Gemara Clarity

Arachin 18b

ערכין י״ח ע״ב

Arakhin 18b

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

Open Arachin 18b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Counting ages and time periods: end-points of a range, רבי אליעזר's extra month and day, and periods counted מעת לעת

Overview

This amud deals with how to count ages and time periods. First, a ברייתא about חמץ asks whether a range like 'from the first day to the seventh' includes its end-points, the way 'from his head to his feet' leaves out the head and feet of a מצורע. רבי says end-points are obviously included. The גמרא then asks why רבי needs a גזירה שוה for the border years in ערכין, and answers that the ערכין פסוקים cancel each other out. Next the גמרא gives two sources for leaving out the head and feet in צרעת. It then brings רבי אליעזר's view that a person changes ערכין age group only a month and a day past the birthday, learned from the census of the לויים. A new ברייתא lists Torah time periods counted from the exact start date and not by the calendar, and the גמרא finds a פסוק for each one. Finally, רב and רב יוסף explain the 'son and daughter' item differently, ערכין or the פרק יוצא דופן, and the גמרא shows they do not really disagree. רב יוסף's answer to רב's reasoning continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד רַגְלָיו״,

Like the matter that is stated: "from his head to his feet"

רֹאשׁוֹ וְלֹא רֹאשׁוֹ בַּכְּלָל,

his head, but his head is not included;

רַגְלָיו וְלֹא רַגְלָיו בַּכְּלָל?

his feet, but his feet are not included?

תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר:

The verse states:

The steps (26)

  1. QuestionMaybe the end-points are left out, as with the head and feet of a מצורע
  2. ResponseA פסוק shows the seventh day is included
  3. Challengeרבי holds that end-points are included without any פסוק, so why does he need a גזירה שוה?
  4. ResolutionThe ערכין פסוקים cancel each other out
  5. QuestionHow do we know the head and feet of a מצורע are not included?
  6. ResponseFirst answer: the signs on the head differ from the signs on the body
  7. ResponseSecond answer: 'wherever the כהן can see'
  8. Statementרבי אליעזר adds a month and a day to each age
  9. Proofרבי אליעזר's source: a word link to the census of the Levites
  10. ChallengeWhy not compare only the one extra day?
  11. ResolutionAdding one day would make the word link pointless
  12. StatementA list of Torah time periods counted from the actual start date
  13. QuestionWhere do we learn the year of sacrifices?
  14. Response'Its year' means the animal's own year
  15. ResponseHouses in walled cities: the year counts from the sale
  16. ResponseInherited field: three crops in two years
  17. ResponseHebrew slave: sometimes he works into the seventh year
  18. QuestionSon and daughter: which law is this about?
  19. Responseרב: it refers to ערכין
  20. Responseרב יוסף: it refers to the פרק of יוצא דופן
  21. Questionאביי asks if רב יוסף and רב really disagree
  22. Responseרב יוסף says there is no argument
  23. ProofProof that רב also applies the rule to יוצא דופן
  24. QuestionWhy did רב choose ערכין and not יוצא דופן?
  25. ResponseThe list only includes ages written in the Torah
  26. Rejectionרב יוסף's view begins: the wording does not fit ערכין