Search our Archives:» Home » Opinion & Society The Sandal with
the Nails By Larry Fine The Importance of Being Joyful on the
Sabbath and Holidays The pages of the Talmud are a sea of
precious insights for our lives. One interesting discussion that
was recorded in the Tractate of Sabbath is that which pertains
to the case of the Sandal with Nails. It seems that the Mishna
mentions that one must not go out on the Sabbath with a sandal
that has nails in it. The Talmud comes to explain the reason for
forbidding this particular type of sandal. Three scenarios are
given: First, Samuel says that the reason is that there were
Jews who sought refuge from the various decrees which were made
against them. They would hide in a cave to escape detection. Now
according to Samuel, the sandal in question was made of wood
with an upper covering of leather. The heal area and the toe
area were exposed similar to an open toe slipper. The front was
wider than the heal area and a because of this a person could
mistakenly put the sa