The gemara talks about how since spiked shoes (cleats?) were involved with an incident where many Jews were killed, we don't wear them on Shabbos or Yom Tov. Since they have no use, the mishna says that we can't give them as gifts on Yom Tov.

My question is, if they were banned on Shabbos and Yom Tov just because of the fact that the incident (Basically, lots of Jews were hiding in a cave from some oppressors, and they were found, and in the ensuing panic, many were killed from these shoes...this happened on a Shabbos) happened on Shabbos, shouldn't we ban it for during the week also? Had the story happened during the week, wouldn't they have also been killed? So why was the ban only on Shabbos and yom tov?

I asked this to a guy in shul, and he gave me the following answer. Because it happened on a Shabbos and they were hiding, they didn't have any light inside the cave to be able to see anything. Had it happened during the week, they probably would have lights of some sort and they could have avoided killing people accidentally.

Also, what were these spiked shoes? If they were cleats, with spikes on the bottom of the shoes, how could they wear them on Shabbos in the first place? They would be making holes in the ground (plowing)!

I have no idea.
However, with respect to cleats, maybe:
(1) it's derech halichah and (2) you're pressing into the ground, not digging up (similar to why stroller wheels are ok even if it make a furrow).

By the way, take a look at the picture of the cleated shoes in the melacha Dash in this phenomenal book:
http://www.feldheim.com/cgi-bin/category.c...category=search

I agree with Melech. Thats why a woman wearing high heels have the same din. But incidentaly, it would not be plowing that would occur with cleats. That occurs by shlepping a heavy bench across the ground. High heels and cleats would present a planting issue (as a toldah)...even though in truth its not.

Also I think the p'shat given by the guy in shul is a good one. Just my 2 cents.

You're right, it's not plowing, I think I meant threshing, like Melech said.

The thing is, women and high-heeled shoes are pretty common. It's not so common to wear cleats, unless you're playing sports or something. Would that still count as derech halicha? And the example of a stroller would only apply in loose dirt in any case. Cleats will makes holes no matter what kind of dirt it is.

and know we know why the Dati Leumi go with sandals as they are makpid on this

Threshing??

Would wearing them on shabbos be considered derech halicha? Why not? Who cares why they are being worn! That being said,this does not give one a heter to engage in sports on Shabbos. I think that the cleats were worn in the Talmudic times during the winter months when it got muddy. Pretty much anything you wore in the mud would make indentations. However,cleats were worn to provide better traction in the mud. So that would qualify as derech halichah.

Again, I think that the cleats were worn in the Talmudic times during the winter months when it got muddy. Pretty much anything you wore in the mud would make indentations.