MISHNAH: With what may an animal go out and with what may it not go out [Since the Sabbath paragraph in the Ten Commandments prescribes rest for animals, one may not let one’s animals go into the public domain carrying anything which may be considered a load.] ? A camel may go out with a bridle, and a female camel with a nose ring, and a Lybian donkey with a bridle [Greek φορβειά, ἡ, “mouthband”.] , and a horse with a chain, and all that have a chain may go out with the chain and may be drawn with the chain which may be sprinkled upon and immersed in place [If the chain became impure the entire animal may be immersed in water and the chain with it; this is counted as immersion in a miqweh. If the impurity is that of a corpse, the water with the ashes of the Red Cow may be sprinkled on the chain while it is on the horse.] .
HALAKHAH: “With what may an animal go out and with what may it not go out,” etc. [Babli 51b,52a. Tosephta 4:1 (ed. Liebermann).] “Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose stated in his father’s name: Four kinds of animals are drawn by the bridle [Farsi افسار.] : the horse, and the mule, the camel, and the donkey.” Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, and its sign, so will be the plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the donkey [Zech. 14:15.] , Rav said, practice follows Rebbi Ismael ben Rebbi Yose [All these animals may be led out on the Sabbath by their bridle.] .
[The origin of this text is in Kilaim 8:4, Notes 62–71. The text here is a copy even though it has a better transcription of the Greek since the last sentence refers tio Mishnah Kilaim 8:4 and makes no sense here. A very detailed study of the first six sentences here and in Kilaim was done by J. N. Epstein, מבוא לנוסח המשנה, Jerusalem 1964, pp. 97–99, where all variant readings of the names here, in Kilaim, and Gen. rabba (ad 49:11) are collected and commented on. The vocalization of ליבדקס from the Kaufmann ms. of the Mishnah.] “A Libyan donkey.” Some Tannaim state: “Not a lgdqs. [An unexplained word that was unknown even to the rabbis of the Yerushalmi. Libdyqos is adj. Λιβυστικός, -ή, -όν, “Libyan”.] ” He who says libdyqos because of “Libyans and Nubians in His train. [Dan. 11:43.] ” He who says lgdqs, ἀμβάτης [A poetic word, usually ἀναβάτης, -ου, ὁ, “stallion”. J. N. Epstein points out that because of the nasal pronunciation of m in Galilean speech, an m can easily be inserted or disappear, so that ἀμβάτης and ἀναβάτης are really one and the same.] . What is ἀμβάτης? A donkey stallion.
Rebbi Jonah said, Rav Hoshaia asked: Do proselytes from Libya have to wait three generations [Deut. 23:8–9 prescribes that an Egyptian proselyte and his direct offspring may not marry anyone born to Jewish parents. {The discussion is purely theoretical since one holds that the political upheavals already from the time of Sanherib did displace all peoples originally mentioned in the Pentateuch, Mishnah Yadayim 4:4; cf. Šulḥan ˋArukh Even Haʹezer 4:10.}] ? Rebbi Jonah (Ben Ṣeruya) [from Bostra] [The name is correct in Kilaim [in brackets], incorrect here (in parentheses).] said, from what we see that they call a green Egyptian bean Libyan [A bean is لوبيا lubia in Arabic and Farsi; according to N. Brüll, the name is originally Coptic.] but a dry one Egyptian, that means a proselyte from Libya has to wait three generations; it means that Libyan is identical with Egyptian. Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman in the name of Rebbi Hoshaiah: Practice follows the student [This sentence refers to Mishnah Kilaim 8:4 and does not belong here.] . The words of the Sages are that all kinds of mules are one [For the rules of Kilaim it does not matter whether father or mother are horse or donkey; they all may be mated together. Babli Ḥulin 79a.] .
Rebbi Samuel in the name of Rebbi Zeˋira: As one says in matters of prohibition “and so all other animals”, in matters of permission it is the same [Just as in Mishnah 3 the camel is only an example, so also in Mishnaiot 1 and 2 the species of animals are only examples. In any case anything necessary to guard the animals to prevent them from getting lost is not a load and not forbidden on the Sabbath.] .
