Study Shabbat folio 104B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מתני׳ הכותב שתי אותיות בהעלם אחד — חייב. כתב בדיו בסם בסיקרא בקומוס ובקנקנתום ובכל דבר שהוא רושם. על שני כותלי זויות ועל שני לוחי פינקס והן נהגין זה עם זה — חייב. הכותב על בשרו — חייב. המסרט על בשרו — רבי אליעזר מחייב חטאת וחכמים פוטרין.
Mishnah: One who writes two letters on Shabbat during one lapse of awareness is liable. The following substances used as ink are explained in the Talmud. One is liable if he wrote with deyo, with sam, with sikra, with gum [komos], or with copper sulfate [kankantom] or with any substance that makes a mark. If one wrote on two walls of a house that form a corner, or on two parts of a writing tablet, and the two items are read together, he is liable. One who writes on his flesh on Shabbat is liable. If one unwittingly scratches letters on his flesh on Shabbat, R' Eliezer deems him liable to bring a sin-offering and the rabbis deem him exempt.
כתב במשקין במי פירות, באבק דרכים באבק הסופרים ובכל דבר שאינו מתקיים — פטור. לאחר ידו ברגלו בפיו ובמרפקו, כתב אות אחת סמוך לכתב, וכתב על גבי כתב, נתכוון לכתוב חי״ת וכתב שתי זיינין, אחת בארץ ואחת בקורה, כתב על שני כותלי הבית, על שני דפי פנקס ואין נהגין זה עם זה — פטור. כתב אות אחת נוטריקון — רבי יהושע בן בתירא מחייב וחכמים פוטרין.
If one wrote with liquids or with fruit juice, or if one drew letters with road dust, with scribes’ dust that they use to dry the ink, or with any substance with which the writing does not endure, he is exempt. Similarly, if one wrote by holding the pen on the back of his hand, with his foot, with his mouth, or with his elbow; if one wrote only a single letter, even if it was adjacent to other preexisting writing; or if one wrote over other writing; if one meant to write the letter ḥet and instead wrote the two halves of the ḥet as two instances of the letter zayin; if one wrote one letter on the ground and one on a rafter; if one wrote one letter on two walls of a house, or on two parts of a writing tablet that are not read together, he is exempt. If one wrote one letter as an abbreviation representing an entire word, R' Yehoshua ben Beteira deems him liable to bring a sin-offering, and the Rabbis deem him exempt.