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Eiruvin 10:14-15

Eiruvin 10:14

If a kohein had a wound on his finger, he may wrap a reed around it in the Temple on Shabbos but not elsewhere (again because certain rabbinic Shabbos restrictions were not imposed in the Temple); if his intention is to squeeze out blood, it may not be done in either place. Salt may be spread on the ramp of the altar to keep people from slipping; water may be drawn from “the pilgrims’ well” and “the great well” using a wheel on Shabbos and from the “hakar well” (which was not in the Temple) on yom tov.

Eiruvin 10:15

If a ritually-impure vermin is found in the Temple, Rabbi Yochanan ben Brokah says that a kohein carries it out using his belt. (In this way the belt is rendered impure but the kohein isn’t.) Rabbi Yehuda says that they carry it out using wooden tongs, which would not be rendered impure. (Using a belt would be faster because the kohein would already have his belt on him but doing so would cause the impurity to spread, if only a little.) From where must they remove it on Shabbos? Rabbi Shimon ben Nanas says from the heichal (sanctuary), the ulam (hall), and between the ulam and the altar. Rabbi Akiva says it is removed from any place where one would receive kareis (excision) if he entered intentionally or need to bring a sin offering if he entered unintentionally; anywhere else, they cover it with an inverted pot. Rabbi Shimon says that anything the Sages permitted one to do in the Temple on Shabbos is actually inherently permitted and only prohibited elsewhere because of sh’vus (rabbinic enactments intended to distance people from actual acts of labor).

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz