Arachin 17a

ערכין י״ז ע״א

Arakhin 17a

Learn Arachin 17a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Arachin 17a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Leaders and their generations, then the opening of פרק השג יד: whose wealth decides the amount in ערכין and in a מצורע's offerings.

Overview

The amud opens with the last words of a statement from the previous page: a person who goes without suffering has a calamity waiting for him. Next, רבי אליעזר הגדול teaches that even אברהם, יצחק and יעקב could not have stood up to strict judgment. Then רבי יהודה נשיאה and רבנן argue over whether a generation follows its leader or the leader follows his generation. The גמרא first suggests the argument is about goodness, but rejects that from יהויקים and צדקיה, whose generations did not match them. It concludes that the argument is about harshness and gentleness. After the הדרן for פרק יש בערכין, a new משנה teaches that affordability (השג יד) in ערכין follows the one who vows. With a מצורע's offerings, it follows the מצורע instead, and רבי adds a case where ערכין works the same way. The גמרא explains the משנה's wording and its source in the פסוק. It then works through who may bring a poor מצורע's offering, ending with a challenge to רבי יצחק's answer that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ConclusionA calamity awaits him
2. StatementEven the אבות could not stand up to strict judgment
3. StatementDoes the generation follow the leader, or the leader the generation?
4. QuestionWhat is the practical point of this dispute?
5. ResponseA first suggestion: the dispute is about goodness
6. Challengeצדקיה and יהויקים disprove that suggestion
7. ProofProof that יהויקים and צדקיה did not match their generations
8. ResolutionThe argument is about harshness and gentleness
9. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק יש בערכין
10. StatementFour rules that open the new chapter
11. StatementExplaining that affordability follows the one who vows
12. StatementOfferings work the opposite way
13. Statementרבי says ערכין can work like the offerings
14. ChallengeShouldn't the משנה say 'the one who values'?
15. ResolutionThe פסוק itself uses the word נודר
16. ChallengeShouldn't the משנה say 'the one being valued'?
17. ResolutionSame wording for consistency
18. QuestionWhy does a poor vower pay the poor amount?
19. ResponseThe תורה ties it to the vower
20. StatementQuoting the משנה on a מצורע's offerings
21. ChallengeBut the vower is rich, not poor!
22. Resolutionרבי יצחק: the vower was also poor
23. ChallengeMaybe the תורה's leniency is only for the מצורע himself
24. Resolution'His means do not suffice' includes the vower
25. ChallengeThen what does 'with offerings it is not so' mean?