“And the horse with a chain.” But did we not state, all human decorations are impure but decorations of animals are pure [If all decorations of animals are impervious to impurity, how could a chain around a horse’s neck ever need immersion?] ? Explain it if they are made to lead them [Read להנותן as להנחותן, as gutturals were no longer articulated in Galilean speech (S. Liebermann). The chain is an implement, not a decoration. But then it must have slack and might be drawn on the ground, making a groove.] . But then does it not make a groove? But following Rebbi Simeon, as it was stated: [Chapter 3 Note 74 and the sources quoted there.] “A person may not drag a bed, or a chair, or a footstool [Against attacks by predators.] , or a fauteuil, because he makes a groove, but Rebbi Simeon permits.” Rebbi Ḥinena said, like the following as it was stated [Tosephta Eruvin 8:12 (ed. Liebermann), Yom Ṭov 2:19 (as continuation of R. Simeon’s Tosephta); Eruvin Babli 101a, Yerushalmi Chapter 10, Note 119. The Tosephta need not necessarily be only R. Simeon’s teaching since the impression made by the fixed doors on the dirt floor is only a temporary effect.] : “a hinged door, a hinged mat, hinged lattice gates [Greek κιγκλίς, -ίδος, ἡ, mostly in plural κιγκλίδες, “lattice gates”; Latin cancellus, -i, n. “lattice barrier, grating, grille”, cf. Avodah zarah Chapter 2 Note 219.] , one may open and lock on the Sabbath, and it is not necessary to say on a holiday.” It also was stated [Eruvin Chapter 10, Note 119, Tosephta 8:11 (ed. Liebermann).] : “If a mat was tied to and hanging from a pillar, one may open and lock on the Sabbath, and it is not necessary to say on a holiday.”
“Which may be sprinkled upon and immersed in place [If the chain became impure the entire animal may be immersed in water and the chain with it; this is counted as immersion in a miqweh. If the impurity is that of a corpse, the water with the ashes of the Red Cow may be sprinkled on the chain while it is on the horse.] .” There, we have stated [Mishnah 6:1, speaking of ribbons in women’s hair. Since purification requires immersion of one’s “entire body” in water (Lev. 15:16), an immersion is invalid if not the entire surface of the object or subject to be purified is wetted.] : “She may not immerse herself wearing them unless she relaxes them.” And here he says so? Rebbi Mana said, here if they are loose, there if they are tight [If the chain is there to lead the horse it cannot be tight. The living horse cannot be impure; it also is not an obstacle to purification. Babli 52b.] .
MISHNAH: A donkey may go out with its saddle cloth [If the donkey is used as a beast of burden, it is covered with cloth before the load is put on. This cloth is protecting the donkey’s hide; it is not considered a load if it was tied down before the start of the Sabbath.] if it is tied to it. Rams may go out protected on their bellies [Against attacks by predators.] ; female sheep may go out with their tail bound high, or bound low [The tail is bound on their backs to have males mounting them; the tails are bound between their feet to prevent males mounting them.] , or wrapped [Sheep producing high quality wool may be wrapped in a protective sheath.] , and goats tied [Female goats may be given brassieres either to protect their udders from the sharp rocks on which they are climbing or to prevent them from nursing their young.] . Rebbi Yose prohibits all these except wrapped female sheep. Rebbi Jehudah says goats may go out tied to dry but not for milk [He admits protective brassieres since they are necessities of their bodies. He forbids the second reason given in the preceding Note.] .
HALAKHAH: Mishnah. “A donkey may go out with its saddle cloth,” etc. Samuel said, if it was tied to it from before the Sabbath. Ḥanin from Gophtia said before Samuel, Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi does not act like this. He told him, Rav uses kleisterin, as it was stated: rams go out with kleisterin [It is not clear what this means. One possibility is κλεῖστρον, τό = κλεῖθρον “bar, boom, fence”. Rosh who quotes the paragraph in extenso (Chapter 5 No. 2) reads טרסקל which is a feeding basket bound to the animal’s head. Such a feeding basket is appropriate for cattle used for agricultural work; it is inappropriate for rams. Also since rams are not dangerous, except maybe for competing rams, there seems to be no reason why rams should be muzzled. The only explanation for a lock for rams would be a contraption which would prevent the ram to mount ewes except under control of the owner. This is accepted in Mishnah 2.] . Rebbi Aḥa bar Papa objected before Rebbi Zeˋira: But was it not stated [Babli 113a.] : a rope tied to a cow may be tied to the feeding trough, the feeding trough may be tied to a cow. One understands a cow’s may be tied to the feeding trough. May from the feeding trough be tied to a cow? Would he not use the animal’s sides on the Sabbath [Since it is biblically forbidden to ride animals on the Sabbath it is rabbinically forbidden to lean on animals. In harnessing an animal it is difficult to avoid leaning on it.] ? Rebbi Abba said, explain it for knots which are not permanent [This is difficult to understand. Since making a permanent knot is a biblical violation of the Sabbath (Mishnah 7:2) it is clear that all tying of ropes on the Sabbath must be loops that are easily undone.] . Rebbi Yose said, is there a difference for sides of an animal whether the knot is permanent or not permanent? Rebbi Shammai said, explain it following Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar, as it was stated, Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar said, it is permitted to use the sides of an animal on the Sabbath [As anonymous opinion Babli 154b.] . There is no difference between sides of an animal and sides of a tree [Since biblically it is forbidden to cut a branch from a tree, rabbinically it is forbidden to climb it on the Sabbath.] . Rebbi Mana said, I confirmed it if he connects rope to rope [If the cow is lead to or from the feeding trough, it is not touched at all but a rope attached to the trough is tied or untied to the rope around the cow’s neck.] .
