Siman - Eruvin Daf 41
- Breaking a fast before Shabbos
Rav Huna was asked that if a student took upon himself to fast on Friday, מהו לאשלומי – what is the halachah concerning completing the fast until definite nightfall? This would be problematic since it is forbidden to fast on Shabbos. Rav Huna did not know the answer and neither did Rav Yehudah.
Rava brought a Baraisa that taught that when Tisha b’Av comes out on Shabbos or when erev Tisha b’Av comes out on Shabbos, a person may eat and drink all he needs, ומעלה על שלחנו אפילו כסעודת שלמה בשעתו – and he may bring up onto his table all types of food, even like the banquet of Shlomo Hamelech in his time. If Tisha b’Av falls on erev Shabbos, however, מביאין לו כביצה ואוכל – we may bring the person who is fasting only a kibeitzah sized amount of food to eat before Shabbos, כדי שלא יכנס לשבת כשהוא מעונה – in order that he should not enter Shabbos suffering from the hunger of the fast. We see from the Baraisa that one is not משלים his fast even on Tisha b’Av, therefore he certainly does not complete it with a תענית יחיד. However, the Gemara concludes later that we do indeed complete the fast of Tisha b’Av when it falls on erev Shabbos.
- שלשה אין רואין פני גיהמם
It was taught in a Baraisa, שלשה אין רואין פני גיהנם – Three types of people do not even see the façade of Gehinnom because the pain and misery they suffer in the this world atone for their sins, דקדוקי עניות וחולי מעיין והרשות – those who suffer from extreme poverty, intestinal disorders and the pursuit of creditors. Some say also someone who has a bad wife, such as in the case when he cannot divorce her because the kesubah is too high or they have children together. The Gemara asks what the practical teaching of this is, and answers, לקבולי מאהבה – to accept these challenges with love. Rashi explains that accepting them with love brings kaparah.
- Going outside dalet amos to relieve oneself
The opening Mishna in the fourth perek taught that if someone was removed from his techum on Shabbos, he is only permitted to move four amos from his location. Rabbah was asked what the halachah is if the person needs to relieve himself, and he answered, גדול כבוד הבריות שדוחה את לא תעשה שבתורה – Human dignity is so important that it supersedes a prohibition of the Torah, meaning the commandment of לא תסור, which teaches us not to deviate from the decrees of the Rabbanon. Therefore, one may walk out of his four amos in order to relieve himself, even though there is a prohibition of the Rabbanon that one cannot leave his four amos.
Based on this, the Chochomim in Nehardea said that if he is wise, he should re-enter his techum while seeking a private area and once he has returned to his original techum legally, he may stay there. Rashi explains that we learn this from the Mishnah, which permits one to be back in his original techum when he is forcibly returned there. All the more so then in our case, when he returns to his original place with halachic permission.
