• On the sabbath as a day of spiritual edification, cf. also Jos. Ant. XVI. ii. 4 middle, e. An. ii. 17 end ; Philo, ii. 168 CTMl, 169, 197, 282, 630 (from Euseb. Pnrp. Kv. viii. vii. 9f.).
t n'^DK : derivative actions, or species of the principal classes named, were called nHnpiB. Margoliouth (Expog. Nov. 1900, p. 336 fr.) cites from an unedited Persian MS, containing an account of the feasts and other observances of different nations by an author of the 11th cent., an enumeration of 38 forbidden acts, differing in many particulars from those mentioned in ths ^lishna, and tncluding more directly som<t of those alluded tc in the Gospels.
t See Wtinsche, Erlduterung (see full title ad ^n J, p. 148,
SABBATH
SABBATH
321
the Kabbis, 2000 oubits ; * but if, before the sab- bath, a man deposited food for two meals at the boundary, he was considered to declare that i>lace to be his domicile, and he was at libertj', when the sabbath came, to proceed 2000 cubits beyond it. However, it scorns that such concessions were only ^'ranted for some serious and worthy purpose (Silicchter, a/i. Montetiore, Ilibb. Led. 502).
Naturally, there were cases in which higher con- siderations superseded these rules for the strict observance of the sabbath, — nja rrnx pnii ' push aside the sabbath ' is the exjiression used. The priests in the discharge of their duties in the tera[>le — e.g. in preparing and ollering the sacri- lices appointed for tlie day — profaned the sabbath, and were 'guiltless ' (Mt 12'').t And so the Mishna permits on the sabbath acts necessjvry for the sacritice of the passover, though it carefully ex- cludes those which are deemed unnecessary (Pesdhim vi. 1, 2). A Levite performing upon a stringo<l instrument on the sabbath in the temple (but not elsewhere), might, if his string broke, tie It up again, but he is forbidden to put in a new string (Eruhin x. 13). A priest who hurts his linger may bind it up with reeds in the temple (though not elsewhere), but he is not permitted to press out the blood {ib. 14). Similarly circum- cision was permitted, though not anytuin" con- nected with it which could be prepared before (JnT*''' ; Shftbb. xix.). In other cases Ijumanitarian grounds superseded the sabbath. The general
Srinciple w.is that any ' doubt about life,' i.e. any oubt as to whether life was in danger, super- seded the sabbath (nr^-n-nx n.in ria'?^ pif^? !''''«« viii. 0) :t but, of course, the further question then arose. What did endanger life ? Ailments sup- posed to be dangerous to life are mentioned, and treatments permitted or forbidden are enumerated ; but, to our minds, the distinctions drawn are arbitrary and absurd, and the reasons alleged in support of them most trivial and insulticient. ' He who ha.s the toothache must not rinse his teeth w ith vinegar [and spit it out again ; for this would be to apply a medicine] ; but he may wash them as usual [and swallow the vinegar, for this would be merely like taking food]. He who has pains in the loins may not anoint himself with wine and vinegar [which would be a medicinal applica- tion], but he may anoint himself with oil [ace. to the usual custom], though not with oil of roses (which, being costly, would certainly not be used, except as a medicine].' (Shabb. xiv. 4 ; the ex- planations, from the commentators, ap. Surenh.). A. strain might not have cold water poured upon it, but it njiglit be washed in the usual way (xxii. 6). With such feelings current on the sub- ject, the hostility aroused by the cures wrought by our l.ord on the sabbath (Mt 12»-'»=Mk 3'-'= Lk G«;'», Lk 13'»-" 14'-», Jn 0»-'" 7=^ 9'<-'») is at once intelligible. It is also apparent why on a sabbath the sick were brought to Him to be healed after sunset (Mk 1'=, see v.'').
The di.sciiile.s, in 'plucking' (Mt 12' = Mk 2=»= Lk 6') and ' rubbing'^ (I,k O"") the ears of corn on the sabbath, violated the day, according to Kabb.
• The dliitAncc ie ohtalned by an CRscntlallv KiiMiiniojiI com- Wnntl(^n o( Kx lo'i) 211S and Jos. 3*. See I.iithKoot on I,k 24M, who remarks drily on tlie proccsB. 'Bed arum disce fiihricandi quidlihot ex quolihef ; and comp. further the next article.
t C(. I'milhimaia (and elsewhere): B'-fJJ nn;f' |'K ' there is DO ».il>liiith-kfepini; in the sanctunry.*
J Sie ill Wun»nhe (p. ISK.), from the Gemlr4(l'»ma Vbab; cf. iltchdta on Ex 31'3, tol. 103t, cd. Friedniann), the bibliial authority which 'Aljiha and other Itahhls o( the 2nd cent. Bonuht to discover tor this principle. The text which was deemed moat conclusive won l>v 18". where It is said of the statutes ol the law that it a man does them, he will • live by them,' and not that he will die bv them. .Sie, further, on the tcachuiK and exexesis of corlv Itiibbis on the subject of the •abhath, Hacher, I>i<> .di/orfa dor ranimttm, i. 72, 84 1., 117, 1»1, S88, 280, 2000., 3l«. 404, ii. M(., 861, 3U2, 470, 610. VOL. IV. — 21
ideas, in two respects ; for ' jducklng ' wa.s a species of ' reaping,' and ' rubbing ' of threshing (cf. Maimonides, Hilrhoth Hhabbath viii. 3, ' He who reaps even as little as a dry tig on the sabbath is guilty ; and the plucker is a species (niVin) of reaper ' ; and .Jerus. Talni. Shabb. lOa ' A woman nibuing the heads of wheat [is guilty], as being a thresher,' np. Kdersh. ii. oG ; also Li"htfoot, //' r(e Ileb. on Mt 12-). To lead an animiu to water ou the sabbath (Lk 13") was allowable, provided it carried nothing that could be regarded as a ' burden ' ; water might even be drawn for it, and poured into a trough, so that it came and drank of Its own accord ; it might not, however, be brought and set before the beast (Lightf. nd loc; 'Erilbin, fol. 204). But it is not permitted, at least in the Talmud, if an animal has fallen into a pit, or pool of water, to 'lay hold of it, and lift it out' (Mt 12" ; cf. Lk 14') : it is allowed, however, to supply it with food, or, if that be impossible, to bring mattresses and cushions for the purpose of helping it to come out of itself (Shabb. fol. 1286 ; Malm. Shabb. XXV. 20) ; it is possible, however, that in the time of Christ this proliibition had not yet been formulated. To make clay and apply it to the eye (Jn 9"- ") involved a breach, if not a double breach, of the sabbath-law : the Mishna (Shabb. x.viv. 3) lays it down that 'water may be poured on bran, but it must not be kneaded,' and the same rule might be naturally held to apply to clay : but the application of the clay to the eye was certainly not allowable : it was indeed per- mitted to apply wine to the outside of the eyelid (though not to put it inside the eye), but the application of saliva (which is mentioned, as it was deemed to possess curative projierties) was altogether forbidden {S/uibb. 1086; Maim. Shabb xxi. 25 ; Lightfoot, ad loc). Of course, to take up a bed (Jn 5'") was prohibited, being an act of 'carrying'*