Siman - Shabbos Daf 115
- Saving kisvei kodesh from a fire
The opening Mishnah of the sixteenth perek states that all kisvei hakodesh, meaning any sefer from Tanach, may be saved from a fire on Shabbos, whether they are publicly read on Shabbos, such as Neviim, or whether they are not read from on Shabbos, such as Kesuvim.
Rashi quotes Rabbeinu HaLevi who says that Kesuvim may not be read on Shabbos, even by individuals, because of bitul beis hamidrash. It was the custom during those times to give halachic discourses to the public on Shabbos since most people were unable to attend them during the week. If individuals were permitted to learn Kesuvim on Shabbos, it’s very likely that they would not attend the shiurim in the Beis Hamidrash, because they would become engrossed in Kesuvim, because they are considered the most engaging parts of Tanach.
- Saving translations from a fire
Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel holds that one is not permitted to read from foreign translations of Tanach. The Gemara brings a machlokes Amoraim, in regards to the opinion of Rebbe Shimon ben Gamliel, regarding whether foreign translations could be saved from a fire.
• Rav Huna says that they may not be saved since they cannot be read from.
• Rav Chisda says that they may be saved because of בזיון כתבי הקדש, meaning it would be a disgrace to kisvei hakodesh for them to be burned in a fire.
- Saving a sefer Torah with less than eighty-five letters
Rav Huna bar Chaluv asked Rav Nachman if it is permitted to save a Sefer Torah where most of the writing has been erased and there are not a total of eighty five letters intact, similar to the number of letters in the parsha of ויהי בנסוע הארון – And when the Ark would journey?
Rashi explains that Rebbe holds that the two psukim in this parsha are considered a separate sefer of the Torah. Since it contains eighty-five letters, this number was chosen as the minimum number of intact letters necessary for a sefer Torah to retain its kedusha.
Rav Nachman answered that it is not permitted to a save sefer Torah that has less than eighty-five letters.
