Siman - Shabbos Daf 82
- How to relieve oneself
The Gemara brings a number of opinions regarding what one should if he needs to relieve himself but is unable to do so:
• Rav Chisda said he should stand up and sit down, stand up and sit down.
• Rav Chanan of Neharda said he should remove himself to the sides. Rashi explains that he should move to another spot before trying a second time.
• Rav Hamnuna said he should manipulate himself in that place, with a stone.
• The Rabbonon said he should remove his mind from it.
- Rav Ashi explained that the Rabbonon meant he should remove his mind from all other matters and concentrate fully on relieving himself.
- Effects on one who does not relieve himself
There is a machlokes between Rav Chisda and Ravina concerning one who does not relieve himself when he needs to:
• One holds that he will develop bad breath. Rashi explains that the wastes not excreted will rot and the resulting odor will exit through the mouth.
• The other holds he will develop bad body odor. Rashi explains that the rotting wastes will be absorbed in his tissues, causing excessive foul perspiration.
- Tumah of avodah zarah
In the opening Mishna of the ninth perek that deals with the Rabbinic enactment that avodah zarah transmits tumah, Rebbe Akiva states that avodah zarah transmits tumah through carrying it, just like a niddah does, based on the comparison of the two in the passuk,תזרם כמו דוה צא תאמר לו - You will cast them away as [you would] a niddah; you will say to it (the idol): “Go out!”
The Gemara brings a Mishnah from Avodah Zarah where the Rabbonon disagree with Rebbe Akiva and state that avodah zarah generates tumah like a sheretz, based on the passuk that refers to an idol, שקץ תשקצנו – you must utterly abominate it. The word sheketz, is related to the word sheretz, and therefore the passuk teaches that just as a sheretz does not generate tumas masah (carrying tumah), neither does avodah zarah.
- There is a machlokes Amoraim on how to understand this dispute.
