The Lived Mishnah  ·  A Zeman Nakat Project
הַחֻרְבָּן
Part IV · Ein Shvus BaMikdash
A note before the next mishnayos
Ein Shvus BaMikdash
A short idea that groups the coming mishnayos: inside the Beis HaMikdash, certain rabbinic fences fall away.
The idea
A shvusa rabbinic fence around Shabbos — forbidden, but not by the Torah
Inside the Mikdash, they fall awaywhat the chachamim forbade elsewhere is permitted here
Because no one will stumblethe kohanim serve under the eye of the Sanhedrin
Where we'll see it
Eduyos · Keilim · Eiruvin 10
Hold the single thread: in the Mikdash, the chachamim's own chumras can give way.
Listen with Rabbi Ephraim Diamond
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Part IV · Ein Shvus BaMikdash
Read the transcript

Hello <i>chevra</i> and thank you for joining as we continue learning together. I just wanted to say a short word before the next set of <i>Mishnayos</i>, which we can group under one idea.

The idea being <i>Ein Shvus Bamikdash</i>. A <i>shvus</i> is typically defined as an <i>issur derabbanan</i>, meaning a prohibition that the <i>chachamim</i> instituted generally related to <i>Shabbos</i>, meaning to say that it's not prohibited by the Torah, it's not an <i>issur de'oraisa</i>, but the <i>chachamim</i> established many <i>gederim</i>, fences around <i>Shabbos</i> and they instituted many <i>issurim</i> that are meant to prevent us from violating <i>Shabbos</i>.

So for instance, one is not allowed to ride on an animal on <i>Shabbos</i>. That is a <i>derabbanan</i>, meaning it's not inherently prohibited <i>assur</i> from the Torah, but the <i>chachamim</i> said that one is not permitted to do that for a variety of reasons.

And there are many of these rules when it comes to <i>Shabbos</i>. Importantly however, while these rules applied outside the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i>, inside the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i>, a number of these fences simply fall away.

So that things that the <i>chachamim</i> forbade on <i>Shabbos</i> everywhere else are actually permitted in the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i>. Similarly, certain rabbinic decrees, certain <i>gezeiros</i> related to <i>tumah</i> and <i>taharah</i> are also set aside in the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i> as well.

Now the question of course is, why is that the case? And the answer is because these fences were built to keep ordinary people from stumbling into a Torah violation, meaning it is very easy to violate an <i>issur de'oraisa</i> and therefore the <i>chachamim</i> instituted these things in order to prevent you from getting even close to violating an <i>issur de'oraisa</i>.

But in the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i>, where the <i>kohanim</i> were serving under the eye of the <i>Sanhedrin</i>, the <i>chachamim</i> trusted that everyone would stay careful. Therefore where that care can be assured, the extra fences aren't needed.

So as we learn these <i>mishnayos</i> in <i>Eduyos</i> and <i>Keilim</i> and across the tenth <i>perek</i> of <i>Eiruvin</i>, hold onto the single thread that in the <i>Beis Hamikdash</i>, it's the one place where the <i>chachamim's</i> own <i>chumras</i> can give way because there no one will stumble. And with that I wish you continuing <i>hatzlacha</i> in your learning.

The Churban · Ein Shvus BaMikdash (Part IV)