Tosafot in English

QUESTION

And if want to say

(וא"ת usually implies a question)

They should bring the baby to the knife

Because then there is no Shabbos prohibition at all

Because [of the rule] a living person carries themselves

(This is a common Halocho in Shabbos that a living person or animal is considered to carry themselves and there you a not violating an Av Melacha.)

ANSWER #1

You can say

(וי"ל usually implies an answer)

That a small child needs his mother [nearby]

As after the Bris we need to return [the baby] to his mother

And then it is considered bound [to the mother]

Because the child is sick

[PROOF:]

As we learn in Masechta Yumo

Even according to R’ Nosson [who holds that a living creature carries itself]

He says a sick person or animal is different. [END OF PROOF.]

And in this case, even the mother is considered in danger

And she is not able to come to the baby

ANSWER 2

And also you can say

Since it’s much easier

To bring the knife, then to bring the baby

R’ Eliezer says it is correct [to bring the knife]

In order to speed up doing the Mitzvah

As the Gemara proves [from a story]

It says that one time

They forgot and did not bring the knife on Erev Shabbos

And they brought it on Shabbos

but not according to the will [of R’ Eliezer]

Because they brought it via courtyards, roofs, and porches

And they could have brought it via רה"ר

So we see that R’ Eliezer allows to bring it via רה"ר

Even though it is usually forbidden מדאורייתא

In order to speed up doing the Mitzvah

Even though it could be done

In a way that is only a איסור דרבנן.