“Rams may go out protected on their bellies [Against attacks by predators.] ;” one puts bursinin [According to Salomon Adani, a kind of animal. Others see here “tanned leather” from βυρσεύω “tanning”. Greek βυρσίνη, ἡ “leather thong” (E. G.).] leather near its heart which is shielding against wild animals.
“Female sheep may go out with their tail bound high,” some Tannaim state שְׁחוּזוֹת but some Tannaim state שׁוּזוֹת. He who says שׁוּזוֹת in finery, as you are saying dressed as prostitute with hidden thoughts [Prov. 7:10. שׁוּזוֹת is a form of שְׁחוּזוֹת, cf. Note 30.] . He who says שְׁחוּזוֹת as you are saying, “one does not sharpen the knife.” Wrapped [Sheep producing high quality wool may be wrapped in a protective sheath.] , because of fine wool. Bound low [The tail is bound on their backs to have males mounting them; the tails are bound between their feet to prevent males mounting them.] , that no ram may mount her. Rebbi Abun in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya: He called it tied-down land [1K. 9:13. Babli 54a.] , land which produces no fruit.
“Rebbi Jehudah says goats may go out tied to dry but not for milk [He admits protective brassieres since they are necessities of their bodies. He forbids the second reason given in the preceding Note.] .” It was stated: Rebbi Jehudah ben Bathyra says, whether to dry or for milk is forbidden. Rebbi Jehudah ben Bathyra says it correctly; but what is the rabbi’s reasoning? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah; Rebbi Joḥanan bends it in the name of Rav: Practice follows him who said, whether to dry or for milk is forbidden, for who dissolves [Since there are no outer signs why the ewe was tied, everybody could say it was not for milk. In the Babli 54a this decision is attributed to Rav Jehudah in the name of Samuel.] ?
MISHNAH: With what may [an animal] not go out? The camel may not go out with its pad, nor bound on one foot, nor bound on two feet, and so all other animals. One may not tie camels one to the other and draw, but he may take the ropes into his hand and draw on condition that he not wrap up [One may not tie camels to one another because it looks as if he would go on a trip; one person may collect the ropes of many camels together in one hand and lead them out; he may not twist the ropes together to act as one rope.] .
HALAKHAH: Mishnah: “With what may [an animal] not go out? The camel may not go out with its pad.” Like the curved padding with which one equalizes a hump back [It seems that human hunchbacks wore some padding to make the hump less visible.] . עָקוּד at one front leg. רָגוּל at both hind legs [Babli 54a.] .
