Siman - Shabbos Daf 11

• The depth of government thinking

Rava bar Mechasya said in the name of Rav Chama bar Gurya who said in the name of Rav:

If all the seas were black ink, and the marshes were quills, and the heavens were parchments, and all the people were scribes, they would not suffice to record the depth of mind of the government.

Rav Mesharshiya said the passuk that teaches us this is, שמים לרום וארץ לעמק ולב מלכים אין חקר – The heavens for height, the earth for depth and the mind of kings are beyond investigation.

• Standing in a karmelis and drinking in a different reshus

A person should not stand in reshus hayachid, bend forward and drink in a reshus harabim, or vice versa, because he might forget and transfer the cup from one domain to the other. But if brought his head and most of his body into the domain he is drinking, it is permitted since he is unlikely to forget and transfer the cup from one domain to the other.

The question was asked with regards to a karmelis: Is it permitted to stand in a karmelis and drink in a reshus hayachid or reshus harabim and vice versa?

Abaye said that the same restriction applies. Even though a karmelis is only Rabbinic, and we typically do not apply a גזירה לגזירה (legislating a Rabbinic decree to protect another Rabbinic decree), the laws of הואצה are different (Tosefos).

Rava said the same restriction does not apply since it would be a case of a גזירה לגזירה (legislating a Rabbinic decree to protect another Rabbinic decree).

• A craftsman carrying the tools of his trade

R’ Yehuda is of the opinion that a craftsman who carries his tools of his trade on Shabbos in the manner of his craft, such as a tailor going out with a needle pinned to his garment, would be liable for a chatas, even though this manner of carrying would be unusual for any other person.