- Wisdom in the eyes of the nations
It was said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan that the source that it is a mitzvah on a person to calculate the tekufos and mazalos (the progression of the seasons and the position of the constellations) is from the passuk, ושמרתם ועשיתם כי הוא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים – You shall safeguard and perform [them], for it is your wisdom and discernment in the eyes of the nations.
What wisdom and discernment are there in the eyes of the nations? It is the calculation of the tekufos and mazalos.
Rashi explains that one can know for certain if someone truly has wisdom in these areas, because it can be seen if he is able to correctly predict weather patterns, which are based upon the movement of the sun and constellations.
- Trapping and squeezing a Chilazon
There is a machlokes Tannaim brought in a Baraisa, regarding the trapping of a chilazon and squeezing it with one’s hands to extract the blood, in order to produce blue dye:
• Rebbe Yehuda holds that he is liable for the trapping, and for the squeezing as well, since פציעה בכלל דישה (squeezing is a toldah of threshing).
• The Rabbonon hold that he is only liable for trapping, since פציעה לאו בכלל דישה, (squeezing is not a toldah of threshing).
- Rava explains that according to the Rabbonon, threshing only applies to גידולי קרקע, (things that grow from the ground).
Carrying in reshus harabim
The next Mishnah states another general rule that whatever is fit to store, and people usually store it in a certain quantity, meaning an amount fitting to be stored (Rashi), and one carried it out on Shabbos, one is liable to bring a chatas.
The Mishnah continues that whatever is not fit to store since it is not used by people, or it is used by people but it is not a quantity that people store away for later use, then only a person who stored it away would be liable a chatas for carrying it out on Shabbos.
Rashi explains that the person took a liking to the object and stored it away. Others who carried out this same item would be exempt, since the majority of people do not consider it, or its size, significant enough .
