759. Transporting Textiles

Shabbos 18:12

One who transports rope is liable for a length long enough to make a handle for a container. The volume of reeds that renders one liable is enough to make a hook for hanging a sifter or a sieve; of palm leaves, enough to make the handle of an Egyptian basket; of palm fiber, enough to serve as the stopper for a small bottle of wine; of unprocessed wool, the volume is enough to make a ball the size of a nut. The volume of bone that renders one liable is enough to make a spoon; of glass, enough to sharpen the point of a weaver’s needle or to cut two threads simultaneously.

Shabbos 18:13

One is liable for transporting two hairs from the tail of a horse or a cow, or a single bristle from a pig. The volume of fibers from a date tree is two, and of bark from date branches is one. The volume of cotton, silk, camel wool, rabbit wool, wool from any sea creature, or any other material that can be spun, is enough to spin a thread that is four handbreadths long (about a foot). If a person transports cloth, sack or leather, the same minimum sizes apply both to the laws of ritual purity and to the laws of transporting between domains on Shabbos. For cloth, this is three finger widths by three finger widths (about 2.55 inches on each side). Of sackcloth, four handbreadths by four handbreadths (about a foot on each side). Of leather, the measure is five handbreadths by five handbreadths (about 15” x 15”).