“One may not tie camels one to the other and draw.” Rebbi Abba said, because of the suspicion, that they should not say this man goes out to do his job on the Sabbath. Assi said, it was necessary for kilaim [This refers to the rule that in leading a group of camels or horses one should not twist the ropes together but keep them separate in his hand. This is to avoid problems if one rope was of linen and another of wool. Babli 54a] . Rav Jehudah in the name of Samuel [The text in parentheses is a duplicate of the following one and is out of place here; it should be disregarded.] (said, from his hand it is forbidden but from the neck of the animal it is permitted, for if it is not for the animal) wound around the animal’s neck it is forbidden [In this opinion, the rope coiled around the animal’s neck is a load forbidden on the Sabbath.] , hanging from the animal’s neck it is permitted. Rav Huna and Rav Jehudah, both in the name of Samuel. One said, from his hand is forbidden but from the animal’s neck it is permitted. The other one inverts. He who says from his hand is forbidden, because of a load on the Sabbath [Since the animal may be led against its will the rope is a load.] . But from the animal’s neck it is permitted, because for the animal it is not a load on the Sabbath. And he who says from his hand is permitted, because it is impossible [It may be necessary to lead the animal to water or to pasture for the animal’s benefit and this may be impossible without having control over the animals by the ropes.] , but from the animal’s neck it is forbidden [In this opinion, the rope coiled around the animal’s neck is a load forbidden on the Sabbath.] , because he is responsible for the rest of his animal as for his own, as it is said, that your ox and your donkey rest” [Ex. 23:12.] “like you” [Deut. 5:14.] .
It was stated: A hand-breadth from his hand to the animal’s neck is forbidden [Babli 54a. The animal must be led tightly.] . Rebbi Zeˋira said, from his hand is forbidden and from his animal’s neck is forbidden! A hand-breadth from his hand to the animal’s neck is forbidden, what is it that is permitted? Rebbi Joḥanan ben Marius said, one who wants to do it right should lead it like a Saracen horse [It is not known what this means.] .
MISHNAH: A donkey may not go out with its saddle cloth if it is not bound to it, nor with a bell even if it is plugged, nor with a ladder on its neck [This is not a ladder to stand on but a contraption looking like a miniature ladder put on top of a wound dressing on the donkey’s skin with which the dressing is tied down.] , nor with a strip on its foot. Chicken may no go out with threads or strips on their feet [The strips are signs of ownership. They are for the benefit of the owner, not the chicken.] . Rams may not go out with a carriage under their tails [If the tails get very long and heavy, some miniature carriage may be tied to them to protect the tail from injury.] nor female sheep with yaḥnun [Some aromatic tree whose identity is not determined, which was used as medicine against intestinal worms.] , nor a calf with gimun [Various interpretations of this word are given in the Halakhah.] , nor a cow with hedgehog hide [Bound near the udder to prevent the calf from suckling.] , nor with a strip between her horns. Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah’s cow went out with a strip between her horns against the will of the Sages.
HALAKHAH: Mishnah: “A donkey may not go out with its saddle cloth,” etc. It was stated, “but it may walk around with it in the courtyard [Babli 53a; Tosephta 4:5 (ed. Liebermann).] .” Rebbi Samuel in the name of Rebbi Zeˋira: The same applies to the saddle. It was stated: [Babli 53a; in dispute in Tosephta 4:2 (ed. Liebermann). The saddle must have been tied before the Sabbath.] “a donkey may go out with its saddle to get warm but one may not tie the load belt and not lower the strap under its tail.” Rebbi Jeremiah asked before Rebbi Zeˋira: From where these things? As we have stated [Mishnah Ḥagigah 1:8. This belongs to R. Zeˋira’s answer; what is forbidden and what permitted is a matter of tradition.] : “The practices of Sabbath … are like mountains hanging on a hair,” and you are saying so? He could have objected, what is the difference between a ladder and a package of straw [Babli 53a; Tosephta 4:5 (ed. Liebermann): “It may go out with a wound dressing and with bundles of straw tied around a broken bone.”] ? A ladder is substantial [And therefore is a load.] , a package of straw is not substantial. Rebbi Ḥanina said, he could have objected, what is the difference between a package of straw and an expert amulet? As we have stated [Tosephta 4:5 (ed. Liebermann). An expert amulet is one which already helped to heal three times. A human is permitted to wear such an amulet at all times on the Sabbath.] , “it is forbidden that an animal go out with an expert amulet.” Rebbi Eudaimon said, he could have objected, what is the difference between a package of straw and a wound dressing? There are Tannaim who state, they may not go out with a package of straw; there are Tannaim who state, they may go out. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, this is a tannaitic [While the earlier reference was to professional Tannaim in amoraic academies, it is now asserted that this is really a dispute dating from tannaitic times even though this is not recorded in our other sources. The question of R. Eudaimon is rejected. While some authorities permit bundles of straw and others prohibit wound dressing, each one will be consistent in his rulings.] difference. For him who said, they may go out with a package of straw; they may go out with a wound dressing. But for him who said, they may not go out with a package of straw; they may not go out with a wound dressing.
