The Babylonian Talmud on the Ḥazzan
b. Shabbat 35b
R. Yosi bar Ḥanina said: I heard that [a person who was pressed for time and] comes to light [Shabbat lights] after six blasts may light [without concern, as even the moment of the sixth blast is not yet Shabbat. Proof for this is] that the sages provided the sexton [ḥazzan—Ed.] of the synagogue a period [of time] to take his shofar [which he used to sound the blasts on a tall roof in the middle of the city] to his house. [Clearly, during that interval it is not yet Shabbat. He] said to him: If so, [then] you have rendered your statement [subject] to circumstances, [and it would not apply uniformly to all. Shabbat would start at a different time in each place based on the distance between the site where the shofar is sounded and the home of the sexton.] Rather, [Shabbat began immediately after the final blast with no pause in between]. The sexton had a concealed place on top of his roof, [where he would sound the shofar,] in which he would place his shofar because [the consensus is] that one may move neither the shofar nor the trumpets [on Shabbat].
b. Eruvin 55b
And these [structures] are not included in [the boundaries of a city]: A tomb that was breached on both sides, [from] here [to] there, [i.e., from one side all the way to the other]; and [similarly,] a bridge and a grave that do not have a residence; and a synagogue that does not have a residence for the sexton [ḥazzan—Ed.]; and an idolatrous temple that does not have a residence for the priests; and [similarly,] stables and storehouses in fields that do not have a residence, [and therefore are not used for human habitation]; and a cistern, and an [elongated water] ditch, and a cave, [i.e., a covered cistern,] and a wall, and a dovecote in [the field]; and [similarly,] a house on a boat [that is not permanently located within seventy cubits of the city; all of] these [structures] are not included in the [city’s boundaries].
Notes
Words in brackets appear in the original translation unless otherwise noted.
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
