Gemara Clarity

Beitzah 29a

ביצה כ״ט ע״א

Learn Beitzah 29a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 29a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Measuring on יום טוב: what 'but not with a measure' means, the honesty of אבא שאול בן בטנית, and further rules about measuring food and flour on the holiday.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an earlier list of the words each town used to order a portion of meat on יום טוב without naming a price. Then a new משנה teaches that you may ask a friend to fill a vessel on יום טוב, but not 'with a measure'. רבי יהודה forbids filling a measuring vessel at all. The משנה adds the story of אבא שאול בן בטנית, who filled his measures before יום טוב. The גמרא gives two readings of 'not with a measure'. שמואל says it means a vessel set aside for measuring. רבא says it means naming an amount out loud. Each reading meets the same challenge from the meat-weighing משנה, and each answers it so that רבי יהודה and the רבנן stay consistent. The גמרא then tells how אבא שאול בן בטנית and his colleagues brought wine and oil they might have gained unfairly from measuring before the Temple treasurers and refused to benefit from it, and how such goods go to צרכי רבים like public wells. It closes with more measuring rules: animal feed, spices, and רב and שמואל arguing over measuring flour for חלה. אביי's answer to the conflict over שמואל's view continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דִּבְסוּרָא אָמְרִי: תַּרְטָא וּפַלְגוּ תַּרְטָא.

That in Sura they say: a tarta or half a tarta.

בְּנַרֶשׁ אָמְרִי: חֶלְקָא וּפַלְגוּ חֶלְקָא.

In Neresh they say: a part or half a part.

בְּפוּמְבְּדִיתָא אָמְרִי: אוּזְיָא וּפַלְגוּ אוּזְיָא.

In Pumbedita they say: an uzya or half an uzya.

בִּנְהַר פְּקוֹד וּבְמָתָא מַחְסֵיָא אָמְרִי: רִבְעָא וּפַלְגוּ רִבְעָא.

In Nehar Pekod and in Mata Mechasya they say: a quarter or half a quarter.

The steps (28)

  1. StatementLocal names for meat portions in different towns
  2. StatementYou may ask a friend to fill a vessel, but not with a measure
  3. Statementרבי יהודה forbids filling a measuring vessel
  4. ProofThe story of אבא שאול בן בטנית filling measures before יום טוב
  5. Statementאבא שאול and the חכמים: the practice also helps on חול המועד and weekdays
  6. QuestionWhat does 'but not with a measure' mean?
  7. Responseשמואל: it means a vessel set aside for measuring
  8. ConclusionSo רבי יהודה forbids even a vessel fit for measuring
  9. ChallengeEach side seems to contradict itself
  10. ResolutionAnswering the contradiction in רבי יהודה
  11. ResolutionAnswering the contradiction in the רבנן
  12. Statementרבא's different reading of 'but not with a measure'
  13. ConclusionAccording to רבא, what רבי יהודה adds
  14. ChallengeEach side seems to contradict itself
  15. ResolutionAnswering the contradiction within רבי יהודה
  16. ResolutionAnswering the contradiction within the רבנן
  17. Statementאבא שאול בן בטנית measured even on חול המועד
  18. StatementBringing wine and oil that might not be theirs before the treasurers
  19. StatementThe treasurers say it was not needed, and the donors still refuse it
  20. StatementThe treasurers advise using the wine and oil for public needs
  21. ProofA ברייתא about a thief who does not know whom he robbed
  22. QuestionWhat counts as public needs?
  23. Responseרב חסדא: wells, ditches and caves
  24. Statementרבנא עוקבא's teaching: when measuring food on יום טוב is allowed
  25. Statementרב: a woman may measure flour for her dough
  26. Statementשמואל: it is forbidden
  27. ChallengeChallenge: שמואל's own school taught that it is allowed
  28. Resolutionאביי sets up his response to the conflict