מסכת שבת פרק ו, משנה ד
לא ייצא האיש לא בסיף, ולא בקשת, ולא בתריס, ולא באלה, ולא ברומח. ואם יצא, חייב חטאת. רבי אליעזר אומר, תכשיטין הן לו; וחכמים אומרים, אינן לו אלא גנאי, שנאמר "וכיתתו חרבותם לאיתים, וחניתותיהם למזמרות" (ישעיהו ב,ד).
One should not go out with a sword, bow, shield, club, or spear. And if one went out [with these items], that person is liable to a sin offering. R. Eliezer says, “They are ornaments.” But the sages say, “They are nothing but ugly, since it is said, And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isaiah 2:4).” [Translation by Rori Picker Neiss]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. How does R. Eliezer understand the purpose weapons? What about the Sages?
2. How do the rabbis interpret the verse from Isaiah?
3. What view of war emerges from this text?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)