We begin today’s Daf with a story that started at the very end of yesterday’s page. Levi, the son of Rav Huma bar Chiya, and Rabbah bar Rav Huma were travelling by donkey. Levi could not control hid donkey well and he sped ahead of Rabbah bar Rav Humma. Since Levi was the junior scholar, Rabbah bar Rav Humma felt slighted. Levi successfully difuses the situation by asking Rabbah bar Rav Humma a question of law about unruly donkeys. Levi thus signaled his deference to Rabbah bar Rav Humma and indicated, without being defensive, that he was not intentional in his actions.

We then continue our discussion from yesterday about what kind of restraints are appropriate for various animals. We debate for a long time whether a restraint that is way more than necessary is a burden for the animal and therefore not allowed for the animal to wear on Shabbat. We then reaffirm, again that as long as a device is used to control an animal, we may go out with the animal and the device on Shabbat, even if we could have used a lighter touch utensil for the animal control. Our Mishnah yesterday indicated that we could take an animal out on Shabbat on a leash. We debate whether this remains true if the leash is wrapped around the animal and not currently being used as a lead.

We then switch gears. At the end of the Mishnah yesterday, there was a statement about the ability of collars to become ritually impure and the ability to purify the collar while it stays on the animal. We debate a lot about what particular kinds of collars are subject to ritual impurity and why. Animal adornments cannot become ritually impure. Items we use to control the animal, however, can become impure, provided they meet certain other conditions. Much of the second half of the Daf is spent discussing those conditions.

The Daf finishes with a new Mishnah. We learn about many other farm animals and how they can go out on Shabbat and with what accouterments. We do learn from a discussion of saddle blankets on donkeys that donkeys stay cold all the time, even in the summer. I was not aware of this fact. Rabbi Yose dissents from the relatively lenient rulings about animals on Shabbat. Rabbi Yose would allow goats to go out on Shabbat with their udders bound up to stop lactation, but not if they were bound loosely to capture dripping milk. We will get elucidation on these points tomorrow.