- Machlokes whether one may move a kli for the sake of a muktzeh item
The Mishnah on Daf 35b stated: ומכסים פירות – We may cover the produce to protect it from dripping water. On our Daf, Ulla said: ואפילו אוירא דלבני – Even rows of bricks may be covered. Rashi explains that even though bricks designated for construction are muktzeh, we may still cover them with drop cloths to protect them. We do not say that since the bricks themselves may not be moved, a cloth may not be moved for their benefit. Rebbe Yitzchak said: פירות הראוין – Only produce which is suitable for Yom Tov use. And Rebbe Yitzchak follows his reasoning expressed elsewhere, that: אין כלי ניטל אלא לדבר הניטל בשבת – A kli may not be moved except for the need of an item which itself may be moved on Shabbos. The Gemara attempts to bring proofs to support Ulla’s view by bringing cases where one may move a kli for muktzeh items but refutes each one as referring to an item which is in fact not muktzeh.
- Removing and returning a גרף של רעי
Shmuel said: גרף של רעי ועביט של מימי רגלים מותר להוציאן לאשפה – A vessel for excrement, or for urine, may be removed to the trash heap on Shabbos, וכשהוא מחזירו נותן בו מים ומחזירו – and when he returns it, he should put water into it and then return it to the house. The Gemara explains that originally it was understood from this statement גרף של רעי אגב מנא אין עצמו לא – that “something repulsive” may be removed only together with the kli which contains it, however it may not be removed by itself. But this is not so, for there was a mouse which was found among the spices of Rav Ashi, and Rav Ashi said: נקטה בצוציתה ואפקוה – Grab it by its tail and remove it. We see that something which is repulsive may even be handled directly.
- The reasons that various activities are prohibited because of שבות
The next Mishnah states: כל שחייבין עליו משום שבות משום רשות משום מצוה בשבת חייבין עליו ביום טוב – Any activity from which one is chayav to abstain because of a Rabbinical injuction, even it is a non-mandatory mitzvah or an outright mitzvah on Shabbos, one is also chayav to abstain from it on Yom Tov. The Mishnah lists the various activities relevant to each category, and the Gemara states the reason for banning each one. The following are the activities prohibited because of שבות – a Rabbinical injunction.
a. לא עולין באילן – One may not ascend a tree, גזרה שמא יתלוש – it is a gezeirah out of concern that perhaps one might tear off something from the tree in the course of climbing it.
b. ולא רוכבין על גבי בהמה – One may not ride upon an animal, גזרה שמא יחתוך זמורה – it is a gezeirah out of concern that perhaps one will cut a branch off a tree to use as a whip.
c. ולא שטין על פני המים – One may not swim in water גזרה שמא יעשה חבית של שייטין – it is a gezeirah out of concern that one will construct a swimmer’s tube. Rashi explains that this was a kli made of woven reeds and shaped like a long barrel which was used as an aid to swimming. This would violate the melachos of אורג – weaving, and מתקן מנא – completing a utensil.
d. ולא מטפחין ולא מספקין ולא מרקדין – One may not clap hands, slap thighs or dance, גזרה שמא יתקן כלי שיר – it is a gezeirah out of concern that perhaps one will repair musical instruments.