Shabbos 51
“A distinguished person like Rav Naḥman should be stringent and distance himself from conduct that could be perceived, even mistakenly, as a prohibited act.”
We are introduced to two opinions on leadership through today’s debate on if it is permissible to insulate cold food on Shabbat. Rav Yehuda invokes Shmuel’s opinion in declaring that it is indeed permissible to insulate cold food on Shabbat if the intention is to keep the food cold. The matter is debated and dissected among Rav Yosef and Abaye. The two deliberate if it is only permissible to insulate cold food if it is not customarily insulated when it is hot. Abaye says that Shmuel allowed insulation of cold food, regardless of any contingencies.
Rav Huna and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi jump into the discussion. Rabbi HaNasi has previously ruled that it is prohibited to insulate cold food on Shabbat without any extenuating circumstances. But he retracts his opinion when Rabbi Yishmael reminds him that his late father, Rabbi Yosei, had issued a ruling permitting insulation of cold food on Shabbat. Rabbi HaNasi, who is at the top of the Rabbinical hierarchy and has the last word on all matters, says that he will retract his opinion in deference to Rabbi Yosei. Rav Pappa comments on this display of deference by a highly placed Rabbi for an elder would have ranked below him if he were alive and calls it an act of love.
Rabbi Ami observed Rav Naḥman asking his slave Daru to insulate cold food for him on the Shabbat and to bring him water that was previously heated by his cook. Both actions are permissible on Shabbat, but Rabbi Ami expressed with some emotion that Rav Nahman, because of his elevated position in Rabbinical society, should be flawless in his actions and provide no reason for anyone to doubt his observance. Rabbi Ami, who was quite passionate on this topic, expressed that Rav Nahman should go above and beyond what is expected of ordinary people.
These two narratives -- of HaNasi yielding to the opinion of an elder and Rabbi Ami becoming angry at Rav Nahman for providing the potential for the appearance of impropriety – resonate with our expectations for our leaders. This is the most important question of our day as our society is in the worst crisis many of us have experienced in our lifetime. We expect our leaders to make decisions based on facts and guidance from experts and to analyze all the available data before they develop a playbook to help us fight this pandemic. And we expect them to have a playbook, rather than offering impromptu opinions. We also expect them to be willing to make the hard decisions and to stick by them regardless of what they may mean for their own careers or legacy. And we expect them to conduct themselves with respect for their position and office, and to set an example for all of us with their behavior. If we must wear masks in public, we expect them to do so as well.
I am a huge cat lover and I feel compelled to comment on the discussion of whether putting a collar and lead on a cat is permissible on the Shabbat. The final conclusion is that if they are for security (so the cat does not run away and become susceptible to dangers in the world) it is allowable. I live with two Siamese cats. I have never had much luck getting them used to walk on a lead and because they are indoor cats, they do not wear collars. The breed is supposed to be amenable to walking on leads, but I have never experienced it with my cats.
Here is an article on how to train a cat to walk on a leash:
https://faqcats.com/how-to-train-a-siamese-cat-to-walk-on-a-leash/