In today’s Daf, we learn a little about the ancient profession of launderer. We learn that some people sent their laundry to be done professionally. When the laundry was returned, the items of clothing would be loosely stitched together in one bundle so items did not get lost. Reading about these laundry practices tells us that the Sages lived in at least a partially money-based economy, with a separation of labor and personal services. We also learn that some of the Sages had enough social status (and money) to send their clothes out of the house to be professionally laundered.

The Rabbis are perplexed by bundles of laundry that are loosely stitched together. Are these bundles one item or multiple items? If the bundles are one item, then if any part becomes ritually impure, then the whole must be impure. Similarly, what about a barrel whose lid is sealed on top? Can we remove the top with a knife on Shabbat? We do learn we can unbutton a collar, but we cannot cut a new collar in a shirt. We can cut off the barrel because we are not completing the utensil, we are just using it in the way it is supposed to be used. How about the parts of scissors? Are they separate items or part of one item?

We also get a great story of Rabbah and Rabbi Zeira visiting the house of the Exilarch (the head of the Jewish community in the Babylonian exile). Rabbah follows the Exalarch’s servant around the house on Shabbat scolding the poor servant for doing things wrong. Rabbi Zeira asks Rabbah for an explanation of what the servant was doing that deserved scolding (how the servant was supposed to know, if Rabbi Zeira did not is never answered). The servant gets a tongue lashing for putting a flask of cold water on top of a kettle of hot water to warm the flask. Rabbi Zeira notes that we can put a hot kettle on top of another hot kettle, but Rabbah says in that case we are merely preserving the heat of the top kettle. Next the servant wraps a ladle in a turban and uses it to get water (I have no idea why). Before the servant can use his ladle, Rabbah scolds him. Rabbi Zeira does not know why. Rabbah says the servant will be tempted to wring the truban (which is forbidden) when he is done.