Gemara Clarity

Beitzah 18a

ביצה י״ח ע״א

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

Open Beitzah 18a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why an impure vessel may not be immersed on שבת and יום טוב: four reasons (רבה, רב יוסף, רב ביבי, רבא) and the challenges to them

Overview

This amud asks why an impure כלי may not be immersed on שבת and יום טוב. רבה says it is a גזירה, because a person might carry the vessel four אמות in רשות הרבים. When אביי pushes back, רבה adds that a private pit is banned because of a public pit, and יום טוב because of שבת. Several sources then seem to show that the חכמים did not make such decrees: השקה, drawing water with an impure pail, two split rulings in ברייתות, and a נדה immersing in her clothes. Each is answered in one of two ways: either the special method keeps the person aware of the rule, or the case is rare and the חכמים do not decree about rare cases. רב יוסף gives a different reason, סחיטה, and survives the same challenges with the same answers. רב ביבי says the worry is that people would delay immersing, and a ברייתא supports him. רבא says immersing looks like fixing a vessel. A person immersing himself is different, because he looks like he is cooling off. רב נחמן בר יצחק begins answering the question of dirty water, and his answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁמָּא יִטְּלֶנּוּ בְּיָדוֹ,

lest he pick it up in his hand

וְיַעֲבִירֶנּוּ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים.

and carry it four cubits in the public domain.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי:

Abaye said to him:

יֵשׁ לוֹ בּוֹר בַּחֲצֵירוֹ,

If he has a pit in his courtyard,

The steps (26)

  1. Statementרבה's reason: he might carry the vessel in the public domain
  2. Challengeאביי asks: what if the pit is in his own courtyard?
  3. Resolutionרבה answers: a private pit is banned because of a public pit
  4. Challengeאביי asks: what about יום טוב, when carrying is allowed?
  5. Resolutionרבה answers: יום טוב is banned because of שבת
  6. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה: השקה is allowed even though it looks like immersion
  7. ResolutionAnswer: השקה is a rare case, since he is careful with this water
  8. ChallengeChallenge from drawing water with an impure pail
  9. ResolutionThe person remembers because it is only allowed through drawing
  10. ChallengeChallenge from a vessel that became impure on יום טוב itself
  11. ResolutionImpurity on יום טוב is uncommon, so no decree was made
  12. ChallengeChallenge from a vessel made impure by a lesser source
  13. ResolutionOnly כהנים care about this kind of impurity, and they are careful
  14. ChallengeA woman immersing in her clothes: why no decree?
  15. ResolutionShe will remember, because it is only allowed while wearing them
  16. Statementרב יוסף: the decree is because of wringing
  17. ChallengeWhat about vessels that cannot be wrung?
  18. ResolutionOne rule for all vessels
  19. ConclusionThe same challenges, the same answers
  20. Statementרב ביבי: a decree so people will not delay immersing
  21. ProofA ברייתא supports רב ביבי
  22. Statementרבא: it looks like fixing a vessel
  23. ChallengeThen a person should also be forbidden to immerse
  24. ResolutionA person looks like he is cooling off
  25. ChallengeWhat about dirty water?
  26. Resolutionרב נחמן בר יצחק begins his answer