Bava Metzia 86a

בבא מציעא פ״ו ע״א

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Topic

The end of the book of אדם הראשון list, the death of רבה בר נחמני, the story of רבי שמעון בן חלפתא, and the return to the משנה on feeding workers by local custom

Overview

This amud first finishes a list from the book of אדם הראשון. שמואל ירחינאה will heal רבי. רבי and רבי נתן are the end of the משנה, and רב אשי and רבינא are the end of הוראה, with a פסוק given as a memory aid. Then the גמרא tells the long story of רבה בר נחמני's death. He was slandered to the king and ran from the king's messenger, and miracles saved him. While he hid and learned in a swamp, the heavenly yeshiva needed him to decide a doubt about צרעת. He died saying 'טהור, טהור', and heaven, the חכמים and even nature honored him. A short story about רבי שמעון בן חלפתא and a cooling wind follows. Then the גמרא goes back to the משנה about feeding workers. The word הכל teaches that an employer cannot change the local eating custom. The story of רבן יוחנן בן מתיא seems to contradict the rule, so the גמרא says words are missing from the משנה. It begins the missing line, 'if he promised them food', which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. Statementשמואל ירחינאה will be called a wise doctor and will heal רבי
2. StatementThe end of the משנה and the end of הוראה
3. StatementA פסוק to help remember רב אשי and רבינא
4. Statementרבה בר נחמני died because of persecution
5. Statementרבה is slandered to the king
6. StatementThe king's messenger chases רבה as he runs from town to town
7. StatementThe messenger finds רבה's inn, and his face is turned backward
8. QuestionThe attendants ask what to do with the injured messenger
9. Responseרבה tells them how to heal the messenger
10. StatementThe messenger finds רבה and promises not to reveal him
11. Statementרבה is locked up, escapes, and learns in a swamp
12. StatementThe heavenly yeshiva discusses בהרת and white hair
13. StatementA doubt in heaven, and רבה בר נחמני is chosen to decide
14. StatementThe מלאך המוות cannot reach רבה while he learns
15. StatementA noise in the reeds, and רבה asks to die
16. Statementרבה dies saying 'pure, pure'
17. StatementA note from heaven and the search for רבה's body
18. StatementHeaven guides the mourning for רבה
19. StatementA great storm on the day רבה died
20. Statementרבי שמעון בן חלפתא and the cooling wind
21. QuestionWhat does the word 'everything' add?
22. ResponseWorkers can refuse to change the local eating custom
23. ChallengeThe story seems to contradict the rule
24. ResolutionThe משנה is missing words: 'But if he promised them food'