Gemara Clarity

Beitzah 37b

ביצה ל״ז ע״ב

Learn Beitzah 37b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 37b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whose תחום an animal or shared object follows on יום טוב, and the debate over ברירה (retroactive clarification).

Overview

Our משנה says an animal given to a shepherd still follows the owner's תחום. A ברייתא of רבי דוסא says it follows the shepherd. The גמרא settles the clash: the ברייתא is a town with one shepherd, and the משנה is a town with two. The same split explains how רבי יוחנן can rule like רבי דוסא and also follow a סתם משנה. A ברייתא then teaches that a robe borrowed by two partners may only go where both of them may walk. רב and שמואל argue about a barrel and an animal bought together, which leads to the question of ברירה, whether a later division reveals what was true from the start. רב's students challenge his reason for the animal, and רב is silent. The גמרא reports a dispute between רבי הושעיא and רבי יוחנן about ברירה, reverses it, and then challenges רבי יוחנן's new position using a ruling about brothers who divide land and a ברייתא of איו about עירובין. That challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי דּוֹסָא,

is not in accordance with Rabbi Dosa,

דְּתַנְיָא: רַבִּי דּוֹסָא אוֹמֵר,

As it is taught: Rabbi Dosa says,

וְאָמְרִי לַהּ: אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר,

and some say: Abba Shaul says,

הַלּוֹקֵחַ בְּהֵמָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב,

one who buys an animal from his friend on the eve of the Festival,

The steps (23)

  1. StatementOur משנה seems to disagree with רבי דוסא
  2. ProofThe ברייתא of רבי דוסא
  3. ResolutionOne shepherd versus two shepherds
  4. ProofThe משנה's wording supports two shepherds
  5. Statementרבי יוחנן rules like רבי דוסא
  6. ChallengeDoes this clash with following a סתם משנה?
  7. ResolutionThe one-shepherd answer solves this too
  8. StatementA borrowed robe shared by two people with opposite boundaries
  9. StatementWhen the two boundaries only meet at the house
  10. Statementרב: a shared barrel is permitted, a shared animal is forbidden
  11. Statementשמואל: even the shared barrel is forbidden
  12. ChallengeHow can רב split the barrel from the animal?
  13. ResolutionA live animal is different
  14. Challengeרב כהנא and רב אסי object, and רב is silent
  15. QuestionWhat is the final view?
  16. Responseרבי הושעיא says yes, רבי יוחנן says no
  17. ChallengeDoes רבי הושעיא really hold there is ברירה? The doorway משנה
  18. Challengeרבי הושעיא only purifies the doorways from now on
  19. ResolutionReverse the two opinions
  20. Challengeרבי יוחנן says brothers who divide count as buyers
  21. ResolutionMaybe רבי יוחנן rejects ברירה only in Torah law
  22. ChallengeDoes he really accept ברירה in rabbinic law? Look at איו's teaching
  23. Challengeרבי יהודה: you cannot set a condition between two sages