Shabbat 74
שבת ע״ד — ד"ה אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיכָּא דְּדָמְיָא לַהּ
Shabbat 74:1
The baraita permits selecting food from a mixture when one eats or sets aside the selected food immediately for that day, but prohibits selecting if one intends it for a future day or for storage purposes (the typical melacha of borer involves removing waste from food), and one who selects for the next day or in the manner of commercial sorting is liable for a sin-offering.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָיוּ לְפָנָיו מִינֵי אוֹכָלִין — בּוֹרֵר וְאוֹכֵל, בּוֹרֵר וּמַנִּיחַ. וְלֹא יִבְרוֹר, וְאִם בֵּירַר — חַיָּיב חַטָּאת. מַאי קָאָמַר? אָמַר עוּלָּא, הָכִי קָאָמַר: בּוֹרֵר וְאוֹכֵל לְבוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וּבוֹרֵר וּמַנִּיחַ לְבוֹ בַּיּוֹם. וּלְמָחָר לֹא יִבְרוֹר, וְאִם בֵּירַר — חַיָּיב חַטָּאת. מַתְקִיף לַהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: וְכִי מוּתָּר לֶאֱפוֹת לְבוֹ בַּיּוֹם? וְכִי מוּתָּר לְבַשֵּׁל לְבוֹ בַּיּוֹם? מַתְקִיף לַהּ רַב הַמְנוּנָא: מִידֵּי קָנוֹן וְתַמְחוּי קָתָנֵי? אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: בּוֹרֵר וְאוֹכֵל אוֹכֶל מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּסוֹלֶת, בּוֹרֵר וּמַנִּיחַ אוֹכֶל מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּסוֹלֶת. פְּסוֹלֶת מִתּוֹךְ אוֹכֶל לֹא יִבְרוֹר, וְאִם בֵּירַר — חַיָּיב חַטָּאת. מַתְקִיף לַהּ אַבָּיֵי: מִידֵּי אוֹכֶל מִתּוֹךְ פְּסוֹלֶת קָתָנֵי? אֶלָּא אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: בּוֹרֵר וְאוֹכֵל לְאַלְתַּר, וּבוֹרֵר וּמַנִּיחַ לְאַלְתַּר, וּלְבוֹ בַּיּוֹם — לֹא יִבְרוֹר, וְאִם בֵּירַר — נַעֲשָׂה כְּבוֹרֵר לָאוֹצָר וְחַיָּיב חַטָּאת. אַמְרוּהָ רַבָּנַן קַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, אֲמַר לְהוּ: שַׁפִּיר אָמַר נַחְמָנִי.
The Sages taught in a baraita with regard to the laws of selecting: If there were several types of food before him, and he wants to remove one or more from the mixture, one selects and eats, selects and puts aside. And one may not select, and if one did select, he is liable to bring a sin-offering. The Gemara asks: What is the baraita saying? The end of this baraita contradicts the beginning. Ulla said: It is saying as follows: One selects and eats if he is doing so for the purpose of that day, Shabbat. And he selects and puts aside food for the purpose of that day. And one may not select for the purpose of the next day. And if one did select for the next day, he is liable to bring a sin-offering. Rav Ḥisda strongly objects to this explanation: And is it permitted to bake for that day, and is it permitted to cook for that day? No other labor prohibited on Shabbat may be performed for the purpose of Shabbat, and the same should hold true for selecting. Rav Hamnuna strongly objects to this: Does the mishna teach anything about a basket or a plate? Rav Yosef’s explanation is based on the addition of details that do not appear in the baraita either. Rather, Rav Hamnuna said: One selects and eats if he is removing food from the waste, and similarly, selects and puts aside if he is removing food from the waste. However, one may not select waste from food, and if he did select in that manner, he is liable to bring a sin-offering. The typical method of selecting is the removal of waste from the food. An individual who alters the procedure is not liable. Abaye strongly objects to this: Does the mishna teach anything about food from waste? That detail is not mentioned in the baraita either. Rather, Abaye said: One selects and eats if he is removing food for immediate use, and similarly one selects and puts aside for immediate use. However, one may not select for use later that same day. And if he did select, he is considered like one who selects for storage, and he is liable to bring a sin-offering. This explanation requires no emendation of the mishna. It is merely an interpretation of the phrase: One selects and eats, as referring to selecting for immediate use. The Gemara relates that the Sages stated Abaye’s explanation of the baraita before Rava. He said to them: Naḥmani, Abaye, spoke well.



