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Shabbos 96

1) MOVING THE WAGONS OF THE MISHKAN

QUESTION: The Mishnah says that it is forbidden to pass an object from a Reshus ha'Yachid to another Reshus ha'Yachid via a Reshus ha'Rabim ("Moshit"). RASHI explains that this is learned from the way in which the wagons were loaded when the Mishkan was dismantled in order for the Jewish people to continue traveling in the desert. Two wagons were stationed next to each other, and in front of them was another pair of wagons. The Levi'im would pass the pillars (Kerashim) of the Mishkan to the first pair of wagons, and Levi'im on those wagons would take the pillars and pass them on to the second pair of wagons.

Why did they load the wagons in such a strange way? Granted, they only loaded up two wagons at a time, since they traveled in the desert in a row two wagons wide (Gemara 99a). However, they should have simply filled up the first two wagons and then moved them out of the way, brought the other two wagons into position and filled them up! Why did they have to pass the pillars to the first wagon and then to the second?

ANSWERS:

(a) Perhaps it was not proper respect to require the second set of pillars to wait while the wagons moved out of the way with the first set.

(b) Whenever the Mishkan and the Jewish people traveled, they had to follow the lead of the Ananei ha'Kavod and the blasting of the Shofaros. If the first set of wagons was to be filled with pillars and then moved in order to bring the second set of wagons into the loading position, when they started moving it would be considered the beginning of their journey. Since it was forbidden to begin traveling until the Ananei ha'Kavod started to move and the sign to go was given, they could not move the wagons. They had to pass the pillars over the first wagon and into the second. (M. Kornfeld)

96b

QUESTION: The Gemara asks where we find the Melachah of Hotza'ah in the Torah. Why does the Gemara search for a verse? The Gemara earlier (49b) said that Hotza'ah was done in the Mishkan, and thus we already know that it is a Melachah!

ANSWER: TOSFOS (DH Hotza'ah) explains that Hotza'ah is a Melachah Geru'ah, a "weaker" Melachah (because it does not change the object upon which it is done, or because the domains of Shabbos are Halachic, and not physical, entities; see Insights to Shabbos 1:1). If it were not learned from a verse, even though it was in the Mishkan we would not have thought that it is forbidden.

QUESTION: The Gemara teaches that Ma'avir and Zerikah (carrying and throwing four Amos in Reshus ha'Rabim) are Toldos of Hotza'ah. Why are they Toldos of Hotza'ah? In what way is transporting an object a distance of four Amos in Reshus ha'Rabim similar to taking an object from Reshus ha'Yachid to Reshus ha'Rabim?

ANSWER: The BA'AL HA'ME'OR (see also TOSFOS HA'ROSH) explains that a "person's place" is four Amos; that is, the area of four Amos around the point where a person stands is considered to be "his" area (Bava Metzia 10a). By carrying the object from the place in which one was standing, he thereby takes it into a "new" Reshus, so to speak.