We are not clear what R Chanania poskened. The mesivta says it was that it is mutar to histapeg, like the Rebanan. But the mishna says like that, as well as the bereisa. What did he add to the pesak? Why dafka to bnei Teveria?
Joseph Stolz, United States
The Braisa on 87b tells us that R. Chanania ben Akavya paskened 3 Halachos.
1) The first psak of R. Chanania was against the Mishnah on 87b. The Mishnah states that if there is a board above the water one may not draw up water on to the board unless a wall of 10 tefachim is made around the board. R. Chanania paskened that one does not need to make a wall around the board. It is sufficient that one carves a hole of 4x4 tefachim in the middle of the board and draws up the water through that hole.
The Gemara, near the top of 87a, states that R. Chanania only gave this psak to the people of Teveria because the sea of Teveria possesses defined banks that are visible on all sides, and towns and enclosures surround it.
Rashi 87a DH Oganim writes that because the Kineret sea is very enclosed, this gives it a slight heker, because it is now noticeable that this is the reason for R. Chanania's leniency, since anyway it is not more than a Carmelis which is only derabanan, and in the closed Teveria sea one can be lenient even lecatchila according to R. Chanania.
The Halacha does not follow R. Chanaia on this particular psak.
2) The second psak of R. Chanania ben Akavya is about storing fruit in "Eitzah". This is waste material from legume plants. This material was plucked from the field early in the morning and is still damp from the morning dew. However the dew does not make a "Hechser" when it touches the fruit. The fact that the fruit is wet does not mean that if later it touches something tamei that it will become tamei. The reason is because the men of Teveria are hard workers and the reason they plucked the Eitzah early in the morning is not because they want the early morning dew but because they make use of their time and start their day early.
3) The third psak is that one may dry oneself with a towel when coming out of the bath-house on Shabbos or Yomtov, and we are not concerned that one will squeeze the water from the towel, which is forbidden because of sechitah.
The Halacha follows R. Chanania on this psak.
Best wishes
Dovid Bloom