Siman - Shabbos Daf 84
- A ship carried by oxen
Rava said that according to Chananya, the rule that a ship that can be carried even when it is laden is mekabel tumah, even applies to a ship that is so heavy that it needs to be carried by oxen.
The Gemara brings a proof based on Mishnayos in Keilim through which we learn that an exceptionally large wagon that is pulled by oxen for transporting stones, can be mekabel tumah if it can contain medium sized pomegranates, the shiur to give a wooden vessel the status of a keili.
- Earthenware is not mekabel tumas midras
The Gemara seeks the source for a Baraisa’s ruling that earthenware vessels are not mekabel tumas midras.
Rav Chizkiyah learns it from a hekesh in the passuk regarding a zav’s couch which is tamei tumas midras, that says, ואיש אשר יגע במשכבו - And a man who will touch his couch. Just as the zav can attain taharah through tevilah in a mikveh, so too the couch must be made from material that can attain taharah in a mikvah. This excludes an earthenware vessel from tumas midras.
The Gemara cites two more alternate sources.
- Source for five seeds in a garden patch
The next Mishnah in the perek provides the source that one can plant five different seeds in a garden patch that is six tefachim square and not violate the prohibition of kilayim. The passuk from Yishayahu describing the blossoming of the Jewish people at the end of days, says, כי כארץ תוציא צמחה וכגנה זרועיה תצמיח – For like the earth gives forth its plant, and like a garden causes its seeds to sprout.
Rav Yehuda clarifies in the Gemara that each word in the passuk that denotes growth or vegetation is a reference to a separate species. תוציא, צמחה ותצמיח each represent one species, and זרועיה, being plural, represents two more, for a total of five. The Rabbonon determined that five species sown in a six tefachim patch will not draw nourishment from each other.
