Gemara Clarity

Arachin 18a

ערכין י״ח ע״א

Arakhin 18a

Learn Arachin 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Arachin 18a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Witnesses fit at the start and end; when a poor person counts as rich for קרבנות; and the rules of age, gender and timing for ערכין

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא: a witness who was fit when he saw the event and fit when he testifies is כשר, even if he was unfit in between. The גמרא explains that testimony depends only on seeing and telling. It then shows that the word והוא teaches something else: witnesses are only liable for a שבועת העדות if they were singled out. Next the גמרא explains the משנה's rule that a poor מצורע stays poor for his קרבנות even when money is coming to him. In one case his father is a גוסס. In the other, his ship is rented out, the rent comes only at the end, and, following רבי אליעזר, his work tools are not counted. A new משנה teaches that a ערך follows the age and gender of the person being valued, and his age at the time of the vow. A פסוק supports the timing rule. Another משנה rules that the boundary years count with the younger age group, learned through a מופנה גזירה שוה of 'שנה'. Finally the גמרא asks whether this fits רבי, who holds that 'עד' includes the endpoint, and begins quoting his source about the days of פסח, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵתָה בִּתּוֹ,

and afterward his daughter died,

פִּקֵּחַ וְנִתְחָרֵשׁ

he could hear and became deaf,

וְחָזַר וְנִתְפַּקֵּחַ,

and then could hear again;

פָּתוּחַ וְנִסְתַּמֵּא

he could see and became blind,

The steps (32)

  1. ChallengeA witness who was unfit only in the middle is still valid
  2. ResolutionTestimony depends only on seeing and telling
  3. ChallengeThen why does the פסוק say "and he"?
  4. Resolution"And he" means the witnesses must be singled out
  5. ResponseSaying "whoever" does count as singling out
  6. StatementQuoting the משנה about קרבנות
  7. ChallengeIf his father already died and left him money, he is rich
  8. Resolutionרבי אבהו: read it as 'is about to leave him'
  9. ChallengeThen it is obvious
  10. ResolutionThe father is a גוסס, and most גוססין die
  11. ChallengeHis ship at sea bringing ten thousand: he is rich
  12. Resolutionרב חסדא: the ship is rented out to others
  13. ChallengeBut he gets rent money
  14. ResolutionRent is only paid at the end
  15. ChallengeThe ship itself should make him rich
  16. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי אליעזר
  17. ProofProof: רבי אליעזר lets a worker keep his work tools
  18. StatementThe age that counts is the age of the person being valued
  19. StatementThe gender that counts is the gender of the person being valued
  20. StatementThe amount is fixed by the age at the time of the vow
  21. StatementA ברייתא compares market-value pledges to valuations
  22. ChallengeMaybe valuations should follow payment time, like market-value pledges
  23. ProofA פסוק shows valuations are fixed at the time of the vow
  24. StatementBoundary ages count with the younger group
  25. ProofLearning the rule from the sixtieth year
  26. ChallengeA stringency cannot teach a leniency
  27. ResolutionA גזירה שוה from the word 'year'
  28. Statementרבי אליעזר: a month and a day past the year
  29. StatementThe גזירה שוה must be built on extra words
  30. ProofBoth words 'year' are extra
  31. ChallengeDoes the משנה disagree with רבי?
  32. ProofThe source for רבי's rule: the seven days of פסח