbiAkiva Eger(1761–1837) andTosafot Rabbi Akiva Eiger,published inVilna,1908-1909.
• Sefas Emes,short insights on various topics including those in this tractate, by rabbiYehudah Aryeh Leib Alterthe secondGerrer Rebbe(1847–1905).

Anthologies on the tractate include the following:

• Gilyonei Ha'shasby rabbi Yosef Engel, a collection mainly of references to, and quotes from, the Rishonim in theirresponsaand other earlier works, with additional insights by the author.
• Asifat Zekenim he'Chadash,a collection of rare works on the tractate, for some of the chapters of this tractate.
• Mesilot ha'Barzelby rabbi Nisan Shabsai Hailper, listing sources in the Rishonim and Acharonim that deal with the various issues in the Gemara.
• Al Masechet Shabbat,a two-volume collection of works on the tractate, such asIshei YisraelandEtz ha'Da'at Tov.

Halakhicdiscussions of the issues of the tractate include the following:

• Rosh Yosefby rabbi Yosef Tumim, author of thePri Megadim.
• Chefetz Hashemby rabbiChaim ibn Attar,theOr ha'Chayim ha'Kadosh.

Works focused particularly on the39 categories of activity prohibited on Shabbatinclude the following:

• Tal Orot (ha'Kadmon)by rabbi Shaul ben David, printed in Prague 1614 and reprinted in Jerusalem in 1996.
• Tal Orot (ha'Sephardi)by rabbi Yosef ben Joya, published inSalonikain 1790 and reprinted in Jerusalem in 1987.
• Magen Avotby rabbi Mordechai Bennett, regarding the melakhot on both Shabbat andYom Tov.
• Minchat Chinuch,which contains a section discussing the 39 melakhot of Shabbat in the discussion of themitzvahof Shabbat.
• Kalkelles ha'Shabbat,a discussion of the 39 melakhot by theTiferes Yisrael,in the first volume of his commentary onSeder Moed.
• Iglei Talby rabbiAvraham Borenstein,on the first eleven of the 39 categories, called thesidura d'pas,the "order of making bread," and the twelfth category,gozez,"shearing".
• Yesodei Yeshurunby rabbi Gedalia Felder of Toronto, originally printed with his responsa and later printed separately in Jerusalem in 1976, discussing all 39 categories and including understandings of the Rishonim and Acharonim and his own insights.
• Ne'im Zemiros,by the author of the Mirkeves ha'Mishnah, a poem with brief mentions of theRambam's laws of the various categories of activities, and a commentary on this poem, clarifying their meaning.

Liturgical uses

The morning service in both theAshkenaziandSefardiliturgybegins with recital of blessings over the Torah, followed by brief selections from the Hebrew Bible, Mishna and Gemara, in accordance with a statement in the Talmud (Kiddushin30a) that Torah learning comprises these three elements. The biblical text are the three verses of thePriestly Blessing,the Mishna is fromtractate Peah,about commandments that have no fixed measures, including the mitzvah of Peah, and oflearning Torah), and the passage from the Gemara is from this tractate,BTShabbat 127a, about the reward for good deeds in this world and the next.

The second chapter of the Mishna of this tractate, calledBa'meh Madlikin( "With what may we light?" ), is recited during theKabbalat Shabbatservice on Friday evenings in both the Ashkenazi and Sefardi liturgies. The recitation of this chapter referenced the disagreement with theSadduceesandKaraites,who rejected theOral Traditioncodified in the Mishnah, and held that the commandment "Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day" (Exodus 35:3) meant that the use of any light was forbidden, while the followers ofRabbinic Judaism,who accepted the authority of the Oral Tradition, held that the verse excluded kindling on the Sabbath but not the use of a light that had been lit before the Sabbath began.

Immediately following this chapter, in the Ashkenazi liturgy, but not the Sephardi, additional passages from the Babylonian Talmud are recited, including a paragraph from tractate Shabbat (12a), quotingRabbi Haninahsaying that one should examine one's clothing on the Sabbath eve before nightfall, to ensure one is not carrying anything, andRabbi Yosefcommenting that this is an important law about the Sabbath, as it is easy to forget and accidentally violate the sanctity of the day of rest.

TheSabbath hymnYom Zeh M’khubad( "this day is the most precious of all days" ), composed by an unidentified poet whose name appears in the acrostic as Yisrael Ha’Ger (Israel theproselyte) in the verses of the song, is based on the statement in this tractate (118a) that the best food should be prepared for the Sabbath, for "one who delights in the Sabbath is granted their heart's desires".

External links

• Full text of the Mishnah for tractate ShabbatonSefaria(Hebrew and English)
• Text of the Mishnah for tractate Shabbatwith commentary by RabbiPinchas Kehati