Arachin 12b

ערכין י״ב ע״ב

Arakhin 12b

Learn Arachin 12b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Dating both destructions of the בית המקדש by the שמיטה and יובל cycles: does the ברייתא follow רבי יהודה or the רבנן?

Overview

The amud opens with the last line of an earlier timeline: in נבוכדנצר's second year he conquered יהויקים. The גמרא then returns to a ברייתא that says the second בית המקדש, like the first, was destroyed in מוצאי שביעית. It challenges this with math. The second בית stood 420 years, which puts its destruction in the שמיטה year itself. One answer is that the ברייתא follows רבי יהודה, who counts the fiftieth year as part of two cycles, and that recount fits. But רבי יהודה's count seems to break the first בית's timeline, which a ברייתא fixes at seventeen יובלות. The גמרא answers that the years from סנחריב's exile of the tribes until ירמיה brought them back were never counted. A second answer says the ברייתא follows the רבנן, and 'וכן בשניה' refers only to the other details of the destruction. The גמרא supports this second answer by noting that יהויריב's priestly watch was not even in the second בית. It then brings a ברייתא showing that only four priestly families returned from בבל and were divided into twenty-four watches. That ברייתא continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. StatementIn his second year נבוכדנצר conquered יהויקים
2. StatementThe ברייתא says the same happened at the second destruction
3. ChallengeThe 420 years don't fit מוצאי שביעית
4. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי יהודה
5. ResolutionThe recount lands in מוצאי שביעית
6. ChallengeThe רבי יהודה answer fails for the first בית
7. ProofA ברייתא counts seventeen יובלות in the first בית period
8. ChallengeUnder רבי יהודה the first destruction lands in year three
9. ResolutionThe years of the ten tribes' exile were not counted
10. ResolutionSecond answer: the ברייתא follows the רבנן and 'likewise' covers only the other details
11. ProofSupport: the watch of יהויריב could not have served in the second בית המקדש
12. Proofברייתא: only four watches came back from בבל and were split into twenty-four