Last week we continued explaining the enigmatic statement of the Gemara (Shabbos 74a) that says, “If you have in front of you types of food: separate and eat, separate and put down. And don’t separate. And if you separate, you are chayav chatas”. This week we will discuss the final explanation.
The fifth and final explanation of this statement is given by Abaye. He explains, “Separate and eat for immediate [use], separate and put down for immediate [use]. And for later that day, don’t separate, and if you do separate it is as if you separated to [put in the] storehouse and you are chayav chatas”.
Abaye understands that the prohibition of separating is only for use later. All separating done for immediate use is permitted. Rashi (ד"ה ובורר ומניח לאלתר) explains that this is not the way of separators. This explanation of Abaye is the gemara’s final one. From this explanation, we see the general rule of separating. Separating is only prohibited if it is done in a way that it is considered separating. If it can be defined as another action, like eating (ועיין תוס' ד"ה וכי), then there is no prohibition whatsoever.
Next week we will discuss how this answers up questions asked earlier in the gemara.
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