Siman - Shabbos Daf 27
- Which materials are mekabel tumah
A Baraisa is brought to support Rava’s view that R’ Shimon ben Elazar is of the opinion that even materials other than wool and linen are mekabel tumah if they are three by three tefachim.
The Baraisa states that from the word in the parsha of tumas sheretz, בגד – a garment, we can only learn the source for a garment of wool or linen, similar to the specified “garment” in the parsha of tzarass. When the Torah states או בגד - or a garment, one can derive that other garments are mekabel tumah from a sheretz, as well.
Abaye, who holds that according to everyone, garments of other materials besides wool and linen are not mekabel tumah, uses this derasha to teach that a cloth of wool or linen that are even three by three fingerbreadths (אבצעות) are mekabel tumah from a sheretz.
- Night garment is exempt from tzitzis
It was taught in a Baraisa regarding tzitzis, that the passuk וראיתם אותו – and you shall see it, implies that there is no obligation to wear tzitzis when wearing a night garment (כסות לילה) since they cannot be seen at night.
Why Mishnah refers to flax as a tree
The third Mishna in the perek states that anything that comes from a tree may not be used as a wick to light for Shabbos, except for flax.
Since flax is not a tree, the Gemara seeks the source where it is referred to as a tree, which therefore compelled the Mishna to exclude flax from all other trees. It quotes the passuk from the story of Rachav when she hides the two spies on her roof. והיא העלתם הגגה ותטמנים בפשתי העץ - And she brought them up to the roof, and hid them in the trees of flax.
