Shabbat 51 - 57
- Insulating cold water to keep from getting warm
- What is permissible to allow an animal to wear in the public thoroughfare on Shabbat
- Tale of a miracle and of exceptional modesty
- What is forbidden to allow an animal to wear in the public thoroughfare on Shabbat
- The ribbon on the horns of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarias cow
- The responsibility of reproof
- Why the righteous died during destruction of Beit Hamikdash
- Is there suffering and death not as a result of sin?
- Second look at the "sins" of figures in Scripture
- What a woman may wear on Shabbat in the public thoroughfare
Respect for Another Sage
Although our Sages prohibited insulating a pot on Shabbat itself even with materials that do not add heat, this ban does not apply to insulating a vessel with water or food in it to prevent it from becoming warmed by the sun. The reason for the prohibition on insulating to retain warmth is the fear that one who sees that his pot of food is not as warm as he would like it to be may forget himself and actually put it on the stove to heat it, a fear which does not exist in regard to insulating against heat.
When the Sage Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda the Nassi) initially ruled that even insulation against heat was forbidden, he was told by Rabbi Yishmael that his father, Rabbi Yossi, had ruled that it was permitted. Rebbis reaction was to retract his own ruling as he declared "The senior Sage has already issued his ruling!"
Upon learning of Rebbis declaration, Rabbi Papa expressed admiration of the loving respect which the Sages showed to one another. Had Rabbi Yossi been alive he would certainly have been subservient to Rebbi who was the Nassi (head of the Sanhedrin and thus the head of the Jewish community). Nevertheless, Rebbi showed deference to the Sage who was once his teacher and conceded to his position.
Tosefot suggests that the subservience which Rabbi Yossi would have shown his former disciple was because Rebbi had already surpassed his teacher in Torah knowledge. The deference he showed to his former teachers position gained Rabbi Papas admiration of his loving respect for another Sage.
- Shabbat 51a
What the Sages Say
"Whoever has the ability to protest against the wrongdoing of his family and fails to do so bears responsibility for the guilt of his family; if he has the ability to protest against the wrongdoing of his city he bears responsibility for the guilt of his city; if he has the ability to protest against the wrongdoing of the entire world he bears responsibility for the guilt of the entire world."
- The Sages Rav, Rabbi Chanina, Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Chaviva
- Shabbat 55b
