Grama 4 - Meleches Machsheves 2 (Klal 9) Hilchos Shabbos - S0320

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We have finished Klal 9. The purpose of this Klal was to learn about broad klalim which come up regarding melachos of Shabbos. We will discuss a few other concepts not discussed by the Chayei Adam. We have discussed the concept of intent impacting the status of melacha, and now we are discussing grama.

In the previous shiur, we learned the Gemara in Bava Kamma about the issur of zoreh, where meleches machsheves is unique in that it generates a chiyuv rather than a petur. We discussed whether this concept applies elsewhere, and with that background, we can approach a Gemara in Shabbos. The Mishnah (120a) discusses scenarios in which a fire broke out, and gives various solutions to prevent the fire from spreading. For example, if part of a wooden box caught fire, one can cover the other part of the box with leather hides which have moisture in them and the ability to cut the oxygen from the fire when it reaches there. Another suggestion is to create a barrier between the fire and where it might spread by placing earthenware vessels as a barrier in front of the fire. One opinion even holds that one can use earthenware vessels which have water in them. We see here that one can use grama to put out the fire on Shabbos. This mishnah would seem to teach us either that grama is muttar on Shabbos, or at least that grama is muttar in situations of potential loss. 
On the other hand, the Gemara on 120b says that it is assur to open a door if there is a fire inside the room whose flames may be increased due to the additional oxygen as a result of opening the door. The same way one is not allowed to kindle a fire, one may not increase the intensity of the fire, so one may not open a door which will increase the intensity of the fire already present. Even though this act would seem to be an act of grama, it is assur. This Gemara would seem to be a contradiction to the Mishnah on the same daf. 

There are two approaches to understanding this contradiction. One approach is based on the Gemara in Sanhedrin we mentioned previously (shiur s318) about a person opening a dam and releasing the water. We learned that the water which is released immediately after opening the dam is considered the direct action of the person who released it. Further water, which comes from upstream, is considered a grama action of the person who released the dam. Thus, returning to our Gemara in Shabbos, if we establish the Gemara as referring to a case where the wind was already blowing, when the person opens the door, the first rush of wind which blows on the fire is considered the direct action of the person who opened the door, so it can no longer be considered grama and therefore is chayav. The cases of placing items in front of the fire to extinguish it is an indirect action and therefore considered grama.

Rabbeinu Chananel gives another answer, which we will discuss in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.

To summarize, we learned about seeming contradiction between two Gemaras, one where grama is assur one where it is muttar. We learned one explanation, where the Gemara which says assur is referring to maaseh, direct action. Since the direct action of the person caused the melacha, it is no longer considered a grama and therefore chayav.