- Moving menorahs
The Gemara clarifies the machlokes between R’ Yochanan and Reish Lakish regarding moving large menorahs that require both hands to move, and small menorahs that only require one hand to move:
•They both agree that it is prohibited to move a large or small menorah if it is made of sections (חוליות) out of concern that if it fell apart, one would come to reassemble it and be liable for the melocho of makeh u’patish (the final hammer blow).
• They also agree that a large menorah that has grooves is prohibited to move because someone might come to confuse it with a large menorah that has sections.
• They disagree regarding small menorahs with grooves:
• R’ Yochanan says the Rabbonim decreed they should not be moved as well.
• Reish Lakish says the Rabbonim did not decree they should not be moved since small menorahs are usually made of one piece, so people will not come to think that a grooved one is sectional.
- Moving a naphta lamp
Rav Avya explained to Rava that the reason why Rabbah and Rav Yosef permitted moving a naphta lamp on Shabbos, even though nothing can be placed inside it because it became repugnant, is that the lamp can still be used to cover a utensil.
The difference between the naphta lamp and scattered stones in the courtyard that can also be used to cover utensils but are nevertheless muktzeh, is that the naphta lamp has תורת כלי עליה (the status of a vessel) and therefore does not become muktzeh as long as it can be used for some function. The stones on the other hand never had תורת כלי עליה (the status of a vessel) and therefore are intrinsically muktzeh.
- The difference between leftover oil and a bechor that develops a blemish
Abaye pointed out a seeming contradiction in R’ Shimon who permits the use of the leftover oil in a lamp or bowl on Shabbos but does not permit the slaughtering of a bechor on yomtov whose blemish (מום) was not detected prior to yomtov.
Rabbah explained that in the case of the oil, a person waits and anticipates the moment when his lamp will go out and he will be able to use the oil. Even though the oil was not available at bein hashemashos, it becomes permissible when the moment arrives.
In the case of the bechor, it cannot be said that a person anticipates the arrival of a blemish to permit him to eat it. Even if a blemish comes, who is to say that it will develop a permanent blemish? And even if develops a permanent blemish, who is to say that an expert (מומחה) will come to inspect it? Therefore R’ Shimon says the bechor remains muktzeh.
