Rif Shabbat 7a

HIDE/SHOW IMAGE
7a

UNLESS HE CAN REACH A NEAR PLACE; BUT BETH HILLEL PERMIT IT.

BETH SHAMMAI MAINTAIN: HIDES MUST NOT BE GIVEN TO A TANNER, NOR GARMENTS TO A GENTILE FULLER, UNLESS THEY CAN BE DONE WHILE IT IS YET DAY; BUT IN ALL THESE [CASES] BETH HILLEL, PERMIT [THEM]

{Shabbat 18b continues}
Gemara:
The Sages learnt {in a brayta}:

Bet Shammai say: A man must not sell an article to a Gentile, nor lend [it] to him nor loan him [money] nor make him a gift [on the eve of Sabbath], unless he can reach his house [before sunset];

And Bet Hillel say: [unless] he can reach the house nearest the [city] wall.

Rabbi Akiva say: [Unless] he can depart from the door of his [the Jew's] house [before the Sabbath].

Rabbi Yossi beRabbi Chanina says: The words of Rabbi Akiva are identical with the words of Bet Hillel, and Rabbi Akiva only comes to explain the words of Bet Hillel.

They learnt {in a brayta}:

Bet Shammai say: A man must not sell his leaven to a Gentile, unless he knows that it will be consumed before Passover.

And Bet Hillel say: As long as he [the Jew] may eat it, he may sell it.

{Shabbat 19a}
The Sages learnt {in a brayta}:

Food may be placed before a dog in a courtyard, [and] if it takes it and goes out, one has no duty toward it. Similarly, food may be placed before a Gentile in a courtyard, [and] if he takes it and goes out, one has no duty toward him.

(The Sages learnt {in a brayta}:
A man must not hire his utensils to a Gentile on the eve of Sabbath {that is erev Shabbat} close to nightfall; [but] on Wednesday or Thursday it is permitted.
) {The Bach believes this segment enclosed in parentheses is a gloss. I would add that the reason "close to nightfall" seems like it should be removed is that it is being contrasted with Wdnesday and Thursday, implying that even earlier than that on a Friday it should be forbidden.}

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}:

Letters may not be sent via gentiles on the eve of Sabbath {erev Shabbat} close to nightfall unless a fee is stipulated {since now the gentile works for himself, to earn the fee, rather than on behalf of the Jew.}

Bet Shammai say: There must be time to reach his [the addressee's] house [before the Sabbath];

and Bet Hillel say: There must be time to reach the house nearest the [city] wall.

But has he not stipulated {a fee}?

Rav Ashi {our gemara: Rav Sheshet} said: This is what it means to say. If he did not stipulate, Bet Shammai say: There must be time to reach his [the addressee's] house [before the Sabbath]; and Bet Hillel say: There must be time to reach the house nearest the [city] wall.

But you said in the resha {the first clause of this brayta that if he did not stipulate} he should not send at all?!

There is no difficulty.
Here there is a do`ar {post office} permanently located in the town; here where there is no do`ar permanently located in the town.

We now deduce that when he stipulates a fee, we send them, whether or not they will reach. And when he did not stipulate a fee, if there is a do`ar established in the town, we do not send him, {see the Bach's emendation} unless he can reach the house nearest the [city] wall, and if there is no do`ar established in the town, we do not send him at all, unless he stipulated {a fee}.

The explanation of do`ar is a known man to whom all letters come, and he hires and sends out {distributes} all the letters to the people to whom the letters were sent {addressed}.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}:

One may not set out in a ship less than three days before the Sabbath.