“Rams may not go out with a carriage under their tails [If the tails get very long and heavy, some miniature carriage may be tied to them to protect the tail from injury.] .” Because it makes a groove.
“Nor female sheep with yaḥnun [Some aromatic tree whose identity is not determined, which was used as medicine against intestinal worms.] .” Rav Jehudah says, a woolen cap. Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: It is a root named yaḥnūnâ. Rebbi Zeˋira asked before Rebbi Yose [Read: Yasa.] : Does this not imply that it is forbidden to let an animal go out with an expert amulet [Since the root is not ingested, it hangs there as a charm.] ? He told him, yes, Babylonian, you understood it.
“Nor a calf with gimun [Various interpretations of this word are given in the Halakhah.] .” Rav Huna said, a small yoke. Rav Ḥisda said, a wooden tablet [Greek πίναξ, -ακος, ὁ. Both a tablet and a spit would be hung around the calf’s neck to wean it.] . Abba bar Rav Huna said, a spit. Some Tannaim state gimun. Some Tannaim state gimul. He who said gimun, to bend his head like a reed [Is. 58:5.] . He who said gimul, she brought him up with her after she had weaned him [1S. 1:24.] . He who said gimun supports Rav Ḥisda [The scribe originally wrote “Huna”; the corrector crossed it out. The original text is correct since the reed bends; bending is the result of a small yoke on the calf’s neck.] . He who said gimul supports Abba bar Rav Huna and Rav Huna [Read: Ḥisda, who also derives the word from the root גמל “weaning”.] .
“Nor a cow with hedgehog hide [Bound near the udder to prevent the calf from suckling.] ,” because one puts hedgehog hide between her udder so she cannot nurse her young.
“Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah’s cow went out with a strip between her horns against the will of the Sages.” [This paragraph and the next are also in Beṣah 2:8 (י). While the origin probably is in Šabbat, the copy here is rather careless. When there is a difference between the texts, the one from Beṣah [in brackets] has to be preferred over the text here (in parentheses).] Rebbi Abba: Both (and Rebbi) [Rav and] Samuel are saying, the words of the Sages are that even pulling her with them is forbidden. Rebbi Abba in the name of Samuel: If its horns were drilling it is permitted [If the horns are dangerously sharp and the strips are not a decoration but a necessary precaution they do not have to be removed.] . Rebbi Yose said, I pointed out the difficulty before Rebbi Abba and he said, we only stated: “the female camel with a nose ring. [Anything which is only for control of the animal must be of the kind mentioned in the Mishnah; the only other permitted loads are those to protect the lives of humans and animals. Babli 52a.] ” Rebbi Zeˋira in the name of Samuel: A badly behaved ox goes out with his bridle; our teachers in the Diaspora do this. Rebbi Illa, Rav Jehudah in the name of [Rebbi] Simeon ben [Rebbi] Ḥiyya: A dog goes out with his muzzle [Babli 51b.] . If to (expect) [punish] him it is forbidden, if so he should not eat his bridle it is permitted.
Ganiva said, he was continuing teaching as ruling. [Rebbi Jonah from Bostra asked, if he was continuing teaching as ruling,] is that what we were stating: “against the will of the Sages” [A theoretical disagreement is an everyday occurrence; as long as the teacher does not advocate acting against the received majority opinion he should be commended, not rebuked.] ? Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi (Rav) [following Bar] Delaya [Bar Delaya was an early Tanna; the reading from Beṣah has to be accepted.] stated, they told him, either remove yourself from between us or remove the strip from between its horns. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, he was shielding himself against them [He actively indicated that the majority opinion was wrong.] . Rebbi Ḥananiah said, it went out once and his teeth became black from the fasts [and mortification]. Rebbi Idi from (his staff) [Ḥotra] said, it was his wife [This explains why “his cow” is mentioned in the singular when he was very rich and the owner of large herds.] . And from where that his wife is called “calf”? “Had you not ploughed with my calf you would not have solved my riddle. [Jud. 14:18.] ” There [In Babylonia; Babli 54b.] , they are saying, it was his neighbor. Is anybody punished for his neighbor’s behavior? Rebbi Qiris from (Didyma) [Irma] [Irma possibly is Urmia in Armenia.] : To teach you that if anybody has the possibility to protest and he does not protest, the damage is attached to him.