Arachin 16b

ערכין ט״ז ע״ב

Arakhin 16b

Learn Arachin 16b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Arachin 16b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

לשון הרע and the מצורע, the מצוה of תוכחה and its limits, not switching lodgings or crafts, and the smallest amount of יסורין.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an answer: one item atones for לשון הרע said in secret, and another for לשון הרע said in public. Two teachings then explain why a מצורע sits alone and brings birds, since both match his sin of splitting people apart with chatter. A ברייתא on 'לא תשנא את אחיך בלבבך' teaches that hidden hatred is forbidden and that one must rebuke a friend, even many times, but never to the point of shaming him. Sages lament how few people can take rebuke or give it well, and רבי יוחנן בן נורי tells how רבי עקיבא loved him more for his criticism. The גמרא then rules that ענוה, even שלא לשמה, beats תוכחה לשמה, and illustrates this with רב הונא and חייא בר רב. Next come three views on how far rebuke must go, all learned from שאול and יהונתן, followed by rules about not switching one's lodging or one's family craft. The amud ends by defining the smallest amount of יסורין and explaining why it matters: someone who goes forty days with no suffering has already received his reward. A teaching from ארץ ישראל begins at the very end and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (46)

1. ResolutionFinishing the answer: the other one atones for public speech
2. QuestionWhy must the מצורע sit alone?
3. ResponseHe separated people, so he is separated
4. StatementWhy the מצורע brings birds
5. QuestionDoes 'do not hate' mean do not hit or curse?
6. Response'In your heart': the פסוק means hidden hatred
7. QuestionWhere does the duty to rebuke come from?
8. ResponseThe source is the פסוק 'הוכח תוכיח'
9. QuestionWhat if he did not listen the first time?
10. ResponseThe doubled word means: rebuke again and again
11. QuestionEven if it embarrasses him?
12. ResponseNever embarrass him: 'לא תשא עליו חטא'
13. Statementרבי טרפון: hardly anyone can accept rebuke
14. Statementרבי אלעזר בן עזריה: hardly anyone knows how to rebuke
15. Statementרבי יוחנן בן נורי: rebuking עקיבא made him love me more
16. QuestionWhich is better: pure rebuke or impure humility?
17. ResponseAgreed: pure humility is the greatest
18. ConclusionEven impure humility is better, since impure leads to pure
19. QuestionWhat do these two ideas look like in real life?
20. ResponseThe story of רב הונא and חייא בר רב before שמואל
21. QuestionHow far does the duty to rebuke go?
22. ResponseThree views: hitting, cursing, or scolding
23. StatementThe same argument among the תנאים
24. StatementAll three learned from one story about שאול and יהונתן
25. ConclusionMatching each view to its words in the פסוק
26. ChallengeChallenge to the view of 'until scolding'
27. Resolutionיהונתן went beyond the requirement out of love for דוד
28. QuestionHow much must a guest bear before changing lodging?
29. Responseרב: until hitting; שמואל: until he is thrown out
30. StatementThey argue only when the host hits his wife
31. QuestionWhy is staying put so important?
32. ResponseA guest who moves hurts himself and his host
33. Statementרב's Torah source for not switching lodgings
34. StatementA different source from the same verse
35. QuestionWhat difference do the two sources make?
36. ResponseThe difference: a passing, temporary lodging
37. StatementDon't leave your craft or your fathers' craft
38. ProofHiram's mother came from Dan, Oholiab's tribe of craftsmen
39. QuestionWhat is the smallest amount of suffering?
40. ResponseA garment that doesn't fit
41. ChallengeEven smaller things count: wine mixed at the wrong temperature
42. StatementEven a shirt put on the wrong way
43. StatementReaching for three coins and pulling out two
44. StatementOnly when you get fewer coins, not more
45. QuestionWhy does all this matter?
46. ResponseForty days without suffering