Siman - Shabbos Daf 53
- Feeding bags and saddle cloths
There is a machlokes between Rav and Shmuel regarding what one can place on an animal on Shabbos.
-Rav holds that one may place a feedbag (טרסקל) on an animal, which is for its pleasure since it will not need to bend down to get food, and all the more so one may place a saddle cloth (מרדעת) on it to keep it warm and alleviate its suffering from the cold. These items are not considered a משוי for the animal, and therefore the animal is not doing an action of hotzaah.
-Shmuel holds that only the saddle cloth is permitted in order to alleviate the suffering, but the feedbag is prohibited since its only there to provide comfort, and therefore it is considered a משוי .
- Kameyas for people and animals
The Gemara introduces a contradiction between a Baraisa which states that an animal may not go out wearing a kameya (amulet) even if it has proven effective, and a Mishnah which states that a person may not go out with a kameya that has not proven effective, implying that one may go out with a kameya that has proven effective.
The Gemara answers that the Baraisa is referring to a kameya that has proven effective for people but has not proven effective for animals. The Gemara clarifies that since a person has mazal, which Rashi explains to mean a malach (angel), he is assisted in being healed. The animal, lacking mazal, does not get the extra assistance, and therefore the kameya may not be effective.
- The man who nursed his child
The Gemara relates a miracle that occurred to a poor man who did not have enough money to hire a wet nurse after his wife died. Miraculously, his breasts opened and he was able to nurse his son.
-Rav Yosef said the man must have been great to have such a miracle performed for him.
- Abaye said that on the contrary, the man must have been inferior, for the natural order was changed on his behalf. Rashi explains that this man did not merit to have the shaarei sechar (gates of income) opened for him.
- Rav Yehudah said that one can learn from this incident how difficult it is to provide a person’s sustenance, for instead of the poor man’s sustenance being provided, the natural order was changed on his behalf.
- Rav Nachman supported Rav Yehudah’s observation by pointing out that miracles happen to save people’s lives, but food is rarely created.
