Gemara Clarity

Beitzah 25b

ביצה כ״ה ע״ב

Learn Beitzah 25b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 25b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Manners and אגדה about Israel's nature; carrying a person in a chair on יום טוב; a בכור that fell into a pit

Overview

The גמרא first explains that an earlier teaching was only about good manners. It brings ברייתות on how to eat garlic and onions and how many swallows to take from a cup. It then quotes רמי בר אבא: the border-marking חצובא plant, young trees, and the bitter lupine each stand as a rebuke to people who ignore a clear lesson. The lupine teaching leads to sayings about Israel's bold, strong-willed nature and why the תורה was given to them. Next the גמרא returns to the משנה's rule against carrying meat on a pole on יום טוב. A ברייתא adds that no one may go out carried in a chair. Stories of great rabbis being carried show this is allowed when many people need the person. רבי אמי adds that the chair may not be carried on the shoulders, with exceptions for fear or a pushing crowd. Finally, a new משנה opens about a בכור that fell into a pit on יום טוב, and it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אוֹרַח אַרְעָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

It is teaching us proper manners.

כִּדְתַנְיָא:

As it is taught in a ברייתא:

לֹא יֹאכַל אָדָם שׁוּם וּבָצָל מֵרֹאשׁוֹ,

A person should not eat garlic or onion from its head,

אֶלָּא מֵעָלָיו.

but rather from its leaves.

The steps (25)

  1. ResolutionThe earlier teaching is only about good manners
  2. ProofA ברייתא about eating onions and drinking a cup
  3. StatementOne, two, or three swallows from a cup
  4. StatementThe חצובא plant will punish the wicked
  5. StatementYoung trees will punish butchers and those with a נדה
  6. StatementThe lupine will 'cut off the feet' of Israel
  7. QuestionWhy does the verse add 'and did not serve Him'?
  8. ResponseNot even treated like a lupine
  9. StatementThe תורה was given because Israel is bold
  10. StatementA law of fire for a fiery people
  11. StatementAnother reading: Israel's nature is fire
  12. Proofריש לקיש: the three boldest creatures
  13. StatementThe משנה: meat slaughtered in a field may not be carried home on a pole
  14. StatementA ברייתא lists more weekday-style ways of going out
  15. ChallengeChallenge: רבי יהושע בן לוי allowed an old man to be carried in a litter
  16. ChallengeThe challenge continues: רב הונא and מר שמואל were carried on יום טוב
  17. ResolutionAnswer: it is allowed when many people need the person
  18. Questionרב נחמן sends a question to רבי יעקב בר אידי about the chair
  19. QuestionThe messenger arrives and asks רבי זריקא about the chair
  20. Responseרבי אמי: a chair is allowed, but not on the shoulders
  21. QuestionWhat 'not on the shoulders' means: carrying poles
  22. ChallengeChallenge: רב נחמן let ילתא be carried on poles
  23. ResolutionAnswer: ילתא was different because she was afraid
  24. Statementאמימר and מר זוטרא were carried on shoulders, and why
  25. StatementNew משנה: a בכור that fell into a pit on יום טוב