Topics covered:
Chapter 6, Mishna 1
Rava, Abaye, Rav Huna bar Rav Yehoshua and others figure out how to handle a situation in which a non-Jew will not “rent” out his rights in a shared alleyway, thus restricting all the Jews in the area from carrying there on Shabbos. They finally make use of a ruling by Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel that allows a Jewish employee (loosely defined) of the non-Jew to participate in the eruv and thus permit all to carry in the alley. Rav Nachman says this ruling is excellent, unlike another ruling of Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel, namely that a Sage should not issue Torah rulings if he drank a revi’is of wine. Rav Nachman feels he can’t judge unless he’s had that much wine! But, says Rava, he shouldn’t make such remarks about the rulings of others, and he retracts. Having introduced wine as a subject, we learn more about how much is considered intoxicating, and ramifications for judging, praying, and annulling vows. Also, when taking leave of a friend, we should share a little Torah to be remembered by!